Philip Caveney - The Book of Secrets - Guest Book Review

This is an unlikely source for today's reading entertainment from the shady but real deal Danny Weston. This is his opportunity to sing the praises of Philip Caveney's latest shindig The Book of Secrets. Sorry, I've got that all wrong as Danny Weston said it was a pile of horse manure. In fact, he is quoted as saying 'He will never be as good as me, so get over it'. 

This review is the witness and testament from the Plague Doctor. Otherwise known as the skeleton of death with the oversized hooter from the world-renowned books the CROW BOY Trilogy. These books have been published by bad-ass Fledgling Press and can bought from their SITE.

So, are you ready to hear his thoughts about The Book of Secrets? Sure you are. Enjoy and stay safe in these crazy times. 

Greetings, fiction fans. Your friendly neighbourhood plague doctor here. Some of you (the lucky ones) may have read of my exploits in the Crow Boy trilogy, where I keep coming up against that pesky time-travelling intruder, Tom Afflick. Despite coming from the future and knowing nothing about life in the various eras in which we meet, he keeps getting the better of me. Curse him!

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that being a plague doctor is no bowl of cherries. In fact it’s sometimes quite depressing. So in those rare moments when I can find time to lose myself in a good book, I tend to seek out stories that are designed to lift my mood a little. You know the kind of thing - something that will make me smirk, chuckle and even (very occasionally) laugh out loud.

The other day, one of my patients, who clearly wasn’t going to be around long enough to finish reading it, handed a book to me, saying that since he was a bit short of cash, maybe I’d take it as part-payment for my services. I reluctantly agreed but in the end, I was glad I did!

It’s called The Book of Secrets and it’s set in this strange desert world where the climate is clearly a lot warmer than my home city of Edinburgh. It’s about this boy called er… Boy (to find out why, you’ll need to read the book) and he’s the possessor of an amazing invention, created by his late father, that can actually turn sand into water. I know, incredible, right?

Boy is on his way to the city of Ravalan, where he intends to enter the invention in a great competition that’s taking place there - but in the desert he meets up with a rascal called Gordimo, who steals the invention and leaves Boy for dead.

Now, before I go on, let me tell you that a part of me really identified with Gordimo. Yes, I appreciate he’s supposed to be the villain of the story, but as a bit of a villain myself, I really admired his cunning and evil trickery. Just saying!

Anyway, Boy is rescued by a troop of travelling players led by a fearless girl called Lexi. She’s part elvish and it’s clear from the word go that she and Boy have taken a bit of a shine to each other. Lexi’s theatre company is in dire need of a new leading actor and they ask Boy if he can help out. Since they’ve just saved his life, he can hardly say no, right?

And this is where the laughter starts because Boy is useless as an actor and accidentally turns the very serious play they’re performing into a slapstick comedy. Weirdly though, it’s a much bigger success because of this! There are lots of other characters. I particularly liked Pompio, who is a ‘boobo,’ a kind of ape-like creature who can talk and who spends most of his time making sarcastic comments about everyone he meets. (Reminded me of myself when I was younger and more care-free.) And there’s this big clumsy oaf called Grud who despite his size, is actually very gentle and child-like. I wanted to hate him, but somehow, he got to me. Grrr!

So, can Boy get to Ravalan before Gordimo does? Can he retrieve his wonderful invention and claim the (massive) prize money? And can he cope with being the new comedy hit on stages at every town the theatre troupe visits?

Well, as I said earlier, read the blessed book. 

Now it’s time for me to put on my bird mask and head off to do battle with that pesky Tom Afflick again. Honestly, who said that it was a quiet life being a plague doctor? 

I bid you good day and I hope you enjoy The Book of Secrets as much as I did.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's Book Picks September 2018 - UK Post Two

Patrick Ness (Author), Rovina Cai (Illustrator) - And the Ocean Was Our Sky - Published by Walker Books (6 Sept. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1406383560 - Hardback

  

From the multi-award-winning author of A Monster Calls comes a haunting tale of power and obsession that turns the story of Moby Dick upside down.

"Call me Bathsheba." The whales of Bathsheba's pod live for the hunt. Led by the formidable Captain Alexandra, they fight a never-ending war against men. Then the whales attack a man ship, and instead of easy prey they find the trail of a myth, a monster, perhaps the devil himself... With their relentless Captain leading the chase, they embark on the final hunt, one that will forever change the worlds of whales and men.

Andy Briggs - Drone Racer - Published by Scholastic (6 Sept. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1407188423

An action-packed novel that brings drone racing to life!

Carson and his friends love racing drones, and they can't believe their luck when they stumble across a discarded one at a junkyard. 

But this new find is full of surprises. When they power the drone up, it starts talking! 

And it's fast.
Really fast.
Carson's team could win big prizes in the racing leagues. 

Trouble is, someone wants their incredible drone back, and they'll stop at nothing to get it. How can three kids protect their new friend?

J. R. Wallis - The Black Amulet (Badlands 2) - Published by Simon & Schuster Children's UK (6 Sept. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1471157943 - Paperback  

Welcome to the Badlands ... a hidden part of our world populated by creatures which most people think exist only in fairy tales and nightmares.

Reunited with his parents, Jones is finally living the 'normal' life he's always wanted. But, despite leaving the Badlands behind, there's still magic inside him...

His two friends, Ruby and Thomas Gabriel, are struggling with their new lives too; Thomas Gabriel's magical abilities are fading away and Ruby is realizing she might never be accepted as a 'proper' Badlander in a world of monster-hunting men.

One thing could help them all - the Black Amulet, a magical artefact hidden for centuries by the most powerful Badlander that ever lived. But finding it won't be easy, and using it even harder, because things are never simple when magic is involved... 

Cornelia Funke - The Glass of Lead and Gold - Published by Pushkin Children's Books (27 Sept. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1782691983

It's a beautiful story set in an alternate London, and is full of magical characters you may have seen in the InkWorld and MirrorWorld stories!

 In a land of elves, mermaids and trolls, true magic is where you least expect it...

In the snow-covered city of Londra, young Tabetha survives by finding treasures in the mudbanks of the river Themse. On Christmas Eve, a sinister stranger asks her to keep her eyes open for a priceless, long-lost magical object: the Glass of Lead and Gold.

As word of the Glass spreads across the city, Tabetha finds herself with some unlikely companions, not least a one-armed girl and a rather impressive soup chef. But will Tabetha discover that there are even greater fortunes to be found than the magical Glass?

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's Book Picks September 2018 - UK Post

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books has handpicked some of the best reads from those coming out this September 2018. We have been thoroughly spoilt by the quality of so many books packing a great fantasy punch. Why not check out the post and maybe add some of them to your upcoming reading book pile. 

Kieran Larwood (Author), David Wyatt (Illustrator) The Five Realms: The Beasts of Grimheart - Published by Faber & Faber (6 Sept. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-0571328444 - Hardback 

 The bard looks up at the three figures. They have black hooded cloaks and long robes. From the holes in their masks, three pairs of eyes watch him: cold, calm, emotionless.'Yes,' says the bard. 'They're bonedancers. You don't need to sound quite so excited, though. They have come to kill me.'

And so it is that the bard and and his young apprentice Rue are taken to Spinestone, the temple warren of the bonedancers. It is here that the bard is ordered to retell the tale that has got him in so much trouble . . . and so to the next instalment in the astonishing tale of Podkin One-Ear . . .

Podkin, Paz and Pook once again find their home under threat, but this time they are ready to fight! Podkin and the others leave for Sparrowfast to ask their uncle for the use of his magic bow. It's the one weapon that could save them all. But as they flee into the forest depths, it seems they have been betrayed . . 

Anna James - Pages & Co: Tilly and the Bookwanderers - Published by HarperCollins Children's Books (18 Sept. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-0008229863 - Hardback

 A captivating, curl-up-on-the-sofa debut about the magic of books and the power of the imagination. 

Since her mother’s disappearance, eleven-year-old Tilly has found comfort in stories at Pages & Co., her grandparents’ bookshop. But when her favourite characters, Anne of Green Gables and Alice from Wonderland, appear in the shop, Tilly’s adventures become very real. Not only can she follow Anne and Alice into their thrilling worlds, she discovers she can bookwander into any story she chooses.

Tilly’s new ability could even help her solve the mystery of what happened to her mother all those years ago. But danger may be lurking on the very next page…

Ross MacKenzie - The Elsewhere Emporium - Published by Kelpies (13 Sept. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1782505198 - Paperback (Book Review Here)

The Nowhere Emporium has been stolen. The shop from nowhere has vanished without a trace. Will it ever reappear? As they search for the lost Emporium, Daniel and Ellie encounter magical bookshops, deserted islands, and an array of magicians (both dead and alive). Meanwhile a dangerous force is attacking the Emporium from the inside, waiting for a chance to break free. In this highly anticipated sequel to the award-winning The Nowhere Emporium, readers will once again be transported into a magical realm where imagination is power and anything is possible. Loyal fans will be astonished by the new wonders beyond the Emporium's doors as the gripping mystery unfolds.

Piers Torday - The Lost Magician - Published by Quercus Children's Books (6 Sept. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1786540515 - Hardback

'If you can imagine it, it exists ... somewhere.' The new spellbinding fantasy adventure from the bestselling, award-winning author of The Last Wild trilogy.

1945. They have survived the Blitz, but when Simon, Patricia, Evelyn and Larry step through a mysterious library door, it is the beginning of their most dangerous adventure yet. They discover the magical world of Folio, where an enchanted kingdom of fairy knights, bears and tree gods is under threat from a sinister robot army. 

The many stories of the Library are locked in eternal war, and the children's only hope is to find their creator - a magician who has been lost for centuries. 

What they find will change not just their own lives, but the fate of the world, for ever...

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's Book Picks August 2018 - UK Post Two

Victoria Schwab - City of Ghosts - Published by Scholastic Press (28 Aug. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1338111002 - Hardback

Ever since Cass almost drowned (okay, she did drown, but she doesn't like to think about it), she can pull back the Veil that separates the living from the dead . . . and enter the world of spirits. Her best friend is even a ghost. 

So things are already pretty strange. But they're about to get much stranger. 

When Cass's parents start hosting a TV show about the world's most haunted places, the family heads off to Edinburgh, Scotland. Here, graveyards, castles, and secret passageways teem with restless phantoms. And when Cass meets a girl who shares her "gift," she realizes how much she still has to learn about the Veil -- and herself. 

And she'll have to learn fast. The city of ghosts is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

Catherine Johnson - Freedom - Published by Scholastic (2 Aug. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1407185484 - Paperback

 

An action-packed and pacey story about slavery in Britain. Nathaniel doesn't want to move to England with his master's family, leaving behind his mother and sister on the Jamaican plantation. But then he remembers what his mother told him: once a slave sets foot on English soil, they're free. Perhaps he can earn his fortune and buy his family's freedom, too. When Nat arrives in London, he soon discovers that his mother was wrong. Nat refuses to live like a caged bird, and seizes the first opportunity to escape. Alone on the streets of London, he hears the story of a nightmare ship, the Zong, where over a hundred slaves were thrown overboard. Now, those responsible face a trial. Will the world continue to turn a blind eye to the horrors of slavery? And can Nat really evade his masters forever?

Candy Gourlay - Bone Talk - Published by David Fickling Books (2 Aug. 2018) -  ISBN-13: 978-1788450171 - Hardback (Book Review HERE - Mr Ripley's Book of the Month)

Samkad dreams of becoming a mighty headhunter like his father, carrying his own weapons and etching tattoos across his chest to proclaim his greatness as a warrior. His best friend is a girl his age, Little Luki and Little Luki wants to become a mighty warrior too ... except in their culture, girls don't grow up to become warriors. The two friends have no idea about the world outside their isolated mountain village until a boy from the Lowlands turns up ... a boy who can speak many tongues and who tells stories about the world outside that seem ridiculous and unbelievable especially the part about invaders called 'Americans' who are coming to take over the village.

Sally Nicholls (Author), Brett Helquist (Illustrator) - A Chase In Time (The Time-Seekers) - Published by Nosy Crow (2 Aug. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-0857638984 - Paperback 

From multi-award-winning author Sally Nicholls, A Chase In Time is the first in a brilliant time-slip adventure series for 9+ readers, beautifully illustrated by Brett Hellquist.

The old gilt-edged mirror has hung in Alex's aunt's house for as long as he can remember. Alex hardly notices it, until the day he and his sister are pulled through the mirror, back into 1912. It's the same house, but a very different place to live, and the people they meet need their help. Soon they're caught up in car chases and treasure hunts as they race to find a priceless golden cup - but will they ever be able to return to their own time?

Vanessa Harbour - Flight - Published by Firefly Press (1 Aug. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1910080764 - Paperback 

Austria 1945. After losing his family, Jakob shelters with Herr Engel in a rural stable, where they hide the precious Lipizzanner stallions they know Hitler wants to steal. When a German officer comes looking for Jakob and finds the horses, Jakob and his guardian know they must get the stallions to safety, but the only way is straight through Nazi territory. Joined by Kizzy, an orphan Roma girl, the three must guide the horses across the perilous Austrian mountains. Will they reach safety? What will be waiting for them on the other side?

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's Book Picks August 2018 - UK Post One

Jeremy Lachlan - The Cradle of All Worlds: The Jane Doe Chronicles - Published by Egmont (9 Aug. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1405291330 - Paperback 

Fourteen years ago, Jane Doe and her father arrived on the steps of the Manor – the entrance to a dangerous labyrinth connecting the island of Bluehaven to many other worlds. That was the same night the earthquakes started, and Jane and her silent, troubled father, John have been feared and despised ever since. When the strongest quake yet strikes and John disappears back into the Manor, Jane embarks on a perilous adventure to find her father and save her world – perhaps all worlds – from destruction . . .

Fans of Phillip Pullman's Dark Materials, Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson adventures, Frances Hardinge and the Netflix blockbuster Stranger Things will love this heart-pounding and spell-binding middle-grade adventure with its nod to the classic 80s movies The Goonies and Indiana Jones.

Jeremy Lachlan, a Sydney bookseller, has always been obsessed with the big epic adventures such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones and The Chronicles of Narnia – and was inspired to write The Cradle of All Worlds while lost in the Cairo Museum. The first book in a duology, this is his debut novel.

Katherine Woodfine (Author), Karl James Mountford (Illustrator) - Peril in Paris (Taylor and Rose Secret Agents) - Published by Egmont (9 Aug. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1405287043 - Paperback 

ALL ABOARD THE TRAIN TO PARIS!

It’s 1911, and the young detectives of TAYLOR & ROSE are turning their talents to ESPIONAGE. 

On a case for the mysterious SECRET SERVICE BUREAU, the daring MISS SOPHIE TAYLOR and MISS LILIAN ROSE must leave London for the boulevards and grand hotels of Paris.

But DANGER lurks beneath the bright lights of the city - and INTRIGUE and MURDER lie in store. As airplanes soar in the skies overhead, our heroines will need to put all their spy skills to the test to face the PERIL that awaits them...

Lindsay Galvin - The Secret Deep - Published by Chicken House (2 Aug. 2018) ISBN-13: 978-1911490029 - Paperback 

When Aster wakes alone on a tropical island, she has no idea what has happened, why she is there, or where to find her younger sister, Poppy. Meanwhile, Sam who once met the sisters on a plane makes links between the mystery of their disappearance and suspicious happenings in his own life. In a stunning dual narrative, the truth unravels with devastating effect - and the answer lies in the secret underwater world surrounding the desert island, populated by the beautiful and the impossible ...

Sam Hearn - Baker Street Academy: Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Curse - Published by Scholastic (2 Aug. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1407164069

Welcome to Baker Street Academy, where there's always a mystery to be solved! Told through Watson's diary, a top-secret detective dossier and energetic comic-strip illustrations, this introduction to Arthur Conan Doyle's classic characters will have every young super-sleuth hooked! Luckily Sherlock Holmes is on the case, with his friends John Watson and Martha Hudson. No crime is too big, no villain too cunning - especially if it's James Moriarty. This time, Sherlock and the gang are up against a centuries-old curse...