Alice M. Ross - The Nowhere Thief - Author Interview (Q&A) - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

Hello readers and welcome to our fourth interview. This week we are meeting the fantastic author, Alice M. Ross, who has recently had her debut children's book published (March 2023) by Nosy Crow. The book is called The Nowhere Thief but watch out as there really is a thief about. This book is surely going to steal your heart! We loved this story and wanted to find out more so check OUT the review. We hope you are loving this series of interviews - thank you all for contributing and reading. 

• How would you describe your multi-verse adventure The Nowhere Thief?

The Nowhere Thief is a mind-bending multiverse adventure aimed at 9-12-year-olds that is also about finding your family. 12-year-old Elsbeth is stealing things from other worlds to sell in her family's antique shop but as a strange boy starts to follow her and the weather turns weird whenever she travels she starts to ask herself: does her gift come with a price?

• Elsbeth and Idris have a special power where they can steal from other worlds. What would you like them to steal for you and why?

Well it's actually only Elsbeth that can steal things: Idris tries to but every time he does it the objects just disappear! His grandmother makes him feel bad about this. Obviously I wouldn't feel comfortable about possessing stolen goods myself, but if they did come across an interesting object by legal means I think it would be pretty cool to have a chamcha, which is a flying sort of cat that lives in Idris's world.

• Which other world would you like to visit in the book and why?

I'd like to visit Victoria's world, where the sea is rising and children are sent on wilderness survival trips: maybe we could get some tips for our own world. I'd like to meet Victoria, who seems like she would be really cool!  

• Do you have any plans for the characters after this book?

We'll have to wait and see! I definitely have ideas in my head of things that will happen to them, but whether that will end up in book form remains to be seen.

 

• You have spent most of your time being a journalist. Can you share a favourite story you wrote or reported on? How do you think a good journalist can make a difference in the real world?

I've reported on lots of things in my career at the Financial Times but recently I've been writing more about climate change, and how investors can get involved - in fact I wrote a non-fiction book on this topic called Investing to Save the Planet in 2020. Journalists can definitely make a difference by highlighting people's voices when they're not heard that often. 

• How do you juggle real-life with fantasy and do they both play important roles in your life?

Well, I guess it would be a bit weird if real-life didn't play an important role in my life! I have kids and cats and a house and all that grown-up jazz to tend to: I find they complement each other quite well right now but I do have to carve out certain times of the day to write or I'd never get it done! 

• Which book or literary work made you think about the impact we have on the planet?

I did write a book myself about the impact we have on the planet, so I certainly thought about it then. I'm not sure I've ever read a fiction work specifically about climate change but I think it's interesting that this is becoming more of a trend in both adult and children's literature.  

• What would you do differently if you were to write another book?

I'd like to say I would plan it better, but I'm not a huge planner of books - I do think that if you just write you come up with ideas as you go. That said I think it's a good idea to have your themes in your mind/some vague idea of what you're trying to do, so that's what I'm trying to do in the next book I'm writing: I know how it ends but not how it will get there!  

• Finally three quick questions: favourite meal, place, and one wish for the future? 

My favourite meal has to be twice-baked potato - it is definitely my comfort food that my Mum used to make for me when I was a kid! These days I have it to cheer myself up or when it's a particularly cold day.

My favourite place is Berlin - it's such a cool city, and my kids are half-German so we spend quite a lot of time there.

My wish for the future is obviously to publish more books! I have lots of ideas and I just need to find the time to turn them all into novels!  

https://nosycrow.com/product/the-nowhere-thief/

Tom Huddleston - Flood World Trilogy - Author Interview (Q&A) - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books #34

 

Are you ready for another brilliant interview? Well, we hope the answer is yes to that question! Today we're delighted to welcome the multi-talented writer and musician Tom Huddleston. He's the author of the fantastic dystopian FloodWorld trilogy published by Nosy Crow books. This series is one of our favourites as it is one of the best that we have read for some time. It was an absolute delight to be able to ask Tom some questions about his book and writing career so far. Anyway without further ado, thanks for taking the time to read the post; we hope you have a great week. 

• You have written an interesting mix of books for children, which story was the most fun to write and why?

The FloodWorld books were by far the most fun and satisfying to write, because it was my story, my ideas, my characters, my world. Writing Star Wars books was amazing, obviously, and I also loved writing books set in the Warhammer universe. But nothing can beat creating my own future. 

• You have finished writing the FloodWorld Trilogy (published by Nosy Crow) was there a particular message you wanted to convey through these books and did this go according to plan?

I wanted to encourage readers to think about climate change and what the real cost could be - as the title implies, the books are set in a flooded future, in a city half-sunk beneath the waves. They're also about inequality and exploitation, how some people will use a disaster to grab more wealth or power for themselves. Those are pretty heavy topics, but what I didn't want was for the books to be depressing, or a slog to read - I wanted them to be exciting adventure stories, full of action and friendship and hope. And yes, it went according to my own plan - some might argue that I ought to be treating these issues more seriously, but personally I think a hard lesson is easier to learn if it's presented in an entertaining fashion.  

• What are you writing at the moment?

I'm working on a couple of different things - my first non-fiction book, which I can't really talk about, and my first novel for adults, which is quite a daunting task! But I've also just submitted the first draft of a new book for teenage readers, another real-world dystopian adventure story, so we'll see what happens there. And of course I'm still working on the Cosmic Creatures series of fun sci-fi stories for younger readers, they're a real pleasure to write.

• Has your childhood influenced your writing in any way? Which books did you particularly love reading?

My childhood remains a huge influence on my writing - I don't think you can write for or about kids without drawing on your own childhood experiences. In many ways I think I'm still a kid - I mean, I spend my days dreaming up stories rather than getting a proper job. As for books, I was a big fantasy fan, I read The Lord of the Rings repeatedly, alongside the Earthsea books and the work of Susan Cooper, Alan Garner, people like that. But I read pretty much anything that was put in front of me, to be honest.

• I know you are a massive Sci-fi fan so what is your favourite Sci-fi film/series? 
  

I don't think you can beat Star Wars as a series, particularly The Empire Strikes Back, it's a perfect film. I don't like every single one of the movies, but it's such a rich and detailed universe that's always fun to revisit. But my absolute favourite sci-fi movie, indeed probably my favourite film of all time, is Close Encounters of the Third Kind. It's so rare to find a film that's intensely thrilling without resorting to violence or scares, it's all about optimism and wonder. Honestly, watching it comes close to being a spiritual experience for me - maybe I just want them to come and take me away!

• Do you have any hobbies or collections?

I have a pretty big record collection that I've been working on since I was a kid, I got my first record player when I was six and I've spent most of my spare money on vinyl ever since. But in recent years I can only afford new records if I sell a few old ones - writing isn't exactly a lucrative profession! As for hobbies, I play in a band called The No Sorrows - you can find our album on Spotify! - and watch a lot of movies. But to be honest, my main hobby is also my job - writing books. I'm very lucky to be able to say that.

You can buy the books HERE. 

David Solomons - Author Interview (Q&A) - A Beginner's Guide to Ruling the Galaxy - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books #21

Hello Everybody. I'm delighted to be able to announce that over the next two/three months there's going to be a whole host of exciting and interesting author Q&As. This week we're going to kick off with funnyman David Solomon. Here we find out that there is life after his brilliant series My Brother is a Superhero as he has a new book out on 7th July 2022 (published by Nosy Crow). It's called A Beginner's Guide to Building a Fart Machine - no, really it's A Beginner's Guide to Ruling the Galaxy! 

It is a real pleasure and a privilege to share this first Q&A with you. So, let's begin by finding out more about the author, his writing and, of course, his amazing new book. What's it called again? 

 

• A Beginner's Guide to Ruling the Galaxy is your new book, please could you sum up this book in the craziest way possible? 

Space opera in the suburbs. It’s that old story of boy meets girl next door. Girl turns out to be heir to the galactic throne who’s on the run and hiding out on earth from… ah. No spoilers.

• After writing five fantastic books in My Brother is a Superhero series, what challenges did you have starting with this new book? Did fresh ideas flow from the very first page? 

Thank-you for the compliment! I find that ideas flow in much the same way that blood does from an open wound. There’s a lot of them, but it’s a painful process. On the first question, enough time had passed since I’d closed the final chapter on the My Brother series that I didn’t feel those books hovering at my shoulder and peering at what I was doing now. Although, as I write this, I realise that everything I’ve ever written is shelved three feet behind me and could be said to be looming over me judgementally. 

• Are laughter and humour always going to be David Solomons's key writing ingredients? Do you feel it is important that readers engage through laughter when reading your books? 

I don’t set out to write funny books, it’s just the way they come out. I’m an inveterate noodler when it comes to funny scenes – I find myself going over and over them like some mad scientist – word choice, sentence rhythm, electrodes – in an effort to draw out the maximum lols. I can’t envisage writing a book that doesn’t contain humour; to do so would require a level of self-restraint that I have thus far failed to demonstrate in my life. Though I would say that, in my own mind anyway, I pay as much attention to the other elements. I challenge myself to make the stories funny and exciting, funny and poignant. It’s a tricky balance. For example, putting a snarky line into a character’s mouth at the wrong time can undercut what could and should be a dramatic moment. After years working together my editor, Kirsty Stansfield at Nosy Crow, is very good at reigning in my overenthusiastic tendencies!

• Most of the characters you write about have a superpower, what is your superpower? 

I can bend time so that deadlines just bounce off me.

• Everybody loves an evil villain, which villain would you love to have a real-life conversation with and how do you think it would go?

First, one that comes to mind is Darth Vader, but it would be Eddie Izzard’s version of him from the legendary Death Star canteen routine. In which case our conversation would probably end with him killing me. With a tray.  

• Which of your books would you like to see being turned into a film and why? 

Any of them! And as for the reason, are you hoping for something more meaningful than fame, glory and a thumping great first day principal photography fee? I’ve been endeavouring to get my books into development/production for years, with a modicum of success. Steve Coogan’s company optioned My Brother is a Superhero, and I wrote a script for a proposed TV series, but that went away. I continue, Charlie Brown-like, to put my work in front of producers. In my other career as a screenwriter, I’ve written the screenplays for three films, including a version of Five Children and It, which I’m pleased to say continues to enjoy a life long after its debut.

These days I write screenplays mostly with my wife, Natasha. And they’re mostly adaptations of her books (for grown-ups). So, the other answer to your question is I’d like to have a film made purely to justify all the hard work we’ve put into the process.

• How important do you think it is to get children to read for enjoyment? 

I have a nine-year-old and a six-year-old. For them there isn’t any other kind of reading. By which I mean they’ll only read if the experience is enjoyable. Our eldest is going through an interesting reading phase. I’m in the fortunate position that I’m aware of what’s brand new in the world of children’s fiction. It used to be I could put anything in front of him and he’d read it, but from hoovering up every kind of book, reading three or four a week, he’s slowing down. Still reading and enjoying, but I get the sense that he’s starting to form his own likes and dislikes. He’s happy to reject dad’s suggestions! The six-year-old is just finding her reading feet, but she already has strong opinions, especially when it comes to line readings. At bedtime, when Natasha or I are reading to her, she’ll make us stop if she thinks we’ve flubbed a line. Then she’ll read it the way it ought to be performed. 

To go back to the original question, it makes my heartache. Our whole industry ultimately relies on enough of these little people wanting to pick up a book. It’s why I get so angry when some publishers foist substandard fiction on them. Kid reads average book with huge marketing budget and shrugs: I’ll go back to YouTube thanks. Yes, publisher gets immediate sales, but what about the long-term? Is that kid going to turn into a lifelong reader if her early exposure to books is so flawed? I know it’s not as simple as that, but it doesn’t help.

• What question were you hoping to be asked in this Q&A and why? 

Is the author who appears in ‘My Cousin is a Time Traveller’ based on you? 

So, in the last of the Superhero series our heroes get an author visit at school, a dismal presentation from a sweating, under-rehearsed children’s writer. I was quite emotional, writing the last of this series, and I knew I was saying goodbye to characters who’d had transformative effect on my life. So I wrote myself into the story in order to say goodbye to them ‘in person’. However, since I pantsed much of that novel (i.e. made it up as I went along) my character turned out to have a bigger role than I’d intended. Thanks for asking.

Catherine Bruton - Another Twist in the Tale - (Nosy Crow) - Book Review (Mr.Ripley's Enchanted Books)

I've always enjoyed the ability to pick up a book and read it from cover to cover. However, like many others, I've really struggled of late to keep my focus and concentrate. Fortunately, this book has been a turning point as I have really enjoyed it. Another Twist in the Tale is the second book by Catherine Bruton and was published by Nosy Crow (5th November 2020). The story takes us back to Victorian London as we gatecrash a world created by the great man and author Charles Dickens. You've heard the tale of Master Oliver Twist, but have you heard the tale about Twill Twist?

Well walk this way, my fellow reader, and watch your step on the slippery, cobbled streets rife with pickpockets, gangs, and cutthroat thieves. It's time to discover the mysterious tale of TWILL TWIST who was separated at birth and discarded on a rubbish heap. Here the imagination begins as we set off on a thrilling journey that will entertain the socks off a spider and send you spinning into a Victorian frenzy full of mayhem and mishaps. 

This is an action-packed adventure full of life where characters gamble the odds and undertake daring rescues. The book is very well executed and delivers the time period rather well; the plot is compact and full of intrigue and suspense. Weaving through the thick smog with the child catchers chasing you will leave you with an uneasy feeling in your bones. It is a perfect introduction to the young and old as we visit some very familiar Dicken's characters such as Jack Dawkins (better known as the ARTFUL DODGER) and Fagin (a miser and cheat who would swindle his own mum out of the clothes on her own back). 

I loved every minute of this book; it's a magical walk into fantasy and beyond. It really depicts Victorian hardship through the feminist characters all of whom you will be cheering on and hoping for the best. The world is depicted full of dark promises and nefarious deeds that you will enjoy from the very first page to the last. The ending is brilliant and leaves a hint of another adventure yet to come. There's plenty to reflect on as you pop on the kettle, crack open the Jammy Dodgers, and ask for more. MORE?! Absolutely! 

Teaching Resources

They have also produced some Activity packs which we hope you will enjoy – they can be downloaded here as PDFs.  There is a teaching pack, some activity sheets, and some stylish bookmarks!

• Another Twist in the Tail Teaching Pack– 4.5mb
• Another Twist in the Tail Activity Sheets – 3.3mb
• Another Twist in the Tail Bookmarks – 3.3mb

Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's Book Picks - April 2020 - POST THREE

This is my third post for some of the best new children's books being published this April 2020. Through these extraordinary times, we are encouraging you to support small independent book shops up and down the country. The sad thing is that, if we don't, we might lose some at a time like this. Therefore, if you fancy reading any of the below books and are thinking of buying a book or two then why not support them - buy directly and let us do our part to support them in these difficult times. They need our love. Check out Twitter for an idea as to which bookshops are posting out @IndieBookshopUK or visit the website which has a handy map for you to look at http://www.indiebookshops.com Thanks for reading and stay safe. 

Jess Butterworth - Where the Wilderness Lives - Published by Orion Children's Books (2 April 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1510105508 - Paperback - Age: 8+

An epic race for survival that follows four children and their dog through treacherous waterways, dense forests and the deep, dark wilderness of Wales.

One day, as Cara and her siblings are trying to clean up the canal where they live, they pull out a mysterious locked safe. Though none of them can open it, they're sure it's something special.

That night, a thief comes after the safe. The children flee, traveling with their boat as far as they can, before continuing into the forest on foot. But soon they're lost in the mountains with a snowstorm about to land and food supplies running low. 

Will Cara and her siblings be able to survive the wilderness with nothing but their wits, their bravery and one very large dog to help?

Nicola Skinner - Storm - Published by HarperCollins Children's Books (2 April 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-0008295325 - Hardback - Age: 10+

The extraordinarily moving, funny and original new novel from the author of the rapturously acclaimed BLOOM.

“You were born raging, Frances Frida Ripley. That’s what happens when you’re born in a storm.”

Frances’s parents were not prepared for her birth: they had a blanket and an easel and some paint, but not anything useful, like a car or a phone. So it’s no wonder Frankie has always had a temper. She was born on a BEACH, in a STORM.

What Frances was not prepared for was dying in a freak natural disaster that wiped out her whole town.

Waking up 100 years later, Frances finds a whole load of new things to be angry about. And that’s before the visitors start turning up, treating her home like it’s a tourist attraction. Which it is.

Only there are worse people out there than tourists… and they’re coming for Frankie.

Frankie is about to discover that there are things more important than herself – and that anger has its uses. Because when you have a storm inside you – sometimes the only thing to do is let it out…

Emma Read - Milton the Megastar (Milton the Mighty) - Published by Chicken House (2 April 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1912626069 - Paperback - Age: 7 

In this sequel to Milton the Mighty, Milton goes international!
Milton's superstardom is stressing him out: the events, the glamour, the adoring fans! Secretly, Zoe, Audrey and Ralph think he's turned into ... well ... a bit of a diva. So when Dad and Greta plan a trip to Hawaii, Zoe knows she has to take her best spider pals along for the ride: they all need a break. But with a live volcano, an endangered spider species, an unscrupulous entrepreneur and Milton's ego to contend with, this is hardly a holiday ...

Fleur Hitchcock - Clifftoppers: The Thorn Island Adventure - Published by Nosy Crow Ltd (2 April 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1788007900 - Paperback - Age: 7+

For Aiden, Chloe, Ava and Josh, holidays at their grandparents' cottage mean wild beaches, no curfew, Bella the dog, and most of all - adventure! While sailing their Grandad's boat along the coast with her cousins, Chloe sees a terrified face at a tower window on Thorn Island. Could the face belong to recently kidnapped young George, the only child of a rich local businessman? No one they tell believes there could be a child held prisoner in the tower. So, certain that the villains are hiding out nearby, the cousins must use all their skills and cunning to conduct a daring rescue. Fleur Hitchcock is famous for her excellent "thrillers for beginners". 

This action-packed series takes 7+ readers on fantastic, realistic adventures. 

Cover illustration by Tom Clohosy Cole. 
Look out for the other books in the Clifftoppers series: 
The Arrowhead Moor Adventure 
The Fire Bay Adventure 

Alastair Chisholm - Orion Lost - Interview (Nosy Crow) - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

Good Morning, Everybody. I hope you are all keeping well and safe. I'd like to welcome you to this fantastic interview with Alastair Chisholm. Some of you may recognise Alastair as the author of Orion Lost - a fantastic action-adventure story - published in January 2020 by Nosy Crow. This story is perfect for Star Wars/Star Trek and SCI-FI fans. If you would like to read my book review to find out more then click on this Link. 

Otherwise, keep on reading until you reach this fascinating interview. It gives a very interesting insight into the characters, the processes and even allows us to learn more about the author. I'm sure you will find it thoroughly interesting (I know that I did). Hopefully, it will entice you into obtaining a copy to READ and enjoying this brilliant book.

Tell us a little about Orion Lost and what can people expect when they read it?

Orion Lost is a sci-fi adventure story set on a stranded starship, about a group of children who have to take command and try to get everyone home. There’s excitement, and danger, and aliens, and space pirates … and someone is lying to them.

Did you let the story and the characters take you on a journey or did you map out the whole plot and know exactly what you wanted to write?

I had the bones of the story in my head, and it more or less went that way. My editor at Nosy Crow, Tom Bonnick, had some great suggestions that we adapted into the book. I find characters are much more fluid, and I tend to discover their personalities as I write them. Like Mikkel, for example – I had no idea really what he was like at first, but suddenly he was telling me all about his world. And some of the children were originally more like villains, but I couldn’t help liking them!

How did the process differ between writing a picture book to that of a middle-grade fiction book?

With picture books you’re thinking about it page by page, planning how the words and pictures will work together. (Especially once you get to know the artist – I worked with the fantastic Jez Tuya on The Prince and the Witch and the Thief and the Bears, and for the sequel, I was thinking all about how Jez might draw characters and scenes). With middle-grade it’s about creating the pictures yourself, in the readers’ minds. I love both types, but middle-grade (8-12, roughly) is a brilliant age to write for, because the readers are very sophisticated but still willing to take on fantastical ideas. 

What were your thoughts/ideas behind the interesting place and character names?

In some cases, I look through name lists to find one that feels right. Sometimes a name just happens – like for Arnold, the big brash American jock. Once he was Arnold, I couldn’t imagine him being anything else! 

For others, like the Videshi aliens, it came from a mix of the world I was building and what I wanted from them. Videshi are mysterious and strange, and I imagined India being a future space power, and so picked a Hindi word – Videshi – meaning stranger, or foreigner. 

What inspired you to write this book?

Well, I love good sci-fi, especially the Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Wars kind of thing. So I wanted to create something with that feel. But also, a big theme of the book is the idea of command and responsibility, self-control and self-confidence. Beth, the main character, has to step up and become the Captain, and figure out what she can and can’t do. And for me, this was a lot like the experience my daughters were going through as teenagers, stepping up to take part in the adult world. Much of what Beth learns are things I was trying to say to my own daughters.

How important are stories to you? What books are you currently reading? 

I think stories are what really make us human. As many others have said, we’re basically storytelling apes. We look at a world that’s far too big and complex to hold in our heads, and we turn it into stories that we can hold. And we say, I know this isn’t true, but it’s true enough to get going with. We say, these things didn’t happen, but when I tell you them, you can understand how they would feel. We say, you haven’t been here, but I can make you feel like you have.

At the moment I’m reading a lot of middle-grade fiction, which is great fun! I’ve just finished Dashe Roberts’ Bigwoof Conspiracy, which is hilarious, some zombie excitement in Wranglestone by Darren Charlton, and Joan Haig’s really lovely Tiger Skin Rug book. I’m also chomping through absolutely tons of old Judge Dredd comics :-)

It was lovely to see quotes from children on the Press Release. What has been your favourite quote to date and why? 

It was fantastic, wasn’t it? I was so chuffed! I think my favourites are the ones that say, “I’m not normally into science fiction, but …”. I love sci-fi, and I love how it allows you to tell stories about people, and I hope I’ve managed to convert a few readers!

Oh, and this year some children dressed as Orion Lost characters for World Book Day, and that was amazing! 🤩

How do you think children's books can help children and families during the pandemic we are currently facing?

It’s all very strange right now, isn’t it? The news is grim, people are stockpiling, parents are worried, and kids pick up on that. But it’s also weirdly boring, because you can’t go out, even to school.

I love all stories, including TV, film, and games. But books (and audiobooks) have a special magic because they change depending on what you bring to them, and what you need right now. The same book can deliver adventure and escape, comfort and hope, laughter and empathy, danger and courage. When you’re inside a book, you are its heroes, and some of that stays with you. With the best books, it stays with you forever. That’s probably something we all need right now.

What are you currently working on?

I’m editing my next sci-fi novel, which is a story about robots, and in between that I’m writing a series of dragon books for younger children. It’s quite a mix!

Dashe Roberts - Sticky Pines: The Bigwoof Conspiracy - Book Review - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

Welcome to STICKY PINES where things just get weirder by the minute. This debut book by Californian author Dashe Roberts is definitely one of my favourite books of the year. It was actually published in February 2020 by Nosy Crow so it might have already slipped by some potential readers. It is a fantastically creative story with a brilliant UFO/Sci-fi narrative. The Bigwoof Conspiracy is an encounter of the weird kind which has both a transatlantic feel and setting to go with it. 

With a click of the old camera and the flash of the night sky, the narrative starts at a rather sedate pace but ends up as a supernatural thriller. There has been a second disappearance in Sticky Pines. Beloved candy-store owner, Mandy Millepoids, has been reported missing. At this point, you find yourself in one of the craziest and most silly adventures you will read this year. It's creepy and yet so funny that it made me laugh out loud. I found myself racing through the pages to uncover the ongoing mystery. 

Lucy Sladen and Milo Fisher are an epic pair of characters who investigate the unexplained sightings and disappearances. Lucy is bold, brave and obsessed with UFO'S whilst Milo is very secretive and loves taking photos in the nearby woods. He often gets dragged along with Lucy's investigations - quite often against his will - but they always stick together. This relationship weaves a memorable thread through the story filled with fun and playful banter. 

This is such a great novel for anyone to read as it's pure fantasy escapism. It is certainly something that we could all do with at this difficult time. The levels of bizarreness increase as events unfold and mysteries become unravelled. The best part of the book, without giving too much away, was the Carnival (chapter nine) called Banana Drama. This was pure fantasy gold - it was very well written and cleverly put together. I have not read anything as good as this for some time. 

For me, this book ticks all the boxes. It is an example of why I love reading children's books. The narrative was not too complicated, very funny (definitely strange) and incorporated a number of classic sci-fi TV shows into it. The story leads you towards some timely banana skins. As you slip and slide through the plotline, there are some great sticky twists and turns. The Villians become bolder and daring which adds to the drama. In fact, it all becomes rather messy in places but I found that very pleasing.

Sometimes the ending of a book can let it down, however, this one was not one of those endings. The author does tie up all the loose ends to eventually satisfy the reader. However, at this point, I felt very sad knowing that I had finished the most entertaining book that I've read this year. Fortunately, I did notice that there will be another book THE THING AT BLACK HOLE LAKE which will be published in September 2020 - if all things still go to plan. I hope so as I know that I can't wait to read it.

Lyn Gardner - Rose Campion and the Christmas Mystery - Book Review - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

Here we have a brilliant conclusion to the Campion series by Lyn Gardner. This fantastically thrilling finale was published in October 2019 by Nosy Crow Books. I have to say that this is my personal favourite of all three books. These could really be read in any order as you can jump in and out of any of the books and everything will still run like clockwork.  

So let's raise the curtains on another season at Campions' Palace of Varieties and Wonders. Set in Victorian London, a fantasy treat awaits any reader. You will instantly be re-acquainted with brilliant characters and their vibrant and lively surroundings. Full of heart, courage, and friendship which all help the characters through this dangerous adventure.

Rose Campion and her friends have more to worry about in this adventure than who'll be filling the role of Cinderella. The narrative of this book is deathly and dark. It's full of mischief due to the arrival of the Duchess, a deadly ruler of the London criminal underworld, who has just been released from prison. She has her sights set, not only on Rose but also on a priceless emerald necklace that has just arrived in the city. Meanwhile, Campions' is playing host to the mysterious hypnotist Madame de Valentina and murder is afoot as the narrative takes a disturbing turn of events. However, which characters will be affected in this story? 

This is a Christmas mystery for young and old, as the story whips up a theatrical storm. I loved every single minute of this book as it is full of song, dance, and much laughter. It's a big show stopper with a fantastic plot. This sleuthing novel will keep you guessing until the very end of the book. The timely twists and turns deserve an encore as there are many secrets to uncover. The narrative wraps up nicely pulling together all the threads from this book and the previous book nicely, which leaves you, the reader, feeling very satisfied. This is a truly lovely series that will not be easily forgotten.  

Nizrana Farook - The Girl Who Stole an Elephant - Book Review (Nosy Crow) - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

Nizrana Farook is the author of The Girl Who Stole an Elephant which is due to be published on the 9th January 2020 by Nosy Crow Books. The book cover illustration is by David Dean who had the voters support in our recent book cover wars heat. The book cover is very appealing with its great use of vivid colour - it will certainly draw readers to it from any shelf. 

This is a brilliant and thrilling middle-grade debut book that draws upon the location of the author's native home of Sri Lanka. The wild beauty of the landscape sets the story off really well. It's a dazzling and delicious tale of the exotic which captures the attention of the reader with its beauty. 

The book features a host of well-written feisty characters that inject a spark of magic. We are first introduced to Chaya, the main character, as she is running away from the Royal Palace. We soon learn that she has been involved in stealing the Queen's Jewels. Chaya is known as a loveable and spirited character with a sparkling gem for a heart, however, this venture backfires royally. This is a lovely heartfelt story built on friendship to correct wrongdoing as she finds herself on a breathtaking and uplifting adventure in the jungle with her friends and an elephant.

This story will lead you on a fast-paced journey that is fraught with danger. Chaya finds herself fleeing from the palace guards and the village that both she and her friends once lived in. Danger strikes at will and their only protection is a huge elephant and their whits. The characters will light up your heart and your soul with warmth and great dialogue. Whilst the wildness of the jungle will sweep you off your feet. It is vividly written and has a creative flair full of sights and smells that make you feel like part of the story. 

This is a glorious story about a jewel thief escaping into the jungle: a rebel, a royal revolution, a bandit and maybe even a hero. What more can you want from a narrative? This fuels an adventure of a lifetime that will be loved by everyone.  It's a book that I would wholeheartedly recommend, so pick it up and give it a read. What a cracking start to the New Year, 2020.