Mr Ripley's New Children's Books: Science Fiction & Fantasy - Published August 2013 - UK Post

                                        

Kass Morgan - The 100 - Published by Hodder - 29, August 2013
No one has set foot on Earth in centuries - until now.
Ever since a devastating nuclear war, humanity has lived on spaceships far above Earth's radioactive surface. Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents - considered expendable by society - are being sent on a dangerous mission: to re-colonize the planet. It could be their second chance at life...or it could be a suicide mission.

CLARKE was arrested for treason, though she's haunted by the memory of what she really did. WELLS, the chancellor's son, came to Earth for the girl he loves - but will she ever forgive him? Reckless BELLAMY fought his way onto the transport pod to protect his sister, the other half of the only siblings in the universe. And GLASS managed to escape back onto the ship, only to find that life there is just as dangerous as she feared it would be on Earth.
Confronted with a savage land and haunted by secrets from their pasts, the hundred must fight to survive. They were never meant to be heroes, but they may be mankind's last hope.

                       

Diana Wynne Jones - The Dark Lord of Derkholm - Published by HarperCollins - 29, August 2013

A hilarious adventure about a fantasy world in danger of destruction from that most vile of threats… tourism .Winner of the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature in 1999.

A humorous fantasy from Diana Wynne Jones. In a world next door to ours, the tourist industry is devastating the population by its desire to experience all the fantasy clichés - Dark Lords, impoverished villages, dragons etc.

The Head of the University resolves to shut the tours down; the only problem being the ruthless tour-master - and his all-powerful demons. To save them all, the incompetent wizard Derk is appointed as Dark Lord in the hope that he will ruin the tours, and sure enough proceeds to fail at everything due to his general uselessness. But can failing at everything lead to a win this time?

  

                     

Kim Curran - Control - Published by Strange Chemistry - 6, August 2013

Scott Tyler is not like other teenagers. With a single thought he can alter reality around him. And he can stop anyone else from doing the same.
That's why he's so important to ARES, the secret government agency that regulates other kids like him: Shifters.They've sent him on a mission. To track down the enigmatic Frank Anderson. An ex-Shifter who runs a project for unusual kids - as if the ability to change your every decision wasn't unusual enough. But Anderson and the kids have a dark secret. One that Scott is determined to discover.As his obsession with discovering the truth takes him further away from anyone he cares about, his grip on reality starts to weaken. Scott realises if he can't control his choices, they'll control him.

Sarah J Mass - Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass) Published by Bloomsbury - 15, August 2013 

Eighteen-year-old Celaena Sardothien is bold, daring and beautiful – the perfect seductress and the greatest assassin her world has ever known. But though she won the King’s contest and became his champion, Celaena has been granted neither her liberty nor the freedom to follow her heart. The slavery of the suffocating salt mines of Endovier that scarred her past is nothing compared to a life bound to her darkest enemy, a king whose rule is so dark and evil it is near impossible to defy. Celaena faces a choice that is tearing her heart to pieces: kill in cold blood for a man she hates, or risk sentencing those she loves to death. Celaena must decide what she will fight for: survival, love or the future of a kingdom. Because an assassin cannot have it all . . . And trying to may just destroy her.

Love or loathe Celaena, she will slice open your heart with her dagger and leave you bleeding long after the last page of the highly anticipated sequel in what is undeniably THE hottest new fantasy series.

Mr Ripley's New Children's Books: Published In July 2013 - UK Post One

                                               

Jon Robinson - Nowhere Book One - Published by Puffin - 4, July 2013

Nowhere is a fast-paced conspiracy thriller by debut author Jon Robinson.

'No one's coming for us.

Not our families, not the police.

No one.'

Alyn, Jes, Ryan and Elsa are Nowhere.

A concrete cube in the middle of a dense forest.

Imprisoned inside are one hundred teenagers from all over the country.

They're all criminals. But none of them remember committing any crimes.

Who has put them there. What do their captors want?

And how will they ever break free . . . ?

***an intensely gripping conspiracy thriller for 11+ readers***

*** a phenomenal debut novel, for readers who love Jason Bourne and Alex Scarrow***

                                             

Sarwat Chadda - Ash Mistry: The World of Darkness - Published by HarperCollins - 4, July 2013

Ash Mistry is in a world of pain. A parallel world in fact, where another version of him seems to be living his life, and the evil Lord Savage – now all-powerful and adored by the nation – is about to carry out a terrible plan.

Worse still, Ash’s superpowers, invested in him by the Death Goddess Kali, seem no longer to be working.

Without Kali, can Ash defeat Savage and save the world?

                                     

S. J. Kincaid - Vortex (Insignia Trilogy) - Published by Hot Key Books - 4, July 2013

Now in his second year as a superhuman cadet-in-training, Tom's been promoted to a mid-level member of the elite training corps known as Camelot Company, or CamCo. As training intensifies and the moment arrives to impress the multinational corporations who will make or break the cadets' careers, Tom finds himself drawn into a power struggle that's more dramatic - and with far higher stakes - than anything he ever imagined. There are nefarious new enemies to outwit, old friendships that take on new faces, a romance that Tom is encouraged to betray, and an increasing desire on Tom's behalf to demand nothing less than 'justice for all' - even if he sabotages his own future in the process. But what will his idealism cost? Filled with camaraderie, wit, action and intelligence, the second book in S. J. Kincaid's futuristic trilogy continues to explore fascinating and timely questions about power, politics, technology, loyalty and friendship.

                                          

Chris Priestley - New World - (Reissue) - Published by Corgi - 31, July 2013
New World is a wonderfully atmospheric and exciting historical adventure about an Elizabethan voyage of discovery to the New World. The story revolves around a fourteen-year-old orphan, Kit, who, attempting to escape his life of petty crime on the streets of London, boards a ship bound for Virginia and, together with other colonists, helps establish a colony at Roanoke.

As winter sets in and the colonists struggle to survive, Kit's past comes back to haunt him when an enemy suddenly reveals himself.

Mr Ripley's Highlighted New Books: Published April 2013 - UK Post Two

                                           

Gill Arbuthnott - Dark Spell - Published by Kelpies - 25 April, 2013

15-year-old Callie Hall has just found out she's a witch, and things keep going wrong. Sometimes her mind seems to make things happen, things she can't control. She can set fire to things without a match, and when she's angry people can get hurt. Her friend Josh understands she's a bit weird, but its only on a dark and dangerous visit to the tunnels under the ruins of St Andrews' castle that he realises just how strange she really is. Something comes back with Callie -- in Callie, something she can't escape. Can Callie control her power long enough to send back the darkness, before it takes over her life? And will Josh ever understand her secret? A brilliant, engrossing teen fantasy from the author of Winterbringers and The Keeper's Daughter.

                                           

Conrad Mason - The Goblin's Gift  - Published by David Fickling Books - 4 April, 2013

Joseph Grubb is the newest member of the Demon's Watch. He and his fellow watchmen protect Port Fayt, where humans live in peace alongside trolls, elves and fairies. And now the town needs them more than ever, because the almighty League of the Light has sent an armada to wipe it off the map.

Fayt's only hope is to persuade the magical merfolk to fight with them. But the merfolk won't go to war. Not unless their princess is returned to them from the clutches of the most dangerous nine-year-old in the Ebony Ocean.

It's up to Joseph and his friend Tabitha to rescue the mermaid princess . . . But a secret from Joseph's past is about to change everything.

                                     

Eoin Colfer - W.A.R.P - The Reluctant Assassin - Published by Puffin - 11 April, 2013
The reluctant assassin is Riley, a Victorian boy who is suddenly plucked from his own time and whisked into the twenty-first century, accused of murder and on the run.

Riley has been pulled into the FBI's covert W.A.R.P. operation (Witness Anonymous Relocation Program). He and young FBI Agent Chevie Savano are forced to flee terrifying assassin-for-hire Albert Garrick, who pursues Riley through time and will not stop until he has hunted him down. Barely staying one step ahead, Riley and Chevie must stay alive and stop Garrick returning to his own time with knowledge and power that could change the world forever.

                                           

Arnett Mindee - Nightmare Affair - Published by Tor Teen - 13 April, 2013

Sixteen-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she's a criminal. No, she's a Nightmare. Literally. Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother's infamy, is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker's house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He's hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn't get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder. Then Eli's dream comes true. Now Dusty has to follow the clues - both within Eli's dreams and out of them - to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she's up to and marks her as the next target.

Mr Ripley's Highlighted New Books: Published April 2013 - UK Post One

                                                 

Julia Golding - Young Knights of the Round Table - Published By OUP Oxford,  4, April 2013

HUMANS ARE THE ENEMY! 

That's what Rick's been taught to believe by the Fey Folk who stole him. Taken to the magical realm of Avalon, he's been trained, alongside other kids like him, into an elite force of warriors. 

When rumours start that a new generation of knights are re-forming the Round Table to attack Avalon, the Fey entrust Rick with a mission: go to Earth, find the knights, and stop them.

Simple, right? Well, not exactly . . . No training could prepare him for the shock of being a modern teenager. And when he discovers that the Fey have been lying to him, Rick has to ask: if humans aren't the enemy-who is?

                                                

Gillian Cross - After Tomorrow - Published By OUP Oxford, 4 April 2013 

What if you woke up tomorrow and everything had changed? Money is worthless. Your friends are gone. Armed robbers roam the streets. No one is safe. For Matt and his little brother, Taco, that nightmare is a reality. Their only hope of survival is to escape through the Channel Tunnel. But danger waits on the other side...Stay or go. What would you do?

                                           

Martha Wells - Emilie and the Hollow World - Published By Strange Chemistry, 4 April 2013

While running away from home for reasons that are eminently defensible, Emilie’s plans to stow away on the steamship Merry Bell and reach her cousin in the big city go awry, landing her on the wrong ship and at the beginning of a fantastic adventure.

Taken under the protection of Lady Marlende, Emilie learns that the crew hopes to use the aether currents and an experimental engine, and with the assistance of Lord Engal, journey to the interior of the planet in search of Marlende’s missing father.

With the ship damaged on arrival, they attempt to traverse the strange lands on their quest. But when evidence points to sabotage and they encounter the treacherous Lord Ivers, along with the strange race of the sea-lands, Emilie has to make some challenging decisions and take daring action if they are ever to reach the surface world again.

                                          
Helen Grant - Silent Saturday: Forbidden Spaces Trilogy - Published By Bodley Head, 4, April 2013

Seventeen-year-old Veerle is bored with life in suburban Brussels. But a chance encounter with a hidden society, whose members illegally break into unoccupied buildings around the city, soon opens up a whole new world of excitement - and danger.

When one of the society's founding members disappears, Veerle suspects foul play. But nothing can prepare her for the horror that is about to unfold when an old foe emerges from the shadows... No one is safe, and The Hunter will strike again...

Mr Ripley's New Books Picks: February 2013 - Post Two of Two

This is the second post that I've written for new books that are published in February. I could actually produce a third due to the great feast of books for this month.  You might find that not all of the titles have been included in the lists - this might be because I've already reviewed them or am planning to do so. However, I hope you find a title or two to add to your very own reading pile.              

Barry Hutchison - Afterworlds: The Book of Doom - Published by HarperCollins - 28 Feb 2013
The second hilarious book in Barry’s AFTERWORLDS sequence – comic fantasy perfect for fans of Pratchett and Douglas Adams.

There’s panic up in Heaven. They have mislaid the BOOK OF DOOM – the most important object in existence. Oopsy.

They think Satan might have stolen it, the sneaky little devil, so to save the world – plus, you know, quite a lot of embarrassment, fifteen year old Zac and his angelic guide Angelo are sent to retrieve it.

Sadly directions aren’t Angelo’s strong point and they soon find themselves just as lost as the book, wandering through Afterworlds such as Valhalla and Hades and encountering some colourful characters along the way…

Can the hapless pair make it to Hell and back?

                                  

Kai Meyer - Arcadia Burns ( Arcadia Trilogy) - Published By Templar Publishing - 14 Feb 2013

Following the shattering events in Arcadia Awakens, Rosa is now head of the Alcantara clan. Scared and scarred, she flees from Sicily to New York to consider her future. There she encounters the American branch of the rival Carnevare Mafia family, also Panthera Arcadians. Forcibly injected with a serum that temporarily prevents her metamorphosis, Rosa is pursued by the Panthera in a deadly chase. Narrowly escaping with her life, Rosa returns to Sicily and to Alessandro, head of the Carnevare clan and Rosa's lover. Hunted by their enemies and manipulated by their allies, Rosa and Alessandro encounter corruption, intrigue and mortal danger at every turn. Will it force them together or drive them apart?

                                 
Marcus Alexander - Keeper of the Realms: The Dark Army - Published By Puffin - 7 Feb 2013  
Your abilities as a Keeper allow you to open doors that others can not.' Imprisoned in the mythical world of Bellania, Charlie Keeper is at the mercy of Lord Bane's guards while her loyal friends have been sold into slavery.When the Terrifying Edge Darkmount breaks into her cell, he promises to decipher the meaning of her mysterious pendant - and unlock the secrets of Bellania - if she will help him get revenge on Bane. But can she Trust him?
The future of the realm relies on Charlie's special powers. Even if she escapes it may take more than she can summon to overthrow the evil lord - it may take an entire army.

                          
Andy Briggs - Tarzan: The Savage Lands - Published By Faber & Faber - 7 Feb 2013
A TREACHEROUS LORD

Lord Greystoke has arrived at the logger's camp in the Congo, and will stop at nothing to find and eliminate his long-lost cousin, Tarzan.

A CRAZED QUEEN

Robbie and Jane set out through the jungle to warn Tarzan, and find themselves trapped in the sprawling ancient city of Opar, where the insane Queen La is running an illegal Coltan mine.

AN EPIC BATTLE

With a volcano threatening to explode, Tarzan, Robbie and Jane must form an unlikely alliance to save themselves. Not everyone will make it out alive . . .
                           

                                 
Simon Rae - Keras - Published By David Fickling Books - 7 Feb 2013 
All his life, Jack Henley has felt at home in the woods, more at home than when he's actually at home with his parents. He loves watching the badgers play-fighting in the summer evenings, and pretending to be outlaws or cannibals with his two best friends. But when Jack discovers the most incredible secret of all, a beautiful, extraordinary, unicorn, he cannot believe his eyes.


He and the owner of the woods, Mr Finistaire, embark on a journey to save the unicorn from extinction. But as they continue in secrecy, Jack begins to wonder whether all is what it seems, or whether there is an ulterior motive to Mr Finistaire's interest... Will the bond between Keras and Jack be enough to withstand the danger that awaits them both?

Mr Ripley's Cracking New Books For January 2013

                                   

Tim Bowler - Sea of Whispers - Published By OUP -  3 JAN 2013

Somehow the boat was still afloat - another wave had lifted it clear of the first rock and was driving it further inshore. It bumped against the base of Crab Rock and skewed around, then tipped momentarily to starboard...and as it did so, she saw a figure crouching in the bottom.

Hetty's always been a bit of a loner, preferring to keep to the outer edges of the close-knit island community. But when a strange woman is washed up on the shore, Hetty finds herself under increasing scrutiny from the islanders. There's a connection between Hetty and the woman that makes people suspicious, so when death comes to the community the woman is branded a bad omen and Hetty has no choice but to take matters into her own hands.

As she heads out to sea, a storm is breaking and the whispers that she's heard before are louder than ever. Voices from the very depths of the sea . . . and they're calling her name.

                                    

F E Higgins - The Phenomenals: A Tangle of Traitors - Published By Macmillan - 3 JAN 2013

A twisted adventure of intrigue, magic and superstition from the bestselling F. E. Higgins Don’t go down to the tar pits, children – for their shores are lined with the wretched wraiths of all the traitors and murderers who have drowned in its bubbling depths. In the shadows of this putrid place, an unlikely new alliance is being formed: they call them The Phenomenals, and only they can save us from a hideous fate that will befall the town if the wraiths escape their tarry shackles . . . Meet The Phenomenals: Citrine Capodel - heiress to a corrupt empire and framed for a murder she did not commit; Folly Harpelaine - a merciless destroyer of Lurids, who dabbles in the dark arts; Jonah Scrimshander - a deadly harpoonist, who has already cheated death, and Vincent Verdigris - light-fingered and even lighter on his feet.

                                                 

Bali Rai - Shivers - Published By Barrington Stoke - 1 JAN 2013

Meeting Cassie was the best moment of Sam's life. So why has everything fallen apart since? Can he really trust her at all? Terrifying ghost story. Sam hates life on the council estate - everyone knows why he and his mum had to move there and they won't let him forget it. When he meets the beautiful and mysterious Cassie he quickly falls head over heels. But when Sam's devotion starts to cloud his judgment and his life begins to spin out of control, he still can't seem to walk away. Will the truth about Cassie be more than he can bear? With a reading age of 8+ this is also suitable for reluctant, struggling and dyslexic teens.

                                        

Emerald Fennell - Shiverton Hall - Published By - Bloomsbury - 3 JAN 2013

They slowed as they reached the gate; two stone columns, each with its own crumbling angel perched on top. The angels held up a rusty, wrought-iron arch that read, in curling, serpentine letters: SHIVERTON HALL. Arthur Bannister has been unexpectedly accepted into Shiverton Hall, which, as it turns out, is an incredibly spooky school, full of surprises. And it is just as well that Shiverton Hall has made its offer, because Arthur had a horrible time at his previous school, and was desperate to leave. Timely indeed . . . But Arthur has no time to worry about the strange coincidence. He is too busy trying to make head or tail of Shiverton Hall, dogged as it is by tales of curses and bad fortune. At least there are a few friendly faces: George, who shows him around; also Penny and Jake. But not all the faces are friendly. There are the bullying Forge triplets for starters. And then there is the acid tongue of the headmistress, Professor Long-Pitt, who seems to go out of her way to make Arthur's life a misery. Luckily Arthur has his new friends to cheer him up. Although there are some friends that you don't want to have at all, as Arthur is soon to find out.

                                 

Niel Bushnell - Sorrowline ( The Timesmith Chronicles) - Andersen - 3 JAN 2013

Twelve-year-old Jack Morrow is used to life being complicated. His mother died five years ago, and his father is now headed for prison. But then Jack discovers he's a Yard Boy - someone with the ability to travel through Sorrowlines, the channels that connect every gravestone with the date of the person's death - and he is quickly pulled into an adventure beyond anything he could have possibly imagined.

Finding himself in 1940s war-torn London, with his then-teenage grandfather, Davey, Jack soon realises that his arrival in the past has not gone unnoticed. The evil forces of a secret world are determined to find him - and to find out all he knows.

As Jack struggles to survive, he comes ever closer to unlocking the dark secret at the heart of his family, and to - just maybe - changing his own destiny . . .

                                      
Cornelia Funke - Fearless (Reckless) - Chicken House - 7 JAN 2013
After saving his brother, Jacob Reckless faces death from the fairy's curse burning in his heart. In search of a cure he returns to the Mirrorworld, where he is reunited with Fox, a beautiful shape-shifting girl. He has one more chance: a golden crossbow, with the power to both save and destroy life, buried in a dead king' tomb beneath an invisible palace. Jacob must cross continents,ace monsters and men \- including a dangerous rival \- and learn what it means to stay alive.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Favourite Reads 2012

                                          Illustration by Lilli Carre.

             Mr Ripley's Favourite Reads Of 2012

Looking back over the year it has been a good one for me - it has been one that I've really enjoyed in the world of blogging. I've read over a hundred books (children and YA) this year. Many of them I have really enjoyed reading, and therefore, picking out a handful of books was a really hard task. However, I've managed to pick 15 worthy books. I admit that I might have missed a title or two, but I hope that you get some ideas from the list below. 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the authors and publishers for their support throughout the year - you've been brilliant, as always. Mostly I would like to thank the many readers and followers of this blog - without you I would not continue with my posts. I wish you all a great Christmas and a wonderful New Year. I'm looking forward to another stunning year full of fantastic books.

Listed in date order:

1.  Barry Hutchison - Afterworlds: The 13th Horseman - Published By HarperCollins Children's - 1 March 2012
2.  Kai Meyer - Arcadia Awakens ( Arcadia Trilogy) - Published By Templar - 1 March 2012
3. Roy Gill - The Daemon Parallel - Published By Kelpies - 1 March 2012
4. Tom Becker - The Traitors - Published By Scholastic - 5 April 2012
5. Alexander Gordon Smith - The Fury - Published By Faber and Faber - 5 April 2012
6. Garth Nix - A Confusion of Princes - Published By HarperCollins Children's -  17 May 2012
7. Thomas Taylor - Haunters - Published By Chicken House - 24 May 2012
8. Oldman Brook - The Wizard of Crescent Moon Mountain - Published By Matador - 1 July 2012
9. Michelle Paver - Gods and Warriors - Published By Puffin - 28 August 2012
10. Patrick Carman - 3 Below (Floors) - Published By Scholastic US -  1 September 2012
11. Kim Curran - Shift - Published By Strange Chemistry - 6 September 2012
12. William Alexander - Goblin Secrets - Published By Magaret K. McElderry Books - 6 September 2012
13. Darren Shan - Zom-B - Published By Simon and Schuster Children's -  27 September 2012
14. Gareth P Jones - Constable and Toop - Published By Hot Key Books -  4 October 2012
15. Kate Cann - Witch Crag - Published By Scholastic - 4 October 2012

Mr Ripley's Book Cover Wars Final Winner 2012 - Thomas Taylor - Haunters

                                                       


Finally Mr Ripley's book cover wars has now come to an end.  After four fantastic heats, it has been yet another brilliant year.

As usual I would like to thank the many people who got behind this little idea of mine. I have found the whole process tremendously exciting and interesting and hope that, you too, have had as much fun as I have - either as an observer or a contender. If you have enjoyed it then please let us know in the comments section as we'd love to hear from you.

This year over 670 votes were cast in the final alone. Whilst over the last two months around 2,600 votes were placed. This just highlights the passion that this competition generates. Anyway, without further ado I'd like to award the title of 'Mr Ripleys Book Cover Wars 2012 book cover of the year' to . . . . . . .  Thomas Taylor for the UK book cover - 'Haunters': published by Chicken House  - May  2012. Many congratulations.
 

Thomas now finds himself in the Ripley Hall of Fame where he accompanies the following three past winners:

2009/10  Jon Mayhew 'Mortlock' 

2010/11  Darren Shan 'Birth of a Killer' illustrated by David Wyatt

2011/12  Curtis Jobling ''Werewolf: Shadow of the Hawk' illustrated by Andrew Farley

2012 /13 Thomas Taylor "Haunters" illustrated by Steve Wells  - 285 Votes

The winner of the competition is Annabelle - Please email me your address,
thank you again, one and all, for your support and enthusiasm over the last two months.                         

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Four Great Picture Books To Read and Enjoy!

                                      

Debi Gilori - The Tobermory Cat - Published By Birlinn Ltd (12 Oct 2012)

Once upon a time, in Tobermory on the beautiful isle of Mull, there lived a cat. Now, all around Mull were cats - some were wonderfully soft and woolly, some were great singers, others were experts in fishing and some were superbly sulky. Tourists flocked to see them and hear them, but in Tobermory the cats were just cats. One cat decided, though, he was going to be special to help the people of Tobermory but he found it was harder than he thought. That was until he got some very good advice from some special friends.

                                  

Chris Riddell - Alienography 2: Tips for Tiny Tyrants - Published By Macmillan Children's Books (13 Sep 2012)

Join Chris Riddell and Colin the alien as they explain their tips for intergalactic domination. Learn how to select a simpering sidekick, how to choose an evil outfit (a good vest is a must!) and how to buy the best battlecruiser . . . you'll be a butt-kicking baddy before you can blink! Magnificently illustrated and hugely funny, with novelty elements including a mini comic, a fold-out cross-section of the 'Centennial Turkey' spaceship, and a 'Top Chumps' card game.

                                         

Jon Klassen - This Is Not My Hat - Published By Walker (9 Oct 2012)

When a tiny fish shoots into view wearing a round blue topper (which happens to fit him perfectly), trouble could be following close behind. So it’s a good thing that enormous fish won’t wake up. And even if he does, it’s not like he’ll ever know what happened. . . . Visual humor swims to the fore as the best-selling Jon Klassen follows his breakout debut with another deadpan-funny tale.

Take a look at the YouTube Book Trailer. http://youtu.be/IhbYyEdYWY8

           

William Joyce - The Man In The Moon - Published By Atheneum Books for Young Readers (13 Sep 2012)

Of course you know the Guardians of Childhood. You've known them since before you can remember: Santa, The Tooth Fairy, The Easter Bunny and the others. But ...where did they come from? How did they became beloved, and worthy of holidays? Embark on the first of seven very different journeys, starting with the Man in the Moon's, the very first of the Guardians. Join William Joyce on his latest adventure-to the Moon and discover the legends of The Guardian of Childhood.

Check out the website:

http://www.theguardiansofchildhoodbooks.com/mim.php

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Top Ten Books of 2011

                                               

1. Erin Morgenstern - Night Circus - Published by Harvill Secker - Sep 2011
2. Ronsom Riggs - Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children - Published by Quirk - June 2011
3. Carloz Ruiz Zafon - The Midnight Palace - Published by Orion/Weidenfeld & Nicolson - June 2011
4. Brian Selznick - Wonderstruck - Published by Scholastic - Sep 2011
5. Will Hill - Department 19 - Published by HarperCollins - March 2011
6. Moria Young - Blood Red Road - Published by Marion Lloyd Books - June 2011
7. Robin Jarvis - Dancing Jax - Published by HarperCollins - Feb 2011
8. Patrick Carman - Floors - Published by Scholastic US - Sep 2011
9. Cliff McNish - The Hunting Ground - Published by Orion - May 2011
10. Patrick Ness & Siobhan Dowd - A Monster Calls - Published Walker - 5 May 2011

It's not always easy task to make a list like this. A great amount of reflection and thought has gone in to working out my favourite reads of 2011. Let me know what you think. 

+++ Mr Ripley's Book Cover Wars Final 2011 Winners Post +++

Finally Mr Ripley's book cover wars has now come to an end. After nearly two months of gruelling battles a final worthy winner can be announced.

As usual I would like to thank the many people who got behind this little idea of mine. Although this idea is now in its third year, I still find the whole process tremendously exciting and interesting. Therefore, I  hope you all had as much fun as I did - either as an observer or a contender.

Battling in the final were Curtis Jobling with the book cover for 'Wereworld: Shadow of the Hawk' illustrated/designed by Andrew Farley (published in January 2012) and Conrad Mason with the book cover for 'The Demon's Watch' illustrated/designed by David Wyatt (published in March 2012).

This year over 698 votes were in the final alone. However, over two months around 3,000 votes hit the site, which just highlights the passion that this competition generates. Anyway, without further ado I'd like to award the title of 'Mr Ripleys Book Cover Wars 2011 book cover of the year' to . . . . . . .  CURTIS JOBLIN for the UK book cover - 'Werewolf: Shadow of the Hawk' published by Puffin January 2012.

Curtis now finds himself in the Ripley Hall of Fame where he accompanies the following two past winners:
2009 Jon Mayhew 'Mortlock' 
2010 Darren Shan 'Birth of a Killer' illustrated by David Wyatt
2012 Curtis Joblin ''Werewolf: Shadow of the Hawk' illustrated by Andrew Farley


The winner of the competition will be picked either later today or tomorrow - thank you again, one and all for your support and enthusiasm over the last two months.                         

Mr Ripley's Book Cover Wars 2011 - Heat 4 of 4 Plus Competition - Barry Hutchison's - The 13th Horseman Proof Copy

You are now in Mr Ripley's Book Cover War Zone....

Heat three has just come to an end. The winner was Barry Hutchison, who galloped to victory with his up and coming book cover for 'The 13th Horseman'. This cover received 136 votes which makes it another fine winner and therefore, finds itself in the final.

• Heat One - Ransom Rigg's - Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - 104 Votes
• Heat Two - Conrad Mason's - The Demon's Watch - 189 Votes 
• Heat Three  - Barry Hutchison's -  The 13th Horseman - 136 Votes

For any new or existing follower of this site this is the chance for you to become part of the weekly book cover wars. Each week (for the next 1 week) I am going to select four book covers for you to vote from. The winner of each heat will then go forward to the final round and get a chance to be crowned as 'Mr Ripley's Enchanted Book Cover Winner 2011'.

As a voter not only will you get the chance to choose your favourite book cover, but you will also be in with the chance to win a different special book each week.

The book competition winner from last week has been picked and has won a signed copy of David Walliams - Mr Stink. The lucky winner is Jo Ann at bkfaerie - the book is on its way to you. Hope you enjoy reading it.

In order to kick off the competition this week we have yet another amazing book prize. This week is a book everyone is after - a proof copy of The 13th Horseman by Barry Hutchison. A great prize that will enable you the chance to read this book nice and early. 

If you are interested in voting for a book cover and being in with a chance to win the above book then all you need to do is: 

• Vote for your favourite book cover using the poll (see top of the page)
• Leave a comment through this post 
• Sit back, watch the voting develop and wait to hear whether you've won (once the poll has closed). Please note that this competition is open Worldwide.

So here are the four book covers to vote for:

        

Book One - William Hussey - Witchfinder: The Last Nightfall - Published by OUP - Sep 2011

Book Two - Curtis Jobling - Wereworld: Shadow of the Hawk - Published by Puffin - Jan 2012

Book Three - Lari Don - Storm Singing and other Tangled Tasks - Published by Floris - June 2011

Book Four - Roderick Gordon & Brian Williams - Spiral - Published by Chicken House - Sep 2011                                       

Happy voting and let the best book cover win.