Guest Post: Talisman by Paul Murdoch - Rebranded, Re-Written and Re-Discovered...‏

Will you be tempted by Talisman?

So, what are The Peck Chronicles? What is Talisman, book 1 in this new fantasy adventure for children, all about? And who is Paul Murdoch?

Well... The Peck family are at the core of the whole series. Cathy Peck is a very direct, no-nonsense mother who says exactly what she thinks without any regard for the consequences. She's fiery, sharp and dangerous. David Peck is a fairly boring dad, but he's missing, presumed - as far away from Cathy as possible. And then there's James Peck, our hero, a boy of ten who's head agrees with the rest of the Villagers in Drumfintley, in that they think, quite understandably, that his dad has 'done a runner'. But James's heart... His heart tells him that something very bad and deeply mysterious has happened to his father. So he is absolutely...almost...fairly sure that everybody else in Drumfintely is completely...possibly...may be wrong.

All this is tricky enough for a ten-year-old boy with asthma, but then he stumbles upon a wizard from another world, banished to Scotland in the form of a tiny goldfish. Mendel, a wizard or scientist, as he prefers to be called, is from a world called Denthan. That world is doomed, as one of its two suns is about explode and annihilate the whole planet. However, an evil Hedra wizard called Dendralon has found a way to save his own race from the holocaust at the expense of all others. Nice! 

But not nice at all, really. So Mendel must get back and stop him. He must find another way to save the planet of Denthan and all the creatures who live there. But he needs a Talisman to do this, and that's where James comes in. Mendel decides to use the boy to perform his magic and he urges/blackmails James into helping him. Mendel's part of the bargain is to find out what's happened the boy's father - David Peck. 

Another 'fly-in-the-ointment' is that no one knows what the Talisman looks like...not Mendel, not James, not anyone.

Is James's missing father and the destruction of Denthan linked? 

Well...I'm not telling. 

But I can say that there's magic, monsters, epic battles, a bad tempered mum, 

and an exploding planet to deal with.  

Soon, most of the villagers in Drumfintley are drawn in to one of the most amazing family adventures ever. 

TALISMAN - book 1 of The Peck Chronicles is out now, published by Strident Publishing. CITADEL - Book 2 and TYRANT - Book 3 - are both coming much sooner than you think.

Ps - Paul Murdoch is just the bloke who took the movie in his head and scribbled it down as quickly as he could before it faded away for ever. 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books : Book Review - Claudia White - Seravlius Window - MP Publishing Ltd

“There was a proverb written more than 2200 years ago: watching the tree to catch a hare,” Dr. Zhang smiled warmly, “which means: the only thing that does not change is that everything changes.”

The tales of dreams and imaginings of Claudia White have been fully explored in book three. Seravalius Window is so far my personal favourite. The plot is highly imaginative and combines the ancient story of Gilgamesh and Chinese Proverbs, which is really evident in the plot line. These elements in the book make you think and flex your imaginative brain making it an absolute joy to immerse yourself in the story.   

After the first few chapters, you will be led down the narrative road asking yourself how this book is going to work out. It is surreal, intriguing and very different from the previous two books. However, it still retains all the good aspects from the other books such as the interesting and well written characters, good worldbuilding and easy going dialogue.   

The book is written in three parts and leads the reader down a path of discovery and learning which cleverly collides into a satisfying ending. Although it leaves more questions than answers. This book can work as a standalone novel, but I would recommend reading one of the other books to get a better understanding of the characters and back history, as it may be quite easy to get lost. 

In the first part, Servalius, the reader learns of a perfectly ordered world where everything and everyone lives according to their destined journey. Servalians have no knowledge of their celestial journey that began on Earth but celebrate the images of the Earth’s vibrancy through Enya Harding’s art and Alfred Canat’s music. But when twelve year old Mia learns that she does not fit into her destined path things change forever… 

This is a story of destiny and unexplained memories that will leave you wanting to uncover the mystery within the story. You will travel into a dream like bubble the further you go.  

In part two, the reader is introduced to Indigo Jasper, a friend of Felix Hutton who is gifted with strange and unexplained memories and extraordinary knowledge. Felix knows that Indigo is different from his other classmates, but believes that her exceptional intelligence is what sets her apart until she and everything associated with her ceases to exist and only Felix and other Athenites can remember her at all.

Part three involves the reappearance of Indigo’s ghostly form as she provides some of the answers to her mysterious disappearance; her travels on Earth and what awaits her when she returns to Servalius (as Mia) having completed this part of her destined journey… 
 
This is a pocket size family adventure, full of folk tales and myths, which are all wrapped in a magical fantasy realm. A recommended middle grade read that I would search out in a heartbeat, especially if you are in the U.K. 

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• Book published by MP Publishing Ltd (May 18, 2015)

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Philip Caveney - One for Sorrow - Book Review

Tom is back for his third time travelling adventure; this time he hurtles back to Edinburgh in 1881. Just reading a copy of Treasure Island on his kindle serves as a catalyst to a crazy adventure that no one could foresee, even the reader. Tom meets Robert Louis Stevenson, a sickly young author, who has just published the story in a children's magazine called Young Folks in a series of weekly instalments between 1881 and 1882. 

Philip Caveney has cleverly weaved both fact and fiction into this plot and made it very interesting and engaging. The ongoing encounters between Tom, Robert Louis Stevenson and his family were really absorbing and very well written/researched, in my opinion. I felt like I was meeting the characters in real life, standing in their shoes, it was so realistic and a key part of the book. It is one of my favourite books in the series. 

Can Tom persuade Robert to try and publish the book as a novel or will one of the world's greatest adventures be lost forever? 

The story depicts a great insight into one of the greatest children's' writers of the 19th century. It asks questions of the reader and shows the real-life outcome of the publishing world. Decisions that are made in this novel shine out in a multi-layered dimensional way, which pumps your brain with the many possibilities that could and may unfold. This is a definite read for the thinking mind and reader.   

The author has related back to the events and major characters from previous books, like Tom's deadly adversary, The Plague Doctor. He still plays a major part as an utterly menacing, unpredictable and scary character who will continue to shake the living daylights out of you. 

For the first time reader to this series, I really feel that you will need to read the first two book in the series otherwise you will miss a lot of the backstory and, as a result, may have a slight problem connecting with the plot. Especially as the narrative is very lean and keen, which is good in my opinion. 

This is another accomplished story told with imagination and flair. It's a rollercoaster of a time travelling ride that will have you reading into the future in no time. This is a recommended series from Mr Ripley..... 

Published by Fledgling Press (28 May 2015)

Thomas Taylor - Dan and the Shard of Ice - Book Review (Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books)

Some people might know Thomas Taylor for the great work that he did on the illustrations for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling. He got his big break whilst hanging around publishing houses in his spare time trying to get a job. According to Thomas, he still does this now! Seriously though, he now writes and illustrates many children's picture books as well as writing fiction for older readers with Chicken House and Bloomsbury.

This is the third book in a fantastic series aimed at readers, especially reluctant readers aged 10+. The books are based on short bursts of non-stop thrilling action. Each chapter starts with a fantastic black and white illustrated header - just like the one below. Each has been brilliantly illustrated by Thomas, as well as the book cover itself. He's certainly a very talented man.

This is one of my favourite series for encouraging boy readers to pick up books and really enjoy them. In my opinion, we need more books like this. All of the books have a great sense of fun and excitement; the plots flow with ease and have an imaginative gothic feel to them. They are great for reading under the bed covers or late at night, if you dare! The books are fast paced and have an abundance of plotted action. Great explosions and plot bursts bring the story to life.

Dan, the spook-busting, psychic detective and his spectral sidekick, Si, are back investigating psychic phenomenons. The book, as you might have already guessed, is centered around the Shard in London. I've never been to the Shard myself, but I do get a great sense that Thomas has done his research and probably visited it once or twice himself. His depiction and attention to detail makes it feel authentic. The disturbing feeling of heights that the reader feels creates an edge of tension that transpires further as you read on.

The book retains a number of wacky characters including the mystical and zany bag lady, whom I really loved. There is also the poltergeist with a big grudge, who is so powerful that she could blow the hair off your head and leave your mind swaying in the flashing lightning. She is very scary. Finally, there's the celebrity medium called Venn Specter. His big ego will leave you chuckling to yourself all day long. 

I can not think of any reason why you would not want to read this book; it's a great ambassador for this genre. It is very cool, witty and hooks you in from the start. The 400-hundred-year old super-powered ghost, who is determined to steal a body so that she may live again, will keep you on a fantasy edge, even when you have turned the last page.

Grab this book or any of the other books in the series such as Dan and the Dead or Dan and the Caverns of Bone. They will truly make your day, as they did mine. All books are out now, so happy reading...... 

John Grisham - Theodore Boone: The Fugitive - Book Review (Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books)

We are hurtling at full speed with book five in the Theodore Boone series; the latest book is called The Fugitive. The whole series has steadily turned into one of my personal favourites. All of the books have been gripping, enjoyable and unputdownable. 

John Grisham, a former lawyer, initially turned his hand to writing adult legal thrillers. He has had great success with over 275 million books sold worldwide and nine novels adapted to become major films. Quite clearly he is a recognisable and well loved household name. More recently he has been inspired by his daughter Shea, a teacher in North Carolina, to write the Theodore Bone series for a younger audience - perhaps even his daughter's class! 

The words on the front cover state that "you don't need to have superpowers to be a hero" and, in this book, you really don't. Instead, all you need is down-to-earth Theodore Boone, who is a teenage lawyer and a courtroom hero. In this book, Theo embarks on a school trip to Washington to see the sights and attractions. No danger there then you would think, but don't be easily fooled!

Theodore soon finds himself embarking on an adventure full of danger and intrigue after meeting the most wanted man in the history of his home town (Strattenberg). He soon becomes caught in the hunt for an accused murderer, alongside the talented and professional FBI. Pete Duffy (major criminal) finds himself back in court, which creates some nail biting tension, whilst Theo plays detective and lawyer with his Uncle Ike. This part of the plot delivers an action adventure written in a classic, but simplistic style with just enough detail and dialogue to keep the reader hooked. 

What really lifts this book, and the series, is the insight that we receive into the legal system. The courtroom drama, which is played out dramatically and with intelligence, feels very realistic to me. It gives the narrative authenticity which is really down to the author's extensive knowledge. It's very interesting to read from this perspective and creates originality within this genre.

The only potential drawback to this book is the length; it is very short on content and contains little backstory for any reader not familiar with the series. In my opinion, to really enjoy this book in its entirety, I would recommend reading the previous book "The Activist" or starting with the first book in the series. Nevertheless, this is a great book to get young people engaged in reading and to inspire them in becoming a lawyer. 

The Fugitive is a great topical book that can be discussed as a class or as a book group. As part of my book, which looks stunning with eye-catching blue endpapers, I had three discussion topics to consider, but these could easily be debated with students and friends. There is also an interrogation challenge to test your keen eye for detail and a quick Q&A session to keep you further entertained. 

This is a great detective mystery that dances to the song of the legal system. It is an adventure that will lead you down the path of justice, or perhaps NOT! Will the criminal allies be out for revenge . . . . . . ?

This is a series that I would have loved to have had the opportunity to read as a child. I will certainly be watching out for the next crazy case!

 Published by Hodder & Stoughton (21 May 2015)

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Middle Grade Children's Fantasy Thrillers - May 2015 - US Post

Saundra Mitchell - Mistwalker - Published by HMH Books for Young Readers (May 12, 2015)
When Willa Dixon's brother dies on the family lobster boat, her father forbids Willa from stepping foot on deck again. With her family suffering, she’ll do anything to help out—even visit the Grey Man. Everyone in her small Maine town knows of this legendary spirit who haunts the lighthouse, controlling the fog and the fate of any vessel within his reach. But what Willa finds in the lighthouse isn’t a spirit at all, but a young man trapped inside until he collects one thousand souls. Desperate to escape his cursed existence, Grey tries to seduce Willa to take his place. With her life on land in shambles, will she sacrifice herself?
                                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                                                                  

Michael Buckley - Undertow - Published by HMH Books for Young Readers (May 5, 2015)

Sixteen-year-old Lyric Walker’s life is forever changed when she witnesses the arrival of 30,000 Alpha, a five-nation race of ocean-dwelling warriors, on her beach in Coney Island. The world’s initial wonder and awe over the Alpha quickly turns ugly and paranoid and violent, and Lyric’s small town transforms into a military zone with humans on one side and Alpha on the other. When Lyric is recruited to help the crown prince, a boy named Fathom, assimilate, she begins to fall for him. But their love is a dangerous one, and there are forces on both sides working to keep them apart. Only, what if the Alpha are not actually the enemy? What if they are in fact humanity’s best chance for survival? Because the real enemy is coming. And it’s more terrifying than anything the world has ever seen.

Michael Galvin & Peter Speakman - Rebels of the Lamp - Published by Disney-Hyperion (May 12, 2015)

Life is a blast when you have your very own genie. But when Parker Quarry is shipped from sunny Los Angeles to live with relatives in a quiet New Hampshire college town and releases a 2,000 year-old jinn from an ancient canister "borrowed" from the university building where his uncle works, the biggest blasts comes from the millennia old power struggle he reignites. Now it is up to Parker, his mild-mannered cousin, Theo, and their wiz-kid classmate, Reese, to stop a battalion of battle-ready jinn from re-starting an all-out war one with humanity in the crosshairs.

Joel Ross - The Fog Diver - Published by HarperCollins (May 26, 2015)

Joel Ross debuts a thrilling adventure series in which living in the sky is the new reality and a few determined slum kids just might become heroes. Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Brandon Mull, this fantasy is filled with daring and hope and a wonderfully imaginative world.

Once the Fog started rising, the earth was covered with a deadly white mist until nothing remained but the mountaintops. Now humanity clings to its highest peaks, called the Rooftop, where the wealthy Five Families rule over the lower slopes and floating junkyards.

Thirteen-year-old Chess and his friends Hazel, Bea, and Swedish sail their rickety air raft over the deadly Fog, scavenging the ruins for anything they can sell to survive. But now survival isn't enough. They must risk everything to get to the miraculous city of Port Oro, the only place where their beloved Mrs. E can be cured of fogsickness. Yet the ruthless Lord Kodoc is hot on their trail, for Chess has a precious secret, one that Kodoc is desperate to use against him. Now Chess will face any danger to protect his friends, even if it means confronting what he fears the most.

Sarah Govett - The Territory - Book Review (Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books )

Book Synopsis: Limited Space requires limited numbers: Noa lives in what's left of a Britain where flooding means land is scarce. Everyone must sit an exam at 15. If you pass you can stay in the Territory, if you fail you must go to the Wetlands. Rich families can buy their children an upgrade to help, but Norms like Noa must succeed on their own merits. Noa is a bright funny teenager, not sure which boy she likes, devoted to her friends. The book follows her as she and her friends face the exam. Who will pass and who will fail?

Book Review: If you are looking for a book purely on the quality and uniqueness of the story then this is a great one for you. The team at Firefly Press Ltd are publishing some cracking reads at the moment. Slightly different from other mainstream publishers, this is a super example of one of them. The Territory is an immersive dystopian thriller set in future Britain. It takes a look at how the world would function if land became very scarce due to climate flooding. This kind of topic is very much in vogue and poses many questions for the reader to consider.

In this book it's all about the survival of the intelligent - everyone must pass an exam at 15 years old to stay in The Territory. If you don't, then you are exiled to the disease-ridden Wetlands. The system in place is in the favour of the more wealthy kids, who have the advantage of uploading information through a node in the back of their neck. This concept brings about a brilliant story of family, friends and friendship within a global futuristic world. 

Noa, the main character, is very likeable and has many humorous qualities that I really liked. Following her daily life, her heart and loyalty become pulled in two directions, leaving the average teenage having to think on her feet. It is a story that many readers will be able to relate to, in my opinion. I love dipping my toe into this crossover type of book as it makes the imagination juices overflow. I read it in one sitting and absolutely loved it. 

The story is well plotted; depicting an interesting and disturbing vision of what could be in years to come. It's convincing and sometimes tense. The ending is particularly climatic. Once you've read the last page, you will certainly want to find out what happens next. Please bring out book two fairly quickly so that we can find out soon!

Published by Firefly Press Ltd (14 May 2015)

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Lydia Syson Q&A ( Liberty's Fire) Publication Day

I'm really pleased to be sharing with you the following Q&A with Lydia Syson, the author of three historical YA novels. Her new novel Liberty's Fire is being published today by Hot Key Books. 


Tell us a little bit about Liberty's Fire?

Imagine Les Mis, nearly forty years on. When the people of Paris rose to claim their rights in 1871, they were full of hope for the future – hope that was horrifically dashed. Liberty’s Fire is about four young people caught up a revolution that became a civil war, and the story takes place in palaces and opera houses, soup kitchens and cemeteries, on rooftops and in cellars, amid blossom and barricades. The book is full of music, photography, politics and passion.


How much of the book is realistic?

ALL of it! Quite seriously. Unbelievable as it sounds, there’s nothing that happens in Liberty’s Fire that either didn’t or couldn’t have happened in Paris in 1871, to the very best of my knowledge. It’s always a bit of a problem for writers of historical fiction – which I’ve written about before (http://www.lydiasyson.com/unbelievable/) - you’re drawn to the most extraordinary, incredible stories, and then people wonder if they could really be true.

Is travel an important aspect in your books?

Yes and no. I’d say a sense of place is hugely important, but I’ve not always been able to travel to achieve that. I’d already been to Spain quite a few times when I wrote A World Between Us, set during the Spanish Civil War, so to begin with I used a mixture of memory, maps, Google Earth, other people’s memoirs and then in fact we did a family housewap in the Basque country just before I was doing my final revisions and we all went to Guernica and Bilbau – though it was another year before I made it to the cave hospital. (http://www.lydiasyson.com/the-cave-hospital-at-last/) 

That Burning Summer was easy because we spend a lot of time on Romney Marsh and it’s the kind of place that gets under your skin. But for Liberty’s Fire I owe everything to an Arts Council grant – I really couldn’t have written the book without it – which allowed me both time to research and visit and revisit Paris, and that was crucial to getting all kinds of things right, from geography to atmosphere to point of view. As you might have guessed from the book, I’m a great believer in public funding for the arts.

Has your PhD influenced your writing style?

I think it’s influenced my research style more than my writing. It made me confident about using archives and academic papers and journals and following trails in footnotes, and taught me the value of tracing things back to their original source. But I can’t really do a before and after test because though I used to write stories all the time at school, I made the terrible mistake of stopping when I left. It took me decades to get the courage to write fiction again, which is why my best piece of advice to young writers is terribly simple: don’t stop!

Has your PhD influenced your writing style?

I think it’s influenced my research style more than my writing. It made me confident about using archives and academic papers and journals and following trails in footnotes, and taught me the value of tracing things back to their original source. But I can’t really do a before and after test because though I used to write stories all the time at school, I made the terrible mistake of stopping when I left. It took me decades to get the courage to write fiction again, which is why my best piece of advice to young writers is terribly simple: don’t stop!


What helps you to be creative?
Sometimes I think it’s pressure, and sometimes the opposite. I do respond to deadlines – probably because I used to be a radio producer, and if you were a second out you either ‘crashed the pips’ or ‘fell off the air’. But it’s also fantastic to be allowed space and time to write – see Arts Council Grant above! – and not to have to juggle too many different kinds of work at once. The support of my family, near and far, helps a lot. Other things that I find helpful in a refreshing kind of way include being outside regularly - running and gardening and wild camping – and other art forms, like theatre and exhibitions, which give me ideas and help me make connections.


Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?

I’m definitely more interested in meeting dead famous people than living ones, and right now it would probably be the legendary Communarde Louise Michel, also known as the Red Virgin of Montmartre. She’s not well known in this country but in France there are schools and streets and even a metro station named after her, a mark of the fact that ideas that might seem revolutionary to one generation can get taken for granted in another. I’d love to know what she thought of the state of the world now.

Author website: http://www.lydiasyson.com/ book published by Hot Key Books 7th May 2015. My book Review is HERE

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Children's Middle Grade Book Picks - May 2015 - US POST ONE

Jonathan Auxier - The Night Gardener - Published by Harry N. Abrams (May 5, 2015)
The Night Gardener follows two abandoned Irish siblings who travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the house and its inhabitants are not quite what they seem. Soon, the children are confronted by a mysterious stranger—and an ancient curse that threatens their very lives.

A mesmerizing read and a testament to the magical power of storytelling, The Night Gardener is a spine-chilling fable in the tradition of Washington Irving and Edgar Allan Poe.

K . L . Armstrong & M . A . Marr -  Thor's Serpents (The Blackwell Pages) - Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (May 19, 2015)

For fans of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the thrilling conclusion to The Blackwell Pages, written by New York Times bestselling YA authors, K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr.

Thirteen-year-olds Matt, Laurie, and Fen have beaten near-impossible odds to assemble their fellow descendants of the Norse Gods and complete epic quests. Their biggest challenge lies ahead: battling the fierce monsters working to bring about the apocalypse.

But when they learn that Matt must fight the Midgard Serpent alone and Fen and Laurie are pulled in other directions, the friends realize they can't take every step of this journey together. Matt, Laurie, and Fen will each have to fight their own battles to survive, to be true to themselves, and to one another - with nothing less than the fate of the world hanging in the balance.

Polly Holyoke - The Neptune Challenge - Published by  Disney-Hyperion (May 19, 2015)

Danger lurks beneath. . . . 

Genetically engineered to survive in the ocean, Nere and her friends are recovering from their treacherous journey to Safety Harbor, an undersea refuge founded by the scientists of the Neptune Project. But plenty of enemies prowl just outside the colony's boundaries, and when two of the children are kidnapped, Nere, her loyal dolphins, and the other Neptune kids must set out on an expedition even more perilous than their first.

Tasked with infiltrating the kidnapper's high-tech undersea base, Nere soon discovers that rescuing the missing Neptune kids isn't all there is to her mission: the secret to saving the world's oceans is hidden somewhere deep inside this vast fortress, and she and her friends will have to risk everything to find it. 

With bloodthirsty shark mutates and savage kids roaming the corridors, will Nere and her companions find a way to save their friends, themselves, and their underwater world? The stakes couldn't be higher in this thrilling sequel to the award-winning The Neptune Project. 

Claudia White - Servalius Window - Published by MP Publishing Ltd (May 18, 2015)
Servalius Window is a story of destiny, change, knowledge and time, combining the ancient story of Gilgamesh and Chinese Proverbs to tell the story of two worlds inextricably linked: Servalius and Earth. Written in three parts, with the first part on Servalius, the reader learns of a perfectly ordered world where everything and everyone lives according to their destined journey. Servalians have no knowledge of their celestial journey that began on Earth but celebrate the images of the Earth’s vibrancy through Enya Harding’s art and Alfred Canat’s music. But when twelve year old Mia learns that she does not fit into her destined path things change forever… In part two, the reader is introduced to Indigo Jasper, a friend of Felix Hutton who is gifted with strange and unexplained memories and extraordinary knowledge. Felix knows that Indigo is different from his other classmates but believes that her exceptional intelligence is what sets her apart until she and everything associated with her ceases to exist and only Felix and other Athenites can remember her at all. Part three involves the reappearance of Indigo’s ghostly form as she provides some of the answers to her mysterious disappearance, her travels on Earth and what awaits her when she returns to Servalius (as Mia) having completed this part of her destined journey…  

Lydia Syson - Liberty's Fire - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Book Review

Book Synopsis: Paris, 1871. Four young people will rewrite their destinies. Paris is in revolt. After months of siege at the hands of the Prussians, a wind of change is blowing through the city, bringing with it murmurs of a new revolution. Alone and poverty-stricken, sixteen-year-old Zéphyrine is quickly lured in by the ideals of the city's radical new government, and she finds herself swept away by its promises of freedom, hope, equality and rights for women. But she is about to be seduced for a second time, following a fateful encounter with a young violinist. Anatole's passion for his music is soon swiftly matched only by his passion for this fierce and magnificent girl. He comes to believe in Zéphyrine's new politics - but his friends are not so sure. Opera singer Marie and photographer Jules have desires of their own, and the harsh reality of life under the Commune is not quite as enticing for them as it seems to be for Anatole and Zéphyrine. And when the violent reality of revolution comes crashing down at their feet, can they face the danger together - or will they be forced to choose where their hearts really lie?

Book Review: If you've ever walked the back streets of Paris, you'll know what I mean when I say about the sense of wonder and history that you feel. It's such an amazing place to visit; a cultural metropolis and one that I absolutely love. However, after reading this book (Paris 1871 setting) this brought my timeless memories crashing down on me.  

I was immediately transported back to the world, and time, when the Paris Commune was the radical municipal government elected to run the French capital (March 1871). This is a forgotten period in history which is brought to life through the magical words and detail used by Lydia. It's beautifully written and, in my opinion, both well researched and thought out. You can really feel the passion the author has for this period - the politics, the equality and rights for women. 

As you follow the four young characters along this compelling plot, it will leave you breathing and living both the sadness and happiness at this time. It depicts the seventy two days of madness, when Paris burned for a week and thousands of Communards were slaughtered on the streets of the city.  This is such a powerful telling of historical events that occurred that I really felt I was living them through the eyes of the characters. 

I felt both the romantic and naive side of the four main characters. They washed over me like blossom petals falling down from a tree on a warm summer's day. I felt every heartbeat through this winding tale of destiny - tragedy, violence and drama. It really made me think about current day life and freedom. This is a book that would be great to take on a trip to Paris as it will certainly open your eyes and connect you to this wonderful city. 

This book is a historical gem. It is a story that I would not normally read, but I'm really glad that I did! It would have been great to have incorporated some period photographs of the time perhaps, especially from the perspective of the lens of Jules. In my opinion, this would have just been the icing on the cake to what is already an amazing story.  

This book was tense, moving and written deeply from the heart. It is a great teenage/adult read that I think more people should be reading and talking about. As you follow the characters, you'll fall in love with the time, the place and them. Hope for a happy ending though as it may not come. Be inspired and read it....   

Paperback: 368 Pages - Publisher: Hot Key Books (7 May 2015) ISBN-13: 978-1471403675

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Taran Matharu - Summoner: The Novice - Book Review

The online sensation, The Novice, has already reached the dizzy heights of 6 million reads so far. The story, a project that was started during the National Novel Writing Month, was shared on the website Wattpad. This in turn has also become a massive success in it's own right with over 35 million subscribers. If you ever get chance to take a look, you can find some fantastic stories on the site, which currently has more than 75 million stories. 

I'll start this review by first mentioning the book cover, I really love it! It gives a good reflection to the story inside and makes you want to pick it up and read it. It's brilliantly done by Malgorzata Gruszka and the Hodder Team and really stands out on the physical hardback copy. 

After the frantic sales rights this book has received, is it worth a read? In my opinion, most definitely. My expectations were high and I believe that this is a great platform to a great series. I really enjoyed every page of this epic action fantasy. Stories like this give me hope for the future in finding a new voice in a genre that's become a little subdued at the moment. The first three or so chapters of the book are slow going, due to a lot of world and character building which is needed, as it sets up a good plot. After that the book has wings as you fly through a dramatic escapade of adventure, magic and brutal mayhem. 

This style of writing reminded me of some of my favourite authors, a blend between Jonathan Stroud's amazing ability to bring good characters to life and Trudi Canavan's fantastic fantasy vision. This book infuses these strengths to make a memorable and creative bubble. It's a journey of hope, violence and humble beginnings as the reader follows the main character Fletcher. 

Fletcher is put through gruelling training as a battlemage to fight in the Hominum Empire’s war against orcs. He must tread carefully whilst training alongside children of powerful nobles; the power hungry, those seeking alliances and the fear of betrayal surround him. Fletcher finds himself caught in the middle of powerful forces with only his demon, Ignatius, for help.

The characters are well written although somewhat stereotypical of this genre. Nevertheless, they are very engaging as you follow them on a stark journey of class and race division. Underpinning this are the themes of the importance of friendship, loyalty and overcoming adversity. I loved this aspect.  

The story contains many clever plotlines that will keep you immersed. The fantastical action battle scenes are all delivered in a film-like quality. The ending is very impressive and leaves you on an inquisitive cliffhanger; it will make you yearn for the next book. A great solid young adult fantasy which is a classic example of this genre. 

Published by Hodder Children's Books out 5th May 2015. 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Young Adult Fantasy Book Picks - May 2015 - UK Post

Sarah Govett - The Territory Published by Firefly Press Ltd (14 May 2015)  - (Book review to follow)             
Limited Space requires limited numbers: Noa lives in what s left of a Britain where flooding means land is scarce. Everyone must sit an exam at 15. If you pass you can stay in the Territory, if you fail you must go to the Wetlands. Rich families can buy their children an upgrade to help, but Norms like Noa must succeed on their own merits. Noa is a bright funny teenager, not sure which boy she likes, devoted to her friends. The book follows her as she and her friends face the exam. Who will pass and who will fail?

David Owen - Panther - Published by Corsair (7 May 2015)

Life isn't going terribly well for Derrick; he's become severely overweight, his only friend has turned on him, he's hopelessly in love with a girl way out of his league, and it's all because of his sister. Her depression, and its grip on his family, is tearing his life apart. When rumours start to circulate that a panther is roaming wild in his south London suburb, Derrick resolves to turn capture it. Surely if he can find a way to tame this beast, he'll be able to stop everything at home from spiraling towards disaster?

Panther is a bold and emotionally powerful novel that deals candidly with the effects of depression on those who suffer from it, and those who suffer alongside them.

David Greygoose - Brunt Boggart: A Tapestry of Tales - Published by Hawkwood Books (4 May 2015)

Brunt Boggart is a tapestry of folktales, myths and storytelling. The connecting thread follows Greychild, abandoned in the woods by his mother. Mistaken for a wolf, he is taken to Brunt Boggart, a village of primal energies where people live close to the land - but sets off along the Pedlar Man's Track to the city of Arleccra. The harbour fills with ships of fire, stars spin and wheel - and he is back in Brunt Boggart again, out under the season's moon. His mother is not there, but Greychild finally discovers the identity of his father.

Taran Matharu - Summoner: The Novice (BK1) - Published by Hodder Children's Books (5 May 2015) (Book review this week) 

Fletcher was nothing more than a humble blacksmith's apprentice, when a chance encounter leads to the discovery that he has the ability to summon demons from another world. Chased from his village for a crime he did not commit, he must travel with his demon to the Vocans Academy, where the gifted are trained in the art of summoning.

The academy will put Fletcher through a gauntlet of gruelling lessons, training him as a battlemage to fight in the Hominum Empire's war against the savage orcs. Rubbing shoulders with the children of the most powerful nobles in the land, Fletcher must tread carefully. The power hungry Forsyth twins lurk in the shadows, plotting to further their family's interests. Then there is Sylva, an elf who will do anything she can to forge an alliance between her people and Hominum, even if it means betraying her friends. Othello is the first ever dwarf at the academy, and his people have long been oppressed by Hominum's rulers, which provokes tension amongst those he studies alongside.

Fletcher will find himself caught in the middle of powerful forces, with nothing but his demon Ignatius to help him. As the pieces on the board manoeuvre for supremacy, Fletcher must decide where his loyalties lie. The fate of an empire is in his hands ...

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Book Picks: Children's and Teens May 2015 - UK Post One

Jason Rohan - The Shield of Kuromori - Published by Egmont (7 May 2015)

Science meets Myth when ogres armed with high-tech weaponry steal a huge telescope as part of an insane plan to cast the world into permanent darkness. With global catastrophe looming, Kenny and Kiyomi take the fight to the enemy, even if it means going out of this world.

But all is not well between the friends. Kiyomi's behaviour is growing increasingly erratic and it soon becomes clear that her life - and her humanity - are in danger. Kenny is faced with an impossible choice - does he save his friend or fulfil his duty?

A . F. Harrold - Fizzlebert Stump and the Girl Who Lifted Quite Heavy Things - Published by Bloomsbury Children's (12 Feb. 2015)

It's the great Circus of Circuses competition, and Fizzlebert Stump has no act. He's no longer the Boy Who Puts His Head In The Lion's Mouth (the lion retired) and putting his head in a crocodile's mouth instead didn't work out for some reason. Can Fizz find a new act in time? Can the Bearded Boy find his long-lost parents? And can their new friend Alice, professional flower-arranger and secret Strongwoman, find her rightful place in the circus?

Paul Magrs - Lost on Mars - Published by Firefly Press Ltd (14 May 2015)

With the scale and scope of the great science fiction epics, Lost on Mars tells the story of Lora and her family, third generation human settlers on the red planet who are struggling to survive in incredible circumstances. The family clings to life on a smallholding in the desert landscape, surviving storms and sinister rumours of un- explained disappearances until one night Lora sees the Dancers. When her father and grandmother disappear themselves, Lora's family is driven out to seek a new life across the plains. But none of them are ready for what they find the beautiful, dangerous City Inside.

Heather Brewer - The Cemetery Boys - Published by HarperTeen (7 May 2015)

 Part Hitchcock, part Hinton, this first-ever stand-alone novel from Heather Brewer, New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series, uses classic horror elements to tell a darkly funny coming-of-age story about the dangerous power of belief and the cost of blind loyalty.

When Stephen's dad says they're moving, Stephen knows it's pointless to argue. They're broke from paying Mom's hospital bills, and now the only option left is to live with Stephen's grandmother in Spencer, a backward small town that's like something out of The Twilight Zone. Population: 814.

Stephen's summer starts looking up when he meets punk girl Cara and her charismatic twin brother, Devon. With Cara, he feels safe and understood—and yeah, okay, she's totally hot. In Devon and his group, he sees a chance at making real friends. Only, as the summer presses on, and harmless nights hanging out in the cemetery take a darker turn, Stephen starts to suspect that Devon is less a friend than a leader. And he might be leading them to a very sinister end. . .