Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: The Other Alice by Michelle Harrison - Book Review

What happens when a tale with real magic, that was supposed to be finished, never was? This is a story about one of those stories . . .

Midge loves riddles, his cat, Twitch, and – most of all – stories. Especially because he's grown up being read to by his sister Alice, a brilliant writer.

When Alice goes missing and a talking cat turns up in her bedroom, Midge searches Alice’s stories for a clue. Soon he discovers that her secret book, The Museum of Unfinished Stories, is much more than just a story. In fact, he finds two of its characters wandering around town.

But every tale has its villains – and with them leaping off the page, Midge, Gypsy and Piper must use all their wits and cunning to work out how the story ends and find Alice. If they fail, a more sinister finale threatens them all . . .

The Other Alice is a story about unfinished stories, should every book have a ending? 
What about all of those stories hidden away, never to get that finishing chapter, a world unloved with characters stuck in limbo, forgotten and never to see the fantasy light of day? When the magical, written world comes in search of endings and the characters manifest into a physical presence and take over your life with a deadly outcome; what would you do? 

The narrative will certainly grab your undivided attention like no other book. This is a fantastic story, wonderfully captivating and straight from the heart. The author sets out the world and her intention with the very first line in the book. ALICE SILVER HAD NEVER MET ANYONE WHO HAD KILLED BEFORE. It's a very dark start and leads you into an unexpected troubled world. It will certainly pull you into a vice-like fantasy grip that will immerse you on so many levels. The thrilling intensity of the plot will certainly give you the chills, even on a warm summer's day. 

The books influence is certainly from the author's love of reading. In my opinion, Cornelia Funke's Inkheart influences are here and leeches into the pores of the story; very subtly but particularly effectively. You will certainly plunge into the deep, creative imagination of the author in this book. The ideas, passion and the author's personality have really excitingly evolved onto paper to make this a magical story. It is very psychological and so thrilling to read with a focus on family, reality as well as make believe and one killing deranged villain. The author has introduced her love of cats into the story. It's paws a way for a talking, cheeky cat that is very infectious as a character.  

I really loved the concept of this story and really connect with it. I always love a dark and disturbing read that will unsettle the reader and put you on edge with every page turned. The characters are a varied mixture, very vague and in need of more work, especially in the detail department.  Dorothy Grimes stole the show for me, she leapt out from the pages and would be very at home within the pages of a Darren Shan novel. 

This is a fantastic five star read for me; really engrossing and one of the best books that I've read so far from Michelle Harrison.   

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• Paperback: 352 Pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's UK (28 July 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1471124274

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New Brand Release: Tom Percival - The Spell Thief /The Great Troll Rescue (Little Legends) - Mini Review

Welcome to Tale Town, a faraway kingdom, full of extraordinary children that you might literally recognise. Pop all of the fairytale characters you know and love, and whisk them together slowly to make new epic adventures. This is a wondrous world full of dragons, fairies and talking trolls, where magic and mayhem and mystery crackles through the air. It is a fantastic new series by the multi-talented Tom Percival. 

The first two books have already been published and are aimed at a younger audience for age 5+. The third book, Genies Curse, will hit the shops in fairytale land on the 28th July, 2016. These are fantastically written, exciting stories that have a classic fairytale feel style and wonderful eye-catching illustrations by Tom.

The idea for Little Legends was developed by Tom Percival and Made in Me, a digital creative studio exploring new ways for technology and storytelling, to inspire the next generation. The brand will launch simultaneously a physical paperback and ebook, and a interactive game for children available from the App Store.  It is a great  family entertainment package, ready and waiting for you all to access! Check them out Here!

Jack (of the beanstalk fame) and his magical talking chicken, Betsy, have always been great at making new friends. But when Jack spots Anansi, the new kid in town, talking to a troll in the Deep Dark Woods, everything changes. Everyone knows that trolls mean trouble, and Jack will do anything to prove to the rest of his friends that Anansi is a troll spy. Even if that means using stolen magic!

What starts as an adventure ends in disaster when Rapunzel, Anansi and Jack and his talking chicken, Betsy, are captured by a wicked witch and locked up in a tower! It's up to Red (the sustainable woodcutter's daughter) to save the day. With the help of the witch's servant, Ella, and her magical fairy god-brother, can Red save her friends and all the other magical creatures the witch has kidnapped - including a fearsome troll?

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books : Book Review - Claudia White - Seravlius Window - MP Publishing Ltd

“There was a proverb written more than 2200 years ago: watching the tree to catch a hare,” Dr. Zhang smiled warmly, “which means: the only thing that does not change is that everything changes.”

The tales of dreams and imaginings of Claudia White have been fully explored in book three. Seravalius Window is so far my personal favourite. The plot is highly imaginative and combines the ancient story of Gilgamesh and Chinese Proverbs, which is really evident in the plot line. These elements in the book make you think and flex your imaginative brain making it an absolute joy to immerse yourself in the story.   

After the first few chapters, you will be led down the narrative road asking yourself how this book is going to work out. It is surreal, intriguing and very different from the previous two books. However, it still retains all the good aspects from the other books such as the interesting and well written characters, good worldbuilding and easy going dialogue.   

The book is written in three parts and leads the reader down a path of discovery and learning which cleverly collides into a satisfying ending. Although it leaves more questions than answers. This book can work as a standalone novel, but I would recommend reading one of the other books to get a better understanding of the characters and back history, as it may be quite easy to get lost. 

In the first part, Servalius, the reader learns of a perfectly ordered world where everything and everyone lives according to their destined journey. Servalians have no knowledge of their celestial journey that began on Earth but celebrate the images of the Earth’s vibrancy through Enya Harding’s art and Alfred Canat’s music. But when twelve year old Mia learns that she does not fit into her destined path things change forever… 

This is a story of destiny and unexplained memories that will leave you wanting to uncover the mystery within the story. You will travel into a dream like bubble the further you go.  

In part two, the reader is introduced to Indigo Jasper, a friend of Felix Hutton who is gifted with strange and unexplained memories and extraordinary knowledge. Felix knows that Indigo is different from his other classmates, but believes that her exceptional intelligence is what sets her apart until she and everything associated with her ceases to exist and only Felix and other Athenites can remember her at all.

Part three involves the reappearance of Indigo’s ghostly form as she provides some of the answers to her mysterious disappearance; her travels on Earth and what awaits her when she returns to Servalius (as Mia) having completed this part of her destined journey… 
 
This is a pocket size family adventure, full of folk tales and myths, which are all wrapped in a magical fantasy realm. A recommended middle grade read that I would search out in a heartbeat, especially if you are in the U.K. 

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• Book published by MP Publishing Ltd (May 18, 2015)