Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's/Young Adult Book Picks November 2018 - US Post Two

Mari Mancusi - The Camelot Code, Book #1 The Once and Future Geek - Published by Disney-Hyperion (November 20, 2018) -  ISBN-13: 978-1368010849 - Hardback 

When young Arthur of Camelot accidentally time-travels to the 21st century and Googles himself, he discovers the not-so-happily ever after in store for him once he pulls the sword from the stone. Yes, he'll go from squire to sovereign basically overnight, but he'll also lose the love of his life to his best friend and eventually die in battle. What's a once-and-future king to do? Easy: stay in the future, where he'll actually have a future-and join the football team instead. 

Now, with the help of the great wizard Merlin, modern-day gamer-geeks Sophie and Stu find themselves in a race against time to get that sword pulled from the stone and the stubborn soon-to-be-king Arthur back to the past where he belongs. Complicating the plan? Lady Morgana-Arthur's sister and greatest enemy-has traveled to the future as well, determined to take Arthur out and seize the throne. Can Sophie and Stu use their gaming abilities to defeat the evil Morgana and set the timeline right? With the very existence of their friendship, their families, and the world as they know it (including pepperoni pizza!) at stake, they'll use every skill, power-up, and cheat code they know in their quest to save the day.

Stephanie Burgis - The Girl with the Dragon Heart - Published by Bloomsbury Children's Books (November 6, 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1681196978 - Hardback 

Silke has always been good at spinning the truth and storytelling. So good that, just years after arriving in the kingdom as a penniless orphan, she has found her way to working for the most splendid chocolate makers in the city as a master promoter. Although Silke loves her work at the Chocolate Heart, she's certain it's not going to last, and what Silke wants more than anything is somewhere to call home--somewhere safe. But when your best friend is a dragon-turned-hot-tempered-girl, trouble is always right around the corner. 

Then Silke gets the opportunity she's been waiting for: the Crown Princess personally asks her to spy on the Elfenwald royal family during their first visit to the kingdom. In return, Silke will have the home she's always wanted in the secure palace. But Silke has her own dark, secret reasons for not trusting fairies . . . and her mission isn't as simple as she hoped. Soon, she discovers that her city is in danger--and that maybe it's more her home than she ever realized.

Can Silke find out the truth about the fairies while keeping her own secrets hidden?

Lyra Selene - Amber & Dusk - Scholastic Press (November 27, 2018) - 

• ISBN-13: 978-1338210033 - Hardback 

Sylvie has always known she deserves more. Out in the permanent twilight of the Dusklands, her guardians called her power to create illusions a curse. But Sylvie knows it gives her a place in Coeur d'Or, the palais of the Amber Empress and her highborn legacies. 

So Sylvie sets off toward the Amber City, a glittering jewel under a sun that never sets, to take what is hers.

But her hope for a better life is quickly dimmed. The empress invites her in only as part of a wicked wager among her powerful courtiers. Sylvie must assume a new name, Mirage, and begin to navigate secretive social circles and deadly games of intrigue in order to claim her spot. Soon it becomes apparent that nothing is as it appears and no one, including her cruel yet captivating sponsor, Sunder, will answer her questions. As Mirage strives to seize what should be her rightful place, she'll have to consider whether it is worth the price she must pay.

An extraordinary, vividly rendered YA debut.

Melanie Sumrow - The Prophet Calls - Published by Yellow Jacket (November 6, 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1499807554 - Hardback 

 

Gentry Forrester feels lucky to live among God's chosen people in the Prophet's compound, but when music is outlawed, Gentry and her older brother, Tanner, sneak out of the community. When they return, all bets are off as the Prophet exercises his control.

Born into a polygamous community in the foothills of New Mexico, Gentry Forrester feels lucky to live among God's chosen, apart from the outside world and its "evils."

On her thirteenth birthday, Gentry receives a new violin from her father and, more than anything, she wants to play at the Santa Fe Music Festival with her brother, Tanner. But then the Prophet calls from prison and announces he has outlawed music in their community and now forbids women to leave.

Determined to play, Gentry and Tanner sneak out. But once they return, the Prophet exercises control from prison, and it has devastating consequences for Gentry and her family. Soon, everything Gentry has known is turned upside down. She begins to question the Prophet's teachings and his revelations, especially when his latest orders put Gentry's family in danger. Can Gentry find a way to protect herself and her family from the Prophet and escape the only life she's ever known?

This realistic, powerful story of family, bravery, and following your dreams is a can't-miss debut novel from Melanie Sumrow.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's/Young Adult Book Picks November 2018 - US Post

Marissa Meyer - Archenemies (Renegades) - Published by Feiwel & Friends (November 6, 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1250078308 - Hardback 

The Renegades Trilogy continues, in this fiercely awaited second installment after the New York Times-bestselling Renegades by Marissa Meyer, author of the Lunar Chronicles. 

Time is running out.
Together, they can save the world.
But they each other’s worst nightmare.

Nova’s double life is about to get a lot more complicated:

As Insomnia, she is a full-fledged member of the Renegades, a syndicate of powerful and beloved superheroes. She works with Adrian’s patrol unit to protect the weak and maintain order in Gatlon City.

As Nightmare, she is an Anarchist - a group of villains who are determined to destroy the Renegades. Nova wants vengeance against the so-called heroes who once failed her when she needed them most.

But as Nova, her feelings for Adrian are deepening, despite the fact that he is the son of her sworn enemies and, unbeknownst to Nova, he has some dangerous secrets of his own.

In this second installment of the Renegades trilogy, Nova, Adrian, and the rest of their crew – Ruby, Oscar, and Danna -- are faced with escalating crime in Gatlon City, while covert weapons and conflicting missions have Nova and Adrian questioning not only their beliefs about justice but also the feelings they have for each other. 

The line between good and evil has been blurred, but what's clear to them both is that too much power could mean the end of their city – and the world – as they know it.

Brandon Sanderson - Skyward - Published by Delacorte Press (November 6, 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-0399555770 - Hardback 

Here we have an epic new series about a girl who dreams of becoming a pilot in a dangerous world at war for humanity's future.

Spensa's world has been under attack for decades. Now pilots are the heroes of what's left of the human race, and becoming one has always been Spensa's dream. Since she was a little girl, she has imagined soaring skyward and proving her bravery. But her fate is intertwined with her father's--a pilot himself who was killed years ago when he abruptly deserted his team, leaving Spensa's chances of attending flight school at slim to none.

No one will let Spensa forget what her father did, yet fate works in mysterious ways. Flight school might be a long shot, but she is determined to fly. And an accidental discovery in a long-forgotten cavern might just provide her with a way to claim the stars.

Emiko Jean - Empress of All Seasons - Published by HMH Books for Young Readers (November 6, 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-0544530942 - Hardback 

Each generation, a competition is held to find the next empress of Honoku. The rules are simple. Survive the palace's enchanted seasonal rooms. Conquer Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Marrythe prince. All are eligible to compete--all except yōkai, supernatural monsters and spirits whom the human emperor is determined to enslave and destroy. 

Mari has spent a lifetime training to become empress. Winning should be easy. And it would be, if she weren't hiding a dangerous secret. Mari is a yōkai with the ability to transform into a terrifying monster. If discovered, her life will be forfeit. As she struggles to keep her true identity hidden, Mari's fate collides with that of Taro, the prince who has no desire to inherit the imperial throne, and Akira, a half-human, half-yōkai outcast.

Torn between duty and love, loyalty and betrayal, vengeance and forgiveness, the choices of Mari, Taro, and Akira will decide the fate of Honoku in this beautifully written, edge-of-your-seat YA fantasy. 

Trent Reedy - Gamer Army - Published by Arthur A. Levine Books (November 27, 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1338045291 - Hardback 

After Rogan Webber levels up yet again on his favorite video game, Laser Viper, the world-famous creator of the game invites him to join the five best players in the country for an exclusive tournament. The gamers are flown to the tech mogul's headquarters, where they stay in luxury dorms and test out cutting edge virtual-reality gaming equipment, doing digital battle as powerful fighting robots. It's the ultimate gaming experience.

But as the contest continues, the missions become harder, losing gamers are eliminated, and the remaining contestants face the growing suspicion that the game may not be what it seems. Why do the soldiers and robots they fight in Laser Viper act so weird? What's behind the strange game glitches? And why does the game feel so...real? 

Rogan and his gamer rivals must come together, summoning the collective power of their Gamer Army to discover the truth and make things right...in a dangerous world where video games have invaded reality.

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

Alex Bell (Author), Tomislav Tomic (Illustrator) - Explorers on Witch Mountain (The Polar Bear Explorers' Club) - Published by Faber & Faber (1 Nov. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-0571332564 - Paperback 

Stella Starflake Pearl is eagerly anticipating her next expedition. Suddenly disaster strikes when Stella's father, Felix, is snatched by a fearsome witch. Stella must bring her magic ice princess tiara to Witch Mountain or she will never see Felix again! But no one ever returns from Witch Mountain . . .

Stella, Ethan, Shay, Beanie and reluctant Jungle Cat explorer, Gideon, set off into the unknown. They will face chomping pumpkin patches, vampire trolls, poisonous rabbits, outraged vultures and deranged broomsticks in their quest to rescue Felix.

Matilda Woods - The Girl, the Cat and the Navigator - Published by Scholastic (1 Nov. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1407184906 - Paperback 

An enchanting, charming story of bravery on the ice-tipped ocean, with stunning art by Anuska Allepuz on every page. Curious, pin-bright Oona Britt dreams of setting sail with her ship's captain father for a life of excitement on the wild waves. She has read stories of a magical creature - the Nardoo - who swims through the stars at night, and stows away on whaling boat the Plucky Leopard for an adventure full of myths and marvel among the ice-caps.

Gregg Hurwitz - The Rains (Rains Brothers) - Published by Penguin (1 Nov. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1405938280 - Paperback 

THE FIRST BOOK IN THE HIGH-OCTANE YOUNG ADULT ADVENTURE THRILLER SERIES FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR GREGG HURWITZ.

It's never really been my thing to be the brave one - that's always been my older brother Patrick - but something world-changing is happening in our small town of Creek's Cause. Parasites have infected everyone over the age of eighteen, making them violent, and if they even sniff a kid they either bash our brains in or take us back to their creepy lair.

We're trapped at the school with the other remaining survivors, including Patrick's girlfriend Alex, and we don't know how long we'll last. The school is surrounded by infected adults, and we're sure that there is something else out there, something controlling the people that used to be our parents, our guardians.

But here's the real problem, Patrick is turning eighteen in a few days, so it's up to me - Chance Rain - to find a way to save him. And maybe, just maybe if we survive the next few weeks then we can help save humanity.

Alan Durant - Clownfish - Published by Walker Books (1 Nov. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1406374629 - Paperback 

Clownfish is a moving and stunningly original story of friendship and life after loss, from award-winning and much-loved author Alan Durant.

From award-winning author, Alan Durant comes a surreal, poignant story about family bonds and loss. Dak's dad has been dead for seven days when suddenly he reappears. He's the same in almost every way, with one startling exception: Dad has turned into a clownfish, and now lives in a tank at their local aquarium. Dak is delighted by the news – he has Dad back, even if he isn't quite as he was before. Deciding to keep Dad's transformation a secret, Dak visits him at the aquarium as often as he can and ends up spending so much time there that they offer him a job. This is how he comes to meet Violet, the owner's prickly but kindhearted niece; when the aquarium is threatened with closure, the pair must work together to save it. For Dak, the stakes couldn't be higher … after all, if the aquarium shuts down, what will happen to the fish? In parts wry, moving and undoubtedly strange, this beautifully crafted story will stay with you long after the final page.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Brilliant Graphic Goodness - Gift Inspired Book Picks (Oct - Nov 2018)

Tales from the Inner City (2018), a sister volume to the anthology Tales from Outer Suburbia (2008) is a collection of 25 illustrated stories about relationships between humans and animals. The basic premise set was quite simple: think about an animal in a city. Why is it there? How do people react to it? What meaning does it suggest?

Where can we live if not in each other's shadow?

World-renowned artist Shaun Tan applies his extraordinary talent to a reflection on the nature of humans and animals, and our urban co-existence. From crocodile to frog; tiger to bee, this is a dark and surreal exploration of the perennial love and destruction we feel and inflict – of how animals can save us, and how we are entwined, for better or for worse. Tales from the Inner City is a truly masterly work, bearing all of Shaun Tan’s trademark wit and poignancy in both its prose and exquisite illustrations.

Published by Walker Studio (4 Oct. 2018)

Deep in the African rainforest, in the midst of a tropical storm, a gorilla is born – a gorilla-like no other.

This is the story of that gorilla’s fantastic voyage across the world, from the Congolese jungle to the grand bazaar of Istanbul, from Borneo to London, Singapore and beyond. The story of a mysterious jewel thief and a sad sailor with a heart of gold. A story of friendship and adventure on the high seas.

This is the story of Sally Jones.

The prequel to the award-winning international bestseller The Murderer’s Ape by Jakob Wegelius, for children aged 7+.

Website: http://jakobwegelius.com/home

Published by Pushkin Children's Books (1 Nov. 2018)

Traces of the Great War features contributions from both the UK and around the world. The anthology includes a number of collaborations between graphic artists and writers (Dave McKean with poet Simon Armitage, Charlie Adlard with Robbie Morrison, Sean Phillips with novelist Ian Rankin), and between artists and illustrators who have never worked together before (Juan Díaz Canales and Kris, Régis Hautière and Thomas von Kummant).

Co-commissioned by 14-18 NOW: WW1 Centenary Art Commissions, La Mission du centenaire de la Première Guerre mondiale, On a Marché sur la Bulle and the Lakes International Comic Arts Festival. It is supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, the Heritage Lottery Fund and from the Department for Culture Media and Sport.

Traces of the Great War anthology launched in October 2018 at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival (Kendal, UK) and Salon du livre d’Albert (Albert, France), and is accompanied by touring exhibitions and a wide-ranging education programme. The project will also celebrate the historic alliance between Ulverston in Cumbria and Albert in the Somme. The twinned towns will be actively involved in the launch of the project.

Website: https://www.comicartfestival.com/project/traces-of-the-great-war

Published by Image Comics (1 Nov. 2018)

Jon McNaught returns with another beautiful comic that makes the ordinary, extraordinary. A family sets off for a long weekend at a caravan park on the British coast. We follow them through the familiar landscapes of a summer holiday: motorway service stations, windswept cliffs, dilapidated museums and tourist giftshops. In this atmospheric and contemplative work, Jon McNaught explores the rhythms of nature, the passing of time, and the beauty and boredom of a summer holiday.

Website: https://www.jonmcnaught.co.uk/

Published by Nobrow (1 Oct. 2018) -  ISBN-13: 978-1910620243

Jamie Smith - Frostfire - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books Book Review (Chicken House Books)

Chosen for the honour of bonding with a frostsliver – a fragment of the sentient glacier that crests her icy home – Sabira embarks on the dangerous pilgrimage to the top of the mountain. But when a huge avalanche traps her on the glacier and destroys the pass, Sabira is determined to find another way home. In order to survive, she must face up to the merciless mountain – but there are dark and fiery secrets hiding in its depths …

The mountain had murder in mind with the publication of Frostfire. This is the debut middle-grade read from Jamie Smith which is published by Chicken House Publishing. It sets off on its reading voyage on the 1st of November 2018. OOH, I hear you say, isn't that TODAY? 

The book sparkles in the light just like the story. The striking book cover illustration, by the talented Karl James Mountford, is just wonderful. There are two different book covers that I've seen for this book (the one above and the one below). I'm not sure if there is any significance in the book having two covers. However, they both look really good. I certainly cannot choose which one I like the best, can you?  

Three years in the making, this story will be the fire to warm any cold winter's day. It will provide a pleasant glow as you adventure into the icy cold landscape. This is a brilliant winter adventure featuring one girl's survival as she becomes caught up in a mountain avalanche. However, this story is not just about returning home. The main character needs to bond with a Frostsilver (an intelligent life force) that communicates and gives Sabira a deep magic. This is a special type of magic that comes from the heart of the mountain. 

This is a brilliant story about personal limitations and a journey of tradition that has some major consequences to Sabira's way of life. It will keep the reader glued to the pages with intrigue, mystery and some timely twists and turns. The book has a fantastic atmospheric feeling that is developed through the author's well-considered, descriptive narrative. This really helps you to bond with the main character and the extraordinary landscape. 

Sabira is a fantastic character who faces a battle of survival, not just her own personal battle, but also the fate of Aderasti. It's a book full of heart and adventure. You will certainly not be disappointed with this book as it is full of compassion as well as explosive action. It is a boundless story for the seasoned adventurer regardless of age and gender. 

If this sounds like a book you would enjoy, then why not read an extract Here

A. F. Harold (Author), Illustrated by Emily Gravett - The Afterwards - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Book Review

Fact: Ember and Ness are best friends. There's nothing more to say about it. It is what it is. It is what will always be. Ember and Ness. Then Ness dies. It is sudden and unexpected and leaves Ember completely empty. How can this be? When Ember finds a way into the Afterworld, she determines to bring Ness back. Because that's what friends do isn't it? They rescue each other. They help. They never give up. Ember and Ness. That don't change. A powerful, poignant, darkly comic and deeply moving story about friendship at its most extraordinary.

This is another moving book by A. F. Harold titled "The Afterwards". On the 1st November 2018, this tiny little seed of a story will amble into the life of the reading world and beyond. It is delightfully and intelligently illustrated by the amazing Emily Gravett. You only get a glimpse of the illustrations inside the proof copy, however, you know they will fit seamlessly together like a fantasy glove. Working together in harmony they give the reader both the feel and the flavour of the story inside. For me, it's another masterclass of the author and the illustrator working and connecting together to deliver something special to the reading world. 

The book cover for me captures the story really well. It draws you in and makes you want to start reading. You instantly turn the pages which are filled with children's laughter and vibrant colour. It's a book filled with friendship, but the mood does dramatically turn to death. The rainbow of happiness is stripped back for the main two characters (Ness and Ember), falling through a sieve to land in a world of black and white. These are ordinary children about to embark on an extraordinary adventure like no other, but will there be a happy ending?

The reflective story takes shape the more you read. You'll be pulled and tugged through the emotional playground of life and what it means to be HUMAN, but more precisely what it means to be YOU. Everybody who reads this book will SEE it from a different perspective. It is very poignant and thought-provoking. A powerful narrative lies ahead with one that will seek answers to what lies within. It is a grown-up book written from a child's perspective as it is played out through two young children capturing the essence of true friendship. 

You can expect a straddle of mystery and a large slice of the author's personality. You'll navigate a family path of love, an endless amount of hope and perhaps even a handful of tissues. There is also a cat which is probably based on one of the author's own. This is a great book that has a fantastic reach into the human world and beyond. It's a story that will make you think and certainly reflect on life. Consider it as a train ride into the reader's past and when the last page has been turned, a journey into the reader's future. A brilliant and much recommended read.