Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Favourite Children's Book Picks - MARCH 2025 UK

 

Jessie Burton - Hidden Treasure - Published by Bloomsbury Children's Books (13 Mar. 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1526604569 - Hardback - Age: 8+

For the people who live on the banks of the Thames, the river is a living, breathing thing. It can take your treasures. It can hide your treasures. And, sometimes, it can give them back.

Bo and Billy are two children who have never met. Billy is an orphan. Bo's dad died when she was small and now her brother is off to war. Both children are poor, but they have each found half of a priceless treasure, given up by the river. A treasure which - when the pieces are reunited - holds the power to give back to one of them the most precious thing they have ever lost.

But should the treasure be put back together again? And why has the river given it up now?

For fans of Katherine Rundell and Philip Pullman's The Ruby in the Smoke, Hidden Treasure is a classic in the making, with a rip-roaring plot, spine-tingling twists and an unforgettable cast of characters.

Pádraig Kenny - AFTER - Published by Walker Books (6 Mar. 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1529517804 - Paperback - Age: 9+ 

The Last of Us meets Wall-E in this post-apocalyptic tale of family, hope and survival from a multi-award-winning author

Jen and her father are making their way across a deserted world after a technological collapse brought civilization as people knew it to an end. The Flood took out all all technology, but also many people who were connected to a central information hive. Those who are left behind must find each other and build a new life. But Jen's father isn't related to her by blood – he is a human-appearing AI, a glitch in the system, and a secret that must be kept, even from those she wishes she could trust...

Exploring themes of what it means to be human, the value of every individual and where true danger lies – in our technological creations, or the ones who create them – this is a powerful and hopeful dystopian adventure for readers age 9+

Humza Arshad & Henry White, Aleksei Bitskoff (Illustrator) - Little Badman and the Game of Nightmares - Published by Puffin (13 Mar. 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0241509302 - Paperback - Age: 7+ 

Virtual reality takes on a new meaning in the next laugh-out-loud Little Badman adventure. Perfect for fans of Tom Gates and Planet Omar.

Humza’s life finally feels . . . normal. Aliens aren’t trying to kill him, zombies aren’t trying to eat him, there are no crazy spy missions on the horizon and certainly no mutant hamsters. So why does he still feel stressed? Enter Aisha Mariam Shah a.k.a the girl Humza is desperate to impress.

To get Aisha’s attention, Humza enters the science fair with his friends Wendy and Umer, and it soon looks like they have a real shot at winning. But Alan, their jealous classmate, has other ideas. He has his eyes on Aisha and the science fair prize too, and he’s determined to halt his nemeses in their tracks.

Using his invention, Alan traps the friends in a simulation. The only way to escape? Through a series of nightmare video game challenges. Luckily Humza is an expert gamer . . . or so he thought. Might teamwork hold the answer this time?

M . A . Willows - The Wolf Hunter and The Snap - Published by Independently published (3 Mar. 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8312864045 - Paperback - Age: 12+ 

The Wolf Hunter and The Snap – A Haunting Tale of Survival and Horror

Something is wrong with Oliver.

It started the night he and his friends—Alissa and Tim—broke into The House, a crumbling ruin wrapped in town legend. At first, it was just unease, shadows shifting in the corners of his vision. But then came the hunger. The blackouts. The sensation of something inside him, waiting.

He’s not sick. He’s changing.

As Alissa digs into the town’s history, she discovers records missing, dates erased, people forgotten. And lurking at the edges of it all is Lee Lambert, a man who seems to know exactly what’s happening to Oliver—because it once happened to him. The House wasn’t an accident. It was a trap. A way to continue the cycle.

But Oliver won’t go quietly.

As the transformation tightens its grip, he, Alissa, and Tim must fight to break free before he becomes the next vessel for something ancient and insatiable.

🔪 A gripping blend of psychological horror and supernatural terror, The Wolf Hunter and The Snap is a chilling story of survival, buried trauma, and the monsters that walk among us.

Fans of dark, unsettling horror won’t be able to look away.

Guest Post by Oliver Thiermann - What Changes Await Self-Published Authors in 2017?

What Changes Await Self-Published Authors in 2017? 

It seems like everyone has a story to tell these days, doesn’t it? It’s great for the art, don't get me wrong, but with all the crazy competition out there, getting published has become a literal nightmare. With the traditional route of securing a book deal almost out of the question, self-publishing has become a great option. This tends to be especially true, for new and upcoming authors. Also, the whole self-publishing process is getting easier and easier, with the passing of each year. We are at the point now where there is so much help out there, that it’s become almost counterproductive not to give self-publishing a try. 

Just look at the success some indie sci-fi and fantasy authors have had in recent years. Andy Weir's “The Martian” hit it out of the park with his movie adaptation. Recently, Ridley Scott also bought the rights to the self-published sci-fi novel, Wool, by Hugh C. Howey. And how could I miss Amanda Hocking, who made millions from her self-published fantasy series? Trust me there are a lot of stories like these. I guess the point I’m trying to make, is that self-publishing can end up being a great option for indie authors. 

Some will say the picture might not as pretty as the one I’ve painted for you however. According to Nielsen, e-book sales dropped by almost 16% last year. Also, over the last two years, we’ve seen some big players in the self-publishing arena such as Oyster, close their doors. 

And yet, there’s some good news. Many established self-publishing trends continued their rise. The line between traditional and self-publishing keeps getting thinner and thinner. Last year saw tremendous growth in the numbers of 'hybrid' authors who explored both sides. Not only that, but many writers who took publishing deals returned to self-publishing. Hybrid authors tend to earn the most money as well. According to a survey by Digital Book world, the median income of a hybrid author was between $7,500 to $9,999. (£6,200 to £8.200). This was better than both traditional or indie authors. Hence, the notion that traditional publishing is only way to make significant sales, continues to lose ground. 


                                        Predictions for 2017 

There were a lot of new things that happened in the self-publishing industry during the last year, however the formula for success seems to have remained mostly unchanged. One strategy that continues to effective, is the pre-order strategy. Although most authors fail to take advantage of this, it continues to be effective. 

Another trend that is predicted to be robust, is the popularity of targeted subgenres. Average ebook prices are also expected to hold steady with many of the top self-published titles costing between 2.50 – 5.00. Additionally, quite a few authors, especially in the fantasy genre, continue build their respective audiences by giving out the first book in a series for free.

Most people these days also read on their phones or tablets, where short pieces tend to work better. Data from Wattpad confirmed this trend. They found that almost 90% of their users engaged with the site, via their mobile phones. 

Amazon's Kindle Unlimited will also probably continue to expand in the coming year. It’s value to authors however is questionable, and many bestselling titles will continue not to enroll in the program. 

One very big change that could prove to be a boon for self-published authors is Amazon’s decision to move into the traditional brick and mortar space. The effect that this will have on the self-publishing space however, has yet to be seen. Many of Amazon’s brick and mortar stores have yet to integrate any kind indie presence in their catalog of physical titles (excluding of course big name authors who have gone the hybrid route). That being said, these stores could become a godsend for indie authors, if Amazon ever does decide to dedicate shelf space to self-published writers. Amazon opened its first store in Seattle, in November of 2015 and many stores are expected to follow.


Getting exposure will continue to be a big challenge for indie authors. 

Let’s face it, while the self-publishing business is full of opportunity, it is also becoming a very crowded space. As a result, exposure, and audience development are going to be the some of the biggest challenges to confront new and emerging authors. Now more than ever, authors will have to start connecting with their readership early on. In addition to this, authors will also need to continue to go out of their way to engage with their readers. Expect to see polls, forums and newsletters, become key elements in the modern author's arsenal. But keep in mind with these challenges, come new opportunities. Polls and forums can just as easily be used to validate key story ideas and book cover decisions. Also by giving their audience the opportunity to shape or influence a story arc, authors can drive up reader loyalty, and keep their audience engaged during the writing process. 

One thing’s for sure, while self-publishing is filled with its fair share of pitfalls, it also comes with its rewards. It’s because of those rewards, that many experts believe the industry is going to grow in the coming years. Some of the effects of this growth can already be seen. Every day, self-published indie authors continue to win over skeptics, and the legitimacy of self-publishing will continue to be recognized by more readers as time goes on.

Thank you for a great post, this is a very interesting and inciteful read. Oliver Thiermann is the founder and CEO at theArcShapeR. Team leader by day and content creator by night, he always keeps an eye out for innovative ways to bring readers and writers together. Ollie is also an epic nerd, who hungers for all things Fantasy and Sci-Fi related.