Yaba Badoe - Wolf Light - Book Review - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

Yaba Badoe is an award-winning Ghanaian-British documentary filmmaker and writer. Her first acclaimed children's novel was A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars which was nominated for the Carnegie Medal in 2019. Wolf Light is her second children's book and will be released in paperback this Jan 2020 by Zephyr. It has an absolutely fantastic book cover which has been illustrated by Leo Nickolls. I think it is amazing and just love it. 

After a brief flicker and a flutter of the pages, you are instantly transported into a place of pure fantasy and magical realism. There are three sacred places of sanctuary in this book, each with its own narrative that goes straight to the human heart. It starts with three spiritual sisters: Zula, Adoma, and Linet who are connected by their destiny from the day they were born. Even though they all live in a different part of the world, they share a special spiritual connection. As a result, they have to harness the magic of the elements and protect their sacred spaces by watching over the respective lands where they live. 

This journey enables us to dance through the tropical forests of Ghana as well as sing with the harsh stormy moors of Cornwall. It is a very powerful story that considers the relationships we have with the world around us and the consequences of the damage we cause to this planet every day. A voice is calling on the elemental spirits and, thus, planting the seed of a plot before showering us with a beautiful and extraordinary tale. 

You will embark upon a brilliant story of both light and darkness which pulses with loss, love and the eternal destruction of the planet. The tale takes us on a whirlwind of an adventure as the leopard dances and leaps under the moon and a wolf howls in the distance. This poetic vision of colour rustles through the trees and shimmers on the lakeshore. This is a great topical read that is very thought-provoking. It covers some important themes such as feminism, family, relationships, and environmental damage. All of which are told as a brilliant narrative, they are certainly as good as any you will read for some time. This is a book to savour and contemplate as the earth lives and breathes around us. 

Maria Turtschaninoff - Maresi (Red Abbey Chronicles 1) - Book Review - Paperback Pushkin Children's Books (5 Jan. 2017)

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.

This is a very magical and inspiring story that will take you on an amazing ride. It pursues a feminine path, purely because all the characters happen to be female.The author has skilfully written this brilliant story without alienating male readers, in my opinion. It's not overpowering instead it delivers a magical awe of wonder. It's a story about women being powerful, strong, intelligent and treated as equals, and even more importantly, highlighting that they matter and are valued as human beings. It's a good lesson in life and one the author has put across very well.

This is a great contemporary fairy tale which is set in a different world to our own. However, you will be able to relate to it as being a time gone by or a time/place of solitude. This is reminiscent of the author's visit to Mount Athos (an all-male monastic community) which prohibits women from visiting. This was the seed of the story - it takes a similar path, but only in reverse.  

Some of the scenes that play out are very dark and harrowing, which may leave some readers feeling uncomfortable, especially for younger readers under the age of 13. The content makes for a thought-provoking ride of enlightenment in the face of a dangerous world. The story is told with courage, bravery and unity; the fantastic characters will capture your heart.

This is a thrilling and mesmerising story of friendship, with a slight religious undertone, that is layered with a fantastic punch of magical fantasy. The amazing backdrop will suck you into an atmospheric world of escapism. You will not be able to put this book down until the very last page has been turned. 

This is a great vivid time capsule of what's to come in the next book - drawing on deep issues and highlighting them to new readers....

The next instalment in The Red Abbey Chronicles, Naondel, will be published in April 2017…

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Guest Post - Di Toft - Cat Magick

Starting Over...

The end of November will see the publication of my fourth book. Cat Magick will sneak onto Amazon with no fanfare or launch, looking over it’s shoulder craftily, keen to blend in amongst all the ‘proper’ books.

It’s easy being published again, when you’ve done it three times already, right? WRONG!! How naive I was, as I handed my new novel over to wise agent, how eager I was to crack on with my next masterpiece. Two weeks later, wise agent rings, bubbling with good news. Two days later, not so good - the marketing department have put the kibosh on editor’s plans to give Cat a new home. Over the next year, wise agent becomes weary agent and I become not so confident writer.

Damn it, I was going to dedicate Cat Magick to my tiny new grandson Ted and to the memory of two dear friends. This was going to be their book. And what about my characters, whom I had so lovingly crafted? Their friendships and wild adventures would never be shared with anyone else. I couldn’t let that happen!

A couple of authors I know had gone down the Amazon White Glove road, also known as agent-assisted, self-publishing. Weary agent was quite keen, but I couldn’t really see the point. If I was going to self publish, I would do it myself!

‘What about editing, what about a decent cover?’, I hear you cry. That bit was easy. I’d already had my agent and a friendly editor look out for content, plot holes etc. I have another good friend, in the amazing artist Martin Simpson, who was responsible for the eye-catching, child friendly Wolven covers. I am beyond thrilled when I see the Cat Magick cover for the first time.

Now the hard bit. Cat Magick would be published as an ebook, but, more than anything, I wanted to be able to clasp it to my bosom as an ACTUAL paperback. So CreateSpace would also have to be navigated in order for this to happen.

ZZZZZzzzz, I just couldn’t get my head around all the instructions. Enter computer-savvy, pernickety husband, who would spend hours doing all the hard stuff it takes to make everything look good and read well. Thanks Phil.

So, will Cat Magick fly? Will it sell any copies, apart from those I buy myself for school visits, library copies, presents (whether they want them or not)? I don’t know. What’s the worst that can happen? The only cost involved was the cover, which was more than worth it - another first, my first commission! My characters Pye, Suki and Hodge will see the light of day, at least in a few homes. We’ll see...

Thanks Di for writing and sharing this post with us. It is never an easy road to getting published, even if you've already had other books published. Some authors may find themselves facing this future at some point. However, it's great to see platforms such as the White Glove and CreateSpace giving authors the opportunity for their voices to be heard. I will definitely be purchasing Cat Magik to grace my bookshelves and I believe that it will live on.... BUY IT HERE

Judith Pybus - The Ladder - authorhouse publishing

Some good reads I have read from the self publishing company of authorhouse in the last week or so.


SYNOPSIS
The story takes place in 1953, the year of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and involves eight children who find adventure in the grounds of an old Elizabethan house.

The children discover a shaft in the dilapidated kitchen garden, and decide to explore it further.  The house, which for many centuries was private owned and handed on through the same family, is now a rest home for ladies and gentlemen, and owned by the local council.

The eight friends construct a ladder and descend into their adventure which takes them along tunnels to the sea, into caves and to a room under the old house which becomes their “Aladdin’s Cave”.  However, the mysterious room holds a secret and three of the boys eventually become trapped and must use their ingenuity to find a way out.




Carmen Roberts -  Inseparable:The Tale of the Amulet




Synopsis


What do a mysterious locket, time travel, Charles Dickens, an ancient Irish monastery, a massive explosion in London, a fiery ring, and a raging flood all have to do with three best friends Meredith, Madeline and Molly? Find out as the adventure of a lifetime begins when Molly’s grandmother entrusts her with precious heirlooms that have been handed down through Molly’s family for centuries. Loyalty is questioned as the girls struggle to overcome a shadowy stalker who may know more about the mysteries surrounding them than he admits.  The girls face the ultimate challenge to their long friendship, one that will test whether or not they truly are Inseparable.




Lot's more books to take a look at the authorhouse web site.http://www.authorhouse.co.uk

New Children's Books For October 2009 (paperbacks)

Some of the best paperback books for release in the normally quiet month October 2009.



Joseph Patrick Kanon & Rick Yancey - The Monstrumologist - Published by Simon & Schuster Children's - 1 Oct 2009


Synopsis:

A gruesome gothic-horror adventure about a monster-hunting scientist and his apprentice. Will Henry is an assistant to a doctor with a most unusual speciality: monster hunting! In the short time he has lived with the doctor, Will has grown used to late night callers and dangerous business. But when one visitor comes with the body of a young girl and the monster that was feeding on her, Will's world changes forever. The doctor has discovered a baby Anthropophagi - a headless monster that feeds through the mouthfuls of teeth in its chest - and it signals a growing number of Anthropophagi. Now, Will and the doctor must face the horror threatening to consume our world and find the rest of the monsters before it is too late...


Marcus Sedgwick - Raven Mysteries:Ghosts and Gadgets - Published by Orion Children's -
1 Oct 2009


Does my beak look wonky? Edgar's battered beak is nothing to crow about. He's so preoccupied that when Cudweed sees a guh..., a guh...You-Know-What, Edgar almosts forgets that he's the Guardian of Otherhand Castle. But the rumblings and wailing from the Lost South Wing can no longer be ignored. Lord Valevine is busy trying to save the family from destitution with his latest Gold-detecting-Gadget, so it's up to Solstice and Edgar to go ghost-hunting, and pit their wits against the obnoxious Captain Spookini.


Alexander Gordon Smith - Furnace:Death Sentence - Published by Faber Children's Books - 1 Oct 2009

Synopsis:

In order to escape them, I must become one of them. We were so close. We had one last shot at freedom and we failed. This time the warden will show us no mercy. This time, our punishment is a death sentence. Only death won't come for us here, not in Furnace. It wouldn't dare. No, our fate is something much, much worse. Because in the bloodstained laboratories deep beneath the prison lies the horrific truth behind the warden's plans. Down here, monsters are made.



Andy Stanton - What's for Dinner, Mr Gum? - Published by Egmont Books - 5 Oct 2009

Synopsis:

Well, Shabba Me whiskers! Mr Gum's back! But what's he up to this time? Oh, dreadful things my friends, dreadful things indeed. It seems he's found himself a brand new treat - rancid kebabs just dripping with dirty grey sauce. And he just can't get enough of them. He's gotta have more! More! Less! I mean, More! But not everyone's too happy about Mr Gum's new dinnertime arrangements and soon the town of Lamonic Bibber is gearing up for war. Can Polly and her friends save the town from being torn apart? Will Mr Gum's hunger ever be satisfied? And who on earth is Thora Gruntwinkle? All will be revealed when you read "What's For Dinner, Mr Gum?" You'll see a gingerbread man driving through London! You'll see an annoying little monkey driving everyone mad! You'll see Friday O'Leary falling asleep in a hedge! Yes, it's all there in glorious black and white, my friends. Except for the cover, which is in colour. It's Bonus.


Nancy Farmer - The Islands of the Blessed ( Sea of Trolls Trilogy) - Published by Simon & Schuster Children's - 29 Oct 2009


Synopsis:

In the final adventure of Nancy Farmer's acclaimed trilogy a malevolent spirit of a vengeful mermaid is wreaking havoc on Jack's village and it's up to him, the old Bard and Thorgril to confront and vanquish the restless draugr. But the task will not be easy and the three find themselves travelling once more with Thorgil's northman brother and his crew into the most dangerous of waters. Their quest to right old wrongs leads them from a village plagued by a hogboon to the fin folk land of Notland and via every danger in-between. Can they escape the perils they face and return in time to help undead spirit to find peace?

David Whitley - The Midnight Charter (Author Profile)

I have had lots of interest about this particular author and his debut book, so I have published anything and everything I could find on him and his great book.

David Whitley was born in 1984 and graduated from the University of Oxford with a double First in English Literature and a passion for writing children’s fiction.
At age 17 his first children’s novel was shortlisted for the Kathleen Fidler Award and at 20 he won the Cheshire Prize for Literature for a children’s short story, the youngest writer ever to win this prestigious award, presented by Michael Morpurgo.
TV quiz fans will have spotted David on BBC2’s University Challenge where he was a member of the winning Corpus Christi team who beat all comers to become Series Champions in 2005. With viewing figures of over 3 million per show, he still gets stopped in the street by people offering him a ‘starter for ten’!
High profile auctions took place across the globe for David Whitley’s dazzling novel, The Midnight Charter. Puffin’s Fiction Publisher, Sarah Hughes, secured UK and Commonwealth rights. Whilst dealing with power struggles, morality and corruption, The Midnight Charter, aimed at a ten plus readership, is also part conspiracy thriller, and part pure fantasy. It is a wonderfully compelling read which asks important questions about today’s society.

This Article is from the Chester Chronicle Written by Michael Green. Thanks very much!
Young Chester writer has debut novel snapped up by publishing giants
May 5 2009 by Michael Green, Chester Chronicle

A NOVEL approach to literature has garnered a promising young writer a big book deal for his first work.

The debut novel of 24-year-old David Whitley, The Midnight Charter, will be published by Puffin Books this summer.



At 17, his first children’s novel was shortlisted for the Kathleen Fidler Award and at 20 he won the Cheshire Prize for Literature for a children’s short story – the youngest writer ever to win the award.

He began The Midnight Charter while reading English at Corpus Christi College, Oxford – and won University Challenge in the meantime.

In a similar vein to Philip Pullman’s Northern Lights trilogy, David’s novel tells a fantastical tale with a worldly message.

He said: “After I finished my course, my parents said they would support my plan to take a gap year and have a go at writing. Assuming nothing would come of it, I planned to go back to university and do a masters.”

But when now agent Charlie Viney expressed an interest in his style of writing, David’s work was sent to publishers worldwide. Even before it hits the shelves here, the book has been released in Germany – one of 18 countries and 12 languages the book will be released in.

He added: “It starts to feel normal then I think about things like that. It’s still a huge thrill.”

Part conspiracy thriller, part fantasy, The Midnight Charter is a children’s book dealing with morality, corruption and power. It is set in the fictional 18th century city of Agora where anything can be bought and sold and even children are possessions until their twelfth birthday.

David says encouragement at King’s provided the impetus to pursue his writing talent.

“Going to King’s sparked off the love of writing and reading,” he said.

“My English teacher Anne Marie McMahon was hugely encouraging, not only on the English front but she also directed me in Hamlet. I played Claudius so that was very useful for writing villains!

“She was always willing to help you beyond the normal lessons.”

The author says he would “leap at the opportunity” to see a movie made based on the book and the rights are currently in the hands of an intelectual property group in Hollywood.

David has already written the sequel – currently being sent to publishers – and plans a third.

The Midnight Charter is published on August 4 in paperback. RRP £6.99
Please see book review.

David Jowsey - Shattered Truths: An'Tsari Trilogy No. 2: The Past Holds a Secret

I am always looking to promote small, up and coming books. It's so hard to get noticed when there are so many good books available. I remember reading "Dragons in the Sky" (book one) by David back in 2006 and really enjoyed the story. It was particularly gripping with different layers to develop different levels of thinking. Now his second book is due out in June, so I thought i'd bring this news to your attention.

Words from the author.

My name is David Jowsey and I am a teacher from Middlesbrough, England. I published a successful children's novel in 2006 and this email is to advertise the release of the forthcoming sequel. I am attempting to achieve as much global interest as possible, and would like to ask you to help me in doing this.

Shattered Truths is written for gifted and talented readers within primary schools, and readers aged 14 and upwards within secondary schools, but both books are not limited only to school age children. Adults of all ages read my first book, enjoyed it, and are eagerly awaiting the release of the sequel....


Books Synopsis

Mars 2039 - Tom Richards knows he has been destined to visit the red planet since his childhood encounter with the An'Tsari thirty years before. Can he protect humanity from a dark and treacherous past, or will the existence of an overwhelming power mean the extinction of the human race? "Shattered Truths" is the eagerly awaited sequel to "Dragons in the Sky", and draws the second chapter of the An'Tsari trilogy to a nail-biting conclusion. Thirty-one years have passed since Tom Richards' terrifying childhood encounter with the An'Tsari, but the fears he has struggled so hard to bury will be challenged once again as the truth behind his own destiny is revealed. Mars: 2039 - Tom Richards knows he has been destined to visit the red planet since his childhood encounter with the An'Tsari but as part of a NASA team, exploring the surface of Mars, he finds himself subjected to startling visions of Mars' past. Amongst the visions stands a sinister figure, but who is he, and why is he so desperate to withhold a secret of epic proportions? With the odds stacked against him by a devastating planet-wide storm, and all contact with Earth lost, Tom must fight to protect the existence of the human race. But how can he confront a dark and treacherous power that threatens to destroy everything the human race has achieved, when the individual behind it turns out to be the person he least expects? "Shattered Truths" is the eagerly awaited sequel to "Dragons in the Sky", and the second installment in the exciting "An'Tsari" trilogy.

Published by a small book publisher Sigel Press 15 Jun 2009

If you would like to know more or order the book please check out the author's web page www.davidjowsey.com

New Children's Books For July 2009 (paperbacks)

It's a busy old month for July. I have picked some of the best U.K Paperback books to be published over the summer month of July.
I will also follow up this post with the more interesting hardback releases. I will also cover some of the best ones to be released in the U.S.



Ali Sparkes - Dark Summer - Oxford Children's - 2 July

It's the summer holidays, and Eddie finds himself strangely drawn to the famous caves at Wookey Hole. He makes friends with the ticket seller there, and before long is allowed to roam wherever he wants. He loves it . . . until the day he gets lost. Just as panic sets in, his hand is taken by a strange girl, about his own age, who guides him to the surface. Gwerren is weird. She's extraordinarily pale with huge violet eyes and white hair - what's more, she won't come out of the caves. As she and Eddie become friends he starts to wonder if she's a ghost. Then Eddie nearly dies in a pothole - and discovers not only the truth, but life where nobody thought it could be . . . A thrilling new novel from the author of the popular 'Shapeshifter' series.

Toby Forward - Travelling Backwards - Anderson Press - 2 July

Franny is upset. Her grandfather is very ill and she realises that he will soon die. She begs her friend Mrs May to give her something to make him better. Mrs May gives her a potion with the warning that Grandfather must not drink too much. The effect is startling. Grandfather becomes much younger and more vigorous with each sip. Of course, he pays no heed to Mrs May's warning until the process of getting younger becomes a little too extreme! He and Fanny are faced with the dilemma: is this really how life should end?

Chris Bradford - The Way of the Sword (Young Samurai) - Puffin - 2 July (Recommended read for boys)

One year of training in samurai school and Jack is in real trouble . . . He’s busy preparing for the Circle of Three, an ancient ritual that tests courage, skill and spirit to the limit. And, at the same time, Jack is caught in a running battle with fellow student Kazuki and his gang. But these are the least of Jack’s problems. He knows his deadly rival – the ninja Dragon Eye – could strike at any moment. Jack possesses the very thing he will kill for. Can Jack master the Way of the Sword in time to survive a fight to the death?

Richelle Mead - Vampire Academy ( book one ) - Puffin - 2 July

St Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school - hidden away, it's a place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St Vladimir's where the girls must survive a world of forbidden romances, a ruthless social scene and terrifying night time rituals. But most of all, staying alive.

Paul Adam -Escape From Shadow Island (A Max Cassidy Adventure) Corgi Children's 2 July (See review for this book)

Max is an ordinary north London schoolboy by day, but at night he performs sell-out public shows as an escapologist - nicknamed The Half-Pint Houdini by the tabloid press. His father, Alexander, was also a world-renowned escapologist, who disappeared two years earlier in the Central American state of Santo Domingo. His body was never found, but Max's mother, Helen, was convicted of murdering her husband by a Santo Domingan court. One evening, after his show, Max receives a visit from a mysterious man from Santo Domingo - Lopez-Vega tells Max that his mother's trial was rigged and, if Max comes to his hotel room the following night, he has something to give him.When Max goes to the hotel, he finds Lopez-Vega dead, shot through the head. The room has clearly been searched by the killer, but what was he looking for? By chance, Max finds a piece of paper hidden under Lopez-Vega's wig. Written on the paper is a sequence of eight numbers - 83521113. What do the numbers mean? Are they a code, or maybe the combination for a lock or a safe? Could they be the key to unlocking the mystery of his father's disappearance and getting his mother out of prison?

L J Adlington - The Glittering Eye - Hodder Children's Books 2 July ( Great local author need to get a copy of this book)

Shabti wakes in a barley field with nothing but a hoe in his hand and a head full of fragmented memories. A vicious master torments his days, working in the fields with no way of escape, until a hole suspended in mid-air, leads him to a room. Two shiny gold eyes glitter back at him. Questions. Who is he? And to where does this room lead?

Amy arrives in Egypt to join her archaeologist father on an excavation. All around her tombs are unearthed, opened, entered. Left to her own devices, Amy discovers a rock. But not just any rock. A great tawny cat stares back at her from its smooth surface, its shiny gold eyes glittering. Questions. Where did it come from? And what should she do now?

When past, present and future collide, it's clear that some things are best left buried ...

Emma Kennedy - Wilma Tenderfoot and the Case of the Frozen Hearts - Macmillan Children's Books - 3 Jul 2009

(One to look out for and a great book cover)

Somewhere between France and England there is an island that no one has ever bothered to discover. On it, lives Wilma Tenderfoot, a determined ten-year old girl who dreams of one day becoming a World-Famous Detective. So she can't help thinking it's destiny when, dispatched from the Institute for Woeful Children to her new home as a live-in skivvy, she discovers that the genius gentleman detective Theodore P. Goodman lives next door. A ten-year-old girl of great determination (and her pet beagle, Pickle) and a World-Famous Detective of great repute might not be the most obvious crime-solving duo - but Wilma Tenderfoot is not about to let that put either of them off! And it looks like their first dastardly case is about to begin ...Feisty but funny, cheeky but charming - Wilma Tenderfoot and her unique mystery-solving methodology is hard to resist!


Sophie Mckenzie - The Set Up (Medusa Project) - Simon & Schuster - 6 July (See review for this one)

Fourteen years ago, scientist William Fox implanted four babies with the Medusa gene - a gene for psychic abilities. But Fox died and the babies were hidden away for years. Now the children are teenagers - and unaware that their psychic powers are about to kick in. Cocky, charismatic Nico thinks his emerging telekinetic abilities will bring him money, power and the girl of his dreams. He's about to find out just how wrong he is...


Cassandra Clare - City of Glass (The Mortal Instrument) book three - Walker Books - 6 July ( already published in the U.S getting great reviews)

In search of a potion for her dying mother, Clary sneaks into the City of Glass and is immediately caught up in a life-and-death battle. As the children of the Moon (werewolves), Night (vampires), and Faerie gather for a war that will rend the heavens, Clary calls upon her untrained powers to control an angel who will save or destroy them all. Readers should be familiar with the first two installments in the Mortal Instruments series, but there is nevertheless plenty of romance, loss, honor, and betrayal to make the journey worthwhile. An experienced storyteller, Clare moves the plot quickly to a satisfying end.

Thanks very much for reading!

Post One - New Children's Paperback Releases - April 2009

I have split them into paperback and hardback releases. There is so many good books out in April. Post Two will be hardback releases. Some great reading to look forward to.

This is some of the best paperback releases for April 2009.

Sara Starbuck - Dread Pirate Fleur and the Ruby Heart - Red Fox - 2 April 2009

Pat O'shea - The Hounds of the Morrigan - Oxford Children's - 2 April 2009

Sally Prue - March of the Owlmen - Oxford Children's - 2 April 2009

Tim Bowler - Blade:Running Scared - Oxford Children's - 2 April 2009

Cate Tiernan - Awakening:And Spellbound - Puffin Children's - 2 April 2009

Steve Voake - Blood Hunters - Faber - 2 April 2009

Mike Walker - Bad Company - Andersen Press Ltd - 2 April 2009

Tom Becker - Darkside:Timecurse - Scholastic - 6 April 2009

Andrew Mulligan - Ribblestrop - Simon & Shuster Children's - 6 April 2009

Anne Forbes - Fire Star - Floris Kelpies - 23 April 2009

E.E. Richardson - The Soul Trader

Review by Mr Ripley

This seventh novel from talented young writer Elizabeth Richardson, won't disappoint her fans. It's another spine-tingler that will have you gripped from the start. As with her other novels, Elizabeth skilfully sets the drama against a backdrop of friendship and family tensions, making her stand alone in this genre. The main character Nick Spencer finds himself making a deal which is going to turn his world upside down.
This book is a cross between the authors F.E Higgins and Robert Westall which makes it a great read.This is the first book I have read by Elizabeth and it has made me want to read more.Four out Five, could've done with a little more content, otherwise a super read.

Synopsis

When Nick Spencer stumbles upon Bargains, the odd little back street shop seems like the perfect place to buy the present he's been searching for. And when the shopkeeper wants to take some of Nick's artwork instead of money for payment, he's even happier. But Nick soon realizes that the deal he's made is not quite the bargain he thought it was. His drawing skills have disappeared, and when he returns to the shop he finds himself trapped into a job he didn't sign up for, collecting debts for the mysterious Mr Grey. As his assignments grow steadily more and more traumatic and the shop takes over more and more of his life, the question becomes not when he'll earn his way out ...but if he'll ever get out.

Published by Random House 5 Feb 2009

About the author:

E.E. Richardson is a twenty-four-year-old cybernetics graduate. Her first novel, The Devil's Footsteps, was published to great critical acclaim shortly after she graduated from university.

Biography

The Devil's Footsteps (2005)
The Intruders (2006)
Devil for Sale (2007)
The Summoning (2007)
The Soul Trade (2008)
Grave Dirt (2008)
The Soul Trader (2009)

Thanks for reading.....

Puffin new picks for Feb 2009

Puffin has some great new books to be released in February.


The first book is a debut book by Jason Bradbury Dot Robot..........

Jason Bradbury is the UK's best-known face of technology. Currently hosting The Gadget Show on Five and Royal Television Society award-winning children's science show Gross!, he has spent the last ten years writing and presenting science and technology shows for children and adults. Jason is continually in print in the UK's biggest technology press publications and has weekly slots on Radio Two and Radio Five Live.

Synopsis

Dot.com billionaire Devlin Lear,founder of the top-secret force MeX,has been watching schoolboy Jackson Farley.He knows he has found a digital genius. Along with three other brilliant games from different corners of the world,including two Japanese
siblings and a sassy American schoolgirl, Lear asks Jackson to join him and stop the criminal heist of the century.

And all by the power of the most highly advanced,state-of-the-art robots ever invented.Review to follow...............as requested

Book two is by Anna Perera Guantanamo Boy.................

Anna Perera was born in London to an Irish mother and Sri Lankan father. She worked as an English teacher in two secondary schools in London, and later became responsible for a unit for excluded boys. She lives in Hampshire, England. Guantanamo Boy is her first teenage novel.


Synopsis

Khalid, a fifteen-year-old Muslim boy from Rochdale, is abducted from Pakistan while on holiday with his family. He is taken to Guantanamo Bay and held without charge, where his hopes and dreams are crushed under the cruelest of circumstances. An innocent denied his freedom at a time when Western boys are finding theirs, Khalid tries and fails to understand what's happening to him and cannot fail to be a changed young man.

Two Different books which will be released 05 February 2009