Guest Post by Kate Mallinder Author of Summer of No Regrets - Why you should read Up Lit YA fiction?

Here At Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books, we are forever looking forward to seeing what new books are on the publishing horizon. Today, author Kate Mallinder is talking about her debut YA book Summer of No Regrets. The book will be published in May 2019 by FireFly Press. This post is a little teaser of what you can expect as well as explaining the genre of UP LIT. Why not have a read and if this book sounds like your cup of fantasy tea then pop it on your list of books to buy or pre-order. Thanks for reading and enjoy your day. 

Summer of No Regrets was first called Up Lit by my publishers. I’d heard the term before but it still came as a surprise to me. I’d been calling it feel-good fiction, which it is. So what’s the difference?

What is Up Lit anyway?
Up Lit has been in the headlines for titles such as Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine; stories with kindness at their centre. Up Lit doesn’t pull any punches however, it isn’t sickly sweet. It still deals with big issues: mental illness, loss, grief, things which have a life-altering impact on the characters. But Up Lit differs from other stories with these same themes by building in a strong sense of community. The main character (or in my case, characters) still has to be the master of their own destiny but that journey is made easier by the people around them. Up Lit doesn’t short change the issues but they are resolved in an optimistic way.

Why read Up Lit now?
There is some research that shows that when times are bad, readers look to literature for an escape. The consensus surely must be that the world isn’t in a great place; the polarised nature of national and international politics, almost institutional unkindness in the way we treat others, people being quick to get angry online, a perceived lack of community and a lack of common ground is the backdrop for these contemporary stories. Readers aren’t just looking for an escape but to be reminded that humans are capable of kindness, of including the outsider and haven’t forgotten how to empathise with others.

Why is Up Lit for teens a thing?
Despite the term not being widely used in children’s literature, there are signs that this type of fiction is rising in popularity. The reasons behind why it has taken off in adult fiction are similar for teenagers – the world is uncertain and this is compounded for teens as they are trying to find their place in it. Teens are increasingly having mental health issues, can find themselves excluded from social groups, struggle to know how to help in a world seemingly full of problems and so it wouldn’t be unexpected for teens to search out this type of fiction.

Arguably YA fiction has been tackling issues for years and often with hopeful endings, so in this respect is ahead of the term, but the difference with Up Lit is there’s a focus on the community, with friendship groups helping the character with their issue rather than the character sorting it out alone. This is where the kindness, empathy and the strength of human bonds comes in. Examples of this would be in John Green’s books, in Wonder by R J Palacio and more recently in books like Holly Bourne’s Are we all Lemmings and Snowflakes?

Up Lit: kindness at its core
When I wrote Summer of No Regrets, I didn’t set out to write ‘Up Lit’. I wanted to write characters who were strong alone but stronger together. Even though my characters deal with some pretty big life events, they get through them with the support and kindness of their
friends. I wrote it because this would be the sort of book I would want to read if I was a teenager in today’s world – not only as an escape, but as a reminder that kindness isn’t a weakness and having empathy for others isn’t something to be mocked or ridiculed.

So, Summer of No Regrets then…
Summer of No Regrets is about four 16-year-old girls – Hetal, Cam, Sasha and Nell. They are best mates and in the summer after their GCSE’s they decide to have a regret-free summer, taking risks however much it scares them. Sasha agrees to spend the holiday in Geneva, with the father she hasn’t seen for six years, but is not expecting his new girlfriend, or the boy in the cafe. Shy homebody Hetal decides to go to science camp, and discovers a new competitive spirit. After Nell lost her arm in an accident, her mother is scared to let her out of the house - so to do what she wants she will have to lie to her parents. Fostered Cam goes to look for her birth father. What will she find? As all these choices become difficult, even dangerous, they look to each other for the strength to face the future.

Why you should read my book
Most importantly, because it’s a good read! Hopefully. But also it’ll perhaps inspire you to keep using kindness to alter the world around you.

Author Bio
Kate lives with her husband, four children and two crazy kittens near Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire. She grew up in Solihull and went to college in Leeds. She wrote this book as part of her own ‘no regrets’ pledge along with trying to surf, which didn't go so well. If left to her own devices, she'd live on a window seat with a good book and a never-ending cup of tea.


Contact details:
Find Kate on twitter: @KateMallinder
On Instagram: kate.mallinder
Website: KateMallinder.co.uk

Dan Freedman - Unstoppable - Book Review - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Secrets and lies . . . secrets and lies . . . Fourteen-year-old twins, Kaine and Roxy, used to be close, but now they can hardly bear to be in the same room. Roxy hates the way her brother behaves - Kaine might be brilliant at football but he's always in trouble and cares nothing about his family. And Kaine despises the way his supposedly-perfect sister, dominates their parents in her ambition to reach Wimbledon. But the twins are both hiding dangerous secrets of their own, secrets that could destroy everything they are working towards - and both Roxy and Kaine's survival hangs precariously in the balance. Gripping, twisting, and real, this book is UNSTOPPABLE.

Whilst most people are still preparing for Christmas, I am already heading towards the new year with my first book review for 2019. I'm excited to be able to review Dan Freedman's brilliant book which is called UNSTOPPABLE. It will hit the shops in February 2019 and is due to be published by David Fickling Books. 

There are many reasons to read this book, but one particular draw are the ways that the main characters have been conceived and developed from the author's visits to schools. As a result, this book pulses with everyday reality and tackles real-life situations that any child might be facing within today's society. The author's careful ear in listening to what pupils were saying and understanding the situations they are facing has enabled him to produce an awe-inspiring book. Many themes are addressed and will be related to by many children such as death and bereavement, gang cultures, friendship, and family issues, unemployment, alcoholism, sibling rivalry, teenager survival etc. 

The story highlights two amazing characters who are twins and sports fanatics. One has a passion for football whilst the other is a keen tennis player. However, the father's support and involvement in nurturing these talents differs between each twin. Kane, whilst a talented football player, receives little support from his father. Yet Roxy, the potential tennis star, is showered with enthusiasm and encouragement to achieve well within the tennis world. To begin with, this is a positive experience. However, as the story unfolds a dramatic turn of events happens which places a lot of pressure on family relationships. 

This is a powerful and influential story that is full of passion, drive, and a sporting spirit. However, at times, it is also incredibly poignant and sad. It certainly makes the reader think about and reflect on what it's like to be a family facing difficult times both socially, physically and economically. Nevertheless, even through all these difficulties, the story ends on an uplifting note which will inspire readers young and old.

This is a brilliant gripping story that will make the reader think about other peoples' lives. It is very thought-provoking and, considering the timing of its release, should encourage readers to be both supportive and loving to those around them. A brilliant and memorable young adult read that will stay with you for evermore. Unstoppable and ready to go...

Sarah Govett - The Territory: Truth (The Territory Trilogy) - Book Review (Firefly Press)

Limited Space requires Limited Numbers. Noa and Raf have found Jack, but at great personal cost. They must get back into the Territory and let people know what is happening. But how can they even scale the electric, gun-turreted fence, let alone fight the fake news of the Territory authorities?

The final installment of The Territory Trilogy is here; alive and kicking into the world of the fantasy readers. The Truth was published on the 1st April 2018 by Firefly Press and ends another series which started back in 2015. The first book started the experience in a dystopian whirlwind of imagination that captivated the readers instantly. It was a fantastically gripping start which we all wanted and got. 

The second book was The Territory: Escape in 2016. It was very enjoyable and built on the initial foundations of brilliance. This book delivered a real and intimate connection to the characters focusing on emotions and friendships. However, this meant the action side of the story became less of a focal point, in my opinion. The Truth started off in this same vein - very slow and shy. The characters, emotions and dialogue took centre stage for me and, at times, clogged up the potential. In Truth, what I really wanted was more action and more of the brilliantly imaginative and creative fantasy elements that we were treated to in book one. I wanted to explore and be transported to First City; the vivid, vibrant and active place that captivated me as a reader. 

Fortunately, this arrives in bucket loads with an explosive bang after the first one hundred pages or so. It leads to an amazing and well-thought out plot that will have you hooked and gasping for more. The more you read, the more you feel that Disneyland has never been invented. The author takes a brutal path and weaves strands of harsh reality ofor the reader to follow, which I absolutely loved and engaged with on so many levels. Death, destruction and fraying friendships come crashing down on the reader leaving mixed emotions that turbo-charge you into the reality facing the characters. This was all brilliantly written and very well-thought out. 

Empathy and love for the characters really grows throughout the book. The full and all-action ending was captivating and very memorable; it was exactly what I was hoping for. It left you guessing, satisfied, but also a feeling of awe from the outcome of the story. However, there was also a pinch of sadness as you finally left such a brilliant world. I think there is more to be explored and developed; it could certainly become a futuristic masterpiece. This is a great ending to a brilliant series full of highs and lows. I am hoping to read more stories like this by Sarah Govett and Firefly Press. 

Peadar O'Guilin - The Invasion (The Grey Land Book 2) - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books Book Review

In a world where teenagers are trained for the most horrific 3 minutes of their lives, Nessa and Anto have both survived their Call, but fate has a cruel way of rewarding them. Nessa is branded a traitor as no one believes that someone like her could survive the experience. She's thrown in prison and eventually sent where all traitors are sent - back to the horrifying Greylands, but this time there's no way home. Anto is packed off out of the way to join the militia. Ireland is being invaded and the enemy are building their army from the very people defending it. However, Anto can't get Nessa off his mind, he knows in his heart that she's innocent and he'll go to any length to rescue her. The final chapter in this thrilling and fast-paced adventure with the power of true love at its very core.

I've been invaded by The Invasion of Peadar O'Guilin's long-awaited sequel to the Call. It is soon to be published on the 1st March 2018 by David Fickling Books (the home of great stories). In this book, we are reunited with the two main characters, Nessa and Anto. They survived the Call, but what's in store for them in The Invasion is more terrifying than you can ever imagine. The complexity of this book is brilliant. From the very start, it pulls the reader on a journey that is captivating. The story is beautiful and brutal at the same time which makes it both compelling and disturbing in equal measure. 

It's a fantastic blend of action horror written in its own unique style. Not using any of the classic tropes normally found in this category, it really makes this story stand out and addictive to read. The plot is dark and twisted just like the characters. In a world full of monsters, Sidhe's are disfigured, amalgamations of human flesh and animals/beasts. They are very cunning in character and appear to morph from the dark depths of the author's psyche into a very bizarre world. 

You will prowl into the strange and disturbing land of the Greylands which is very descriptive and well written. It will both captivate and thrill you in equal measures. The author has cleverly blended his fascination for mythology and Irish legend by instilling a very unsettling creepiness that follows you around through every twist and turn. The nation must survive but will they survive? That is most definitely the question.  

This is a fantastic sequel. In my opinion, it is even better than the first book which is something that I very rarely say or think. The author has spent time inventing and building a brilliant backdrop that is even more surreal than the last book. It certainly sucks you into a vortex of evil and chaos. The characters have been very well written, their personalities and emotions are depicted at just the right times through the story. Their different viewpoints come across very clearly and are very much in keeping with the storyline. The story is more compact, fast-paced and free-flowing whilst delivering just the right amount of character dialogue and back history to bring the reader up to speed on the previous story.

The author has taken no prisoners with this book. It's a bloodbath fuelled on high adrenalin action that is both unpredictable and deeply satisfying to read. I really loved this book. Thanks, Peadar - I'm looking forward to the next book, whatever it maybe.

Emily Critchley - Notes on My Family - Mr Ripley's Interview (Q&A)

Today on Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books we have Emily Critchley. The debut author of Notes on My Family which was published by Everything with Words back in October 2017. It's a moving account with an inside look on life featuring a dysfunctional family told through the perspective of a 13-year-old girl with lots of irony and humour. 

Welcome Emily and thank you for taking part in this interview for Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books. I hope you enjoyed answering the below questions. 

Tell us about your first book for Young Adults - Notes on My Family? 
Notes on My Family is a first-person present-tense account of contemporary life told through the observations of my protagonist, Louise Coulson (Lou). Lou’s parents announce they are separating. Her dad is a teacher at her secondary school and is having an affair with a sixth form student. Lou is an outsider who isn’t fitting in. She is also having problems at school and her dad’s affair isn’t helping her quest for invisibility. Lou is asked to be a ‘buddy’ to the new girl in her class, Faith, and the two girls form an unlikely friendship amidst the chaos of their ordinary lives. 


Does your book have a lesson or a moral behind it? 
No. I think books should present issues but ever instruct. I do think, though, when writing young adult fiction, it’s important to leave the reader with a sense of hope. I think we often read to feel less isolated and I would like teens who have read Notes on My Family to come away feeling that they are not alone, that other teenagers also experience problems at home or at school and have difficulty fitting into a world that doesn’t understand them. I would like to think that teenagers, or indeed anyone, reading the book will feel that it’s okay to be different and that life, despite all its absurdities, can be enjoyed. 

If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do? 
Write more, read more, and finish what I’d started. It’s really important to practise your craft and, of course, to read widely. I wrote some very bad poetry 
as a teenager and I started several pieces of fiction but rarely finished anything. It’s vitally important to finish. My advice to any young writer would be to keep reading, keep writing and try to finish things. 


What period of your life do you find you write about most often? 
My characters tend to be wholly fictional. Lou, in, Notes on My Family isn’t me, although she is having a problematic time at school as I did. Writing Notes on My Family was difficult for me because it was the first time I’d re-visited being a teenager and it wasn’t a happy time for me. I also write short stories. I tend, in my short stories, to focus more on the mess that was my twenties, alt-hough I also enjoy writing from the perspective of older characters looking back on certain periods in their lives. I am interested in the unreliability of memory and why certain experiences in our lives surface at certain times. 

Do you use your own experiences? 
Occasionally, although I try to disguise them as fiction! 
My family were worried when they saw the title Notes on My Family and very relieved when they read the book and discovered Lou’s family bear no resemblance to my own.

While you were writing, did you ever feel as if you were one of the characters? 
No. I felt very close to Lou when writing her. I was inside her head but she was definitely a separate person to me. 


What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel? 
Oh, gosh. I might go for Patrick Hamilton’s Hangover Square, or Barbara Comyns Our Spoons came from Woolworths. If I am allowed two! 
In children’s literature, Peter Dickinson’s Eva is greatly under-appreciated. 

What's your favorite part of Christmas in a literary sense? 
Having the time to read. I am always hopeful for that. This year I will be spending a week at my parent’s house in North Lincolnshire. I hope they are aware that I plan to do nothing except sit by the fire and read. Perhaps a little antisocial but they should be used to me by now! 


You’re hosting a Christmas literary dinner party, which particular authors/illustrators would you invite and why?
I’d really like to invite some literary authors from the past round to dinner. We’d eat at my flat then go walking in London. I’d love, for example, to see what Charles Dickens or Virginia Woolf, or Graham Greene would think of London now.

Last question, what five things would you take on a desert Island on Christmas Day and why? 
If I was just there for the day I’d take: 
A book (obviously) 
A beach towel to lie on 
An umbrella so I didn’t get sunburn 
Christmas pudding so I’d feel I wasn’t missing out on Christmas. 
My laptop, so I that I could write! 

Anna Day - THE FANDOM - Book Review (Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books) - Chicken House 2018

What if you could be Katniss - for real. Sounds cool, right? But then you remember, you can't fire a bow and arrow, or climb trees, and you have zero survival skills.

Or what if you could be Tris? You'd get to kiss Four, what could be bad about that? But turns out he's a bit of a wimp. Oh, and your gorgeous best mate is making a play for him too.

Don't panic, you can always go home, back to the safety of your normal, fangirl life. But what if you couldn't...

This is what happens to Violet when she enters her favourite, dystopian world. She replaces her heroine, with all the associated perks -- adventure, love, drama. But turns out, Violet likes predictability and being alive more than she realized!

The Fandom by Anna Day is set to be published by Chicken House on the 4th January 2018. This is a highly anticipated debut book by the clinical psychologist as an earlier concept of the book (The Gallows Dance) was recently shortlisted for the Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition. The inspiration for the new book has been based on this as well as combining the winning story from Angela McCann from The Big Idea competition. This is a fantastic and unique collaboration that makes this a very special book. 

The concept behind this story is a very smart and trendy one. It will resonate very easily with teenagers who love books/comics and meeting up at social events. This is a book that they will surely gravitate towards on publication day. 

What's your favourite book? Have you read it so much that you know all the words? Do you know the characters inside and out? Are the setting and the key storyline known in detail? How about a crush on the main character?
Is this sounding familiar? If so, then this will be the book for you.  

Just imagine what would happen if you were going about your normal teenage life and then, you were suddenly catapulted into your favourite book with two of your best friends and a brother. Everything suddenly appears so familiar; the setting, the characters, it is just how you imagined it in minute detail. You are now part of the story for real, but your appearance makes the story go slightly off-kilter as you've just killed off the hero. The one thing that you have to do now is to put the plot back on track or face deadly consequences - like hanging from the gallows. 

This is an amazing and compelling read. It's a fantastic story - a free-flowing adventure set in post-apocalyptic London. It takes a familiar and well-worked genre but flips it on its literary bottom. The plot is expertly written and is full of amazing detail that makes reality and fiction explode in a big way. The characters are definitely relatable as we are exposed to their interesting personalities through their flaws and strengths.  


The author has produced a fantastic book full of classic dystopian tropes and fandom culture. It is bursting with action twists and turns in a non-stop racy fantasy adventure. I really enjoyed reading this book. In fact much more than I expected for a  fashionable YA read. It is definitely one of the best reads in this genre and makes a great start to 2018. 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Young Adult Book Picks February 2017 - US Published Post Two

Heidi Heilig - The Ship Beyond Time - Published by Greenwillow Books (February 28, 2017) - Hardback - 978-0062380784

Nix has spent her whole life journeying to places both real and imagined aboard her time-traveling father’s ship. And now it’s finally time for her to take the helm. Her future lies bright before her—until she learns that she is destined to lose the one she loves. 

Desperate to change her fate, Nix sails her crew to a mythical utopia to meet another Navigator who promises to teach her how to manipulate time. But everything in this utopia is constantly changing, and nothing is what it seems. Not even her relationship with Kash: best friend, thief, charmer extraordinaire. 

Heidi Heilig weaves fantasy, history, and romance together to tackle questions of free will, fate, and what it means to love another person. At the center of this adventure are extraordinary, complicated, and multicultural characters who leap off the page, and an intricate, recognizable world that has no bounds. This sequel—and conclusion—to The Girl from Everywhere includes five black-and-white maps of historical and mythical locations. Fans of Rachel Hartman, Rae Carson, and Outlander will be swept away.

Tricia Levenseller - Daughter of the Pirate King - Feiwel & Friends (February 28, 2017) Hardback - 978-1250095961

There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I've gotten what I came for. 

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map―the key to a legendary treasure trove―seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

In Daughter of the Pirate King, debut author Tricia Levenseller blends action, adventure, romance, and a little bit of magic into a thrilling YA pirate tale.

L. E. DeLano - Traveler - Published by Swoon Reads (February 7, 2017) Paperback - 978-1250100405

Jessa has spent her life dreaming of other worlds and writing down stories more interesting than her own, until the day her favorite character, Finn, suddenly shows up and invites her out for coffee. After the requisite nervous breakdown, Jessa learns that she and Finn are Travelers, born with the ability to slide through reflections and dreams into alternate realities. But it’s not all cupcakes, pirates, and fantasy lifestyles - Jessa is dying over and over again in every reality, and Finn is determined that this time, he’s going to stop it… This Jessa is going to live.

Arwen Elys Dayton - Disruptor (Seeker) - Published by Delacorte Press (February 7, 2017) - Hardback - 978-0385744119

For readers of Sarah J. Maas and of Marie Lu’s Legend trilogy comes Disruptor, the sequel to Traveler, the thrilling conclusion to the Seeker series.

“Readers of the first two volumes will find their long-awaited conclusion here, and Dayton will have found fans for life.” -Booklist
   Quin has spent her life as her father’s pawn. She was trained to kill and manipulated to guarantee her family’s power. And now that she’s broken free of that life, she’s found herself trapped again, hostage to a plot that has been centuries in the making.
   It’s taken generations for the pieces to come together, and finally all is in place. Her best friend Shinobu’s mind has been corrupted, the Young Dread has aligned with her enemy John, and the bloodthirsty Watchers are being awakened and gathered. Now there is nothing that can stop the force of time.
   But Quin will no longer be a pawn. Quin is a Seeker. She stands for light in a shadowy world. She will face the vengeance of the past and its enemies and save herself and the ones she loves, or she will die trying. 

                                                                                    

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

Amy Ephron - The Castle in the Mist - Published by Philomel Books (February 7, 2017)

Tess and her brother, Max, are sent for the summer to their aunt’s sleepy village in the English countryside, where excitement is as rare as a good wifi signal. So when Tess stumbles upon an old brass key that unlocks an ornately carved gate, attached to a strangely invisible wall, she jumps at the chance for adventure. And the world beyond the gate doesn’t disappoint. She finds rose gardens, a maze made of hedges, and a boy named William who is just as lonely as she is.
 
But at William’s castle, strange things begin to happen. Carnival games are paid for in wishes, dreams seem to come alive, and then there's William's eerie warning: Beware of the hawthorn trees. A warning that chills Tess to the bone.
 
In a magical, fantasy world that blurs the line between reality and imagination, readers are left to wonder exactly what they’d wish for if wishes could come true. Perfect for fans of Half Magic and The Secret Garden—and for anyone who's ever wondered if magic is real.

Caroline Starr Rose - Jasper and the Riddle of Riley's Mine - Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers (February 7, 2017)

Hoping to strike it rich, two brothers escape an abusive father and set out on a treacherous journey to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush.
 
Desperate to get away from their drunkard of a father, eleven-year-old Jasper and his older brother Melvin often talk of running away, of heading north to Alaska to chase riches beyond their wildest dreams. The Klondike Gold Rush is calling, and Melvin has finally decided the time to go is now—even if that means leaving Jasper behind. But Jasper has other plans, and follows his brother aboard a steamer as a stowaway.

Onboard the ship, Jasper overhears a rumor about One-Eyed Riley, an old coot who's long since gone, but is said to have left clues to the location of his stake, which still has plenty of gold left. The first person to unravel the clues and find the mine can stake the claim and become filthy rich. Jasper is quick to catch gold fever and knows he and Melvin can find the mine—all they have to do is survive the rough Alaskan terrain, along with the steep competition from the unscrupulous and dangerous people they encounter along the way.

In an endearing, funny, pitch-perfect middle grade voice, Caroline Starr Rose tells another stellar historical adventure young readers will long remember.

Aimée Carter - Simon Thorn and the Viper's Pit - Published by  Bloomsbury USA Childrens (February 7, 2017)

Simon Thorn only recently discovered that he's an Animalgam--one of a secret race who can shift into animals. Now, for the first time in his life Simon has real friends to train and study with at the secret Animalgam Academy. The only missing part is his mother, held captive by his evil grandfather, Orion, who's bent on taking over the animal world. 

To rescue his mom, Simon must head cross-country with his friends, battling rogue Animalgams and their own doubts and torn loyalties along the way. But if Simon's going to succeed, he will need to keep Orion from gathering together the fragments of a terrible weapon, or the lives of everyone Simon loves will be at risk.

With plenty of action and adventure and characters full of heart, this story is perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Brandon Mull.

Kevin Emerson - Last Day on Mars (Chronicle of the Dark Star) - Published by Walden Pond Press (February 14, 2017)

“Last Day on Mars is thrillingly ambitious and imaginative. Like a lovechild of Gravity and The Martian, it's a rousing space opera for any age, meticulously researched and relentlessly paced, that balances action, science, humor, and most importantly, two compelling main characters in Liam and Phoebe. A fantastic start to an epic new series.” —Soman Chainani, New York Times bestselling author of the School for Good and Evil series

“Emerson's writing explodes off the page in this irresistible space adventure, filled with startling plot twists, diabolical aliens, and (my favorite!) courageous young heroes faced with an impossible task.” —Lisa McMann, New York Times bestselling author of the Unwanteds series

It is Earth year 2213—but, of course, there is no Earth anymore. Not since it was burned to a cinder by the sun, which has mysteriously begun the process of going supernova far sooner than anyone expected. The human race has fled to Mars, but this was only a temporary solution while we have prepared for a second trip: a 150-year journey to a distant star, our best guess at where we might find a new home.

Liam Saunders-Chang is one of the last humans left on Mars. The son of two scientists who have been racing against time to create technology vital to humanity’s survival, Liam, along with his friend Phoebe, will be on the last starliner to depart before Mars, like Earth before it, is destroyed. 

Or so he thinks. Because before this day is over, Liam and Phoebe will make a series of profound discoveries about the nature of time and space and find out that the human race is just one of many in our universe locked in a dangerous struggle for survival.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Young Adult Book Picks January 2017 - US Published Post

Amanda Hocking - Freeks: A Novel - Published by St. Martin's Griffin (January 3, 2017)

Step into a wondrously strange new world with this dazzling new standalone novel by Amanda Hocking, New York Times bestselling author of The Kanin Chronicles! 

Mara has become used to the extraordinary. Roaming from place to place with Gideon Davorin’s Traveling Carnival, she longs for an ordinary life where no one has the ability to levitate or predict the future. 

She gets her chance when the struggling sideshow sets up camp in the small town of Caudry, and she meets a gorgeous local guy named Gabe. But before long, Mara realizes there’s a dark presence lurking in the town that’s threatening the lives of her friends. She has seven days to take control of a power she didn’t know she had in order to save everyone she cares about―and change the future forever. 

In the pages of Freeks, Amanda Hocking once again proves her ability to create amazing characters and enchanting worlds that will capture your imagination and never let go.

Stephanie Garber - Caraval - Published by Flatiron Books (January 31, 2017)

Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world . . . 

Welcome, welcome to Caraval―Stephanie Garber’s sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game.

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

Veronica Roth - Carve the Mark - Published by Katherine Tegen Books (January 17, 2017)

Fans of Star Wars and Divergent will revel in internationally bestselling author Veronica Roth’s stunning new science-fiction fantasy series.

On a planet where violence and vengeance rule, in a galaxy where some are favored by fate, everyone develops a currentgift, a unique power meant to shape the future. While most benefit from their currentgifts, Akos and Cyra do not—their gifts make them vulnerable to others’ control. Can they reclaim their gifts, their fates, and their lives, and reset the balance of power in this world?

Cyra is the sister of the brutal tyrant who rules the Shotet people. Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power—something her brother exploits, using her to torture his enemies. But Cyra is much more than just a blade in her brother’s hand: she is resilient, quick on her feet, and smarter than he knows.

Akos is from the peace-loving nation of Thuvhe, and his loyalty to his family is limitless. Though protected by his unusual currentgift, once Akos and his brother are captured by enemy Shotet soldiers, Akos is desperate to get his brother out alive—no matter what the cost. When Akos is thrust into Cyra’s world, the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. They must decide to help each other to survive—or to destroy one another.

Alexandra Bracken - Wayfarer (Passenger) - Published by Disney-Hyperion (January 3, 2017)

I've been orphaned by my time.

The timeline has changed.

My future is gone.

Etta Spencer didn't know she was a traveler until the day she emerged both miles and years from her home. Now, robbed of the powerful object that was her only hope of saving her mother, Etta finds herself stranded once more, cut off from Nicholas-the eighteenth century privateer she loves-and her natural time.

When Etta inadvertently stumbles into the heart of the Thorns, the renegade travelers who stole the astrolabe from her, she vows to finish what she started and destroy the astrolabe once and for all. Instead, she's blindsided by a bombshell revelation from their leader, Henry Hemlock: he is her father. Suddenly questioning everything she's been fighting for, Etta must choose a path, one that could transform her future.

Still devastated by Etta's disappearance, Nicholas has enlisted the unlikely help of Sophia Ironwood and a cheeky mercenary-for-hire to track both her and the missing astrolabe down. But as the tremors of change to the timeline grow stronger and the stakes for recovering the astrolabe mount, they discover an ancient power far more frightening than the rival travelers currently locked in a battle for control. . . a power that threatens to eradicate the timeline altogether.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: New Teenage Book Picks - November 2016 - (Published US Post)

Neal Shusterman - Scythe (Arc of a Scythe Bk1) - Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (November 22, 2016)

Two teens are forced to murder—maybe each other—in the first in a chilling new series from Neal Shusterman, author of the New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology.

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

Scythe is the first novel of a thrilling new series by National Book Award–winning author Neal Shusterman in which Citra and Rowan learn that a perfect world comes only with a heavy price.

Marissa Meyer - Heartless - Published by Feiwel & Friends (November 8, 2016)

Long before she was the terror of Wonderland―the infamous Queen of Hearts―she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.

Long before she was the terror of Wonderland, she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love. Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favourite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen. 

Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

In her first stand-alone teen novel, the New York Times-bestselling author dazzles us with a prequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

David A. Poulsen - And Then the Sky Exploded - Dundurn (November 15, 2016)

When Christian learns his great-grandfather helped build the A-bombs dropped on Japan, he wants to make amends … somehow.

While attending the funeral of his great-grandfather, ninth-grader Christian Larkin learns that the man he loved and respected was a member of the Manhattan Project, the team that designed and created the atomic bombs dropped on Japan during the Second World War.

On a school trip to Japan, Chris meets eighty-one-year-old Yuko, who was eleven when the first bomb exploded over Hiroshima, horribly injuring her. Christian is determined to do something to make up for what his great-grandfather did. But after all this time, what can one teenager really do? His friends tell him it’s a stupid idea, that there’s nothing he can do. And maybe they’re right.

But maybe, just maybe … they’re wrong.

Alexander Gordon Smith - The Devil's Engine: Hellfighters - Published by The Devil's Engine (Book 2)

In Hellraisers, he made a demonic deal. Now, in this sequel, The Devil's Engine: Hellfighters, it’s time to pay the price. 

Thrown into a relentless war against the forces of darkness, fifteen-year-old Marlow Green and his squad of secret soldiers must fight for control of the Devil’s Engines―ancient, infernal machines that can make any wish come true, as long as you are willing to put your life on the line. But after a monstrous betrayal, Marlow, Pan and the other Hellraisers find themselves on the run from an enemy with horrific powers and limitless resources―an enemy that wants them dead at all costs. Failure doesn’t just mean a fate worse than death for Marlow, it means the total annihilation of the world. And when all looks lost and the stakes couldn’t be higher, just how far is he willing to go?

In the second book of The Devil's Engine trilogy, Alexander Gordon Smith has written another of his signature thrilling, fast-paced Faustian horror story that turns the tables on the battle between good and evil.

Jim Carrington - Boy 23 - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Book Review

Boy 23 isn't in My Place any more. He can't see The Screen, he can't hear The Voice. Boy 23 is alone. 

One dark night, Boy 23 is thrown in the back of the van and driven out of My Place - the only home he has ever known. He is abandoned in a forest with a rucksack containing the bare essentials for survival. Before the van drives away, a voice tells him he must run as far as he can. His life depends on it. Boy 23 has never known another human. Boy 23 has never even been outside. So who is he? Why do people want to kill him? And more to the point, who is the voice that wants to save him?

Boy 23 is Jim Carrington's eagerly awaited fourth book to be published by Bloomsbury on the 19th of November 2015. It's another adventure in the young adult world of fiction and my personal favourite, by Jim, to date. You only need to read the synopsis of the book to get your imagination going. It's very intriguing and makes you want to find out why/what happens. 

The basis of this book has been taken from a number of contemporary life stories; one of which turned out to be a hoax. A teenage boy turned up alone in the town of Nuremburg in Germany in 1828 claiming to have been brought up in a dark cell. This story becomes the setting for the book My Place. The start of the story is slow-paced but essential in drawing you into the plot of mystery and intrigue. It's very dark and atmospheric; a fantasy world that might just happen one day. 

Can you be saved from a deadly new disease?

It's a very good opener that leads you into dystopian world featuring a character with unique powers. It's very different in style from my recent reads which is actually really good. The story is told through the three main characters. There's Jesper, aka Boy 23, whose feelings and emotions are played out really well and leave lots of thought provoking questions. There's also Carina, who is very determined and mentally scarred. She has had a disturbing and troubled past which links and weaves the narrative together. The final perspective is the mysterious Mr Blake, who slowly unravels himself along the way and keeps the imagination ticking.

The science fiction twists lift the turn of events and deliver a frenzied action packed story. This will keep you engrossed right until the very end of the book. In fact the more that you read, the faster the pages will turn as you unravel the mysteries. You will find yourself hooked.

The challenges that Boy 23 face are very brutal and leave him alienated. It would be really good to follow up this book with a sequel and to find out Jesper's fate. There are so many unanswered questions left and a fantastic further plot to discover. I'm hoping that this is a possibility.

Tom Becker - Interview/Q&A - Dark Room (Red Eye)

Book Synopsis: The camera never lies…Darla and her dad are looking for a fresh start. But when they wind up in affluent Saffron Hills, Darla stands no chance of fitting in with the beautiful, selfie-obsessed teens at her new school. Just when she thinks things can’t get any worse, she starts having visions. The gruesome snapshots flashing into Darla’s mind seem to suggest she’s going crazy…until she realizes they’re actually a horrifying glimpse into the future. With a killer on the loose, can she make sense of what she’s seeing before it’s too late?

After reading Dark Room, I thought that it was one of the best YA horror thrillers that I've read this year. Here is my review, so that you can find out WHY. 

At the same time, I took the fantastic opportunity to ask Tom some personal questions about Dark Room and his writing career. Welcome Tom, to Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books, and thanks for taking the time out as I know that you are very busy at the moment. Below are the outcomes of the questions......

What was your inspiration for Dark Room?

Unlike my previous books, I didn't do any reading or research for Dark Room. I just started writing, beginning in Darla and Hopper's trailer, and a bang on the door in the middle of the night. My influences were on the screen rather than the page – US TV dramas such as True Detective and the work of the film director David Lynch, who explores small-town secrets in the most surreal and unsettling ways.

Why do you like writing in the horror genre?

It's all about atmosphere, trying to cast a shadow over the page. Fear is such a personal thing, what scares one person will leave the next utterly unmoved. It's a real challenge for a writer – it demands a delicate touch in some places and a firm (and often blood-drenched) hand in others.

How do you come up with the characters?

I don't have a hard and fast approach, it varies from book to book. Sometimes I'll spend a long time sketching out characters before I begin, but when I sat down and wrote the first chapter of Dark Room I felt Darla and Hopper come together quite naturally. And Sasha Haas elbowed her way straight on to the page with a dismissive snort, daring me to try and tell her what to do.

Is there a message in your book?

Primarily I'm interested in telling stories – if readers are engrossed and keep turning the pages until the end, then that's enough for me. But Dark Room does touch on issues of self-esteem and body image, especially for young women. It's dedicated to Plain Girls (and Boys) everywhere.

What do you think makes a good story?

A little bit of craft and a lot of heart. A writer who is willing to risk a failure in order to show the reader something they haven't seen before.

What helps you be more creative?

Other people being creative – whether it's great writers, filmmakers, artists or musicians. Increasingly I find inspiration in the pages of history books. One of my previous books The Traitors sprang from World War Two POW stories, and While The Others Sleep was informed by histories of the Raj in India.

Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just to see where an idea takes you?

Usually an idea has to sit in my head for a long time before I get the chance to write it, and I like to plot it out pretty thoroughly before I start typing. That said Dark Room came much organically – I wrote the first chapter with Darla and Hopper in the trailer and let the story take me from there. It made for a fun change, although there were moments when I missed the safety net of a firmer plan.

Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in a shed)?

Funnily enough I was asked this same question the other day, and I'm starting to feel a bit self-conscious about my lack of quirky writing habits! I tend to save my strangeness for the page.

What else are you working on now?

I'm working on a manuscript for an epic historical fantasy that I am VERY excited about, and very much hope will make it to the bookshelves. There's also a hush-hush project that is rather cool but I can't talk about yet – hopefully further down the line. And if Dark Room proves popular, maybe I'll get the chance to write some more YA horror. I think I've got some more murders in me...