Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Children's Book Picks UK - June 2023

 

Kereen Getten (Author), Lea Jacobs-Gordon (Illustrator) - The Case of the Lighthouse Intruder - Published by Pushkin Children's Books (1 Jun. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1782693901 - Paperback - Age: 8+

Uncover the secrets of the island in The Case of the Lighthouse Intruder the gripping first book in Kereen Getten’s thrilling new mystery series, Di Island Crew Investigates!

Fayson's dream of becoming a detective finally comes true when her cousins recruit her to their top-secret gang. But the Greatest Gang of All Time isn't exactly living up to their name, constantly side-tracked by food, sleep and squabbles. Determined to set things right, Fayson takes charge and dives into the mystery surrounding a mysterious shadow haunting the island's lighthouse.

With tensions rising within the gang, Fayson relies on her sharp smarts and inspiration from her favourite mystery novels to crack the case. Can she unravel the secrets, confront the shadow, and unite her friends?

Pari Thomson (Author), Elisa Paganelli (Illustrator) - Greenwild: The World Behind The Door - Published by Macmillan Children's Books (1 Jun. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1035015733 - Hardback - Age: 8+ 

Open the door to a spellbinding world where the wilderness is alive and a deep magic rises from the earth itself. Greenwild: The World Behind the Door is the first book in Pari Thomson's extraordinary fantasy series.

'An eco-thriller novel every child should read' - The Telegraph

Daisy Thistledown has escaped from boarding school and has a mystery to solve. Her search for her missing mother will lead her across London and through a hidden doorway to another world, filled with plants and bursting with magic: the Greenwild.

But all is not well in this astonishing land. Before long Daisy finds herself confronting a dangerous presence that threatens green magic on both sides of the door. Daisy must band together with a botanical genius, a boy who can talk to animals, and a cat with an attitude, to channel the power that can revive the Greenwild and find her missing mother - and save her own world too.

Prepare to embark on an unforgettable adventure through the Greenwild, beautifully illustrated by Elisa Paganelli.

S. J. Wills - Bite Risk - Published by Simon & Schuster Children's UK (8 Jun. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1398520943 - Paperback - Age: 11+ 

When everyone's a vicious beast, it's hard to spot the monsters . . . 
The first book in S. J. Wills' blockbuster teen horror series, perfect for fans of Stranger Things, Fear Street and Skulduggery Pleasant.

Sel Archer lives in a normal town with normal residents, except for one night a month . . . When the full moon comes out, almost all of the adults turn into werewolves, and it's up to the young people to protect themselves from danger.

But, as this quiet life begins to unravel, and the Turned start to escape, can Sel and his friends uncover exactly who – or what – is watching their every move, before it's too late?

Lizzie Huxley-Jones - Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend - Published by Knights Of (1 Jun. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1913311421 - Paperback - Age: 7+ 

“The problem with growing up listening to bedtime stories about monsters, magic and myth is that you don’t really question it when a lake summons you…”

The lake has been calling to twelve-year-old Vivi Conway. On the day she and her Mams will move from Wales to London, she sneaks out to investigate what is calling her there. Instead of a quiet swim, she finds Excalibur (much smaller than she expected), a ferocious monster (much scarier in real life than in her mythology books), a new friend (which she doesn’t want at all) called Dara and a ghostly dog named Gelert (who can talk). Gelert insists that Vivi is part of a magical group of children who share the souls of witches from legend and must protect the world from being taken over by the evil King Arawn of the Otherworld. Oh, and now she can magically control water.

With a little extra help from spiky Stevie and sweet-hearted Chia, can Vivi be brave enough to embrace true friendship and her magical destiny to help protect the world from evil?

The first book in a fantastical series that combines a quest for magic and friendship with Welsh mythology and a pinch of science, all within a contemporary setting.

James Harris - Author Interview (Q&A) Happytown Must Be Destroyed - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books #25

 

What a joy to have James Harris back for another interview. This time we wanted to find out more about his new book HAPPYTOWN MUST BE DESTROYED which was published by Hodder Children's books on the 14th April, 2022. It's a story about jogging, eating salads, and really enjoying these whilst smiling all the time. They're happy; really, REALLY happy. Who could complain about that? Well, it's time to find out! 

1. Happytown Must Be Destroyed is the title of your latest book; it is a fantastic title. In what ways does the story live up to this amazing title?

Why thank you! I actually came up with the title first, about nine years ago, and it’s taken me this long to come up with a story that is worthy of the name.  

2. What comical capers do the characters get up to and why is everybody so happy?

Well, everybody is happy because there’s aliens in their heads making them happy, that’s the problem! And Leeza is the only person who can save the world, but she’s really terrible at making decisions. So there’s a lot of indecision, a ton of running around, a fair amount of aliens schlurping up peoples’ noses, some heavily-armed ice cream men firing freeze rays all over the place, a colossal dance routine, some top-notch arguments, a small jar of pickled onions… something for everyone, really!

3. The last book was about biscuits, is this book still good to read with a cup of tea? 

Yes, but as always remember: dunk the biscuit, not the book!

4. How important is it that readers find the story funny? Is this something that is important to you? 

When I write stuff, whether it’s alien invasions or giant orange monsters running round town, it just turns out funny, I can’t help it. A lot of people say my books are “bonkers” but the planet that we live on is pretty bonkers generally, so to me that’s realistic.

5. I see you are a filmmaker, a performer, and also a pole-vaulter. How has each role contributed to you becoming a children's author? 

Apart from the pole-vaulting, which is just a big fib, everything I’ve done: making films, comics, zines, sketch shows, animations – they’ve all involved writing, so it was all practice. All the little things I have written over the years, for fun, have all helped me be the writer I am today. Keep writing, that’s my advice!

6. When you were last interviewed you were just coming to the end of writing this book. Did it all go to plan or did the Aliens and the allergies get you?

Oh, it took a couple of goes to get it right. It’s all about juggling the aliens, and the allergies, and the ice cream, and the friendship, and the action and the emotion… it took me a while to keep all the balls in the air for a whole book. Did I manage it finally? Read it and find out!

7. Are you going to make a short pointless film for this book? I really think you should! 

Oh go on then! I should, shouldn’t I?

8. What question do you wish you had been asked as part of this Q&A and why? How would one of your characters have responded to this question?

Ooh, well they’ve all been good questions… You could have asked “Should everyone buy this book?” and I would have said “HECK YES”, of course, but Leeza would have said “hmm… but there are so many other books you could buy… I don’t know. Yes, maybe?” and her best friend Ishy would have burped the alphabet and jumped over a bin. Does that help?

Socials: twitter.com/James_D_Harris

Website: theunbelievablejamesharris.com

Books: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/theunbelievablejamesharris

The Best Children's/Kids Book Picks May 2022 - US - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

Katherine Arden - Dark Waters (Small Spaces Quartet) - Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers (May 10, 2022) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎978-0593109175 - Paperback - Age: 10+

Filled with chills and spooks galore, New York Times bestselling author Katherine Arden’s latest installment in the creep-tastic Small Spaces Quartet is sure to haunt. Now in paperback.

Until next time. That was the chilling promise the smiling man-made to Ollie, Coco, and Brian after they last outsmarted him. And as the trio knows, the smiling man always keeps his promises. So when the lights flicker and a knock sounds at the door, there can only be one explanation: he’s back and a frightening new game is afoot.
 
But before the three friends can unravel the smiling man’s latest nightmarish scheme, they set sail on Lake Champlain, where it’s said Vermont’s very own Loch Ness monster lives. Brian is thrilled. He hasn’t sailed since visiting family in Jamaica, and even the looming threat of the smiling man can’t put a damper on what is guaranteed to finally be a day of fun—even if it is awkward being stuck on a boat with his former best friend, Phil, and his new best friends, Coco and Ollie. But when this crew find themselves shipwrecked on a deserted island and hunted by a monster on both land and sea, fun becomes the last thing on their minds. The smiling man has at long last set the stage for a perilous rematch. But this time, Brian is ready to play.

Lynette Noni - The Prisoner Healer - Published by Clarion Books (May 10, 2022) -  ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎978-0358669432 - Paperback - Age: 11+

Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan has spent the last ten years fighting for survival in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, working as the prison healer.

When the Rebel Queen is captured, Kiva is charged with keeping the terminally ill woman alive long enough for her to undergo the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals.

Then a coded message from Kiva’s family arrives, containing a single order: “Don’t let her die. We are coming.” Aware that the Trials will kill the sickly queen, Kiva risks her own life to volunteer in her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.

But no one has ever survived.

With an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva’s heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can’t escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.

Juliana Brandt - Monsters in the Mist - Published by Sourcebooks Young Readers (May 3, 2022) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎978-1728245447 - Hardback - Age: 8+ 

When 13-year-old Glennon McCue, his mom, and his fragile sister are left with their uncle at his lighthouse on Isle Philippeaux, Glennon desperately wants leave the desolate isle and return home. But his father is away, so Glennon is forced to spend his break surrounded by fog, rats, and chilling myths. Nothing seems quite right... with the island or with his family.

A storm rocks the island and a ship crashes near the lighthouse, leaving behind a group of sailors. Something is off about the survivors, who seem more monster than human. Soon it becomes clear that there won't be boats to take anyone home, and Glennon and his family are trapped.

It will take all Glennon's courage to save his family from the curse of the isle and the real monster in his life.

Sylvia Douyé (Author), Paola Antista (Illustrator) - Sorceline -  Published by Andrews McMeel Publishing (May 17, 2022) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1524871314 - Paperback - Age: 8+

Welcome to the Island of Vorn, where mythical creatures roam free and only the brightest students are invited to study them. In Book 1 of this riveting new middle-grade graphic novel series, a gifted young cryptozoologist-in-training must learn to tame powerful beasts—including her own inner demons.

For as long as she can remember, Sorceline has had a knack for the study of mythical creatures. Now a student at Professor Archibald Balzar’s prestigious school of cryptozoology, she’s eager to test her skills and earn a spot as one of Balzar’s apprentices.

But for all her knowledge of gorgons, vampires, and griffins, Sorceline is mystified by her fellow humans. While she excels in her studies, she quickly clashes with her classmates, revealing her fiery temper.

When one of her rivals suddenly disappears, Sorceline must set aside her anger and join the quest to find her. But the mystery only deepens, leading Sorceline on a journey far darker and more personal than she expected . . .

The Best Children's US Book Picks April 2022 - Picked by Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

Emily J . Taylor - Hotel Magnifique - Published by Razorbill (April 5, 2022) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎978-0593404515 - Hardback (Age: 11+)

“Hotel Magnifique opened the door to a sumptuous and glittering world of magic and mysteries and left me enchanted. Perfect for fans of Caraval and The Night Circus.” –Erin A. Craig, New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows and Small Favors
 
Decadent and darkly enchanting, this lavish YA fantasy debut follows seventeen-year-old Jani as she uncovers the deeply disturbing secrets of the legendary Hotel Magnifique.

All her life, Jani has dreamed of Elsewhere. Just barely scraping by with her job at a tannery, she’s resigned to a dreary life in the port town of Durc, caring for her younger sister Zosa. That is, until the Hotel Magnifique comes to town.
 
The hotel is legendary not only for its whimsical enchantments, but also for its ability to travel—appearing in a different destination every morning. While Jani and Zosa can’t afford the exorbitant costs of a guest’s stay, they can interview to join the staff, and are soon whisked away on the greatest adventure of their lives. But once inside, Jani quickly discovers their contracts are unbreakable and that beneath the marvelous glamour, the hotel is hiding dangerous secrets.
 
With the vexingly handsome doorman Bel as her only ally, Jani embarks on a mission to unravel the mystery of the magic at the heart of the hotel and free Zosa—and the other staff—from the cruelty of the ruthless maître d’hôtel. To succeed, she’ll have to risk everything she loves, but failure would mean a fate far worse than never returning home.

Catherynne M. Valente - Osmo Unknown and the Eightpenny Woods - Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books (April 26, 2022) - ISBN-13:978-1481476997 - Hardback (Age: 7+)

From New York Times bestselling author Catherynne M. Valente comes an inventive new fantasy following a boy journeying away from the only home he’s ever known and into the magical realm of the dead in order to fulfill a bargain for his people.

Osmo Unknown hungers for the world beyond his small town. With the life that Littlebridge society has planned for him, the only taste Osmo will ever get are his visits to the edge of the Fourpenny Woods where his mother hunts. Until the unthinkable happens: his mother accidentally kills a Quidnunk, a fearsome and intelligent creature that lives deep in the forest.

None of this should have anything to do with poor Osmo, except that a strange treaty was once formed between the Quidnunx and the people of Littlebridge to ensure that neither group would harm the other. Now that a Quidnunk is dead, as the firstborn child of the hunter who killed her, Osmo must embark on a quest to find the Eightpenny Woods—the mysterious kingdom where all wild forest creatures go when they die—and make amends.

Accompanied by a very rude half-badger, half-wombat named Bonk and an antisocial pangolin girl called Never, it will take all of Osmo’s bravery and cleverness to survive the magic of the Eightpenny Woods to save his town…and make it out alive.

Stacy Hackney - The Sisters of Luna Island - Published by Simon & Schuster Books (April 12, 2022) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎978-1534488694 - Hardback (Age: 7+) 

Little Women gets a Nevermoor twist in this bewitching novel about a young girl tasked to break a centuries-old curse or risk losing her beloved sisters.

Twelve-year-old Marigold Lafleur is the last of a long line of aromages: witches who blend scents into practical charms using aromagic. But ever since a terrible accident injured her father and damaged Luna Island, Marigold and her sisters, Birdie and Lou, have vowed to abandon their family legacy and mama’s way of life. Shunned by their neighbors and overlooked by their parents, Marigold relies on her big sisters above all else.

But when Marigold discovers a secret curse that threatens her family, her sisters can’t stop the impending danger. It’s up to Marigold and her best friend, Sam, to uncover the origins of the curse and break the spell. To do so, she must learn to trust her instincts and believe in her own unique magic or risk losing her beloved sisters forever.

Amy Kim Kibuishi - The Realm of the Blue Mist: A Graphic Novel (The Rema Chronicles) - Published by Graphix (April 5, 2022) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎978-1338115130 - Paperback (Age: 7+) 

Enter the rich and fantastical world of Rema in the first installment of this middle-grade graphic novel series with sweeping adventure and light romance!

Tabby Simon is determined to learn what happened to her father, who was found dead after researching a tree that leaks a mysterious mist in her neighborhood. She is unexpectedly led to Rema, a distant world of magic and beauty that is periodically invaded by a nearby planet desperate for resources. While Tabby searches for the truth surrounding her father's death, she meets a handsome blue-haired boy named Philip. He has his own dangerous secrets, but has promised to help Tabby get home. As she learns more about this strange world, Tabby discovers that she is destined for something far greater than she ever could have imagined.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's/Teens Book Picks - July 2015 - UK Post Two

Chris Wooding - Velocity - Published by Scholastic Press (2 July 2015)

Cassica and Shiara have grown up in an outback settlement far from anywhere. Life's hard where they live, but these two girls have a dream. They want to take on the Widowmaker: an off-road rally through some of the most dangerous places on Earth. It's their ticket to fame and fortune. But it just might be the death of them...

Kevin Brooks - The Snake Trap ( Travis Delaney Investigates ) Published by Macmillan Children's Books (2 July 2015)

Following a death-defying escape from the hands of a criminal overlord, young PI Travis Delaney thinks he might finally be getting closer to finding out who killed his parents, and why. But things are about to get a whole lot more deadly . . .

One moment Travis is trapped in an armed face-off in the offices of Delaney & Co, private investigators. The next terrorists have stormed the building and he's been abducted. Kept captive alongside Winston, the rogue security officer who Travis believes is responsible for his parents' death, Travis is quickly plagued by more questions than answers.

As the truth begins to emerge, Travis is faced with the ultimate dilemma: how do you choose between saving your own life or saving the life of someone you love?

Lu Hersey - Deep Water - Published by Usborne Publishing Ltd (1 July 2015)

When her mum vanishes, Danni moves to a tiny Cornish fishing village with Dad - where the locals treat her like a monster. As the village's dark, disturbing past bubbles to the surface, Danni discovers that she's not who - or what - she thought she was. And the only way to save her family from a bitter curse is to embrace her incredible new gift.

David Hofmeyr - Stone Rider - Published by Penguin (16 July 2015)

Adam Stone wants freedom and peace. 

He wants a chance to escape Blackwater, the dust-bowl desert town he grew up in. Most of all, he wants the beautiful Sadie Blood.

Alongside Sadie and the dangerous outsider, Kane, Adam will ride the Blackwater Trail in a brutal race that will test them all, body and soul. Only the strongest will survive.

The prize? A one-way ticket to Sky-Base and unimaginable luxury.

And for a chance at this new life, Adam will risk everything . 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's/Teens Book Picks - July 2015 - UK Post One

Robin Stevens - First Class Murder: A Murder Most Unladylike Mystery - Published by Corgi Children's (30 July 2015)
This book is from the author of Murder Most Unladylike. Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are taking a holiday on the world-famous Orient Express. From the moment the girls step aboard, it's clear that each of their fellow first-class passengers has something to hide. Even more intriguing: rumour has it that there is a spy in their midst. Then, during dinner, there is a scream from inside one of the cabins. When the door is broken down, a passenger is found murdered, her stunning ruby necklace gone. But the killer is nowhere to be seen - as if they had vanished into thin air. Daisy and Hazel are faced with their first ever locked-room mystery - and with competition from several other sleuths, who are just as determined to crack the case.

Shane Hegarty - Worlds Explode: Darkmouth BK 2 - Published by HarperCollins Children's Books (30 July 2015)

The second book in the monstrously funny and action-packed new series: Darkmouth. It’s going to be legendary. The adventures of the most unfortunate Legend Hunter ever to don fighting armour and pick up a Dessicator continue…

On a list of things Finn never thought he'd wish for, a gateway bursting open in Darkmouth was right up there. But that's about his only hope for finding his missing father. He's searched for a map, he's followed Steve into dead ends, but found nothing. And he's still got homework to do.

But soon Finn and Emmie must face bizarre Legends, a ravenous world and a face from the past as they go where no Legend Hunter has gone before. Or, at least, where no legend Hunter has gone before and returned with their limbs in the correct order.

Emma Carroll - In Darkling Wood - Published by Faber & Faber (2 July 2015)

'You're telling me there are fairies in this wood?'

When Alice's brother gets a longed-for chance for a heart transplant, Alice is suddenly bundled off to her estranged grandmother's house. There's nothing good about staying with Nell, except for the beautiful Darkling Wood at the end of her garden - but Nell wants to have it cut down. Alice feels at home there, at peace, and even finds a friend, Flo. But Flo doesn't seem to go to the local school and no one in town has heard of a girl with that name. When Flo shows Alice the surprising secrets of Darkling Wood, Alice starts to wonder, what is real? And can she find out in time to save the wood from destruction?

Leo Hunt - 13 Days of Midnight - Published by Orchard Books (2 July 2015)

When Luke Manchett's estranged father dies suddenly, he leaves his son a dark inheritance. Luke has been left in charge of his father's ghost collection: eight restless spirits. They want revenge for their long enslavement, and in the absence of the father, they're more than happy to take his son. It isn't fair, but you try and reason with the vengeful dead.

Halloween, the night when the ghosts reach the height of their power, is fast approaching. With the help of school witchlet Elza Moss, and his cowardly dog Ham, Luke has just thirteen days to uncover the closely guarded secrets of black magic, and send the unquiet spirits to their eternal rest. The alternative doesn't bear thinking about.

Alex Bell - Frozen Charlotte - Book Review (Red Eye)

Book Synopsis: Dunvegan School for Girls has been closed for many years. Converted into a family home, the teachers and students are long gone. But they left something behind… Sophie arrives at the old schoolhouse to spend the summer with her cousins. Brooding Cameron with his scarred hand, strange Lillias with a fear of bones and Piper, who seems just a bit too good to be true. And then there's her other cousin. The girl with a room full of antique dolls. The girl that shouldn't be there. The girl that died.

If you are looking for a supernatural horror read this January, then look no further then Frozen Charlotte by Alex Bell. It's the first book to be rolled out under the Red Eye imprint, who are set to publish a series of exciting new contemporary YA horror titles in 2015. They feature well-known established authors as well as rising stars that are guaranteed to chill you and thrill you at the same time. 

This book was fantastically gripping - written in a true classic horror style. The narrative was beguiling as it sucked me through the 340 or so pages in a blink of a toad's eye. The start of the book is set in 1910 on the Isle of Skye and invites the mind to play. The intense dark horror unfolds and turns into a fantastic ride of emotions. 

Zipping in time to the present day, Jay and Sophie are playing on a downloaded Ooija-board app; I loved the modern twist to this. Inexplicable things and tragic events soon follow Sophie to her cousins' remote house which is known for its gruesome history. This brings about a terrifying tale that will leave you feeling frozen. The story is certainly not for the feint of heart; it will strike fear in you making you want to dive for cover. Evil antique-looking dolls and a remote stately house that oozes with malignant spirits will have you leaping out of your self-controlled pants!

This is the best spooky horror story that I have read for a teenage audience in some time. The book is not overly predictable, which is actually really hard to find at the moment. The characters are mysterious and have a hidden past, which keeps the reader guessing throughout the adventure. The main setting is very well written and brings a gothic surreal element that intensifies the reading experience. 

I had no expectations about this book before receiving it, so I'm really pleased to say that this is a cracking entertaining start to a new series. It will freeze you to the bone and give you a reading experience to be definitely recommend. If you love a good horror story, then this is the book for you. If you love a fantastically well written story, then this is the book for you. If you want suspense, mystery AND something different, then this is the book for you. 

Dare you read a RED EYE? Out 5 Jan 2015 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Marie Lu - The Young Elites - US Book Recommended October 2014

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.
Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.
 
It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

It’s been nearly a year since we said goodbye to Day, June, and the rest of the characters from the bestselling Legend trilogy. But while readers have been searching for dystopians to fill the void, Marie Lu has been hard at work crafting a new world.

In The Young Elites, Lu takes readers to a nation in recovery. A decade earlier, a contagious blood fever swept through the land and left nearly all of the infected dead and the survivors badly scarred. The physical marks they carry aren’t all that alienates them from society though: The fever brought with it strange and powerful gifts. The Young Elites formed to protect themselves from the Inquisition Axis, a movement by the king to destroy the Elites. OUT NOW....

Published by Putnam Juvenile.

Have a look at the book's trailer:

Daniela Sacerdoti: The Sarah Midnight Trilogy + Spirit Extract - Published by Black & White Publishing

Seventeen year‐old Sarah Midnight has never had a normal life. To the outside world, she is a typical teenager but, inside, Sarah and her family hold an unimaginable secret. Her parents are demon hunters, part of a web of Secret Families who have sworn to protect the world. But when they mysteriously die, Sarah realizes that this fight is bigger than she ever anticipated.

Unprepared for the task ahead, she now finds herself thrust into a world of incredible danger, full of things she never even knew existed: including her enigmatic long‐ lost cousin who, out of the blue, turns up on her doorstep when she most needs him. He claims to be there to help and protect her, but how will she know who to trust in this new perilous life of hers? And how is she supposed to stay alive long enough to follow her parents’ quest when they have left her totally clueless?

Sarah has to learn, and learn fast – the demons are all around her and death waits for no one.

Spirit – Extract Reveal

Sarah blinked over and over. There was a strange taste in her mouth – soil, she realized, and brought her arm to her mouth, cleaning her lips. The darkening sky came into focus, and then so did Sean’s face. Sean. He was there. He was alive. 

“Was it a vision?” he asked, helping her sit up. She saw that the others were standing in a circle around her, facing out, watching for danger. She nodded. 

“Yes. It just came over me…”

“Can you tell me what you saw?”

“All of us were standing on a beach somewhere. On the waterline. Three waves came, and with each wave more of us were gone. Until everyone was dead. Except me.”

Sean frowned. He couldn’t say what he thought that if that was going to be the end result – they’d all die and Sarah survived – he was too relieved that Sarah would be alive to entirely mourn the loss of his own life, and the others’.

He held her hands and helped her stand. “Can you walk?”

“Yes. I’m okay,” she said. But she wasn’t. 

In the dream everyone had died except for her. Another sign that she had to be kept alive. Why? What did they want from her? And who were  “they”? Nicholas? The King of Shadows? Both? Something else?

Elodie stepped beside Sarah and Sean. “In the book Harry gave me,” she began, “one of the tales talked about two children on a quest to free their parents’ souls from a witch. In order to free them, the children had to face three waves of evil. I read that book twice, but there were so many other stories… I can’t remember exactly what the waves were. And then there was this spirit who held a mirror to the children’s faces and made them see horrible things.”

Sarah gazed at her. Those black, black eyes, in place of Elodie’s warm chocolate ones, unnerved her. “What happened to the children?”

“They died. Their souls turned into flowers. Bluebells.”

“Great,” said Niall. “It’s a good sign, for sure.”

As soon as the others were out of earshot, Sarah took Sean’s arm.  “Sean. In the dream, only I survived. They have a plan for me. That’s why I’m not dead yet.”

Sean felt cold. He wished he could dismiss Sarah’s fears, but he couldn’t. “Do you think Nicholas is betraying us? That he still wants you as his wife?”

“I don’t know. But I want you to promise something.”

“What is it?”

“If this is still what he’s planning… don’t let him drag my soul away. Kill me before he can take me.”

Sean took hold of her wrist, gently. “I won’t let him take you,” he whispered in her ear. When he looked up once more, his eyes met Elodie’s. She turned around and was looking at Sarah with those new, obsidian eyes. Looking straight at her with an expression neither of them could decipher. 

They walked on for another while, the freezing air cutting their skin. All of a sudden dazzling light flooded their eyes – there were no more trees. They stepped into a clearing, the white, frozen sky hanging heavy over them, high grass swaying in the wind. A circle of grey stones – double Sarah’s height – rose from the grass, and three enormous boulders stood in the middle. They were roughly sculpted to resemble crouching figures. Two were beasts, one that looked like a monkey, one a kind of lizard, and another was an etched human being with a small body and an enormous face. They were like statues in a long-abandoned temple, moss half covering them, the elements having rounded their corners and smoothed the carvings. 

Sarah looked around her. She knew that place. It was her place of dreams, the one she’d gone to in nearly every vision since her parents had been killed. She remembered the first time she’d been there, how she’d been trapped under those stones, and then crawled out to stand under the twilight sky, the wind on her face, every colour heightened, vivid, the way it was in the Shadow World. She recalled the demon attack, and then Nicholas, the pale, black-haired boy she used to call Leaf because he gifted her autumn leaves, saving her life.

Everything was meant to bring me here, Sarah realised suddenly. Since it all started, this was ultimately where she was supposed to be – in the Shadow World. She stared into the white sky, the lilac light of dusk spreading from the west, and then around her at the swaying grass, the visions that had taken place there going through her mind one by one. 

“Sean…” she called. Sean came to stand beside her, gazing at her profile as she kept looking around her, astonished and still somehow accepting, as if some part of her had always known. “This is my place of dreams,” she whispered.

“The place you see in your visions? Are you sure?”

Sarah nodded. “I am sure.”

At that moment, a deafening noise exploded in their ears, and blue light swallowed them. Lightening had struck right in the clearing, and then another, and another, hitting the three boulders and disappearing into the ground. 

“The King of Shadows is here,” Sarah said, and everyone stood still.

“Is that right, Nicholas? Is this the place?” asked Sean.

Nicholas nodded and remained silent, his chin slightly raised as if listening for something. At that moment a long, deep, growling filled the air, and it wasn’t thunder – it came from the ground beneath them. The earth shook, the boulders trembled as they all lost their footing and fell in the long grass.

Nicholas called to his father. She’s here. I brought her to you.

Dreams – RRP £7.99 – ISBN 9781845023706 – Paperback ‐ 2012 

Tide – RRP £7.99 ‐ ISBN 9781845025397 – Paperback – 2013 

Spirit – RRP £7.99 – ISBN 9781845025403– Paperback ‐ 2014