Alastair Chisholm - ADAM-2 - Book Review - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

The puzzler from Edinburgh is back with his second exciting novel entitled Adam-2. The book is a summer delight published by Nosy Crow Books on 5th August 2021. The fantastically vibrant and brilliant orange book cover has been illustrated by Dan Munford - it's an absolute beauty brimming with anticipated adventure. 

I've been in a bit of a reading slump for some months now as I've been trying to find not only the time to read but also books that I will really enjoy. I think every prolific reader finds themselves in this situation from time to time. I have read a few books recently that did not hold my attention or were too reality-based when what I really wanted was a book to escape into. Fortunately, Alastair Chisholm hit the nail on the head with this book by providing everything I needed. It's a real fantasy-based book that throws up challenging questions in a world so distant from our very own. The author has set his stall out with a great imaginary world that is so absorbing you will certainly not want to leave it. 

The book starts with a dark tale where we find Adam-2 locked in a basement. Even worst, we find out he's been there for over two hundred years. I never read the synopsis for this book so, at the start, I had no idea what was going on. I think that really kept me engaged and eager to read on and find out more.  For this reason, I'm not going to mention any of the plot or synopsis in this review so you can enjoy it as much as I did. All I will say is that it is a fast-paced Sci-Fi futuristic read set in Edinburgh, Scotland. Some of the famous landmarks are used to great effect in telling the story. 

The book's characters are fantastically written and develop through the story process with great heart as they uncover what it really means to be human. It really made me think about the choices the characters were making along their journeys. The plot ending was a great climatic roller-coaster that left me both satisfied but very sad to finish. This book is full of explosive action with some epic twists and turns that create a truly stunning cinematic read. 

It's a new world... how can we save it? There's a War between HUMANS and advanced INTELLIGENCE, what more could you want? Make sure you find the time to read this book as it is surely the best book to be published this month. It will really give you a Middle-Grade fantasy boost that will make your pulse rate beat faster with every page turned. 

Fiona Shaw - Outwalkers - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books Author Interview (David Fickling Books)

One of my favourite books this year has been Fiona Shaw's Outwalkers which was published back in February 2018. This book really resonated with me and took me back to the spirit of my childhood. Therefore, I took the opportunity to ask the author some questions about this book as well as about her writing career. If you enjoy this post then you could always check out my book review for this book. HERE 

For more information on the author, you can find her on Twitter: @fionakshaw or check here website HERE

Welcome, Fiona to Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books...

Outwalkers is your first book for a young adult audience, what is it about and why should we read it? 

Outwalkers is a road-trip adventure story about a gang of children trying to escape from England, into Scotland. At the center of the story are Jake, and his dog Jet. It's set in a slightly (only slightly) future England in which all borders have been closed; England has left the EU, and a wall's been built between England and Scotland. I wanted to imagine a world very like the one we know now, but in which some things have hardened, or become more extreme. So there's more surveillance, education has become a tool of the government, and there is far less tolerance for those who are different. 

Some of what I only imagined, when I started writing this story, has now happened!

My Outwalker gang must be resourceful and brave, and they must look out for each other before all else if they are to make their escape. The stakes get higher and higher as they travel further north, and they risk their lives and their freedom in their attempt. 

Outwalkers is a story about the world we live in now, and about what it might become. But it's also a story full of hope because of the gang's refusal to accept this, and their determination to find what they need to live. 
You should read it because it's a gripping adventure story, a story for our time, and a story about why the adults need the children most of all. 

How do you go about writing convincing characters? 

When I start writing a character, I usually know a few important things about them. But it's only in the course of writing them into the story, particularly as they have to face challenges, that I work out who they really are. And then, often, I'll go back to their earlier scenes and fill them out, once I know a bit more about them. 

You are a senior lecturer in Creative Writing, what did you learn from this job that helped you to write this book? 
When I started teaching at Northumbria University, one important thing I learned was that many of my students were reading, and sometimes writing, dystopic fiction: they were passionately interested in what might happen to our planet. Then I had a dream about a boy and his dog trying to escape from England, and I woke and thought: that would be a great story to write, and a story children and young adults might enjoy reading, so I'll write it for them. 

The book is set in a futuristic time (which I really loved), do you think some of the ideas could possibly turn out like this in our future? 

Some of the ideas are already happening: the chip under the skin that means you are always locatable - that's a real thing now. And the development of nano-technology for use in medicine has made extraordinary leaps forward - but of course anything that can be used for good also has the potential for being used to harm. Surveillance is becoming more and more extensive. The C4 programme Hunted uses this as the central premise for its volunteers trying to evade detection. And look at how much surveillance there is! 
I began Outwalkers before the Scottish independence referendum, and before the Brexit referendum was even a twinkle in David Cameron's eye. England is now closing its borders, and there may yet be a Scottish vote for independence. A border between England and Scotland may still happen - though I hope there'll never be a wall again. 

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

I knew what my characters were trying to do - reach Scotland. But how they would do that, whether they would achieve it, and what would happen to them on the way: that was a voyage of discovery for me too. 

Is there a message in your novel that you hope readers will grasp? 

Watch out for governments who say that more walls will make us all safer and happier. Don't believe them. 

I have recently found out that one of your writing projects has made it to a film. If this book was made into a film who would you like to direct it and which actors would you choose to play some of the characters in the book? 

I think Danny Boyle would be brilliant with it: his direction of the boys in Slumdog Millionaire is terrific; he directs action so well; and he would understand the plight that Outwalkers England was in. 

Actors: An actress like Jennifer Lawrence, as I first saw her in Winter's Bone would be wonderful as Swift. 

I was really moved by the child actors (Aaron Gelkoff and Teni Taiwo were two of them) in a play I saw by Tony Kushner called Caroline or Change: boys with that range of performance would be great for characters of Jake, Davie, Ollie. 
They would need to love dogs of course. 
Jet: I imagine Jet as a black labrador/collie cross: he would be a v important part of the story. 

What did you learn from writing this book? 

I learned a great deal about pace - keeping the story moving. And about the challenge of writing complex material in such a way that it works for both child and adult readers. 

What are you writing next? 

I have started a follow-up to Outwalkers. 

How important are stories to you? What do you like to read? 

Stories are incredibly important to me - they're how I understand the world – and I read all the time: fiction, non-fiction, newspapers, magazines. I've just started reading Will Hill's After the Fire. I've just finished reading Colm Toibin's Bad Blood: A Walk Along the Irish Border (because I'm very interested in border questions, and Ireland). I've got a stack of books to start, some children's books, some adults. My niece and nephew (bookworms aged 11 and 12) are great for recommendations for children's books. 

More than anything, I love getting lost in a story, true or invented. So I always make sure I have a book with me, just in case I can snatch a few minutes. It means I like coats with big pockets!

Mal Peet - Mr Godley's Phantom - Book Review - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books (David Fickling)

It's 1945 and Martin Heath, like many men at that time, is struggling to settle, to find his place again after the horrors of war. When an old comrade sends him a letter, telling of a position that's just come up with an elderly fellow called Mr Godley in the deepest and loneliest part of Devon. Martin travels there and so begins a dark mystery...

David Fickling Books proudly presents new fiction for adults. The first title to be published in October 2018 will be the last book ever finished by Mal Peet. The author sadly passed away in 2015 and is sorely missed by Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books. However, his memory continues through this marvellous book "Mr Godley's Phantom". It truly highlights his amazing and brilliant storytelling skills. 

This book has to be one of my favourite reads of the year and one I hope will get new readers to appreciate the other seven books that have already been published. He started to write his first novel at the age of 52 and produced some of the best books for teenagers. Like this book, he slowly sucks you into the narrative distilling a dark supernatural feeling that you have no idea where it will take you or leave you. The simplicity of the plot is laced with a mysterious edge comprising of part ghost/part crime novel and something slightly more seductive. 

The story harks back to the 1940's, just after the war. Mal Peet manages to effectively write a story very evocative of this time period. He really gets the emotions and dark feelings across in this story. You can almost feel the emotions of the characters who captivate you the more you get to know them, but you don't really know them. 

It's a very intelligent story which hangs in the realms of reality. It has a sharp and snappy no-nonsense dialogue. You WILL definitely turn the pages quickly which, in this case, will be at the speed of a fast Rolls Royce car. You'll journey comfortably across the Devon landscape before being led into a thrilling, but unsettling, ending that will make you truly squirm inside. This is a deep psychological look into two characters with traumatic previous lives. 

This book is one of the best atmospheric stories that I've read - it will come back to haunt you again and again. It is a truly brilliant book attributed to a truly brilliant man. Mal Peet. 

Mr Ripley's Children's/Teenage UK Book Picks For February 2016 - Post Two

Aimée Carter - Simon Thorn and the Wolf's Den (Simon Thorn 1) - Published by Bloomsbury Children's (11 Feb. 2016)

Twelve-year-old Simon Thorn's life has never been easy, but being bullied at school and living in a cramped Manhattan apartment with his Uncle Darrell is nothing compared to his biggest secret: he can talk to animals. When his mum is kidnapped by a herd of terrifying rats, Simon finds out that he, his mum and his uncle are all Animalgams - people who can change into an animal at will. In search of his mother he discovers the Animalgam Academy located underneath Central Park Zoo. There he learns about the fractured five kingdoms that make up this secret world - Mammals, Birds, Insects, Reptiles and Underwater. And Simon Thorn is the only one who can save them.

Imaginative and vivid with themes of bravery, loyalty, and finding one's true self, this exciting, five-book adventure series is perfect for fans of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and Beast Quest.

Elen Caldecott - Spooks and Scooters (Marsh Road Mysteries 3) - Published by  Bloomsbury Children's (11 Feb. 2016)

Meet Piotr, Minnie, Andrew, Flora and Sylvie - true friends and even better mystery-solvers! 

Flora and Sylvie are going on the holiday of a lifetime with their dad. But - WHAT? - Dad cancels the trip only hours before the flight because - OH MY GOODNESS - someone has stolen precious blueprints of Dad's latest invention: an amazing new scooter. But who? And why? Time to call on the only five people who can possibly solve the crime!

Phil Earle (Author) Sara Ogilvie (Illustrator) - Superhero Street (Storey Street) - Published by Orion Children's Books (25 Feb. 2016)

Mouse is desperate to be a superhero. To find that power that will make him stand out in the crowd. 
But his every attempt ends in failure. He can't even get any attention at home as his five brothers (triplets AND twins) take every second of mum and dad's attention. When mum foils a bank robbery while on duty as a lollipop lady, she and Mouse are lauded as superheroes. Joining forces with Mouse are The Z List - a group of unlikely crime-fighters. But in their midst is a traitor hell-bent on revenge. 

Will Mouse be super enough to spot this danger, and is he brave enough to do anything about it?

The second laugh-out-loud Storey Street novel from award-winning author of DEMOLITION DAD, Phil Earle, with each book focusing on a different character living on the same street.

Danny Wallace (Author) Jamie Littler (Illustrator) - Hamish and the Neverpeople - Published by Simon & Schuster Children's UK (11 Feb. 2016)

Nobody knows it yet, but the people of Earth are in big, big trouble.

Like - HUGE trouble. Oh, come on, where's your imagination? Double what you're thinking!
And it's all got to do with a shadowy figure, an enormous tower, some sinister monsters, huge clanking and thundering metal oddballs, and people who are just like you… but not like you at all.
Luckily Hamish and the PDF are around to help save the day! Aren't they??

Mr Ripley's Children's/Teenage UK Book Picks For February 2016 - Post One

Katherine Woodfine - The Mystery of the Jewelled Moth - Published by Egmont (25 Feb. 2016)

THE HONOUR OF YOUR COMPANY IS REQUESTED AT 
LORD BEAUCASTLE’S FANCY DRESS BALL.

 Wonder at the puzzling disappearance of the Jewelled Moth! Marvel as our heroines, Sophie and Lil, don cunning disguises, mingle in high society and munch many cucumber sandwiches to solve this curious case! Applaud their bravery as they follow a trail of terrible secrets that leads straight to London’s most dangerous criminal mastermind, and could put their own lives at risk . . .

It will be the most thrilling event of the season!

Will Mabbitt (Author) Ross Collins (Illustrator) - Mabel Jones and the Forbidden City - Puffin (4 Feb. 2016)

Mabel Jones is ready for her second unlikely adventure - another hilarious story by Will Mabbitt. What would you do if hungry vines emerged from your wardrobe and stole your baby sister? If you're Mabel Jones and afraid of nothing, you'd follow! Between Mabel and her goal is a dangerous jungle, filled with deadly monsters and poisoned jelly babies. Can she defeat the Witch Queen and rescue her sister, or is this the last we'll see of Mabel Jones...?

Abi Elphinstone - The Shadow Keeper - Published by Simon & Schuster Children's UK (25 Feb. 2016) Book Review Here. 

Moll Pecksniff and her friends are living as outlaws in a secret cave by the sea, desperate to stay hidden from the Shadowmasks. But further along the coast lies the Amulet of Truth, the only thing powerful enough to force the Shadowmasks back and contain their dark magic. So, together with Gryff, the wildcat that’s always by her side, and her best friends Alfie and Sid, Moll must sneak past smugglers, outwit mer creatures and crack secret codes to save the Old Magic. With more at stake than ever before and the dark magic rising fast, can Moll and her friends stop the Shadowmasks before it’s too late?

Sara Pennypacker (Author) Jon Klassen - (Illustrator) - Pax - Published by HarperCollins Children's Books (25 Feb. 2016) 

A moving story of the extraordinary friendship between a boy and his fox, and their epic journey to be reunited. Beautifully illustrated by multi-award winner, Jon Klassen.

Pax was only a kit when his family was killed and he was rescued by ‘his boy’, Peter. Now the country is at war and when his father enlists, Peter has no choice but to move in with his grandfather. Far worse than leaving home is the fact that he has to leave Pax behind. But before Peter spends even one night under his grandfather’s roof he sneaks out into the night, determined to find his beloved friend. This is the story of Peter, Pax, and their journeys back to each other as war rampages throughout the country.

A profound and moving story with stunning illustrations by award-winning illustrator, Jon Klassen. 

Children's/Teenage UK Book Picks For January 2016 - Post Two

Max Brallier and Douglas Holgate - The Last Kids on Earth - Published by Egmont (7 Jan. 2016)

Forty-two days ago I was an ordinary kid, living an uneventful life. But now it’s TOTAL MONSTER ZOMBIE CHAOS and I’m battling beasts on a daily basis. Crazy, right? But I know exactly how to make it through the zombie apocalypse. 

Jack Sullivan’s ULTIMATE FEATS OF APOCALYPTIC SUCCESS:

·      Locate Quint Baker, best friend and inventor

·      Find and rescue June Del Toro, the coolest girl I know

·      Defeat Blarg, the biggest, baddest monster in town

·      Become a zombie-fighting, monster-bashing tornado of cool! 

Wish me luck – cos I’m gonna need a bunch of it. 

R. J. Anderson - A Pocket Full of Murder (Uncommon Magic 1) - Published by Orchard Books (14 Jan. 2016) 

A magical murder mystery set in a fantastical city fuelled by spell power. I saveth Breck is brave, loyal, and zealous in the pursuit of justice, especially after her father is wrongfully arrested. Quiz, the eccentric eye patch-wearing street boy who befriends her, swears he can't resist a good mystery. Together they set out to solve the magical murder of one of Tarreton's most influential citizens and save Isaveth's beloved papa from execution. But as the list of suspects grows, finding the culprit becomes more of a challenge than the two young detectives anticipated. 

Jon Mayhew - The Venom of the Scorpion (Monster Odyssey 4) - Published by Bloomsbury Children's (14 Jan. 2016)

A new and dangerous mission awaits in the fantastic Monster Odyssey series, in which our hero Dakkar must defeat a clan of evil brothers intent on ruling the world, while battling terrifying monsters. Inspired by Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Dakkar is a young Captain Nemo and these books are the most thrilling of adventures.

After being framed for murder, Dakkar must escape from prison and follow the only clue he has - a scorpion-handled dagger - in order to clear his name. Knowing this must be work of an evil Oginski brother, Dakkar soon finds himself in Algiers facing the deadliest crawling monster ever! 

But even if Dakkar can defeat this beast, he will face the ultimate betrayal - his enemy has been closer than he thought, all along. Will there be anyone left who Dakkar can trust?

Maria Turtschaninoff -The Red Abbey Chronicles: Maresi - Published by Pushkin Children's Books (14 Jan. 2016)

Maresi came to the Red Abbey when she was thirteen, in the Hunger Winter. Before then, she had only heard rumours of its existence in secret folk tales. In a world where girls aren't allowed to learn or do as they please, an island inhabited solely by women sounded like a fantasy. But now Maresi is here, and she knows it is real. She is safe.

Then one day Jai tangled fair hair, clothes stiff with dirt, scars on her back arrives on a ship. She has fled to the island to escape terrible danger and unimaginable cruelty. And the men who hurt her will stop at nothing to find her.

Now the women and girls of the Red Abbey must use all their powers and ancient knowledge to combat the forces that wish to destroy them. And Maresi, haunted by her own nightmares, must confront her very deepest, darkest fears.

Children's/Teenage UK Book Picks For January 2016 - Post One

Gareth P. Jones - Death or Ice Cream? - Published by Hot Key Books (7 Jan. 2016)

Larkin Mills: The Birthplace of Death! Larkin Mills is no ordinary town. It's a place of contradictions and enigma, of secrets and mysteries. A place with an exquisite ice cream parlour, and an awful lot of death. An extraordinary mystery in Larkin Mills is beginning to take shape. First we meet the apparently healthy Albert Dance, although he's always been called a sickly child, and he's been booked into Larkin Mills' Hospital for Specially Ill Children. Then there's his neighbour Ivor, who observes strange goings-on, and begins his own investigations into why his uncle disappeared all those years ago. Next we meet Young Olive, who is given a battered accordion by her father, and unwittingly strikes a dreadful deal with an instrument repair man. Make sure you keep an eye on Mr Morricone, the town ice-cream seller, who has queues snaking around the block for his legendary ice cream flavours Summer Fruits Suicide and The Christmas Massacre. And Mr Milkwell, the undertaker, who has some very dodgy secrets locked up in his hearse. Because if you can piece together what all these strange folks have to do with one another ...

Ann M. Martin - How to Look for a Lost Dog - Published by Usborne Publishing Ltd (1 Jan. 2016)

11-year-old Rose is autistic and struggles to understand her classmates. But when her father gives her a stray dog, which she names Rain, the dog becomes her best friend, her anchor in a confusing world. So when Rain goes missing during a storm, Rose refuses to stop looking for her...A touching story from the beloved author of The Babysitters Club.

Helen Dennis - River of Ink:1 Genesis - Published by Hodder Children's Books (14 Jan. 2016)

What if a teenage boy washed up on the banks of the River Thames, soaked to the skin and unable to explain who he is? What if the only clue to the boy's identity is a sketch he made of a strange symbol?

Who would help him? Who would hunt him? 

Who is River Boy?

When a mystery teenage boy emerges from the River Thames drenched, distressed and unable to remember anything about himself, he becomes the focus of worldwide media speculation. Unable to communicate, the River Boy is given paper and a pencil and begins to scribble. Soon a symbol emerges, but the boy has no idea why he has drawn it even thought it's the only clue to the mystery of his identity... 

As the boy begins to build a new life under a new name, the hunt for his real identity begins.

A hunt which will lead him on a dangerous QUEST that he has only one year to complete ...

Gavriel Savit - Anna and the Swallow Man - Bodley Head (28 Jan. 2016)

Anna and the Swallow Man is a stunning, literary, and wholly original debut novel that tells a new WW2 story.

Kraków, 1939, is no place to grow up. There are a million marching soldiers and a thousand barking dogs. And Anna Lania is just seven years old when the Germans take her father and suddenly, she’s alone. 

Then she meets the Swallow Man. He is a mystery, strange and tall. And like Anna's missing father, he has a gift for languages: Polish, Russian, German, Yiddish, even Bird. When he summons a bright, beautiful swallow down to his hand to stop her from crying, Anna is entranced. 

Over the course of their travels together, Anna and the Swallow Man will dodge bombs, tame soldiers, and even, despite their better judgement, make a friend. But in a world gone mad, everything can prove dangerous . . .

Tom Becker - Dark Room (Red Eye) - Book Review

WARNING: Not to be read lovers of the Selfie. 

This is the fifth title in the Red Eye series to be published and is coming at you, with killer moves, from September 2015. It is another outstanding written performance by Tom Becker; a YA horror shocker that will have you glued right down to the very last page and, only then, will you be able to take a breath. It's that good that I'm still thinking about the story even weeks after I have finished reading it. 

I'm a very big fan of Tom Becker's previous books; this story is a very clever and a much more mature piece of writing than hisprevious works, in my opinion. It is very reminiscent of Stephen King - it will thrill you and kill you in the same heartbeat. It is a classic 'who done it' mystery consisting of a fantastic villain that will have you considering the final outcome throughout the story. The author sets out his stall from the very first page and leads the reader down a gruesome and grisly encounter that will leave you scared out of your skin . . . 

This story sets the tone brilliantly and left me really intrigued; the author punches the reader with a bloody and brutal vision that will have you fully zoned into Darla's world. Darla and her dad are looking for a fresh start, running from the past again will turn their little world upside down with a bloody bang. They wind up in affluent Saffron Hills, where 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 somewhat vague visions, which leads the reader's imagination into overdrive . 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. A serial killer is on the loose, known as the "Selfie Slayer", and is coming for Darla through the lens of a camera. A shocking and mysterious past unfolds with fantastic realism. 

Teenagers will love this book, as they should really connect with the characters. The relationships between Darla and her father and friends is very turbulent, but at the same time, they are very engaging and fantastically well portrayed. Darla is not perfect like most of the characters in the other books which I liked. Her reactions to some of the gruesome parts might be a little inconsistent, in my opinion, and may not always contain enough feelings and emotions in places. She appears to react somewhat casually and nonchalantly at times. 

Nevertheless, this story is one of my favourite books of the year. It is a reading pleasure - a large slice of contemporary, american teenage-life full of twists and turns. It will leave you frighteningly shocked and make your spine tingle. It is a fusion of popular culture and violence fused with the power of social media, which is very much in vogue. This is a clever and intriguing story which has a fantastic ending to a fantastic read. 

Are YOU ready for your close up?

Other Red Eye Books: Dare you read a Red Eye?

Alex Bell - Frozen Charlotte -  5th Jan 2015
Lou Morgan - Sleepless - 5th Jan 2015
Simon Cheshire - Flesh and Blood - 2nd March 2015
Graham Marks - Bad Bones - 4th May 2015
Alex Bell - The Haunting - 1st Feb 2016 

Sophie McKenzie - All My Secrets - Book Review (Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books)

We have a brand new title from the bestselling, award-winning author, Sophie McKenzie. This book will intrigue you as a reader and deliver a hatful of surprises, as always. Sophie entertains us with a different tale and writing, but in her trademark style, which is fantastic. However, I don't feel that this is her best book to date. As always though, I never know what to expect from Sophie as she is such a diverse writer encompassing all ages. 

What I do expect is a great story and here is another......
The preface for this book is a 10 million pound inheritance from a woman called Irina Galloway. Evie wants to know who Irina is, and why she has been given this money. However, the discovery soon turns Evie Brown's world on its head. This is the start of a mysterious ride of self discovery when Evie finds out some hard hitting truths from her parents. 

Turning detective, she uncovers the mystery benefactor, a bucket load of unanswered questions and finds herself on the Scottish Island of Lightsea searching for answers. Catapulted into danger - the story brings a crashing wave of tension and suspense which, in my opinion, is what the author does best. 

A thrilling storm is whipped up full of mystery and a dark edge tone, which will have you riding the wave of ghostly appearances and spooky mayhem. This is fantastically clever, well constructed, very engaging and is probably the best part of the book. 

The early part of the setting connected with me in a special way. It really brought back my time staying on Rose Street (Edinburgh) making the plot feel very realistic. I could see and smell the flat, as well as hear the pedestrians slapping up and down the busy street. It brought back a vibe and so many happy memories. The book explores some emotionally charged topics which will make you think and help you to relate to modern teenage life. 

The writing is concise uncovering revelations and some dark secrets that will rock you to the core.  I really loved Evie as she is a normal and realistic teenage girl. Although, I would have perhaps liked to have seen more teenage angst pumped into the character's personality. Nevertheless she is very strong willed and a natural born fighter which I really took to in a big way.  

I had no problem following this story; pure escapism for me. Whilst this story is specifically aimed at teenagers, I feel a younger audience (10 years+) would especially devour and love this book, in my opinion. The book ties together all of the loose knots in a satisfactory and climatic way, which suggests that it is a standalone book with no other book to follow.    

I would definitely recommend The Medusa Project series by Sophie McKenzie; these are some of my all time personal favourite books. 

Published by Simon & Schuster Children's Books (2 July 2015)

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Recommended Children's Books - July 2015

Sophie McKenzie - All My Secrets - Published by Simon & Schuster Childrens Books (2 July 2015)
A brand new title from bestselling, award-winning author, Sophie McKenzie. The shocking reality behind a GBP10 million inheritance turns Evie Brown's world on its head. Unable to find out the truth from her parents, Evie ends up on the mysterious island of Lightsea, where her desire for answers leads her towards a series of revelations that threaten everything she holds dear ...including her life.

Huw Powell - The Lost Sword (SpaceJackers) - Published by Bloomsbury Children's (2 July 2015)

Star Wars meets Pirates of the Caribbean in this second swashbuckling quest for Jake Cutler and friends!

Jake Cutler - 13-year-old ruler of the secret planet Altus - is on the run from the Interstellar Navy. He and the crew of the pirate spaceship, the Dark Horse, are wanted over the disappearance of the ISS Colossus, the most powerful ship in the Navy's fleet.

But that's not the only reason Jake's being hunted. If he's found, he'll be forced to reveal the location of Altus, home to a fortune in crystals. With that much wealth, the Interstellar Navy plans to start an intergalactic war bigger than any seen before. It's up to Jake to stop them, but how will a teenager convince the rulers of the universe that they're in terrible danger?

Elen Caldecott - Crowns and Codebreakers (The Marsh Road Mysteries 2) - Published by Bloomsbury Children's (2 July 2015)

Meet Piotr, Minnie, Andrew, Flora and Sylvie - true friends and even better mystery-solvers!

When Minnie's gran comes to stay, all the way from Nigeria, Minnie KNOWS there will be trouble. And straight away Gran notices she's picked up the wrong suitcase at the airport. This one is full of boy's clothes, and she's not at all happy about it! But when their house is burgled and the only thing taken is the suitcase, Minnie realises there'll be much more trouble than she bargained for. Can the gang solve the crime or will the mystery of the little lost boy be forever unsolved?

The second in a fantastic new series filled with friendship, adventure and mystery!

Gillian Philip - Mysteries of Ravenstorm Island: The Ship of Ghosts - Published by Orchard Books (2 July 2015) 

Unlock the secrets of Ravenstorm Island...

Molly and Arthur already know that Ravenstorm Island is alive with magical secrets.

So they soon suspect that the appearance of a ghostly pirate ship might have something to do with the terrifying storms battering the island. What is the story behind the grudge between the pirates and Ravenstorm's gargoyle guardians?

And can the children break an ancient curse in time to save the island? 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: #1 Book Recommendation September 2014 - Paul Southern - Killing Sound

When Jodie’s parents were killed years ago during one of her father’s experiments with sound waves, Jodie was thought to be the only witness. But something else was released into the room that night. And its silence is deadly …

Jodie is cursed with a terrible gift. She just doesn’t know it yet. When she stumbles across one of her dead father’s old papers on sound waves in the attic, it sets her on a terrifying journey to find out more, leading her across the streets of London to the dark, untrodden tunnels of the Underground, where she is forced to face the truth. Her worst nightmare is about to become real. Worse, she can hear it coming.

Notes from the Author

"I wanted to write a book that, as a teenager, I would love to have read. I also wanted to scare the living daylights out of myself. Killing Sound is a book about the imagination and ghosts and science and superstition. It has a lot of Victorian melodrama and gothic horror to it – very dark and creepy – and I would recommend you sleep with the "I wanted to write a book that, as a teenager, I would love to have read. I also wanted to scare the living daylights out of myself. Killing Sound is a book about the imagination and ghosts and science and superstition. It has a lot of Victorian melodrama and gothic horror to it – very dark and creepy – and I would recommend you sleep with the light on after reading it. It was inspired by a quote I read about the London Underground from 1860: ‘The forthcoming end of the world would be hastened by the construction of underground railways burrowing into infernal regions and thereby disturbing the devil.’ As soon as I saw it, I was drawn inexorably down there to see if it were true."

About the Author

Paul Southern is a former 90’s pop star and academic who has previously written scary crime novels for adults. He was due to be born on Halloween night sometime in the 1960’s, and it still rankles with him that he wasn't . He has lived all over the UK but eventually settled in Manchester (which is quite scary, too). He can be found building various contraptions designed to ward off evil and wearing a top hat on midnight walks.

Mr Ripley's Book Review: Rohan Gavin - Knightley & Son - Published by Bloomsbury

                           

Bloomsbury has acquired a “darkly comic detective series” called Knightley & Son, which has been written by the screenwriter Rohan Gavin. This debut release will be out next year - 2nd January 2014. What makes this book particularly interesting to me is the authors aim. He mixes many genres and concepts into this book - fantasy, suspense, comedy and mystery. These are all of the things that excited the author as a child, but also older readers like me. I have to say that, in my opinion, this book surpasses all expectations. It was such an enjoyable and interesting read - I was very pleasantly surprised. I believe that this book should and, probably will do very really well.

Any fan of Sherlock Holmes will find this book very appealing. It is a very fast paced exploration into the detective world where you are introduced to Alan Knightley and his son, Darkus - two great detectives for the price of one. If the crime is too strange for Scotland Yard to handle then Alan Knightley is the man usually to solve it. Unfortunately he has recently fallen into a mysterious coma. However Darkus is determined to follow in his father's footsteps and find out what has really happened. 

It comes as a great surprise when Alan Knightley suddenly wakes up, but his memory is rather vague and he needs help to piece the events together. Fortunately Darkus is on hand to support him and the partnership suddenly springs into life for Knightley & Son with a mystery that gets stranger by the minute.

I don't want to spoil your reading pleasure so I'm not going to divulge any more information about the plot. However the characters, in this action packed tale, are a mixed bunch; they are very interesting but not at all representative of your stereotypical/average characters that you would normally find in this type of story. Interestingly, Alan and Darkus are not the only characters who are able to, and are good at, working things out in this adventure. A number of secondary characters are also able to deliver a lot of punch and mystery within the story. 

This book really hooked me in - I read it in one sitting. It had lots of wonderful ideas that worked particularly well, and had a slightly different feel to what I was expecting. My only small gripe was that I was hoping for a twist at some point in the story, but I never found it. However this didn't detract from the story itself which comprises of dark and sinister moments to keep you on the edge of your seat. It delivers great moments of comedy laughter that will have you chuckling to yourself, but it also incorporates the very heartwarming relationship between father and son. 

This book is full of suspense, mystery and some very clever detective skills. All of which will appeal to any fantasy lovers at any reading level. It is a very good build-up to a potentially fantastic series.

Mystery awaits and after all, how much power can one book have? Jump into the action and find out..... 

Mr Ripley's Book Review: Twinmaker by Sean Williams - Electric Monkey

                           

Twinmaker is the first instalment in a new trilogy that will definitely have you clambering to read the next book in the series. I have never actually read a book by this author, as a solo writer, only the books that he has collaborated with Garth Nix on. Therefore, I was very interested to read this yellow lump of a book which is over 500 pages long. The intriguing idea and the blurb on back was fascinating to me - I really wanted to see how this book would develop.

After two chapters or so the book, in my opinion, was not going too well. I found it really difficult to connect with the two main female characters. On reflection, I perhaps found them a little too overpowering. However, the further I read through the story the more things dramatically changed. More characters were brought into the mix and the whole story unfolded in an amazing way. It soon became an absolute joy to read. In fact, it got to the point where I could not put this book down. I soon found myself reading late into the night.

This book is set in a futuristic world which is strongly led by technology. It explores the themes of identity and social networking, which are both brought to a whole new level. It could be that this vision actually becomes reality in years to come. The ability to step into a booth and be instantly transported, to anyplace that you desire - even space. This fuels an amazing journey that will have you transported to Sean's imaginary world and all from the comfort of your very own armchair. 

Psychologically you will find it hitting the spot for the YA audience. It asks such questions as: if you were given the chance to change something about yourself, would you? What about if it was morally wrong, would you still do it?  The character, Libby, is determined to give it a try when she gets the following message offering 'improvements". . . . 

You are Special.

           You are Unique.

                 And you have been selected.

                           The method is simple.

                               Improvement is certain.

                                  You can change anything.

At this point, the adventure takes a fast rapid turn of events when Libby's friend, Claire, goes in search for answers. This new direction for the reader means that you will be sucked into a maelstrom and spat straight back out into an amazing futuristic world. You'll find yourself zipping from place to place in your own personal d-mat booth. 

The story for me included everything that you would want and more - it has been very cleverly written and thought out. The identifiable poetry quotations add a fascinating and interesting element to the story. Whilst the complex ideas that have been woven into the fabric of the story add another dimension and texture. The characters soon became engaging, interesting and varied. This book was a fantastic surprise for me - a really cool book and a dream to read. I'm ready to crashland back to reality......

Overall verdict: buy it and try it....

Published by Electric Monkey - UK (7 Nov 2013) ISBN-13: 978-1405264334

Website: http://twinmakerbooks.com/go/