Yaba Badoe - Wolf Light - Book Review - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

Yaba Badoe is an award-winning Ghanaian-British documentary filmmaker and writer. Her first acclaimed children's novel was A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars which was nominated for the Carnegie Medal in 2019. Wolf Light is her second children's book and will be released in paperback this Jan 2020 by Zephyr. It has an absolutely fantastic book cover which has been illustrated by Leo Nickolls. I think it is amazing and just love it. 

After a brief flicker and a flutter of the pages, you are instantly transported into a place of pure fantasy and magical realism. There are three sacred places of sanctuary in this book, each with its own narrative that goes straight to the human heart. It starts with three spiritual sisters: Zula, Adoma, and Linet who are connected by their destiny from the day they were born. Even though they all live in a different part of the world, they share a special spiritual connection. As a result, they have to harness the magic of the elements and protect their sacred spaces by watching over the respective lands where they live. 

This journey enables us to dance through the tropical forests of Ghana as well as sing with the harsh stormy moors of Cornwall. It is a very powerful story that considers the relationships we have with the world around us and the consequences of the damage we cause to this planet every day. A voice is calling on the elemental spirits and, thus, planting the seed of a plot before showering us with a beautiful and extraordinary tale. 

You will embark upon a brilliant story of both light and darkness which pulses with loss, love and the eternal destruction of the planet. The tale takes us on a whirlwind of an adventure as the leopard dances and leaps under the moon and a wolf howls in the distance. This poetic vision of colour rustles through the trees and shimmers on the lakeshore. This is a great topical read that is very thought-provoking. It covers some important themes such as feminism, family, relationships, and environmental damage. All of which are told as a brilliant narrative, they are certainly as good as any you will read for some time. This is a book to savour and contemplate as the earth lives and breathes around us. 

Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's Book Picks Jan 2020

Ross Welford - The Kid Who Came from Space - Published by HarperCollins Children's Books (9 Jan. 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-0008333782 - Paperback 

The stunning new 10+ story from the bestselling and award-winning author of TIME TRAVELLING WITH A HAMSTER, for anyone who loved the humour of WALL-E, the action of STAR WARS and the deeply touching emotion of ET.

A small village in the wilds of Northumberland is rocked by the disappearance of twelve-year-old Tammy. Only her twin brother, Ethan, knows she is safe – and the extraordinary truth of where she is. It is a secret he must keep, or risk never seeing her again.

But that doesn’t mean he’s going to give up.

Together with his friend Iggy and the mysterious (and very hairy) Hellyann, Ethan teams up with a spaceship called Philip, and Suzy the trained chicken, for a nail-biting chase to get his sister back… that will take him further than anyone has ever been before.

Tom McLaughlin - The Day I Started a Mega Robot Invasion - Walker Books (2 Jan. 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1406389647 - Paperback - Age: 7+

A nine-year-old inventor is about to have her worst day ever in this laugh-a-minute mega-robot adventure!
Molly should be doing her homework, but instead, she builds a robot to do it for her. The robot is pretty clever ... so clever that it decides to make another robot. Then that robot makes another one. Before long, an army of slightly-too-clever-for-their-own-good robots are running around town causing chaos. But when robot number one gets wind of Molly’s plan to shut them down, the mechanical army set out to get rid of the humanoid once and for all. Now, Molly must race against time to stop the mega-robot invasion … and hand in her homework!

Anna Hoghton -  The Mask of Aribella - Published by Chicken House (2 Jan. 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1912626106 - Paperback - Age: 9+

Perfect for fans of The Thief Lord!

Aribella lives in Venice, the daughter of an impoverished lace-maker. But she has a deadly secret: when angered, sparks shoot from her fingertips. Unable to keep her power hidden, she flees - but when dark spectres rise from the lagoon, the fire in her hands saves her life. A stranger witnesses the attack - and through him, Aribella leaves her old life behind and discovers the world of the Cannovacci, magical warriors sworn to defeat the strange spectres menacing the city ...

Nick East - Agent Weasel and the Abominable Dr Snow: Book 2 - Published by Hodder Children's Books (23 Jan. 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1444945300 - Paperback - Age: 7+

Meet Agent Weasel: woodland super-spy. Can he save the Big Freeze winter games from disaster? And will there be enough marshmallows for another hot chocolate? Perfect for reading alone or sharing together, for fans of The Bolds and Toto the Ninja Cat.

It's the opening night of the Winter Whopper Games, but all is not well in the United Woodlands. Top animal athletes are disappearing, and there are whispers of a silent snow beast on the prowl. 

It's time to call Agent Weasel, woodland super-spy. Can he and his trusty dormouse friend Doorkins find out the secrets of Blanche, their mysterious team-mate? Will Weasel be able to compete for a golden fir cone without falling over his own feet? Will there be enough marshmallows and sprinkles for another hot chocolate? Who knows? 

But rest assured: even on the darkest and snowiest of nights, Agent Weasel always gets his animal. 

This is the second in the rib-ticklingly funny Agent Weasel series, with glorious illustrations throughout. Check out book one: Agent Weasel and the Fiendish Fox Gang.

Alastair Chisholm - Orion Lost - Book Review - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

The first book not to be missed this year is Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm. This story is a brilliant blend of Sci-Fi goodness which is perfect for fans of both Star Wars and Star Trek. The book will be published this week (9th January 2020) by Nosy Crow. Therefore, it's time to grab your boarding pass and take your first journey into a fantasy world that will have you booked and hooked. It's a middle-grade adventure that will have you rocketing out of the orbit in minutes.

Earth is a distant spot on the horizon, millions of miles from home. The Colony ship ORION is four months out of Earth on the way to EOS FIVE when a sudden and unexpected turn of events occurs.  This plunges the plot into MYSTERY as you hurtle into a non-stop action-packed ride. Thirteen-year-old Beth and her friends have to navigate the heavily damaged ship, without the help of an adult crew, as they spin out into uncharted territory. Fortunately, the children pull together using their strengths and skills to try and help them get back home. 

Many of the concepts and ideas in this book I particularly loved. For example, the crew making jumps through space which required all the passengers to be put to sleep. This really gave a fresh angle to the story. The characters were brilliantly written; some of them were gutsy and resourceful as they created a realistic approach to situations. However, there were also lots of fun moments to be had. 

This is definitely one of the best books, within this genre, that I have read for some time. It is a much-needed read that allows you to easily escape and be transported into another world and time. The atmospheric story is full of energy, space pirates, alien encounters and friendships. It's a life-changing adventure which is a million miles from home and it's all awaiting you, the reader, to engage in it from your comfy armchair. So, why not give it a try today - fun impacters on and full-throttle away! 

Nizrana Farook - The Girl Who Stole an Elephant - Book Review (Nosy Crow) - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

Nizrana Farook is the author of The Girl Who Stole an Elephant which is due to be published on the 9th January 2020 by Nosy Crow Books. The book cover illustration is by David Dean who had the voters support in our recent book cover wars heat. The book cover is very appealing with its great use of vivid colour - it will certainly draw readers to it from any shelf. 

This is a brilliant and thrilling middle-grade debut book that draws upon the location of the author's native home of Sri Lanka. The wild beauty of the landscape sets the story off really well. It's a dazzling and delicious tale of the exotic which captures the attention of the reader with its beauty. 

The book features a host of well-written feisty characters that inject a spark of magic. We are first introduced to Chaya, the main character, as she is running away from the Royal Palace. We soon learn that she has been involved in stealing the Queen's Jewels. Chaya is known as a loveable and spirited character with a sparkling gem for a heart, however, this venture backfires royally. This is a lovely heartfelt story built on friendship to correct wrongdoing as she finds herself on a breathtaking and uplifting adventure in the jungle with her friends and an elephant.

This story will lead you on a fast-paced journey that is fraught with danger. Chaya finds herself fleeing from the palace guards and the village that both she and her friends once lived in. Danger strikes at will and their only protection is a huge elephant and their whits. The characters will light up your heart and your soul with warmth and great dialogue. Whilst the wildness of the jungle will sweep you off your feet. It is vividly written and has a creative flair full of sights and smells that make you feel like part of the story. 

This is a glorious story about a jewel thief escaping into the jungle: a rebel, a royal revolution, a bandit and maybe even a hero. What more can you want from a narrative? This fuels an adventure of a lifetime that will be loved by everyone.  It's a book that I would wholeheartedly recommend, so pick it up and give it a read. What a cracking start to the New Year, 2020. 

***BOOK COVER REVEAL*** Alastair Chisholm - Orion Lost (Book Proof Giveaway Competition) - Nosy Crow Books

Mr. Ripleys Enchanted Books is proud and delighted to be spreading the word about a new up and coming book that you will not want to miss. Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm will be published on the 9th January 2020 by Nosy Crow Books. The first thing to consider is the fantastic book cover illustrated by Dan Mumford. You have to agree, it certainly captures the reader's attention with its fantastic use of colour and imagery. The book will appeal to many readers but especially fans of Mortal Engines and Star Wars.

How about the chance to read it first?  We are doing a little Twitter
#OrionLost giveaway for three advanced book proof copies. All you need to do is jump on my twitter feed @Enchantedbooks and look for the tweet involving the giveaway (should be at the top) and re-tweet it. Unfortunately, this giveaway is only open to people in the UK. However, here is an introduction about the book to get you as excited as we are. 

The transport ship Orion is four months out of Earth when catastrophe strikes – leaving the ship and everyone on board stranded in deep space. 

Suddenly it’s up to thirteen-year-old Beth and her friends to navigate through treacherous and uncharted territory to reach safety. But a heavily-damaged ship, space pirates, a mysterious alien species, and an artificial intelligence that Beth doesn’t know if she can trust means that getting home has never been so difficult…

Hugely gripping, with incredible twists and a fast-paced, action-packed story, this is an unputdownable science fiction adventure.