Eloise Williams - Wilde - (Firefly Press) Book Review - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

Wilde is the latest book by Eloise Williams (Children's Laureate Wales). The book will be published by Firefly Press (a small Cardiff-based publisher) on the 1st of May 2020. Whilst that sounds like a long time away, we really need things to look forward to at the moment! If you would like to, you can support the author and publisher by pre-ordering a copy of the book now. There currently have a special offer/deal to get a signed copy and an exclusive pin badge for no extra cost. All you need to do is order HERE before 10 April 2020. 

This story is a contemporary adventure and it really is an absolute delight to read. The main character, Wilde, is a young girl desperately trying to fit in. She's been kicked out of yet another school. However, this deliberate act didn't quite go to plan as Wilde now has to stay with a relative in Witch Point and start another school. However, Witch Point HAS A HIDDEN and chequered past which soon pulls Wilde and the readers into an atmospheric plot.

As you follow the story down the winding path of strangeness and trouble, a  creeping sensation soon washes over you. It'll send shivers down your spine like the sound of a chalkboard being scratched with fingernails! Birds seem to follow Wilde wherever she goes and she soon finds herself in the strangest of places during the middle of the night. Is she flying in her sleep? The mystery has the reader hooked in so many ways as many strange events unfold. 

The author has done a great job bringing the characters to life particularly within a school setting. The frightening letters sent to pupils was an amazing plot addition as it pulled the narrative together with the signed curses. It really brought out a thought-provoking side to the story which was all delivered through lots of tears and heartache. I thought the ending worked particularly well as Wilde races to find out what's happening before everyone blames her. 

This is a great story filled with equal dollops of knotted tension and genuine warmth. The story heart pumps lots of action and drama through the veins of mystery. The story really focuses on the development of great characters and creative ideas rather than clichés on the theme of  WITCHES. In fact, I would consider it an eloquently played out ghost story that focuses on FINDING your place and fitting into society and life. It really hits the literary mark and keeps you thoroughly entertained. 

CAI Pictures Press: Release: The Three Hares proof-of-concept short CP

THE THREE HARES

Los Angeles – October 31, 2016, All Hallow’s Eve
Director Tony Catter and CAI Studio Pictures debut film project THE THREE HARES has completed its first step towards a feature film goal with a release of its highly anticipated lofty proof-of-concept short today, October 31 2016, All Hallow’s Eve. THE THREE HARES was filmed entirely in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire England with all post done in Los Angeles at CAI Studio. Set in Wiltshire, England in the year 2023 and starring Oliver Park, THE THREE HARES is a dark fantasy proof-of-concept short. 

After a long absence, magic has returned to England – with dire consequences.

A new shadow department of MI5, Magical Artifact Recovery, has been tasked with tracking down all magical artifacts lost during the Great Rupture. Only a few know the true power and location of the most formidable magical artifact, the Three Hares Cameo, but their days are numbered.... THE THREE HARES is based on true untold legends of the west country of England. Many have seen the magical shape-shifting witch hares, but few have lived to tell the tales. Mystery further surrounds the revered Chinese Three Hares Insignia, found in churches across England; three hares entwined in a circle connected by their ears, whose true meaning is lost to the sands of time and the Silk Road.

The Three Hares from CAI Studio on Vimeo.

Studio Pictures
5768 WEST PICO BLVD SUITE 200
LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA 90019 P: 323.643.1685 

Shane Hegarty - Darkmouth Illustrated by James de la Rue - Book Review (HarperCollins)

Synopsis: Around the world, there are various towns where the border between our dimension and the dimension of the monsters - properly called Legends - is weak. Legend Hunters keep the population safe. But for a while now, the Legends have stopped crossing over. Apart from in one place: Darkmouth, in Ireland where Legend Hunters are very much in demand. Our hero Finn is the son of the last remaining Legend Hunter. In a society where Legend Hunting skills are passed down through generations, Finn will carry on that tradition. The only problem? He's really not very good at it. And in a fabulous bit of timing, it turns out there's an extraordinary and disturbing reason that it's all gone a bit quiet everywhere else.

HarperCollins has always been known for its particularly strong connections with Irish horror writers both past and present. Shane Hegarty has recently joined the infamous corridor of fame alongside the likes of Darren Shan and Derek Landy. His recent book, Darkmouth, was hotly contested at this year's Bologna Book Fair. Shane Hegarty, the former Arts Editor for the Irish Times, has since negotiated a four-book deal in this series.

Darkmouth is an imaginative adventure for 8-12 year olds which is full of monster-hunting action. It definitely marks the arrival of a major new voice in children's books. Fresh, fun and very witty; it is incredibly cool and will pull in readers of all ages who love a good story. 

It was a real pleasure reading this fantastic story. Shane has forgone the more popular route in my opinion. There are NO Vampires, NO Zombies, NO Werewolves and NO mundane ghosts. In fact, it was a breath of putrid air reading this book. I'm sure that you are asking, so what will I find in this book? Well, you will find a range of monsters routed in folklore and others that have been dreamt up from the good old-fashioned imagination. Shane plays with the reader very cleverly feeding off your emotions. You will laugh your pants off one minute and then the dark explosive plot will scare the socks of you the next. 

Copyright © James de la Rue 2104 

You'll notice that another extra special element are the layered illustrations throughout this story. The fantastically detailed black and white pencil sketches are by the talented James de la Rue (aka PencilsMcDraw). These really enhance the fantasy horror shenanigans immensely as they create a parallel world between words and images. You will be easily transported between these two elements from the start of the book right until the very end.        

All images are subject to Copyright 2014 by James de la Rue. Always get permission before using any images. Contact  James de la Rue at the following website :http://www.jamesdelarue.co.uk/

It's a monster quest for Finn, a boy who must follow fifty generations of his family to become a Legend Hunter, and save the world from monsters who wish to destroy it. However, the huge problem is that Finn is not very good as a Legend Hunter - you might want to PANIC now! Fortunately, help is on hand from his dad and a mysterious girl called Emmie. The relationship between these two characters is captured incredibly well and adds extra appeal as it pulls you through a turbulent dimension. 

At the time, it felt that the beginning of the book perhaps started a little too slowly, but on reflection this was perhaps needed to create the world and introduce the story. I recognise that this is particularly important for the first book in a series in order to establish future books and storylines. 

I have to say that this is one of the most promising debut books that I have read for a long time. The tone has been set for a fantastic new series which I'm really looking forward to reading. MG horror is on the up with another name in Irish writing. 

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank James de la Rue for granting me special permission to share the above illustrations from the book.

Published by HarperCollinsChildren's Books (29 Jan 2015).

Book Review: Sally Gardner Drawings by David Roberts - Tinder - Published by Indigo

                 

This book is a macabre parade between the visual and the written. It is a dark fantasy feast of delights with a great combination of atmospheric black/white drawings. The splashes of red, here and there, give the illustrations an extra intensity. As always they have been expertly drawn and created by David Roberts.  

Sally Gardner skillfully tells a tale reminiscent to that of The Tinderbox; the first story Hans Christian Andersen wrote at the age of twenty-nine. The influence from this story and his other works really shine within this book, in my humble opinion. 

Copyright :Illustrations by David Roberts, taken from Tinder by Sally Gardner (Indigo, £9.99) -  (Do not replicate images, permission given.)

The words and the pictures take you on a journey of intrigue - they work in pure harmony to captivate the reader. This story is a chilling and disturbing take on a classic , but with a modern day twist and feel. It is an enchanting story that has been told in exquisite detail. A realm of dark fantasy is explored with a hint of love, greed, magic and mythical elements which are layered into the unfolding and uncompromising story that you will either love or hate. 

Copyright :Illustrations by David Roberts, taken from Tinder by Sally Gardner (Indigo, £9.99) -  (Do not replicate images, permission given.)

Otto Hundebiss is tired of war, but when he defies Death he walks a dangerous path. A half beast half man gives him shoes and dice which will lead him deep into a web of dark magic and mystery. He meets the beautiful Safire - pure of heart and spirit, the scheming Mistress Jabber and the terrifying Lady of the Nail. He learns the powers of the tinderbox and the wolves whose master he becomes. But will all the riches in the world bring him the thing he most desires?

I really enjoyed reading this book. I found myself reading the text very quickly and then stopping for longer to consider the illustrations. I really took the opportunity to soak in the drawings, of which there are around a hundred or so, to wonder at the amazing detail. I may have got lost in parts by wandering slightly off the path, due to the little flashbacks that were incorporated, but I soon managed to work out the meaning. My brain, by the end of the story, was definitely in the right gear and heading in the right direction.

This is another good story that has been written by this author. It's not a book for the young or those with a delicate disposition - it's quirky, brutal and amazingly honest in its telling. It will suck you in and throw you out with equal measure. However it is definitely one to be read and to be mentally cherished, but don't take my word for it . . . grab a copy and find out for yourselves. If you have any thoughts then please leave these in the comments box. I always love to hear your thoughts. So what are you waiting for? This book is available to buy and read now.

Mr Ripley's Children's Book Recommendation - Animal Spirits Series: Wild Born/Hunted - By Brandon Mull & Maggie Stiefvater

                         

WILD BORN - Book One by Brandon Mull - Out Now
Four children separated by vast distances all undergo the same ritual, watched by cloaked strangers. Four flashes of light erupt, and from them emerge the unmistakable shapes of incredible beasts - a wolf, a leopard, a panda, a falcon. Suddenly the paths of these children - and the world - have been changed for ever. Enter the world of Erdas, where every child who comes of age must discover if they have a spirit animal, a rare bond between human and beast that bestows great powers to both.

 A dark force has risen from distant and long-forgotten lands, and has begun an onslaught that will ravage the world. Now the fate of Erdas has fallen on the shoulders of four young strangers ... 

Book Two: Hunted is by Maggie Stiefvater - Published 1st Jan 2014 - Check out the cool game and more: http://spiritanimals.scholastic.com/

Will Hill - Animated Department 19 Comic Strips by Tom Percival

The first and second instalment so far for the animated Department 19 comic strips which has just been released recently - written by Will Hill, everything else has been brilliantly done by Tom Percival. Includes weapons, vehicles, the inside of the Loop, and remarkably high levels of awesome... Hope enjoy them, as they are super cool....

Katherine Roberts - Pendragon Legacy: Bk 1 - Sword of Light Book Review

                                                                

• 
  
• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Templar Publishing (1 Feb 2012)
• Language English
• ISBN-10: 1848773900
• ISBN-13: 978-1848773905

It was great to receive this book in the post. It's always fantastic to receive a book with a fantasy theme - there appear to be fewer published at the moment. However, this is a welcomed new four-book fantasy series, which is set in the Dark Ages (after the death of the legendary King Arthur).

The first book in the series, Sword of Light, follows the adventures of Arthur's Daughter (Rhianna Pendragon). If you ask me, this is a great name for a character. Rhianna sets off on a quest to find Excalibur, the magical famous sword, in order to help restore her father's soul to his body.

It is the darkest hour of the darkest Age. King Arthur is dead, killed by his wicked nephew, Mordred. Saxon invaders rampage across the land and forces of evil are gathering. The path to the throne lies open to Arthur's only remaining flesh and blood - Mordred. But there is one with a better claim than Mordred - Arthur's secret child. Brought by Merlin to enchanted Avalon as a baby and raised there for protection, the king's heir must take up a vital quest: to search for the four magical Lights with the power to restore Arthur's soul to his body. Introducing Rhianna Pendragon: unlikely princess and Camelot's last hope.

When reading a book like this, which takes the essence of a very well established famous tale, it can be difficult to consider something fresh and new. In my opinion, this can be the downfall of any book attempting such a task. However, in this case the author has written a rather safe and comfy tale. In fact so much so, that the author's character and writing style is perhaps less established and prominent than in one of her earlier books, 'Song Quest', which was published by Chicken House.

Nevertheless reading this book was a feast of enjoyment - I loved the story and the many interesting characters. Rhianna is a particularly great spirited example of a young modern day hero. Whilst some of the action battles between the Saxons and the Knights left a little flavour of Tolkien behind.

This is a great fantasy adventure with some interesting story lines. There are three more books to follow - Lance of Truth published in November 2012, the Crown of Dreams and Grail of Stars are all due to be published in 2013. If you like Merlin, then you will love this book .....

Many thanks to Templar for sending out such a beautiful edition of this book.