Kenneth Oppel - Every Hidden Thing - Book Review - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Deep in the Badlands, embedded in rock and sand, lies the skeleton of a massive dinosaur, larger than anything the world has ever seen.

For Samuel Bolt it's the dinosaur that could put him and his father into the history books. But Samuel and his father aren't the only ones on the trail. Rachel Cartland is dreading a future of housewifery or spinsterhood. But the Rex could be her ticket to finally explore her love of science and adventure.

Samuel and Rachel are pushed closer together as their paths cross and the rivalry between their fathers becomes more intense. And with both after the same prize, any romance seems destined to fail. Can they find the skeleton-and with it a new life together-or will the rivalry tear them apart?

What would it be like to be the first person to dig up a massive dinosaur bone? One of the first recorded fossil finds was here in England in 1676. According to the history books, a huge thigh bone (femur) was found by Reverend Plot. It was thought that the bone belonged to a "giant," but was probably from a dinosaur. Kenneth Oppel uses this as a basis for his story which takes us on a fantastic ride. With his wild imagination, he writes a brilliant story that will take the reader back in time to the 1800's - a period of discovery within the ever-evolving America landscape. 

The idea for this book really hooked me; it really is a ground-breaking beast of an idea. I was gripped with the narrative from the very first page. The american cultural perspective from that time captivated me until the very end of the book. You will be pulled along by a seductive charm of the characters, setting and the time period. The story will whip up a sand storm of fantasy and magic that will run away with your imagination. 

Every Hidden Thing really sums up the story of adventure and the pioneering discovery of evolution in more ways than one. It takes a good look at people around that time and explores the plight of the native American Indian which will draw you into the world of action, adventure and pure escapism. The author has obviously done a lot of research into the history at this time, which has really given an element of authenticity to the plot and helped with the fantasy realism which, in my opinion, makes it really enjoyable. 

Wild wild west takes a head-on collision with palaeontology is the best way to describe this novel. It is a race against time to uncover the biggest discovery and name a new species of prehistoric dinosaur. This is a KING REX like no other. 

Running alongside the action-adventure narrative, there is an undercurrent of romance and forbidden young love. Samuel and Rachel find it very hard going when their fathers bitter rivalry comes to ahead. However, this drives the characters together to become romantically involved. I'm not really keen on this aspect, but I am interested to know what you all think. 

Oppel has expertly tied together a number of strong themes including: rivalry, danger, and a strong bitter competition that drives the characters to make some bad decisions. It is a fantastically paced and harrowing story that should be read as well as loved in so many ways. 

Published by: David Fickling Books

ISBN: 9781910989579

Format: Hardback

Available: 02 March 2017 - Pre-order now

Price : £10.99

Mr Ripley's New Children's and Teen Books September 2014 - Post Two

Scott Westerfeld - Afterworlds - Published by Simon & Schuster Children's Books (25 Sep 2014)
Darcy Patel has put college and everything else on hold to publish her teen novel, Afterworlds. Arriving in New York with no apartment or friends she wonders whether she's made the right decision until she falls in with a crowd of other seasoned and fledgling writers who take her under their wings...Told in alternating chapters is Darcy's novel, a suspenseful thriller about Lizzie, a teen who slips into the 'Afterworld' to survive a terrorist attack. But the Afterworld is a place between the living and the dead and as Lizzie drifts between our world and that of the Afterworld, she discovers that many unsolved - and terrifying - stories need to be reconciled. And when a new threat resurfaces, Lizzie learns her special gifts may not be enough to protect those she loves and cares about 
most.

Kenneth Oppel - The Boundless - Published by David Fickling Books (4 Sep 2014)
After a murder is committed, Will finds himself in possession of a key that has the potential to unlock the train's hidden treasures. Together with Maren, a gifted escape artist, and Mr Dorian, a circus ringmaster with amazing abilities, Will must save the Boundless before someone else winds up dead. With villains fast on his heels and strange creatures lurking outside the windows, the train hurtles across the country as Will flees for his life. His adventure may have begun without his knowing...but how it ends is now entirely up to Will.

Dave Shelton - Thirteen Chairs - Published by  David Fickling Books (4 Sep 2014)
Jack stands in the dark on the landing of the old house, and looks at his feet - He has been here for minutes, his hand on the door handle, debating whether or not to go in. A high-ceilinged room lit only by candles. Thirteen chairs, one empty. Twelve ghostly storytellers, waiting to begin. Come in! Sit down. We have been expecting you. Listen to our stories. Are you brave enough? And what is the story that you must tell? Jack is a curious boy. Are you?

Kendall Kulper - The Witch of Salt & Storm - Orchard Books (4 Sep 2014)

Sixteen-year-old Avery Roe wants only to take her rightful place as the sea witch of Prince Island, making the charms that keep the island's whalers safe and prosperous at sea. But before she could learn how to control her power, her mother - the first Roe woman in centuries to turn her back on magic - steals Avery away from her grandmother. Avery must escape before her grandmother dies, taking with her the secrets of the Roe's power.

The one magical remnant left to Avery is the ability to read dreams, and one night she foresees her own murder. Time is running short, both for her and for the people of her island who need the witches' help to thrive.

Avery has never read a dream that hasn't come true, but a tattooed harpoon boy named Tane tells her he can help her change her fate. Becoming a witch may prevent her murder and save her island from ruin, but Avery discovers it will also require a sacrifice she never expected. And as she falls in love with Tane, she learns it is his life and hers that hang in the balance.