Christian McKay Heidicker - Thieves of Weirdwood - (A William Shivering Tale) - Book Review - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

At times like this, we all need a jolly and interesting story. If you are a kid who loves a magical fantasy or a big kid (like me) who just wants to escape into a world so different from our very own then this is the book for you. This is a William Shivering tale written by Christian McKay Heidicker. Thieves of Weirdwood is due to be published in the US by Henry Holt and Co this month (May 2020). It is the first book in a planned series that has all the magical ingredients to keep you entertained.

One of the things you can not miss about this book is the fantastic book cover illustration which has been produced by the talented illustrator Eric Deschamps. Check out more of his great work here http://www.ericdeschamps.com. It really draws the reader to the book and makes you want to turn the pages inside. Once you enter this story, the book also has many great black and white illustrations by Anna Earley which really enhances the total reading experience.

One thing I have recently discovered about this book is that you can download an interactive Weirdwood Manor story app that is rather fun and great for keeping the kids entertained. Here is a link if you are interested (https://weirdwood.com). 

We are introduced to the brilliant Arthur and Wally, who are twelve-year-old thieves, looking to do a big job to pay off their debts. However, when Arthur spots some wealthy strangers leaving a deserted mansion he identifies an opportunity too good to miss. At this point, the strange just gets stranger! The reader is heading for a real treat as this story explodes into a fantasy extravaganza full of action and deadly peril that will have you hooked. 

These 'chalk cheese' thieves unravel a secret headquarters of a magical order who protect the balance between the REAL and IMAGINARY worlds. The nightmare soon begins as darkness descends into magical chaos consuming the reader. The bones in your body will quiver and shiver in an extraordinary world. From dolls that kiss and change you into porcelain and giant tentacle monsters that rip you from your comfy armchairs.

This is a very imaginative story full of complex twists and turns. All of which are told in a quirky narrative that blurs the real and imaginary with a flourish of the quill pen. It's very dark and atmospheric as you travel between the realms. The book has so much going on but the real question is: can they steal enough money to pay off the debts and save their home (Kingsport) from being just a tale? That's for you to get on board and find out. This is a fantastic start to a new series with much more to come. Make sure you check it out as it's really easy to buy a copy in the UK even though it has been published in the US and Canada.

Sinéad O’Hart - The Eye of the North - Q&A Interview with Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books has taken this fantastic opportunity, in the run-up to the publication of The Eye of the North, to ask Irish author Sinéad O’Hart about her debut book. The book will be published in the UK by Stripes Publishing on the 8th Feb 2018. It's a brilliant middle-grade fantasy - please check out my book review HERE

Thank you Sinéad for taking the time to answer some questions about the book. This interview takes a brilliant LOOK AT the book and gives you a great insight into the author and her writing. I hope this interview peaks your interest and makes you add this title to your reading pleasure. 

How would you sum up The Eye of the North to potential readers? 
The Eye of the North is a story about Emmeline, a girl with no friends, and a boy with no name who calls himself Thing as they are thrown headfirst into a mystery which threatens the entire world. They must learn to trust and rely on one another, and on the people around them (something neither of them has had much experience of) as they race to the frozen North to stop an ancient evil from being unleashed. It’s a story about friendship and loyalty, love and bravery, and doing whatever it takes to save the people closest to you – with added peril, mythical monsters and scary witches made of ice! 

What element are you most proud of in this book? Is there anything that you would change? 
I am proud of many things in The Eye of the North, but I think I’m proudest of Emmeline as a character. She’s anxious, cautious, suspicious and introverted (for reasons which are explained in the book), and it takes a while for the depth of her love for her family and her commitment to Thing to really come to the fore. She’s a bit atypical of what you’d expect from a main character, particularly a girl, and I wrote her like that purposefully. I wouldn’t change a thing about her – and I’m pretty happy with the book overall! There are a couple of typos, but hopefully nobody will spot those but me… 

Do you have any tips about writing convincing characters? 
I love characters who go against type – girls who are rebellious and scientific, inventors and explorers and the hero of their own story, and boys who are emotional, loving, kind and generous. None of that takes away from their strength, but instead deepens their character and makes them more interesting. My tips for writing convincing characters would be: make them unexpected, because that will make them seem more real and fully rounded; give them flaws as well as strengths, because nobody in real life is all one thing or another, and finally: let them speak to you. If a character wants to go in a particular direction, then let them – and see where it takes you! 

Which actor would you like to see play the lead character from your book? 
I don’t get to watch much TV or go to the cinema these days; I have a young child, so leisure time is a bit of a premium! As a result, I’m out of touch with the young actors and actresses of today. I imagine Emmeline as a twelve-year-old girl with dark eyes, light brown skin, long dark curly hair, and – as the book describes it – a ‘know-it-all nose’, and Thing as a boy of around the same age or a little older with blue eyes, pale skin and longish, messy dark hair which sticks up and out in an unruly fashion. If you know any good actors who fit the part, I’m all ears! 

Do you think that the book cover plays an important part in the buying process? 
For me, certainly it does – I am a sucker for an eye-catching cover, particularly well-designed lettering and typeface. I love both the covers which have been created for The Eye of the North, and I’m particularly pleased that they’re so different! I love the artist Jeff Nentrup’s 
imagining of Emmeline and Thing on the US cover, published by Knopf in 2017, and I adore Sara Mulvanny’s illustrative cover for the UK edition (Stripes Publishing, 2018), particularly the fact that she included the dogsled team which plays such an important role in the story. I really do think a good cover can do a huge amount to get a book from the shelf into a reader’s hand; cover design is definitely an art, and I have huge admiration for anyone who can get it just right. 

I have read that you love churches, graveyards and, antiques, do these influence your writing in any way? 
Yes! I do. I love visiting old churches, reading inscriptions on gravestones and learning about the past, and poking about in antique shops. I have a love for history and all things to do with ages gone by, which includes a love for mythology and folklore. That love of old stories certainly played a role in the writing of The Eye of the North, as it is filled with details and influences from all the old myths and tales I love. 

This is your debut book, what did you learn from writing it? 
That’s a big question. From writing this book, I learned it’s possible to have a dream come true, and from the process of having it published I learned that making a dream come true takes more work than I could have imagined. I learned to trust my inner voice, to allow my characters the space to do what they want, and that if I reach a point where I simply can’t write, that sometimes it means my brain is trying to stop me going down the wrong path, and not that I’m lazy or unmotivated. I also learned that sometimes, getting exactly what you’ve dreamed of and worked hard for can be scary, unexpected and overwhelming – but that it’s always worth it. 

Where is your favourite place to write? 
These days, I write wherever I can! I write with my laptop perched on my knees on the sofa or balanced on the kitchen worktop, after my little one goes to bed or whenever I can get someone else to distract her for a few minutes. I have a home office, too, but getting to use that is a real pleasure! 

How important are stories to you? What do you like to read? 
Stories are almost as important to me as breathing. I’ve been reading since I was very young, and it’s my favourite thing to do. I like it even more than writing, I think, though they do tend to go hand in hand! I like to read children’s books, primarily, and that’s been the case for over twenty years. When I read a book not specifically aimed at children, I like fantasy, historical novels, science fiction, and magical realism. Some of my favourite authors are Angela Carter, John Connolly, Jeanette Winterson, Ursula le Guin, Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, Jennifer Bell, Catherine Fisher, Diana Wynne Jones, Abi Elphinstone, Frances Hardinge, Philip Pullman, J.R. Wallis, Dave Rudden and Jonathan Stroud – but there are so many others, and I’m always discovering more.

Any website or resources that have been helpful to you as a writer?
I have always found www.writing.ie to be useful and informative, and – like everyone – I love the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook and its associated website (www.writersandartists.co.uk). I also think it’s great that literary agencies have their own websites with tips, hints, manuscript wishlists, submission instructions and many other gems. My own agency – www.greenhouseliterary.com – has a fab Question and Answer section which is full of useful information. I also love to make use of my own blog (www.sjohart.wordpress.com) and to follow other writers’ blogs, as I think sharing the process of writing for publication can be really helpful for others who want to follow in your footsteps. Writers on the road to publication can be very honest about the highs and lows of the journey, and they’re always worth following.

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Sinéad O’Hart - The Eye of the North - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Book Review

When Emmeline’s scientist parents mysteriously disappear, she finds herself heading for a safe house, where allies have pledged to protect her. But along the way, she is kidnapped by the villainous Doctor Siegfried Bauer, who is bound for the ice fields of Greenland. There he hopes to summon a mystical creature from the depths of the ancient glaciers, a creature said to be so powerful that whoever controls it can control the world. Unfortunately, Bauer isn’t the only one determined to unleash the creature. The North Witch has laid claim to the mythical beast, too, and Emmeline—along with a scrappy stowaway named Thing—may be the only one with the power to save the world as we know it. Can Emmeline face one of the greatest legends of all time—and live to tell the tale?

Sinéad O’Hart’s brilliant debut 'The Eye of the North’ will be published on the 8th February 2018 by Stripes publishing UK. The cracking book cover has been fantastically designed by the talented illustrator Sara Mulvanny. What do you think of the cover art? The US Knopf book cover is also at the bottom of the post. Which one do you like the most?

This is an early review for the UK, but the book has already been published in the US by Knopf Books for Young Readers on the 22nd August 2017.

For as long as she could remember, Emmeline Widget had been sure that her parents were trying to kill her. The opening of the book has a really unhappy Lemony Snicket feel about it. It really depicts a desperately sad and difficult situation. As a result, the main character (Emmeline) is dragged into an adventure with a satchel full of unhappiness, loneliness, and sadness but true fighting spirit. This really drives the narrative into a frenzy of arctic winter action that will have you on tenterhooks all the way through. 

The author has a good grasp of imagination that will keep the middle-grade audience hooked and is perfectly pitched, in my opinion. There is a great balance of action drama and character dialogue. I loved the imperfections of the characters in the book. 'Thing' was my favourite character; his resourcefulness, spiritedness, and impulsive actions brought drama and humour into the story. He really brought emotion and feeling into an adventure-packed story. 

This is a fantastic amalgamation of old fairy tales cleverly intertwined with creative fantasy imagination. The only problem I had with this book was the ending. I think this was due to the author weaving too many character story threads into the main story and then trying to fit them all neatly into the end of the book. In my opinion, sometimes keeping it simple/focused is the best way in this style of book. Nevertheless, this does not detract from the book itself as I loved every page of it. 

This book is a winter explosion, a brilliant storm of mythical beasts and creative characters. It is a boat ride of inventiveness and sleigh ride of craziness should appeal to every reader under the Arctic sun. A great spirited adventure that delivers a glacier full of courage in order to save the day. This is a book that you will want to read and will really enjoy doing so. 

Sinéad O’Hart’ lives in County Meath, near Dublin with her husband and their daughter. She has a degree in Medieval Studies. a PhD in Old and Middle English Language and Literature and can read Middle English with perfect fluency. The Eye of the North is Sinéad’s first book. You can find out more by visiting her website or follow her on Twitter.

Guest Post - Danica Davidson - and The Minecrafters Blog Tour! (Minecraft and Humour)

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books welcomes Danica Davidson on the  Minecrafters Blog Tour!  Over the next few weeks, bloggers across the internet will be taking part on the Danica Davidson’s Minecrafter book blog tour for middle-grade readers. There will be a host of interviews, guest posts, book reviews and much more! My post by Danica is about the balance between "Minecraft and Humour." It is a brilliant post to find out more about these best-selling books. Please also check out the other stops by using the #BooksForMinecrafters on twitter. I hope you enjoy this post. 

There are a lot of things you can do with Minecraft — build castles, fight monsters, even improve your math and science skills. What do I like to do? Write adventure novels for kids that take place as if Minecraft is a real world. When I do this, I’m balancing an actual video game, adventure with lots of chapter cliffhangers, and real-world issues like cyberbullying. And I like to keep in a touch of humor. 

Millions of kids around the world are in love with Minecraft, so when I was first coming up with ideas for these books, I thought it should be told from a kid’s point-of-view. So enter the main character, Stevie: an eleven-year-old boy who lives in the Minecraft world. He has trouble fitting in with the kids from his village and fighting off monsters, which has him feeling insecure about himself. But then he accidentally discovers a portal to Earth, and everything changes. 
Stevie meets Maison, an 11-year-old girl who doesn’t fit in at her new school and who is bullied by some older kids. When monsters from Minecraft also break through the portal, it’s up to the new friends to stop them. From there, the two continue to go on missions, including stopping a zombie takeover of Minecraft spearheaded by a cyberbully to stopping Herobrine, a mythological villain in Minecraft lore. 

These are adventure stories first and foremost, so people who don’t play Minecraft can read them as well, but Minecraft players will notice a lot more references. This is part of where the humor comes in. Stevie experiences total culture shock finding Earth, and I like to play around with what he thinks about stuff that’s normal to us but absurd to him. For instance, I’m typing this right now with fingers. But for Stevie, who lives in a world where everyone has finger-less, box-shaped hands, fingers are pretty weird. Likewise, he’s baffled by cars, schools, computers, the Internet, all sorts of things. I think this can be fun for kids, too, because it gets them thinking about how different people will have different perspectives, and gets us thinking about things we take for granted. It might be a fun thing to do for a class project — ask kids, “If you’re a Minecraft character who just came to Earth, what would stand out most to you?” You can have quite a bit of fun with this. A number of my reviews, including ones from big publications like School Library Journal, point out the humor I make sure to include.

Sometimes just day-to-day life gives us plenty of humor, like with people’s idiosyncrasies. As the series continues, more characters are included with their own set of quirks, like Stevie’s cousin Alex who loves adventure, no matter how much danger it may put her in, or Yancy, a boy from Earth who usually has a few pretty good one-liners. Humor can also be a great way to talk about serious issues, because it can take some of the sting out of them and get to people’s real feelings. I hope when kids read my books, they can’t stop turning the pages because they care about the characters and what’s going to happen to them — and I also hope they get in a few good laughs.

Adventure Against the Endermen: An Unofficial Overworld Heroes Adventure - Published by Sky Pony Press (23 Nov. 2017)

About the Author
Writing has been my greatest love for as far back as I can remember. I've always enjoyed telling stories. I started writing at the age of three by dictating stories to my parents and then drawing pictures to accompany them. This continued during elementary school, though eventually I stopped writing picture books and began writing longer and longer stories. By middle school, I was regularly completing novels. The Los Angeles Times gave me the great honor of interviewing me as a fourteen-year-old novelist.   

Since then I've gotten involved in professional journalistic work, writing for about fifty different magazines, newspapers and websites. Some samples of these can be found on my Published Articles  page. I have also written the English adaptation of Japanese graphic novels when they were published in America. Alongside this I'm constantly penning out my fiction and working to accomplish my dream of becoming a full-time novelist.  You can find out a bit more about this on my Novels page, and you can order my MG novel, Escape from the Overworld, here.  I've never found anything more gratifying, emotional and consuming than putting stories down on paper and seeing where my imagination leads me. 

Website: http://www.danicadavidson.com

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Michael Grant - Monster (The Monster Series) #Gone - Book Review

It’s been four years since a meteor hit Perdido Beach and everyone disappeared. Everyone, except the kids trapped in the FAYZ—an invisible dome that was created by an alien virus. Inside the FAYZ, animals began to mutate and teens developed dangerous powers. The terrifying new world was plagued with hunger, lies, and fear of the unknown. 

Now the dome is gone and meteors are hitting earth with an even deadlier virus. Humans will mutate into monsters and the whole world will be exposed. As some teens begin to morph into heroes, they will find that others have become dangerously out of control…and that the world is on the brink of a monstrous battle between good and evil.

This is the first riveting book in the new trilogy (The Monster Series) by Michael Grant. We are introduced to a range of new, exciting and diverse characters whilst also meeting and catching up with the familiar characters from The Gone Series. Michael has integrated both extremely well to create an exciting and compelling story. It really helps to connect the reader with every aspect of the story and can be read as a stand alone novel. 

Readers will be able to easily relate to one, or a number of characters, through the diversity of personalities which brings the universe crashing down explosively. The dome is down and the story has just begun in a fantastic installment that will change the face of the universe and keep you on your fantasy reading toes.

Set four years after the final book in the Gone series. Michael sets about exploring what it means to be a superhero/villain. The characters' superhero powers and reactions do not always make them a hero. One of the characters, through a series of events, soon find themselves becoming the biggest supervillain. It is fascinating to understand and read the characters' motives. It really highlights and promotes the reader to think about the influences and outcomes on people which can change them.

This is a fantastically articulated story that follows a character you might be all too familiar with called "Shade Darby". She has witnessed events that day, with devastating consequences, and vowed never to feel that powerless again. Now, four years later, she gets her hands on part of the meteor that began it all – and that’s when she changes.

This book features a range of sub-plots that leads the reader down many paths. This helps to connect the reader to the previous series by grabbing the attention of older Michael Grant readers as well as new ones. I really enjoyed reading about, and experiencing, the morphing/mutating from the 'ordinary' character to the one with super-human-powers. The transition was a real eye opener in some cases, as the superhero/villain was a much larger than life destructive force and makes you want to run for cover.

The plot line is very definitely driven by action and dynamic battles with a fantastic narrative that might just blow your fantasy socks off. The character's 'monster' forms are a heady mix of emotions and uniqueness. All are combined to create a fast-paced and heart-pounding sci-fi-thriller. It is incredibly well written but would be equally as effective on the big screen. The high-octane action was dispersed throughout the story rather than just at a particular point. As a result, this really enhanced the characters' interactions and developed the depth of the story.

​This book is not out until October, 19th 2017 (UK) Egmont (US) Katherine Tegen so this is a very early review. However, I loved this book so much that I wanted to let the monster urges out so I could not wait to review it. This is the best teenage book that I have read this year - Michael Grant has excelled himself. I understand from Michael Grant himself that Book Two is to be called Villain (2018) and Book three will be Hero (2018). However, this is a long way away and could all change.

Michael Grant lives in San Francisco with his wife, Katherine Applegate, and has written over 150 books - with Katherine, as himself, under pseudonyms and as a ghostwriter. He is best know for the international multi-million-selling young adult six-book GONE series: GONE, HUNGER, LIES, PLAGUE, FEAR and LIGHT. 

Which is your favourite book cover? 
The top one is the UK book cover.
This one underneath is the US book cover. 
I'm very interested to know what you think! 

Jack Cheng - See You in the Cosmos - Book Review (Puffin 2 Mar. 2017) Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

A space-obsessed boy and his dog, Carl Sagan, take a journey toward family, love, hope, and awe in this funny and moving novel for fans of Counting by 7s and Walk Two Moons.

11-year-old Alex Petroski loves space and rockets, his mom, his brother, and his dog Carl Sagan - named for his hero, the real-life astronomer. All he wants is to launch his golden iPod into space the way Carl Sagan (the man, not the dog) launched his Golden Record on the Voyager spacecraft in 1977. From Colorado to New Mexico, Las Vegas to L.A., Alex records a journey on his iPod to show other lifeforms what life on earth, his earth, is like. But his destination keeps changing. And the funny, lost, remarkable people he meets along the way can only partially prepare him for the secrets he'll uncover - from the truth about his long-dead dad to the fact that, for a kid with a troubled mom and a mostly not-around brother, he has way more family than he ever knew.

See You in the Cosmos is the first book to be published by the outstanding new talent, Jack Cheng. The novel will be jointly published by Puffin Books, here in the UK, and Dial Books for Young Readers in the US. It's a fantastic story that will make its maiden voyage into the cosmos on a golden iPod and beyond from early March 2017. 

The skies will certainly move and the stars will shine brightly with every page turned. It's an uplifting and poignant story which is told with passion. It has been written from deep within the author's heart. As you skip your way through the book, following 11-year-old Alex Petroski (space obsessed boy) through a moving landscape of emotions, his distinctive voice will pull you through a turbulent narrative that is one of the best that I have read for some time. Other people will make comparisons to other books but, in my opinion, that is not really fair. This book and its plot is a unique reading gem and one that I would definitely recommend for you to read. 

When I received this book for review, I initially had my doubts about it. I loved the book cover but the synopsis did not really grab me. It was only when I opened the first page that I became hooked by the internal voice from the main character; it's brilliant, compelling and very special. Alex records everything and the story plays out through a sequence of recordings from his golden iPod. He records the story of how he travels to New Mexico, to a rocket festival, with his best friend, Carl Sagan (his dog), who was named after his hero the American Astronomer. The ongoing transcript of Alex's iPod is brilliant and a really quirky way of telling the story. 

It is a very moving and powerful story. Alex finds out that a man, with the same name and birthday as his dead father, has an address in Las Vegas. From this point forward, the story will move you incredibly as you laugh and cry throughout this amazing journey. One minute you will be flying to Mars on a tank full of LOX immersed in great humour, but then you'll find yourself catapulted onto a rollercoaster full of acronyms and emotions that will hit your senses. It soon brings you crashing back to earth with sadness, a heavy heart and a feeling of emptiness. 

I hope you that you will read this book once it has been published as it will make you look at the world and people around you in a different light. It will pump you full of empathy and humility and should, hopefully, also show you the joy of being alive. It's a fantastically inspiring read that will take you out of the stratosphere and stay in your heart for a very long time. The last time I felt like this was reading 'The Bubble Boy' by Stewart Foster. Fantastic, riveting and I have awarded it five golden stars! 

See You in the Cosmos - SYS! 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Middle Grade Book Picks (8yrs-12yrs) US & UK Published

Ross Welford - What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible - Published by HarperCollins Children's Books - UK (29 Dec. 2016)

From the author of the unforgettable bestseller TIME TRAVELLING WITH A HAMSTER comes another surprising, beautiful and funny novel about a child who, by disappearing, will write herself into your heart forever…

Turning invisible at will: it’s one way of curing your acne. But far more drastic than 13 year-old Ethel Leatherhead intended when she tried a combination of untested medicines and a sunbed.

It’s fun at first, being invisible. And aided by her friend Boydy, she manages to keep her extraordinary ability secret. Or does she…?

When one day the invisibility fails to wear off, Ethel is thrown into a nightmare of lies and deception as she struggles to keep herself safe, to find the remedy that will make her seen again – and solve the mystery of her own birth…

Eva Howard - League of Archers (League or Archers) - Published by Aladdin  - US (6 Dec. 2016)

A girl on the run after being accused of killing Robin Hood learns what it really means to be a hero in this exciting adventure story. 
That s the girl who killed Robin Hood! Those words send Ellie Dray racing for the forest and the chance to clear her name. 
Twelve-year-old novice nun Elinor Dray has always idolized Robin Hood. She and her friends try to be like him by sneaking out to hunt on the lands belonging to the village Baron, stealing from him to feed their poor neighbors. They call themselves the League of Archers. 
While returning from a hunting trip late one night, Ellie meets a man in the forest a hunter like herself. But suddenly the man is shot with a poisoned arrow. She manages to help him back to the abbey, but it s too late and he dies. Only in his final moments, does Ellie realize that the hunter is Robin Hood, and that the abbess of the nunnery is Maid Marian. 
With her secret revealed, the Baron immediately arrests Marian. But he needs a scapegoat for the murder of Robin Hood, and who better than a young novice nun? Ellie is proclaimed a hero the person who killed the famous outlaw Robin Hood but the villagers don t agree. A mob forms, vowing to hunt Ellie down and exact their own vengeance. 
Will Ellie and her League of Archers be able to find the real killer, free Maid Marian, and keep Robin Hoods legacy alive?

Wade Albert White - The Adventurer's Guide to Successful Escapes - Published by Little, Brown Young Readers - US (29 Dec. 2016) 

Step into a world made up of magickal floating tiers, where fantasy and science fiction meet in dark alleys, dragons aren't nearly as innocent as they look (which is to say, not innocent at all), and nothing is quite what it seems.

Anne has spent all of her nearly thirteen years at Saint Lupin's Institute for Perpetually Wicked and Hideously Unattractive Children, dreaming of wild voyages and looking forward to the day she and her best friend Penelope will board a ship to a better life. But when that day comes, Anne is denied her ticket due to a bureaucratic technicality (and one very determined, possibly evil Matron), and her escape plan sets an epic adventure into motion.

With a mysterious dragon medallion now fused to her right hand, Anne makes her way to a quest academy and discovers that she has been charged with a Rightful Heir Quest. She, Penelope, and new questing partner Hiro have only days to uncover the truth of Anne's quest, and to conquer it. To succeed, they'll have to travel to strange new tiers, solve myriad riddles, and triumph over time, foes, and bureaucracy-or face the horrible consequences.

Packed with action, wit, and endless heart, debut author Wade Albert White brings us the first volume in an irresistible and original new fantasy series (that doesn't take itself too seriously).

Suzanne LaFleur -Beautiful Blue World - Published by Random House Books for Young Readers (12 Dec. 2016)

Beautiful Blue World is a thrilling and moving story of children who become the key to winning a war. 
Sofarende is at war. For twelve-year-old Mathilde, it means food shortages, feuding neighbors, and bombings. Even so, as long as she and her best friend, Megs, are together, they ll be all right. 
But the army is recruiting children, and paying families well for their service. If Megs takes the test, Mathilde knows she will pass. Megs hopes the army is the way to save her family. Mathilde fears it might separate them forever. 
This touching and suspenseful novel is a brilliant reimagining of war, where even kindness can be a weapon, and children have the power to see what adults cannot."

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: First Look at Stephanie Garber's highly-anticipated YA novel, Caraval (Jan 2017)

This is the first look at Stephanie Garber’s YA debut, Caraval. This book is one of the most anticipated books to be released in January 2017. The book will be published in the U.K by Hodder & Stoughton and the US by Flatiron books, 31. Jan. 2017.  The film rights have already been snapped up by the producer of the Divergent series. Suffice it to say, you’re going to want to keep an eye on this one. A  stunningly imaginative debut novel, perfect for anyone who loved The Night Circus or Daughter of Smoke and Bone.

CARAVAL 

An original world. A legendary competition. A mesmerizing romance. An unbreakable bond between two sisters. 

Welcome to Caraval—the first book in a spell-casting fantasy series that’s perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles series and The Night Circus.

Before you enter the world of Caraval, you must remember that it’s all a game . . .

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

Then, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation to Caraval finally arrives. So, Tella enlists a mysterious sailor’s help to whisk Scarlett away to this year’s show. But as soon as the trio arrives, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nonetheless soon becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with her sister, with Legend, and 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.

Caleb Krisp - Are you ready for Ivy Pocket? What do you mean, not again?

Are you ready for Ivy Pocket? The wickedly funny, completely unreliable maid of no importance returns—this time as a coffin maker’s daughter—in this action-packed sequel to Anyone but Ivy Pocket. Published by Bloomsbury 05/05/2016(UK) Greenwillow Books 05/31/2016(US)

Caleb Krisp: Miss Pocket, being a twelve-year-old lady's maid of no importance, it must have been a great shock when I chose to write a book about you.

Ivy Pocket: Not really, dear. You're hardly the first.

Caleb Krisp: You . . . you would have me believe that there have been other books written about you?

Ivy Pocket: I'm practically positive.

Caleb Krisp: Name them.

Ivy Pocket: It's shocking that you even have to ask, for they are awfully well known. Ivy Pocket and the Sorcerer's Whatsit was a great hit. Followed up most spectacularly with Ivy Pocket and the Chamber of Thingermajigs. And Ivy of Green Gables is a classic. Diary of a Whimsical Kidwas the best-selling book of 1889, based entirely on my journals. Second only to The Lion, The Witch and the Windmill, which chronicles my perilous journey across the badlands of Holland armed with just two hairpins and a honeypot.

Caleb Krisp: Forget I asked. Somebody call my agent!

Ivy Pocket: Mr. Krisp, you're scowling in a most unattractive fashion and your double chin is all atremble. What's the matter?

Caleb Krisp: What's the matter? I am a serious author, Miss Pocket, and yet when I sat down to write my great masterpiece, the very stuff of my soul, who was it that appeared? You, that's who!

Ivy Pocket: No need to thank me, dear. It warms my soul that of all the writers in the world who might stumble upon my wondrous adventure, it was a bald, friendless fatso in desperate need of a hit. Well done!

Caleb Krisp: Tell me, Miss Pocket, why are you such an infuriating, disobedient, troublesome girl?

Ivy Pocket: Practice, I should think.

Caleb Krisp: Is it any wonder that from the first chapter, people are either trying to get away from you, or kill you?

Ivy Pocket: Well that's hardly my fault, now is it? You decided to leave me alone and penniless in Paris with no way of getting home. I would have been bonkers to reject Countess Carbunkle's generous offer to deliver that cursed diamond to Matilda Butterfield for her twelfth birthday. How was I supposed to know that the necklace she entrusted me with has the power to—

Caleb Krisp: Button your lips, Miss Pocket. We do not want to spoil things for our readers.

Ivy Pocket: Do I look like some sort of dimwitted nincompoop? I was simply going to point out that the great secret shadowing me for the entire book is that—

Caleb Krisp: Another word from you, Miss Pocket, and I will write you into a locked box and bury you beneath the sea. Do you understand?

Ivy Pocket: Hardly ever.

Caleb Krisp: Besides, your story is not yet finished. If you thought you had trouble in this book, just wait for the sequel, Miss Pocket.
Ivy Pocket: No thank you. I'll wait for the movie if you don't mind.

Caleb Krisp: Ugh. Hideous child.

Ivy Pocket: Happy to help, dear.

Nicholas Gannon - The Doldrums - Book Review - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Archer B. Helmsley longs for adventure. But how can he have an adventure when he can’t even leave his house?

Archer B. Helmsley has grown up in a house full of oddities and treasures collected by his grandparents, the famous explorers. Archer longs for grand adventures but ever since his grandparents went missing on an iceberg, his mother barely lets him leave the house. So, along with his best friends, Adélaïde L. Belmont and Oliver Grub, Archer forms a plan to get out of the house and set off on a grand adventure with crocodiles and parachutes and danger. It's a good plan. Well, it's not bad, anyway. But nothing goes quite as they expected…

I had a really good feeling about this book when it arrived. You only need to look at the physical appearance of it and you know that the publishing company have pulled out all the stops. It is really special to handle and lovely to look through. The cover is fantastic and inside the colour illustrations are exquisite; a delight to behold. The images are bold and use a good palette of autumnal colours with some delightful blues for added measure. The images are somewhat quirky and very engaging; I loved them all.

Interestingly, there are also some small black-and-white illustrations peppered through the chapters, which work really well. They give the reader a great sense of the amazing adventure that will soon unfold. What is particularly impressive, is that the author has produced these illustrations himself!

This book felt special right from the very first page.  It is a lovely poetic look at children being children, living in an adult world and yearning for adventure.  It leaves a warm feeling inside as the reader bonds with the plot and the unlikely trio of characters. Their friendships will make you smile from a tiger's head to a crocodile's toe. The characters will pirouette into your lives with such uniqueness and hold a special place in your own heart. 

The book is born out of wild imagination and leads the reader on a journey of fantasy escapism that everyone will love, from nine to hundred and nine. It's very witty and I love the subtleness of the
humour; slightly offbeat which works at all age levels, in my opinion. 

You'll find yourself being firmly whisked into a world that is rich in detail capturing the essence of New York City - magical and enchanting - where people's lives are played out in technicolour. Even though it might not be set there, it makes me want to go back. It's very cleverly written, especially from a debut author. It is well thought out and worded beautifully; thoroughly entertaining.

This book will become a timeless classic which is full of pure eventfulness just like Brian Selznick and Blue Baliett; wonderful books that will keep you reading all night long.  It's pure silliness and will soon have you talking to a range of stuffed animals. With a giddy sense of excitement and a touch of mystery, this is my favourite book of the year, so far. It's a visual feast for the eyes and the brain; an exciting new talent to watch. 

I would love to see it as a film one day soon, I hope! 


Published by HarperCollins Children's Books (UK) (8 Oct. 2015) and Greenwillow Books (USA) (September 29, 2015)

Authors web site: http://www.nicholasgannon.com/main.html