Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: The Red Abbey Chronicles: Maresi by Maria Turtschaninoff - Book Review

Maresi came to the Red Abbey when she was thirteen, in the Hunger Winter. Before then, she had only heard rumours of its existence in secret folk tales. In a world where girls aren't allowed to learn or do as they please, an island inhabited solely by women sounded like a fantasy. But now Maresi is here, and she knows it is real. She is safe.

Then one day Jai tangled fair hair, clothes stiff with dirt, scars on her back arrives on a ship. She has fled to the island to escape terrible danger and unimaginable cruelty. And the men who hurt her will stop at nothing to find her.Now the women and girls of the Red Abbey must use all their powers and ancient knowledge to combat the forces that wish to destroy them. And Maresi, haunted by her own nightmares, must confront her very deepest, darkest fears.

Here is another early review to get your literary tastebuds tempted. Originally published in Sweden back in 2013, this is the first time that it has been published in English. Courtesy of Annie Prime, who has beautifully translated the original story for Pushkin children's books, it will be published in all good bookshops on the 14th January 2016.

This is a very magical and inspiring story that will takes you on an amazing ride. It pursues a feminine path, purely because all the characters happen to be female.The author has skilfully written this brilliant story without alienating male readers, in my opinion. It's not overpowering instead it delivers a magical awe of wonder. It's a story about women being powerful, strong, intelligent and treated as equals, and even more importantly, highlighting that they matter and are valued as human beings. It's a good lesson in life and one the author has put across very well.

This is a great contemporary fairy tale which is set in a different world to our own. However, you will be able to relate to it as being a time gone by or a time/place of solitude. This is reminiscent of the author's visit to Mount Athos (an all-male monastic community) which prohibits women from visiting. This was the seed of the story - it takes a similar path, but only in reverse.  

Some of the scenes that play out are very dark and harrowing, which may leave some readers feeling uncomfortable, especially for younger readers under the age of 13. The content makes for a thought provoking ride of enlightenment in the face of a dangerous world. The story is told with courage, bravery and unity; the fantastic characters will capture your heart.

This is a thrilling and mesmerising story of friendship, with a slight religious undertone, that is layered with a fantastic punch of magical fantasy. The amazing backdrop will suck you into an atmospheric world of escapism. You will not be able to put this book down until the very last page has been turned. 

This is a great vivid time capsule of what's to come in the next book - drawing on deep issues and highlighting them to new readers....

Anna and the Swallow Man - by Gavriel Savit - Book Review - Published by Bodley Head

“Man who try to understand the world without the help of children are like men who try to bake bread without the help of yeast” ― Gavriel Savit

Anna and the Swallow Man is a beautiful and stunning read that will hit the worldwide bookshops in January 2016. This is a very creative debut from an actor normally found on stage at  the Westside Theatre Off-Broadway. In the author's personal time he likes to read many fantastic books including: Neil Gaiman’s 'Sandman' series, Yann Martel’s 'Life of Pi', Lev Grossman’s 'The Magicians' and Susanna Clarke’s 'Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell'. These books have inspired him to sit down and write a novel that will equally captivate any audience. 

The story depicts an original and unique period within WW2. It captures the time brilliantly in war time Poland, Germany and Russia. In Kraków, 1939, it is no place for a young child to grow up; there are a million marching soldiers and a thousand barking dogs. Anna Lania is just seven years old when the Germans take her father and suddenly, she finds herself alone but then she meets the Swallow Man. He is mysterious, strange and tall. And like Anna's missing father, he has a gift for languages: Polish, Russian, German, Yiddish, even Bird. When he summons a bright, beautiful swallow down to his hand to stop her from crying, Anna is entranced. Over the course of their travels together, Anna and the Swallow Man dodge bombs, tame soldiers, and even, despite their better judgement, make a friend. But in a world gone mad, everything can prove dangerous . . .

The story mixes a lot of creative energy from fairytales, folktales and historical fiction. As a reader, you find yourself on a path of magical realism which will subdue you through some very powerful emotions. The story takes a very odd point of view which might take some readers by surprise. Written with unconventional characters, Anna is still working out how the world really works. This takes on a naivety that is born out of age and experience, which will have an affect on many different readers. The main audience is young adult/adult, but I would happily recommend it to eleven year olds and older rather than younger. 

The swallow man is a very unconventional character like no other that I can recall in a story of this genre. He is very mysterious and interchangeable like his moods and personality. He gives nothing away which really makes the ending of the book difficult to finish. I really wanted a more dramatic and bold end to than it had. In my opinion, this was a slight downfall, but it was still very enjoyable.

This is not an easy book to sum up. It's very unusual but the language is very poetic just like the characters lives. There is a fluent transition between a fantastic plot and limited dialogue which I actually liked. It is an engaging and realistic depiction of wartime countries. The action and the narrative have been brilliantly written within 232 pages. It creeps slowly into your heart just like Morris Gleitzman, Once and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas did. It will carry you on the wind of reflection and hopefully onto the path of freedom and peace.  

Published by Bodley Head (28 Jan. 2016)

New Book Cover Reveal - Joseph Delaney - Spook's: The Dark Army (The Starblade Chronicles 2)

Here is the fantastic new book cover image for The Dark Army which is the second book in The Starblade Chronicles. The release date is now scheduled for January 7th 2016 and will be published by Bodley Head. 

Synopsis from book one: Girls are dying in mysterious circumstances . . .
They are found dead in their beds, covered in blood, with a look of pure horror on their faces. Worse still, their ghosts are left to walk the earth, just waiting for someone to hear the terror that has befallen them.

Thomas Ward is the local spook – it’s his job to protect the county from things that go bump in the night. But this is no ordinary haunting, and he finds himself on the path of a dangerous beast that is looking to kill again.

He soon realizes this beast is just the beginning. An army of monsters is massing in the north, and it poses a threat to all mankind.

The first terrifying tale in the Starblade Chronicles, from the bestselling author of The Spook’s Apprentice.

Check out more at: http://www.spooksworld.co.uk/

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books : Big Book Cover Reveal - Helen Dennis - River of Ink: Genesis (Hodder Children's)

It's always fantastic to be asked to show off a new book cover for the first time and I particularly loved this one. I'm sure it will appeal to most readers and draw them into picking it up with the amazingly eye catching and rather abstract image. It is very imaginative and uses a great palette of colour - it really should stand out from the crowd! 

This new and exciting adventure series will appeal to both boys and girls. With a strong mystery at the heart, the characters cross Europe on a thrilling quest against time! This could be the Da Vinci Code for kids. 

If this sounds like your kind of book, then you will unfortunately have to wait until the 14th January 2016 to read it. I apologise now as I know that is quite a wait for such a fantastic book. River of Ink will be the first installment in this new series and will be published by Hodder Children's Books in the U.K. 

Book Synopsis: What if a teenage boy washed up on the banks of the River Thames, soaked to the skin and unable to explain who he is?

What if the only clue to the boy's identity is a sketch he made of a strange symbol?

Who would help him? 

Who would hunt him?

Who is River Boy?

When a mystery teenage boy emerges from the River Thames drenched, distressed and unable to remember anything about himself, he becomes the focus of worldwide media speculation. Unable to communicate, the River Boy is given paper and a pencil and begins to scribble. Soon a symbol emerges, but the boy has no idea why he has drawn it even thought it's the only clue to the mystery of his identity...
As the boy begins to build a new life under a new name, the hunt for his real identity begins.
A hunt which will lead him on a dangerous QUEST that he has only one year to complete ...
Introducing the first book in a thrilling new series packed with adventure and mystery.

About the Author: H. L. Dennis was born in Brighton, England. She works part time as a Junior School teacher and has done for 20 years. She lives with her husband, daughter and the laziest dog in the world, in a house at the bottom of the Downs on the Sussex coast in Eastbourne. 'Secret Breakers' is her first series of published books and has already been translated into seven languages.

Find out more about H. L. Dennis and enter the world at www.hldennis.com