Children's Book Picks November 2021 - UK Post One - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

Graham Whitlock -  The Crystal Palace Chronicles Book 1: Star of Nimrod  - Published by Grass Roots Productions Ltd (4 Nov. 2021) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1739980429 - Paperback 

WHAT IF THE PAST BECAME YOUR FUTURE? Join teenager Joe on a rollercoaster adventure travelling back in time to the heyday of Victorian Crystal Palace.

Joe's world is turned upside down when he discovers a shattered compass among the brambles where the Crystal Palace once stood and travels through time back to 1888.

With help from the teenage H. G. Wells and Samuel Coleridge Taylor, daredevil Iris Blondin, Arthur Conan Doyle the creator of Sherlock Holmes and the Queen of the Gypsies, Joe must foil dangerous diamond thieves to uncover dark secrets about the 'People's Palace'. Standing on boundaries between worlds, its mysterious secrets are tied to the fate of his family.

Will Joe be trapped in the past with his new friends, find a way to return to his family or can he somehow have both?

Vivian French - The Runaways of Haddington Hall - Published by Walker Books (4 Nov. 2021) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1406387537 - Paperback 

A high octane, high drama romp, following the adventures of Victorian laundry maid Minnie O'Sullivan and her unforgettable band of friends.

After a series of misfortunes, Minnie O’Sullivan is whisked away to Haddington Hall: a nightmarish home for wayward girls. Bad becomes worse when the hall’s ruthless founder, Mrs Haddington, takes an instant dislike to brave, determined Minnie, and she’s in danger of losing everything… But Minnie has never backed down from a fight in her life, and she’s not about to start now! Irresistible characters and a compulsive plot with twists aplenty; Vivian French conjures up the very spirit of Dickensian England in a wonderful new novel for middle-grade readers.

Ross Montgomery - The Chime Seekers - Published by Walker Books (4 Nov. 2021) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1406391190 - Paperback 

Step into a world of faerie tricks and hidden danger...

When an evil faerie steals Yanni’s baby sister and swaps her for a changeling, Yanni is swept into a dangerous race against time to get her back. 

For faeries delight in tricks and rescuing her won’t be easy. With the help of his cousin, Amy, and the reluctant changeling, Yanni must travel to goblin palaces and battle-swept oceans, discovering ancient treasures and secrets along the way. 

Yanni will need every drop of courage and even a few tricks of his own, if he’s to outwit the faerie and save his sister…

Ross Montgomery brings the magical world of British folklore to life in this contemporary fantasy novel. Bursting with Ross's trademark charm, humour and heart, and with echoes of David Bowie's Labyrinth.

Lucy Strange - Sisters of the Lost Marsh - Published by Chicken House (4 Nov. 2021) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1913322373 - Paperback 

Life is hard for Willa, Grace and Freya, and their three younger sisters. Six motherless girls working a farm, living in fear of their cruel father and the superstition that obsesses him - The Curse of Six Daughters. 

With the arrival of the mysterious Full Moon Fayre, there's a chance for the eldest girls to steal a moment's fun, but the day the fayre moves on, Grace vanishes. 

Willa goes after her, following a trail that leads into the dangerous Lost Marsh, where it is said a will-o'-the-wisp lures lost souls into the dark waters of the mire. If Willa is to survive and reunite her family, she will need to unravel the secrets her father has kept hidden, and face her own deepest fears ...

Guest Post: Matthew Wainwright - Expectation vs Reality - Out of the Smoke - Mr.Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

Welcome to our second guest post. The first was by Philip Womack talking about his forthcoming Young Adult book WILDLORD which will be published this October. The second post (below) is by Matthew Wainwright and talks about his debut book OUT OF THE SMOKE being published in a national pandemic. It's a brilliant post about facing a new set of realities. Thank you Matthew for taking the time to write this post. 

If you fancy reading this brilliant book and want to support the author and small publishing company then you can purchase a copy from Waterstones HERE

Equally, you can order it from your local independent bookshop which will perhaps encourage more bookshops to stock it. Thank you for reading and we hope you all have a great day. 

Debuting in Lockdown: Expectation vs Reality

Every aspiring author dreams of landing a publishing deal. For many of us it’s our entire reason for existence. We can spend so many hours daydreaming, picturing how it will happen and building up the moment in our imagination, that when it finally comes there is usually an alarming jolt as expectation violently collides with reality.

For me, this jolt was twofold. Firstly, my deal was not with a Big Five publishing house, was not for a six-book series, and was not attended by a nationwide publicity campaign. Instead (and probably in common with most authors) I signed with a small independent label, for a single book, with the expectation that I would shoulder at least some of the responsibility of spreading the word about it.

And actually, this was fine. I was excited about the prospect of talking to people, drumming up support, and whipping up a bit of excitement. I have a background in graphic design, and was looking forward to flexing some pixels on social media and beyond. Being with a smaller publisher meant I had more direct contact with my editor and more editorial input; I was even allowed the opportunity to design my own cover (for better or worse).

But then the second jolt hit. On the 23rd of March 2020 England went into a national lockdown, closing schools and bookshops across the country and, in one fell swoop, cutting off the two main avenues I had been counting on to carry the bulk of my publicity. My book was due for release at the end of October, so it seemed likely things would be open again by the time it was ready to land in people’s hands, but it was still a huge blow to my pre-publication timetable.

To cap it all, this was my publisher’s first foray into YA novels, and they spooked a little. Not enough to pull the book, but enough to scale back the release to two stages: an initial limited release in October as planned, online and to selected bookshops who already stocked their titles; and a later, wider release once things had calmed down.

At first this seemed like a killing blow. I had been looking forward to walking into Waterstones and seeing copies of my book on shelves, and somehow my success or failure as an author was bound up in this image. Having a limited release, especially being largely online, felt fake, as if I wasn’t a ‘real’ author. I was afraid that poor sales and a lack of publicity would put my publisher off the idea of pursuing further titles. The dream had soured.

I swallowed my disappointment. After all, what else was there to do? I redoubled my efforts online, firing up Photoshop and running a cover reveal on Instagram over the course of two weeks in the summer, as well as teasing extracts of the book along with the gorgeous chapter header illustrations. I shelled out some of my own cash to promote Facebook and Instagram posts, encouraging people to preorder from the publisher and Amazon, and the response was encouraging. Not overwhelming, but enough to make me think that maybe there was still hope.

October came around. I received my first author copies, and held (and smelled!) my own book for the very first time, feeling a muted thrill of the heady excitement I had long dreamed about. Preorders were not staggering, but still respectable, and my publisher was happy. Reviews began to trickle in, and they were universally good. Everything had gone about as well as could be expected.

And there, I think, is the point: the release of my first book was not an earth-shattering moment, but then it was never going to be. Reality can never live up to expectation; things are never as incredible or dreadful as we think they are going to be. Sometimes life takes us by surprise, but it’s surprising precisely because it happens so rarely. I was always going to be a very small fish thrown into a very large sea, and sink or swim I was unlikely to make very large waves. Releasing in lockdown gave me a reason to temper my expectations and ration my hope. Even very small things, the fewest words of praise or encouragement, felt incredibly precious to me. Every win was a big win, because the odds were suddenly so astronomically high.

Since October my publisher has gradually begun to cast their net wider. We’re reaching out to schools, and I’ve begun to develop a pack of learning resources. Home educators have been a surprising customer base, and word of mouth has done what it does best in that community. I have one virtual author visit booked in for the Easter holidays, and a handful more pencilled in with various schools for when “things get better”. My daughter dressed up as one of my characters for World Book Day, and the headteacher at her school emailed me to thank me for the copy he received in the post. My old primary school tweeted about how they looked forward to having me in. Small things, but each one of them precious and beautiful. The bookshops are still closed (for now), but that’s fine with me. I’m concentrating on building relationships with teachers and home educators, and I know that things will progress in their own time.

Now I look back on it, I realise my expectations had never been realistic — I had been dreaming the dream, rather than visualising the future. Had I not released in lockdown, I might have been immensely disappointed with the exact same things I have come to cherish: the small messages of thanks, the gradual outreach to schools, the slow accumulation of feedback.

This was not a disaster: it was merely an alternative. As it stands, I am probably a happier author for it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mr Ripley's Book Review: Wild Boy and the Black Terror - By Rob LLoyd Jones

Welcome to another roller coaster ride following Wild Boy and Clarissa. In this book the case is known as the Black Terror. It is a Sherlock-esq detective novel set in London, but it has a slight twist. Wild boy is not your conventional hero-type character. He is classed as a circus freak due to his hairy appearance, but he soon finds himself running from the circus and his past. Clarissa, his sidekick and troublemaker from the circus, teams up with Wild boy once again, as they dodge the danger and mayhem that they soon find themselves facing once more.

This story is a delight to read - deliciously dark and very compelling. The duo hurtle into danger. They visit the darkest corners of Victorian London from the vilest slums to the grandest of palaces. Transported into a fantastically imagined plot, a poisoner stalks LONDON leaving his victims mad with TERROR and then dead.

Wild boy and Clarissa are the city's last hope in finding the killer as well as the cure for the BLACK TERROR. The darkness slowly creeps into the readers' bones - a merry dance ensues with the possibilities: Who is the killer?  Many options keep the reader guessing right to the very end of the book. The strong element of intrigue and mystery lives in every pore of the page. It certainly keeps the reader on their little tentative toes.

The crisp narrative of this book is equally as good as the first book, so if you enjoyed the first encounter then you will not be disappointed by this one. It firmly places this series as one of my favourites. The book looks and feels great - the period touches by Owen Davey really enhance the look of the book whilst the effective use of typography and colour really burst off the page. These are all great touches and really build up to the start of a very worthy story.

The book had some very surreal moments to fuel the imagination to the darkest levels. The story hurtles forward at a hundred miles an hour. A frenzy of fast-paced action and humour entertains the reader in every chapter. One of my favourite sections of the book involved the task of breaking and stealing a precious stone in Oberstein's showroom. However, as I don't want to reveal the outcome, I will say no more other than it had me gripped . . . . fantasy gold.

The ending did not let this book down- all of the loose ends were tied together and created a thrilling ending. I would definitely recommend this book and series to anyone and everyone. It is an epic triumph - hopefully more adventures and books will come in the future.

Published by Walker Books - July 2014

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's and Teen Books Picks - August 2014

Glen Huser - The Elevator Ghost - Published by Groundwood Books (Canada) - (12 Aug 2014) - Small Press Pick 

When Carolina Giddle moves into the Blatchford Arms, no one knows what to make of her sequin-sprinkled sneakers and her trinket-crusted car. But the parents are happy there’s a new babysitter around, and Carolina seems to have an uncanny ability to calm the most rambunctious child with her ghostly stories.

Armed with unusual snacks (bone-shaped peppermints, granghoula bars and Rumpelstiltskin sandwiches), candles to set the mood, and her trusty sidekick — a tarantula named Chiquita, Carolina entertains the children with some good old-fashioned storytelling and, at the end, a great Halloween party.

Governor General’s Award winner Glen Huser brings his quirky sense of humor and horror to some time-honored motifs. The artistic Lubinitsky girls find out that artists must be wary of the power of their own creations. Holy terror Angelo Bellini discovers that no one can throw a tantrum like a double-crossed pirate. The Hooper kids, including UFO junkie Benjamin, learn about some eerie goings-on in the New Mexico desert. Timid Hubert and Hetty Croop are practically afraid of their own shadows, until they hear the story of a boy who finds the perfect weapon for overcoming his fear of the dark. And Dwight and Dwayne Fergus, two would-be Freddy Kruegers, finally meet their match in Carolina, and her story of the footless skeleton.

As for Carolina Giddle herself, it turns out that she has a timeworn connection to the Blatchford Arms, and to the ghost who still haunts the building — especially its old-fashioned elevator.

Julia Lee - The Dangerous Discoveries of Gully Potchard - Published by OUP Oxford ( 7 Aug 2014)
An improbable hero, a spine-tingling adventure, and a surprising twist of fate.. 
Gully Potchard never meant to cause any trouble. He's just an ordinary sort of boy . . . at least that what he thinks. But when an old acquaintance comes knocking, it isn't long before Gully is tangled up in a mess of mischief and skulduggery. Cats and dogs go astray, a child is kidnapped, and ransom notes are delivered to the wrong people! But as a storm rages and a fire blazes, Gully discovers that he has an extraordinary skill that might just make him an unlikely hero after all . . .

Lucy Inglis - City of Halves - Published by Chicken House - (7 Aug 2014)
London. Girls are disappearing. They've all got one thing in common; they just don't know it yet. Sixteen-year-old Lily was meant to be next, but she's saved by a stranger: a half-human boy with gold-flecked eyes. Regan is from an unseen world hidden within our own, where legendary creatures hide in plain sight. But now both worlds are under threat, and Lily and Regan must race to find the girls, and save their divided city.

Edward Carey - Foulsham (Iremonger Trilogy) - Published by Hot Key Books (7 Aug 2014)

Foulsham, London's great filth repository, is bursting at the seams. The walls that keep the muck in are buckling, rubbish is spilling over the top, back into the city that it came from. In the Iremonger family offices, Grandfather Umbitt Iremonger broods: in his misery and fury at the people of London, he has found a way of making everyday objects assume human shape, and turning real people into objects. Abandoned in the depths of the Heaps, Lucy Pennant has been rescued by a terrifying creature, Binadit Iremonger - more animal than human. She is desperate and determined to find Clod. But unbeknownst to her, Clod has become a golden sovereign and is 'lost'. He is being passed as currency from hand to hand all around Foulsham, and yet everywhere people are searching for him, desperate to get hold of this dangerous Iremonger, who, it is believed, has the power to bring the mighty Umbitt down. But all around the city, things, everyday things, are twitching into life...

Mr Ripley's Book Review: Eoin Colfer - W.A.R.P BK 2 - The Hangman's Revolution

"The old maxim that every action has a reaction is true, but when you start messing with time travel, that reaction could take place in a whole different universe." —Professor Charles Smart 

This is the next instalment in the fantastic series 'W.A.R.P'  and what a sequel this book is. With an eye dropping cover, this is surely going to be snapped up by readers. I was incredibly pleased to receive this book in my mail box. It read incredibly well; I was not disappointed in any way. Well, only when it finally ended.

I warped with full speed into the story; my mental agility soon reached overload. From the very first page, the reader is flung straight into the action following young FBI agent Chevie bags-of-attitude Savano. Trapped in a nightmare future, she needs to return to 19th century London to change the course of history. Can she do it? Well, that you will have to find out.  Along the way she receives support and help from her 19th century friend Riley (boy magician) and the Victorian gangster Otto Malarkey (current leader of The Battering Ram's). All in all, these add up to a charming little gang of cutthroats, serial killers and petty theft merchants that you are ever likely to read about and follow.

Chevie becomes involved in a mission to save the world. The only problem with this is that she has to battle a group of crazy villains known as the Boxite Empire. These villains have brought the military technology of the future to the 19th century and want to use it to take over the world.  The storyline is full of explosive action. Rampaging all over Victorian London, tanks blow up historical buildings and important monuments. Never mind the couple of machine gun wielding warrior-nuns, known as the Thundercats, that  give the story a thumping great punch in the guts. It sounds very surreal, but it all adds up to a fantastic read.

I really loved the interaction of the characters: the ying and yang,  the villains and heroes, male and female partnerships. All of these elements bring about crashing twists and turns that will leave you on a knife edge. This book feels like an older read; looking back to the first book 'The Reluctant Assassin' this is told through the perspective of young characters and doesn't indulge in the same intellectual use of language. The humour is side splitting; it is almost slapstick in parts. You laugh once, you laugh twice and you'll easily laugh a third time as Eoin Colfer runs riot with the plot. The creative genius of this author is what only most of us can dream about writing.

This book is one of the best reads of this year. It might be crazy, but it is a joy to read. The reader's smile will grow stronger from start to finish. Although there is also a dark and bloody side to the story. Some scenes have so much energy and spirit that they will stay with you for some time, perhaps even into the next century!

This is a brilliantly written adventure - it is highly creative and a feast of fun. Houdini meets The Matrix with a Dickensian twist. Mr Ripley's Recommend read for June 2014.

"I knew a guy once who liked  to argue about time travel. He liked to line things up, consequences and so forth. This moron thought winning the argument made him right. The wormhole doesn't care about words. What happens, happens.  —Professor Charles Smart 

Guest Post #5: Andrew Beasley - Five Favourite Reads - "The Something of Something” Adventures!

                                    

Twitter: @Ben_Kingdom  Website: http://pages.usborne.com/benkingdom

I have loved books all my life, but I am now in the very wonderful position where I am sometimes asked to make recommendations. I have chosen these five books especially for Mr Ripley. Only one of them is a direct inspiration, but each has special links with my own book; The Battles of Ben Kingdom: The Claws of Evil. Happy reading, folks!

On my tours I freely acknowledge the debt I owe to The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. It was these stories that set my young imagination on fire. I am writing Victorian fantasy now because I have never been able to escape the mystery and the wonder of those fog-bound, cobbled streets. The character of Holmes himself continues to be one of the milestones of literature, and my tribute to the Great Detective comes in the shape of my character, Jago Moon. If Holmes was old, shaven-headed, blind and played by Ray Winstone, then you’d have Mr. Moon.

                                     

Wolf in Shadow by David Gemmell continues to be one of the most amazing stories I have ever read. The character of Jon Shannow, the Jerusalem Man, is a brilliant tragic hero; in a post-apocalyptic wasteland he finds the wreck of the Titanic and believes it is the Biblical Noah’s Ark. Gemmell had a knack, not just for breath-taking action but for believable motivation; his evil devil worshippers here are so reasonable in their own understanding of the world. I hope that the Watchers and the Legion in my stories are equally honest.

                             

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz makes my list for all sorts of reasons. Amazing characters again, and a seamless blend of fantasy and reality. Most of all I have to include Dean Koontz because it is impossible to read one of his books slowly. Koontz is a master of the page- turner and I try to keep my pace as whip-crack fast as his.

  

                             

The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell is a poignant and beautifully written zombie holocaust noir. I love it because Bell is brave enough to make incredibly daring editorial choices. I’ve tried to be just as bold in my second Ben Kingdom story, The Feast of Ravens. All I’m saying is, no one is safe.

                               

                        

And finally, Harvest of Time by Alastair Reynolds is the most recent book on the list, but I include it because it returns me to my childhood love. Like so many writers that I meet, Doctor Who has been a lifelong companion. This new story is the literary equivalent of sticky toffee pudding – Jon Pertwee’s dandy Doctor, UNIT, the Brigadier, and the Master – comfort food for the mind. My title The Claws of Evil is a tribute to 70’s Who. Find a list somewhere and check out those brilliant “The Something of Something” adventures!   

My book review for Andrew Beasley's - The Claws of Evil (The Battles of Ben Kingdom) 
here: http://mrripleysenchantedbooks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/book-review-andrew-beasley-battles-of.html

Book Review: Rob LLoyd Jones - Wild Boy

Roll Up....... Roll Up....... Come this way folks to see the savage spectacle of Wild Boy in all of its freaky glory. Pay the man, Ladies and Gentlemen, then take your seats and get ready for the show of your life. 

A boy with extraordinary powers of observation and detection. A boy accused of murder; a boy on the run and hungry for the truth. London, Greenwich (October 1841) is the time and setting for this brilliantly written tale of mystery and intrigue, which is based around an unlikely victim - Wild Boy. A boy covered in hair (raised as a monster) who is alone and bullied, but finally finds himself condemned to life in a travelling freak show.

However, he is also forced to turn his skills of logic, observation and clear thinking into a way of saving himself from a crime of murder he did not commit. He has to work it all out, just like Sherlock Holmes would have done. It's a detective book, but at the heart of the story adventure is really at it's soul. 

Wildboy is particularly well written - he is a very likeable character, who is fresh, complex and interesting to read, not like your typical hero. He has to battle his roller-coaster emotions along the way trying to keep them in check, whilst seeking justice, and trying to save his own skin and that of his unlikely new found friend, Clarissa. This is certainly not an easy task at all. The book is deliciously dark in places and full of some particularly mysterious characters, who all have a great part to play. As part of the classic "who has done it?" scenario, they keep you guessing on your padded feet right up until the very end of the adventure. 

Blessed with many spooky and chilling events that you will really love, this book has originality and a great deal of thought throughout it. 

This is a brilliant story by the debut author, Rob Lloyd Jones. I have to say that I was particularly surprised by the quality of the writing from start to finish. Rob's daydreams on the way to work have really turned up trumps, in my humble opinion. It has a great feel to this book - an easy going and imaginative story, but as you are drawn towards the end of the book the whole story intensifies. The pace and action really make for a particularly engaging ending, which I really loved. 

This is an epic debut start, which I'm really pleased to tell you all about. Why not go out and find a copy to read during April. Hopefully you will love it as much as I did. 

Published By Walker Books - 4 April 2013 - ISBN: 978-1406341386

Sharon Gosling - The Diamond Thief - Book Review - Published By Curios Fox

Today for review is one of the first books to be published by Curious Fox. This is a new imprint offering young readers, of all ages, creative and jaw-droppingly enjoyable books. These books promise to take readers on a journey of new adventures and experiences. Therefore, with this statement in mind, can these books deliver that promise or not?

With curiosity stated as a focus of the publishing company, The Diamond Thief by Sharon Gosling is my first opportunity to test the waters. Overall, the production of the book sparkles to match the title. It shines out to the potential reader through the very attractive book cover. However, is the content equivalent to a shiny gem or a bit of rusty old copper in need of a polish? 

The start of the book is particularly good - it wastes no time in setting up the murky waters of the Thames and the smoky hard times of Victorian London. Sharon has the great ability to paint a picture for you to visualise.

Remy is the main protagonist in the book; she is fantastically written and very likeable. Plucky in spirit, she is portrayed very well by making the reader want the best for her. As a result, we are treated to some interesting twists and turns, and some fantastic reading moments.

At points in the book you are hit with little steampunk elements. Whilst the great action scenes will have you lapping up the pages. The introduction of the mysterious Professor and his amazing lab certainly starts to get the ball rolling. In fact one of my favourite scenes involves the Professor and his gas pistol. The idea of the micro transmitting/tracking device that he uses not only creates a great effect, but is also really cool! 

From this point on the book goes into overdrive - making for a more gripping and imaginative read. Abernathy's plotted scheme comes to light. The underground chambers and an array of crazy metal monsters are well thought out. Although they could have perhaps had a little bit more focus at times. Nevertheless, the story still weaves its magic on the reader and will leave you wanting more.

Sadly, I have encountered just a couple of issues with the story. Firstly, I felt that in some places the author took a slightly safe route. For example one of the characters is trapped and suddenly develops a magical and mysterious ability out of nowhere. Interestingly, the character is able to help them escape in the nick of time. Finally, the relationship between Rémy and another leading character, Thaddeus Rec, was also an issue for me. I think the author managed to focus on this too much at the end of the book, and it just became too overpowering for me. I felt that it stole, what could have been, a really brilliant ending.

I really enjoyed reading this book and actually didn't want to stop reading it in order to go to work. It has shiny amounts of storyline and a sparkle of creative ideas which are full of promise. The ending perhaps needs a little bit of polish. However, this author is certainly one to watch in the future.

Published By Curios Fox, 14 February 2013 - ISBN-13: 978-1782020134

***Book Review: Shadows of the Silver Screen by Christopher Edge***

                                     

Lights! Camera! Action!

This is the second book in recent times to catch my interest regarding early film production. I particularly like it when a plot takes a pinch of historical fact and weaves it magically into the book - Christopher has managed to do just that. He has created an intelligent and brilliant story. 

This is a classic encounter of a horror story - full of darkness and oozing with the flavour of Victoriana. 1900 is the era in which the silent movie was first created. As you read this story, it will feel like you are watching the actors on the silver screen itself as you become engaged by its hypnotic charm.

The story is based around a mysterious filmmaker, who approaches The Penny Dreadful, with a proposal to turn Penny's tales of terror into motion pictures. Whilst Montgomery Flinch, the star of his own production, is plagued by a series of strange and frightening events. These frightening events draw you into the dark and chilling world where acting becomes reality. Penny finds herself living a nightmare that keep both her, and probably you, awake at night.

This is the second book to feature Penelope Tredwell, a feisty thirteen-year old orphan and heiress, of the bestselling magazine, The Penny Dreadful. I have to confess that I haven't read the first book in this series, but I will definitely be paying a visit to it very soon.  

The idea behind the story is very imaginative. I felt myself becoming immersed in the scenes played out in Eversholt Manor, and the filming of The Daughter of Darkness. It really was a feast of dark delights and one that will haunt you to the core. I loved the cast of interesting and entertaining characters, which all lead to the stories appeal and readability.  

 Published By Nosy Crow - 1st Jan 2013

Gareth P. Jones - Constable & Toop - Book Review

This is the fourth book that I've read by Gareth P. Jones, but yet again, he has produced something different. He appears to have the great ability to experiment with different genres and develop the style of writing to fit the concept of the storyline, and that is what I particularly love about this author. Each book is written with outstanding imaginative qualities - great plot driven stories and a host of interesting characters that you will love. The big question is . . . . . . what can we expect from this book?

Constable & Toop is the story of Sam Toop, who lives in a funeral parlour and has the ability to see and hear every ghost in London, but trouble is afoot on the ‘other side’ when a ghost clerk called Lapsewood discovers a horrible disease mysteriously imprisoning ghosts inside empty houses.

In a nutshell, this is a ghost story set in Victorian London (1884) - one of my all time favourite settings. Constable & Toop is the name of the funeral parlour and features as one element of this unusual story. The first sentence in the book sets the tone very well . . . .  In her last few moments of life, as the blood gushed from the knife in her neck, Emily Wilkins found her thoughts drifting to her mother's death.  After such an appetiser you will definitely want to find out more.

The book follows two sets of interlocking adventures; Sam in the here and now world and Lapsewood on the "other side". Both will have you captivated as both worlds collide and produce one brilliant story. Each world features poignant moments involving death as Sam encounters ghosts through his ability to see and speak to them. However, there are also many moments that will leave you chuckling as some of the characters will really make you laugh. Lapsewood's Sidekick, The Marquis, was my favourite character in the book as he was absolutely brilliantly. In fact he should really should have his own book.  

Mr Jones does not patronise his readers; they have to cope with some really harrowing and gruesome moments, which makes him one of the best writers in my opinion. This is a rapid ghost adventure peppered with many interesting events that will have you wanting more. The attention to detail makes this story stand out from amongst the book crowd. 

This is a great book that will set your imagination on fire. It is one that you will definitely remember for time.

Published by Hot Key Books - 4 October 2012 

Kieran Larwood - Freaks - Guest Post - Chicken House

Chicken House have some fantastic emerging debut authors releasing their very first books this year. One such author is Kieran, a reception class teacher, who manages to find time to write stories late at night. I'd like to thank him for writing this post. 

Whilst I haven't had time to read this book myself yet, I have managed to find a great introduction to "Freaks". I hope that you all agree that it sounds like a particularly great read. If it grabs your attention, like it did mine, then go and grab yourself a copy to read. I'll be reaching for a copy very soon . . . . . . 

‘Freaks’ is a mystery thriller set in the crusty depths of a very unpleasant Victorian London, but it was very nearly something completely different.  About five years ago, when I first started having a serious crack at writing a novel, it was a story about a crew of aliens on a spaceship.  That book fizzled out after three unimpressive chapters, but something about the strange characters and the way they interacted refused to get out of my head.

I wanted to write more about them, but had to come up with a setting that would work.  It was very late one night when I had the idea of a Victorian freakshow.

After that, the characters themselves came really quickly, but I found I had lots of research to do.  I started wading through reams of Victorian history texts and gradually filling up several notebooks.  It was like History A-level all over again.

I soon found out that the real Victorian London was nothing like the image we all have of top hats and hansom cabs rattling past Big Ben, while Oliver Twist-like orphans skip around finding their fortune.  Even though Dickens showed a glimpse of the shady side, life for the less fortunate citizens was bordering on horrific.

There was disease and crime everywhere.  People starved, children were enslaved and mistreated, hygiene was non-existent, and the sheer stench of the place was enough to actually stop parliament on one occasion.

Even though it must have been a terrible place to live, I soon realised it would make an excellent setting for a story.  I put my Freaks right at the bottom of the social ladder, where they could see, feel and smell the grime first hand.

At first I had them battling supernatural monsters.  I spent a few years sending drafts of that story off to agents, and re-writing it several times, before I eventually entered it for the 2011 Times/Chicken House competition.

Somehow, it won, and my prize was to finally be published-but not before fitting in another couple of re-writes and changing the story from horror to thriller.  I had to trim a couple of my Freaks along the way, but most of them made it intact, and the book is being released this April.

It’s been five years of very hard work, squeezed in around my day job and family.  I daren’t even try to count the hundreds of sleepless hours that have gone into it, but it has been a real pleasure to write.  I hope you enjoy reading it just as much.