Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Favourite Children's Book Picks - FEB 2026 UK

 

Philip Reeve - Bridge of Storms (A New Mortal Engines Novel) - Published by Scholastic Press (3 Feb. 2026) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1546138266 - Age: 9+ 

A brand new epic, thrilling, action-packed city-eat-city adventure in the iconic and globally bestselling series - celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026! 

An edge-of-your-seat adventure set in the iconic world of Mortal Engines!

Can they get out of the Frying Pan without getting into the fire?

Tamzin Pook and her group of unlikely fighters-turned-friends have managed to make it out of Thorbury alive. Now with a massive, terrifying, armored, and undead Revenant (and its pet kitten) as one of their gang.

For their next mission, Tamzin and her friends head to the city of Museion to help save it from the ferocious predator suburbs that surround it and keep it trapped in the mountain valley known as the Frying Pan.

Here, Tamzin, Max Angmering, Oddington Doom, and Hilly Torpenhow are in for the toughest fight of their lives. But as they battle for the fate of Museion against the terrible predators that surround them, people on board Museion start to die one by one from a traitor within.

They’ve got to figure out an escape, but every direction looks like a trap.

Don’t miss this epic companion to Thunder City, set in the world of the Mortal Engines quartet.

K. L. Kettle - Control Alter Delete - Published by Little Tiger ( 5 Feb. 2026) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1788951234 - Age: 12+ 

What would you choose - a beautiful untrue life, or a broken true one?

Hal is living a fairy tale - almost. Thanks to tech genius Francis Knox and her company's pioneering work building the perfect World 2.0, the universe is available at a swipe, and Hal has everything she wants. (Except for her family, which fell apart after her dad's disappearance years ago.)

Except, perhaps, winning the notoriously competitive Knox Cup. That's a dream even World 2.0 can't fulfil, not when Hal doesn't have the funds to enter.

Then out of the blue Hal's guardian challenges her to prove herself, arranging for Hal to compete. It's an opportunity she can't waste. If she wins, she'll meet Francis Knox herself - then all of Hal's deepest, secret wishes might really come true. But as the competition progresses, Hal discovers decay hidden beneath the world's perfect veneer - and, as the cracks begin to grow, she is forced to make a choice about what it is she truly wants.

Rob Biddulph - The Last Wolf - Published by Macmillan Children's Books (5 Feb. 2026) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1035037315 - Age: 8 

The legend of the werewolf is reimagined in this thrilling, spine-tingling adventure by superstar DrawWithRob author/illustrator Rob Biddulph. Perfect for children of 8-12, with more than 100 spectacular black-and-white illustrations throughout.

Jax, Jovi, Esau and Fourth live for full-moon adventures – sneaking out after curfew, dodging the Nighthawks and roaming the empty streets of Moonhaven.

But when a rare werewolf attack rocks the town, the friends become prime suspects. With the Nighthawks closing in on anyone who was out after dark, they’re forced to run – setting off a chain of rumours, secrets and betrayals. As suspicion spreads, friendships are tested and the truth may be more dangerous than any of them imagined . . .

M. G. Leonard - The Impossible Gladiator (Time Keys Novel) - Published by Macmillan Children's Books (12 Feb. 2026) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1035024377 - Age: 8+ 

The action adventure of Gladiator meets the time travel of Doctor Who in the third title of this epic series by bestselling award-winner M. G. Leonard. Perfect for 8 to 12-year-old fans of Adventures on Trains. Supports the key stage 2 curriculum. Illustrated throughout in black and white by Manuel Šumberac.

Sim, Jeopardy and Nelson are enjoying an amazing holiday in Rome, until they are swept up in the mysterious disappearance of world-famous illusionist Kinetic. He vanished during a live broadcast from the Colosseum, but he never reappeared. When Kinetic’s sister finds a strange description in a history book of a gladiator who sounds uncannily like her brother, the friends are determined to help.

They travel through secret time doors to the spectacular ― and deadly ― Colosseum in Ancient Rome, but can the brave trio survive long enough to find Kinetic and bring him home?

The Impossible Gladiator can be read as a stand-alone novel, or enjoyed as part of the thrilling Time Keys series written by M. G. Leonard. Follow Sim, Jeopardy and Nelson's adventures in Ancient Egypt, Hunt for the Golden Scarab, and Viking Norway in The Legend of Viking Thunder.

What are you looking forward to reading in Feb 2026?

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Children's Book Picks Feb 2023 - US Published Post

 

Beth Lincoln (Author), Claire Powell (Illustrator) - The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels - Published by  Dutton Books for Young Readers (February 7, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593533239 - Hardback - Age: 7+

On the day they are born, every Swift child is brought before the sacred Family Dictionary. They are given a name, and a definition. A definition it is assumed they will grow up to match. 
Meet Shenanigan Swift: Little sister. Risk-taker. Mischief-maker.

Shenanigan is getting ready for the big Swift Family Reunion and plotting her next great scheme: hunting for Grand-Uncle Vile’s long-lost treasure. She’s excited to finally meet her arriving relatives—until one of them gives Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude a deadly shove down the stairs.

So what if everyone thinks she’ll never be more than a troublemaker, just because of her name? Shenanigan knows she can become whatever she wants, even a detective. And she’s determined to follow the twisty clues and catch the killer.

Deliciously suspenseful and delightfully clever, The Swifts is a remarkable debut that is both brilliantly contemporary and instantly classic. A celebration of words and individuality, it's packed with games, wordplay, and lots and lots of mischief as Shenanigan sets out to save her family and define herself in a world where definitions are so important.

• Jonathan Starrett - The Architect - Published by Tyndale House Publishers (February 7, 2023) - 
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496466600 - Harback - Age: 8+ 
• There’s a golden rule in Phantom City: “No one about when the Zeppelin is out.” But one night, twelve-year-old Charlie Crane comes face-to-face with the Zeppelin, and instead of finding trouble, she is awakened.
  
  Determined to find the truth in a city plagued with lies, Charlie, along with a quirky band of unlikely heroes, works to free the people of Phantom City from the clutches of a shadowy, evil villain. Helped by a mysterious Architect who only communicates over radio and telephone, Charlie wrestles with two big questions: Can she trust a guide she can't see? And is the truth actually worth the trouble?
  
  Filled with sinister schemes, bumbling superheroes, unexpected friendships, and plenty of humor and plot twists, The Architect keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Boys and girls alike will be fascinated by the unique world of Phantom City, with its steampunk and Gotham City–type elements and will quickly find themselves cheering for our heroes in their fight against evil.

Miya T. Beck - The Pearl Hunter - Published by Balzer + Bray (February 7, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0063238190 - Hardback - Age: 8+

Set in a world inspired by pre-Shogun era Japan, this is a stunning debut fantasy in the vein of Grace Lin about how a young pearl diver goes to the ends of the earth to rescue her twin sister, who has been stolen by a ghost whale.

Kai and Kishi share the same futon, the same face, and the same talent for pearl diving. But Kishi is the obedient daughter, while Kai tries to push the rules, and sometimes they fight. Still, when Kishi is stolen and killed by the legendary Ghost Whale, nothing will stop Kai from searching for her, deep in the ocean, hoping for a way to bring her back to life.

But such a rescue is beyond the power of an ordinary mortal. Kai strikes a deal with the gods: she’ll steal a magic pearl in exchange for her sister’s soul. As she journeys across treacherous landscape, Kai must navigate encounters with scheming bandits, a power-hungry warlord, and a legion of conniving fox spirits.  And when a new friendship becomes something almost as powerful as her love for her sister, Kai must make impossible choices and risk everything just to get home again.

Woven through with Japanese culture and legends, this many-layered story will grip readers of all ages.

Misa Sugiura - Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind - Published by Labyrinth Road (February 28, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593564066 - Hardback - Age 7+ 

All Momo wants for her twelfth birthday is an ordinary life—like everyone else's. At home, she has to take care of her absentminded widowed mother. At school, kids ridicule her for mixing up reality with the magical stories her mother used to tell her.

But then Momo’s mother falls gravely ill, and a death hag straight out of those childhood stories attacks Momo at the mall, where she’s rescued by a talking fox . . . and “ordinary” goes out the window. It turns out that Momo's mother is a banished Shinto goddess who used to protect a long-forgotten passageway to Yomi—a.k.a. the land of the dead. That passageway is now under attack, and countless evil spirits threaten to escape and wreak havoc across the earth.

Joined by Niko the fox and Danny—her former best friend turned popular jerk, whom she never planned to speak to again, much less save the world with—Momo must embrace her (definitely not "ordinary") identity as half human, half goddess to unlock her divine powers, save her mother’s life, and force the demons back to Yomi.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Middle-Grade Book Picks March 2017 - US Published Post Two

Karuna Riazi - The Gauntlet - Published by Salaam Reads / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (March 28, 2017) ISBN-13: 978-1481486965

A trio of friends from New York City find themselves trapped inside a mechanical board game that they must dismantle in order to save themselves and generations of other children in this action-packed debut that’s a steampunk Jumanji with a Middle Eastern flair.

When twelve-year-old Farah and her two best friends get sucked into a mechanical board game called The Gauntlet of Blood and Sand—a puzzle game akin to a large Rubik’s cube—they know it’s up to them to defeat the game’s diabolical architect in order to save themselves and those who are trapped inside, including her baby brother Ahmed. But first they have to figure out how.

Under the tutelage of a lizard guide named Henrietta Peel and an aeronaut Vijay, the Farah and her friends battle camel spiders, red scorpions, grease monkeys, and sand cats as they prepare to face off with the maniacal Lord Amari, the man behind the machine. Can they defeat Amari at his own game…or will they, like the children who came before them, become cogs in the machine?

Gordon Korman - Masterminds: Payback - Published by Balzer + Bray (March 7, 2017) ISBN-13: 978-0062300058

The thrilling finale to the New York Times-bestselling Masterminds series from middle grade star author Gordon Korman. Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and James Patterson. 

After a serious betrayal from one of their former friends, the clones of Project Osiris are on the run again. Now separated into pairs, Eli and Tori and Amber and Malik are fighting to survive in the real world.

Amber and Malik track down the one person they think can help them prove the existence of Project Osiris, notorious mob boss Gus Alabaster, also known as Malik’s DNA donor. But as Malik gets pulled into the criminal world—tantalized by hints of a real family—his actions put him and Amber into greater danger.

Eli and Tori get sucked into even bigger conspiracies as they hunt down Project Osiris’s most closely guarded secrets—who does Eli’s DNA come from? With a surprising new ally and another cross-country adventure, the four will have to work together to overcome the worst parts of themselves if they are going to end Project Osiris once and for all.

T . Ariyanna - The Mage's Son (Of Magic) - Published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (March 17, 2017)  ISBN-13: 978-1543295627

Harry Potter clashes with Beauty and the Beast in T. Ariyanna’s stunning steampunk debut... 

Arion was born different. After enduring years of torment at the hands of his abusive father, the arrival of his thirteenth birthday reveals a shocking secret... he has magic. Arion discovers he’s a Mage, a magical person able to craft intricate pieces of technology and do incredible things.

Arion is hopeful that maybe, his newfound abilities will help him fit in for the first time in his life. 
Then a rouge spell goes awry, and Arion is unable to contain its consequences. Arion finds himself scarred with the face of a beast and fighting to contain a malicious, wisecracking demon, who’s taken up refuge inside his head. Declared a devil by the townspeople, Arion flees to an enchanted castle hidden within a dark forest. He continues to practice magic, while attempting to win the heart of Kaitlyn, the kindly maiden who has befriended him. But can Kaitlyn’s beauty tame the evil inside? After all, who could ever love a monster? 

Carol Goodman - The Metropolitans - Published by Viking Books for Young Readers (March 14, 2017) ISBN-13: 978-1101997666

The day Japan bombs Pearl Harbor, four thirteen-year-olds converge at the Metropolitan Museum of Art where an eccentric curator is seeking four uncommonly brave souls to track down the hidden pages of the Kelmsbury Manuscript, an ancient book of Arthurian legends that lies scattered within the museum's collection, and that holds the key to preventing a second attack on American soil.  

When Madge, Joe, Kiku, and Walt agree to help, they have no idea that the Kelmsbury is already working its magic on them. But they begin to develop extraordinary powers and experience the feelings of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, Morgan le Fay, and Lancelot: courage, friendship, love...and betrayal.  Are they playing out a legend that's already been lived, over and over, across the ages?  Or can the Metropolitans forge their own story?

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Peter Bunzl - COGHEART - Book Review

When 13-year-old Lily's inventor father vanishes after a Zeppelin crash, Lily's determined to hunt down the truth behind his disappearance, helped by Robert, the local clockmaker's son, and her wily mechanical fox Malkin. But shadowy figures are closing in and treachery lurks among the smoky spires of London - along with a life-changing secret.

Here is another exciting book that will hit the bookshops early September 2016. Peter Bunzl's debut title 'Cogheart' will be published by Usborne displaying a brilliantly striking image. The quirky and delightful cover illustration has been created by Becca Stadlander and cleverly designed by Katherine Millichope. It is one of my favourites and, in my opinion, appeals to all readers of all ages. 

This is an enchanting read from the very first page. It is a Victorian tale that will deliver a massive helping of immersive imagination. After reading a non-fiction book called Living Dolls by Gaby Wood, the author was inspired and a seed was planted about automatons. The book provides many thought provoking questions about independent thinking and feelings from the perspective of mechanical robots. 

This adventure is filled with automata characters that you will really take to your heart. The mechanical animals and the house servants are a great work of creative imagination. They are a key success to the clockwork beating heart of this book. Peter has done a fabulous job building a fantastical fantasy world that you will truly get wrapped up in. He's unlocked and turned the winding key of his imagination and put it down on paper in a mechanical heartbeat of passion.  

You'll laugh with the cantankerous clockwork fox called Malkin, who has lots of personality and very opinionated. You will also cry with the main character Lily (heroine) and feel her pain and heartache along this deadly adventure of intrigue. You might find some parts of the plot a little stilted in places, as perhaps more action/back story needed at some points, in my opinion. However, with that said, the story creativity is very strong and certainly strong enough to make this book a really enjoyable read.   

In places this story feels deliciously gruesome, which I personally love as a reader. Some characters do die in a rather hideous way, but I will say no more. The book has a massive dollop of mystery that will keep you on your reading toes throughout. At the moment I haven't been reading many steampunk adventure books like this, which are fuelled by murder and some very nasty bad guys. I really enjoyed the European flavour that crept in at times.

This is a classic action adventure, with many film-like qualities. It is a promising start to a great new series, and one that I would certainly recommend to read. With the sequel already poised, this is an absolute cracker from a new voice in town.  

MR RIPLEY'S ENCHANTED BOOKS: BOOK COVER REVEAL: NICK COOK - BREAKING STORM (Cloud Riders)

Here is the fantastic new book cover for Nick Cook's sequel to Cloud Riders. This is due to be released on the 14th October 2015 and will be published by Three Hares. It's a great clean cut and eye catching cover which should appeal to all potential readers, in my opinion. Here is my Book Review for Cloud Riders, which is the first book in the series, and also the guest post that Nick wrote entitled To the Moon and Beyond 


Book Synopsis: The storm clouds of destiny are tightening their fist and chasing after Dom and Angelique. They in turn are chasing after Jules, in a desperate attempt to rescue her from the clutches of Lord Ambra, as he whisks her away to Hells Couldron. Their journey takes them from the whispered secrets of Floating City, to the fiery terrors of Hells Cauldron. Dom learns how he must discover the legacy of an ancient race hidden within the heart of every single airship and help break their chains of slavery. But, above all, he must stop an ultimate weapon being developed, a weapon which threatens every free Earth across the dimensions. The key to everything is within Dom, but will he find the strength to overcome the terrible cost of this fight and cope with the ultimate betrayal, that may destroy him. Dom, will need every skill he has learned about being a Cloud Ride to face the coming storm…

Book Release date: 14th October 2015 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Book Picks December 2014 (Christmas Festive Written Delights )

Neil Gaiman & Lorenzo Mattotti - Hansel and Gretel - Published by Bloomsbury Children's (11 Dec 2014)
The enduring story of the children, the breadcrumb trail and the gingerbread house is brought to life by master storyteller, Neil Gaiman. Who better to retell the Brothers Grimm's greatest, and perhaps darkest, fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel? Coupled with breathtakingly haunting illustrations from Lorenzo Mattotti, you will be enticed into the world and into the woods . . . so beware.

Lisa Mantchev - Ticker - Published by Skyscape (1 Dec 2014)
A girl with a clockwork heart must make every second count.

When Penny Farthing nearly dies, brilliant surgeon Calvin Warwick manages to implant a brass “Ticker” in her chest, transforming her into the first of the Augmented. But soon it’s discovered that Warwick killed dozens of people as he strove to perfect another improved Ticker for Penny, and he’s put on trial for mass murder.

On the last day of Warwick’s trial, the Farthings’ factory is bombed, Penny’s parents disappear, and Penny and her brother, Nic, receive a ransom note demanding all of their Augmentation research if they want to see their parents again. Is someone trying to destroy the Farthings...or is the motive more sinister?

Desperate to reunite their family and rescue their research, Penny and her brother recruit fiery baker Violet Nesselrode, gentleman-about-town Sebastian Stirling, and Marcus Kingsley, a young army general who has his own reasons for wanting to lift the veil between this world and the next. Wagers are placed, friends are lost, romance stages an ambush, and time is running out for the girl with the clockwork heart.

Doctor Who: 12 Doctors 12 Stories: 12-book, 12 postcard Gift Edition

A gorgeous twelve-book slipcase edition of twelve amazing adventures about the twelve Doctors written by twelve of the most exciting authors living in our galaxy today. This edition also comes with twelve exclusive postcards. A must-have gift edition for all Whovians!

Ian Edginton & I.N.J. Culbard - Brass Sun - Published by 2000 AD Graphic Novels (4 Dec 2014)

The Orrery is a fully functional, life-size clockwork solar system, a clutch of planets orbiting a vast Brass Sun via immense metal spars. But the once-unified collection of worlds has regressed into eccentric fiefdoms, and ice is encroaching on the outer planets as the sun is dying. Wren and Eptimus must find the key to restart the sun, but first must escape the world known as The Keep...This is a wholly original new SF-clockpunk series from the bestselling artist of New Deadwardians and The Mountains of Madness, and the writer of Scarlet Traces and Stickleback.

Mr Ripley's Adult Book Review: David Barnett - Gideon Smith & The Brass Dragon

Reading for pleasure and reading for review purposes are slightly different animals to me. Therefore, when you receive a book that falls into both corners it's always a joy to read. This is a book that I would choose to read as I am a massive fan of science-fiction, especially when it's blended with Steampunk. I love the age when steam power is king, airships rule the skies and clockwork rules the world. This book brings that world to a fantasy universe that I thrive upon and really love.

The first book in the series is entitled Gideon Smith and the Mechanical Girl. I've jumped into this series at book two, which was fascinating, as I was led down a path that I was unfamiliar with not having read the first book. A number of questions and thoughts occurred to me about what might have happened in the Mechanical Girl.  This has driven my thirst to seek out a copy; possibly the US Tor edition with the fantastic cover by Nekro. 

This is definitely one of my favourite adult reads this year. It's very similar in style to Cherie Priest's 'The Clockwork Century' series. It's packed full of villains and vice at the time when London is the centre of a vast British Empire. Gideon Smith is the unlikely hero of the Empire, but surprisingly, he isn't actually my favourite character. This role goes to the Texas pirate, Louis Cockayne, who for me was the star of the show. Although, his luck may have run out after stealing the mechanical clockwork girl (Maria) and the fantastical weapon, known as the Great Brass Dragon. 

This is a first class piece of literature. It depicts a highly imaginative world where the sense of adventure is written in abundance. The story is filled with adult humour and colourful language.  The characters are full of life and explode of every page. They are cocky, sharp, intense and very witty; a fantastic balance for a story of this nature. 

Steampunk lovers will fall for this book in a big way. It will captivate you in more ways then you may expect. I loved every page of this story and am now a very big fan. Full of spirit and fun, against an alternate historical backdrop, which will leave your fantasy brain on overload.  

I am really looking forward to reading more, but I am going to start by reading the first book.  Mr Ripley's Recommended read for September.... 

Book Synopsis: Nineteenth century London is the center of a vast British Empire, a teeming metropolis where steam-power is king and airships ply the skies, and where Queen Victoria presides over three quarters of the known world—including the east coast of America, following the failed revolution of 1775.

Young Gideon Smith has seen things that no green lad of Her Majesty’s dominion should ever experience. Through a series of incredible events Gideon has become the newest Hero of  the Empire.  But Gideon is a man with a mission, for the dreaded Texas pirate Louis Cockayne has stolen the mechanical clockwork girl Maria, along with a most fantastical weapon—a great brass dragon that was unearthed beneath ancient Egyptian soil. Maria is the only one who can pilot the beast, so Cockayne has taken girl and dragon off to points east.

Gideon and  his intrepid band take to the skies and travel to the American colonies hot on Cockayne’s trail. Not only does Gideon want the machine back, he has fallen in love with Maria. Their journey will take them to the wilds of the lawless lands south of the American colonies – to free Texas, where the mad King of Steamtown rules with an iron fist (literally), where life is cheap and honor even cheaper.

Does Gideon have what it takes to not only save the day but win the girl?

Published September 1st 2014 by Snowbooks in the UK, and Tor in the US. 

Mr Ripley's Book Review - Nick Cook - Cloud Riders - Three Hares Publishing

I really loved the look of this book; from the fantastic eye catching cover, designed by Jennie Rawlings, to the interesting synopsis that I did actually read. When I was asked if I wanted to review this book I did not hesitate - I was really happy to say yes and I am very glad that I did.

Cloud Riders is the first book in a new series that will power your mind as it takes you on a journey that will deeply immerse you in a Sci-Fi/Steampunk fantasy. The story is told from the perspective of Dom. Living with his mom in Tornado Alley, this is the setting for the frantic action that follows.  After a year of long droughts, the family diner is on the verge of going bust, but then the first twister in months appears and, from nowhere, an airship emerges from the spout.

I was really drawn to the initial idea of the story; the chasing after and filming of a deadly twister. A tornado consisting of a violent rotating column of air that is in contact with the surface of the earth. This is a really fascinating natural phenomena and a refreshing idea that drew me into the story. However it didn't stop there as another dimension soon appeared, literally, in the form of a new world. 

As well as a fantastic idea, there are also a host of characters to intrigue the reader. There is Dom's long time best friend Jules and a feisty mysterious character known as Angelique. Both have a history with Dom that soon becomes known to the reader and allows us to relate to the emotional state of each character. We encounter a love triangle, as well as a range of mysteries and secrets with some timely twist and turns. The author is certainly not afraid to tackle the theme of tragedy within this story.

This book was a bag of tricks; it had the personality and blend of some of my favourite books. It was a very enjoyable read as it still brought something new to the literary table. Energetic spaceship battles, steampunk gadgets, and out of this world voyages have been very creatively written. The ending was incredibly frantic and explosive, which I wasn't too sure about. Nevertheless it created a great start for the next book which, I have to say, I am really looking forward to reading.

I would recommend this book, especially to readers who loved Philip Reeve's 'Mortal Engines' and Garth Nix's 'A confusion of Princess'. The only problem that you may have is being able to track down a copy, but it is out now for you to try.

Also check out his guest post, to the Moon and Beyond HERE

Published by Three Hares Publishing - (6 May 2014)

Mr Ripley's New Children's Books Published April 2014 - US Post

Andrea Cremer - The Inventor's Secret - Published by Philomel - April 22, 2014

New from Andrea Cremer, the New York Times bestselling author of the Nightshade novels, comes an action-packed alternate-history steampunk adventure.

In this world, sixteen-year-old Charlotte and her fellow refugees have scraped out an existence on the edge of Britain’s industrial empire. Though they live by the skin of their teeth, they have their health (at least when they can find enough food and avoid the Imperial Labor Gatherers) and each other. When a new exile with no memory of his escape  or even his own name seeks shelter in their camp he brings new dangers with him and secrets about the terrible future that awaits all those who have struggled has to live free of the bonds of the empire’s Machineworks.

The Inventor’s Secret is the first book of a YA steampunk series set in an alternate nineteenth-century North America where the Revolutionary War never took place and the British Empire has expanded into a global juggernaut propelled by marvelous and horrible machinery. Perfect for fans of Libba Bray's The Diviners, Cassandra Clare'sClockwork Angel, ScottWesterfeld's Leviathan and Phillip Reeve's Mortal Engines.

Matthew Jobin - The Nethergrim - Published by  Philomel - April 8, 2014

Everyone in Moorvale believes the legend: The brave knight Tristan and the famed wizard Vithric, in an epic battle decades ago, had defeated the evil Nethergrim and his minions. To this day, songs are sung and festivals held in the heroes' honor. Yet now something dark has crept over the village. First animals disappear, their only remains a pile of bones licked clean. Then something worse: children disappear. The whispers begin quietly yet soon turn into a shout: The Nethergrim has returned!

Edmund’s brother is one of the missing, and Edmund knows he must do something to save his life. But what? Though a student of magic, he struggles to cast even the simplest spell. Still, he and his friends swallow their fear and set out to battle an ancient evil whose powers none of them can imagine. They will need to come together--and work apart--in ways that will test every ounce of resolve.


In a story reminiscent of the Ranger’s Apprentice epic and the Chronicles of Narnia, Matthew Jobin weaves reality, magic, and adventure into the next great fantasy phenomenon.

Dianne K. Salerni - The Eighth Day - Published by HarperCollins - April 22, 2014

In this riveting fantasy adventure, thirteen-year-old Jax Aubrey discovers a secret eighth day with roots tracing back to Arthurian legend. Fans of Percy Jackson will devour this first book in a new series that combines exciting magic and pulse-pounding suspense.

When Jax wakes up to a world without any people in it, he assumes it's the zombie apocalypse. But when he runs into his eighteen-year-old guardian, Riley Pendare, he learns that he's really in the eighth day—an extra day sandwiched between Wednesday and Thursday. Some people—like Jax and Riley—are Transitioners, able to live in all eight days, while others, including Evangeline, the elusive teenage girl who's been hiding in the house next door, exist only on this special day.

And there's a reason Evangeline's hiding. She is a descendant of the powerful wizard Merlin, and there is a group of people who wish to use her in order to destroy the normal seven-day world and all who live in it. Torn between protecting his new friend and saving the entire human race from complete destruction, Jax is faced with an impossible choice. Even with an eighth day, time is running out.

M.P. Zozlowsky - The Dyerville Tales - Published by Walden Pond Press -

April 22, 2014         

Vince Elgin is an orphan, having lost his mother and father in a fire when he was young. With only a senile grandfather he barely knows to call family, Vince was interned in a group home, dreaming that his father, whose body was never found, might one day return for him. When a letter arrives telling Vince his grandfather has passed away, he is convinced that if his father is still alive, he'll find him at the funeral. He strikes out for the small town of Dyerville carrying only one thing with him: his grandfather's journal. The journal tells a fantastical story of witches and giants and magic, one that can't be true. But as Vince reads on, he finds that his very real adventure may have more in common with his grandfather's than he ever could have known.

Its unique voice and ability to combine creepiness with great story and character development make The Dyerville Tales a real standout middle-grade novel.

Clockwork Watch: The Arrival #1 by Corey Brotherson & Jennie Gyllblad & Yomi Ayeni - A Graphic Novel

About the Project:

Clockwork Watch is a collaborative storytelling project set in a retro-futurist vision of Victorian England. It's a five-year immersive participatory story told through graphic novels, interactive promenade theatre, freeform role-play, online adventures, an interactive book, and a feature film.The story set is in a genre called Steampunk, a non-colonial style of Victoriana, at a time when clockwork mechanics and science are the two most important developments in the world.This site hosts updates from the story universe. We invite participants to interact with news by contributing, photographs, videos, letters,  even drawings showing how developments affect their characters, living in the Clockwork World.                   

Book Synopsis:
London 1899. Steam billows out from every corner of the city while huge Zeppelin airships float in the sky overhead. Enter the world of Clockwork Watch, a place where Victorian values are coupled with anachronistic technology, not least of which are the clockwork servants - the mechanical slaves that keep this society ticking along - this is the world of Steampunk. Technological and social change is in the air - human-clockwork hybridisation is the talk of the town; the unwise employment of science has led to amazement and outcry - the public wants to know whether Science is about to play God. Clockwork Watch: The Arrival is the first of three graphic novels launching an immersive and participatory story told across live events, promenade theatre, online adventures, interactive literature and a feature film.



Web site: http://www.clockworkwatch.com/
Production Blog: http://www.clockworkwatch.org/