Sam Wilding - The Second Gateway (Book 2 of the Denthan Series) - Book Review

 I read the first book in this series after finding it in a bookshop in Scotland; I was definitely looking forward to reading the second installment. However after three more trips back to Scotland, I still couldn't find a copy! I finally had to resort to the Internet, in order to obtain a copy of this book. On reflection . . . . it's such a shame that the book is hard to obtain in bookshops, as it is definitely worth tracking down a copy.

Anyway on with the review.....and if any one asks, the story is all about custard and meteors, which you will come to love with a passion.

The book starts with a great opening, that carries you on a mesmerising journey into the world of amazingly detailed creatures, against a stunning backdrop of Artilis. The book starts one year on with the zany villagers of Drumfintley, who are yet again, all that stand between a peaceful world and certain disaster. 

It takes you into a  wonderful adventure; a fantasy tale that has you hooked and captivated as you follow the main characters on their mission to find Craig. Sudden events lead to a range of climatic and varied action scenes.

This book has many great moments in it for me - the humour which is laced throughout had me in stitches many times. However one of my favourite parts, involved the encounter with the flying Centide, when the wizard performed his magic and the Centide ended up totally wrecking Mr Fyffe's Mondeo car. Unfortunately Mr Fyffe finds his car totally devastated, with the children and local vicar hastily fleeing from the scene. A classic moment in fiction - interpreted exceptionally well!

In my view this book is equally as good as the first, which is not always the case. The chaos and mayhem, within a fantasy world, is written very well. It has an orginal feel that leaves you wanting more. I'm desperate to see what happens in book three and hope there are many more to come. 

About the Author

BORN IN HELENSBURGH and educated at Glasgow University, Sam studied Zoology, working his way through his uni-years by playing in various rock bands in the UK, America and Holland. He began writing songs in the late 70s, poetry in the early 90s and eventually his first novel - 'The Magic Scales'. Sam currently writing book three in the Denthan series and continues to perform his 'Just Imagine' workshops. These sessions explore story forming and let children explore their own imagination. Sam works closely with the charity Asthma UK to raise awareness of the condition through his work.

New Children's Book - Picks For The Month Of March 2010

We have lots of great and varied reads to offer in the month of March, there is a good selection of  interesting books. There are some particularly strong titles being published by Chicken House and Hodder Children's within this month. Interestingly, all the books mentioned are being published in paperback and no hardbacks - this is a first. I hope you manage to find a few books that entice you to read them. Love to hear any comments you may have. Thanks and enjoy.


Andrew Newbound - Demon Strike - Published By Chicken House - 1 March - (Book Pick)
Book Synopsis:
Demons from the Dark Dimension pour through a portal in the wall of Pittingham Manor, the mid-point for an attack on high. They're planning an assault. Into this chaos stumbles 12-year-old ghostbusting psychic Alannah Malarra and burglar Worley Flint. Up until now they've only ever faced tame treasure-hording ghosts, but this is something else. Their only hope is a plucky angel police patrol on a routine earth-monitoring mission. Enter Inspectre Flhi Swift and officers Yell and Gloom

Emily Diamand - Flood and Fire - Published By Chicken House -  1 March
Book Synopsis:
Flooded England, 2216 - Lilly Melkun has outwitted the bloodthirsty Reavers, who prowl the waters that cover most of England - and escaped to Cambridge. But Lilly is far from safe, because stil in her keeping is PSAI, the last hand-held computer in existence - a now malfunctioning treasure from the past. Inside the jewellike computer, is a sinister looking chip with an unknown purpose. Worse follows, when the professors of Cambridge plug it into an ancient mainframe computer setting in motion a fiery chain of events.

C.J Skuse - Pretty Bad Things - Published By Chicken House - 1 March
Book Synopsis:
SIXTEEN-YEAR OLD TWINS IN CANDY-STORE CRIME SPREE Twins, Paisley and Beau Argent are in the headlines again. Last time, they were the 'wonder twins', when as six-year-olds they were found alive in woods after three days missing following their mother's death - three days spent looking for their dad. Now at sixteen, life's not so wonderful. Out-cast and exploited by their money-grabbing grandmother they're still clueless about their dad's whereabouts. Until they discover an old letter from him. That's when they decide to hit the road - and make headlines again. Holding up fast-food joints might seem extreme but if they can get on the news, and tell their dad they need him, they might get the dream reunion they thought could happen.

Catherine Banner - Voices in the Dark - Published By Corgi Children's - 4 March
Book Synopsis:
Anselm Andros has always thought he had a normal life - confidante to his mother, Maria, confessor to his stepfather, Leo, a man haunted by the secrets of his past, and support to his sister Jasmine. But when the political landscape of Malonia starts to shift, this unassuming family begin to unravel. Even though they have spent the past fifteen years leading a quiet life, Maria and Leo's actions are forever linked to the turbulent history of Malonia and its parallel world, modern-day England. The voices from the past still echo in the present and Anselm must pull all the pieces together - whatever the cost.

Garth Nix - Lord Sunday( The Keys to the Kingdom) - Published By HarperCollins - 4 March
Book Synopsis:
In this seventh and last book of THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM, the mysteries of the House, the Architect, the Trustees, the Keys and the Will are revealed, and the fate of Arthur, our Earth, and the entire Universe is finally decided. Arthur has wrested the Sixth Key from Superior Saturday, but has fallen from the Incomparable Gardens; fallen not to the Upper House but to somewhere completely unexpected. Alone in enemy territory, as his mind and body are further transformed by the power of the Keys, Arthur must struggle with himself as much as with his many enemies. Meanwhile, Arthur's friend Suzy Blue plots an escape from her prison in Saturday's tower, as battle rages above and below. Saturday's elite force is pressing on into the Incomparable Gardens, while her massed sorcerers fight a desperate rear-guard action against the Piper and his Newnith army. On earth, Leaf has to cope with the aftermath of a nuclear strike. Responsible for all the Sleepers in Friday's private hospital, she needs all the help she can get, particularly as Leaf herself has become a target for intruders from the House. And the tide of Nothing continues to rise, destroying everything in its path ...

Chris Bradford - The Way of the Dragon(Young Samurai) - Published By Puffin - 4 March
Book Synopsis:
June 1613. Japan is threatened with war and Jack is facing his greatest battle yet. Samurai are taking sides and, as the blood begins to flow, Jack’s warrior training is put to the ultimate test. His survival – and that of his friends – depends upon him mastering the Two Heavens, the secret sword technique of the legendary samurai Masamoto Takeshi. But first Jack must recover his father’s prize possession from the deadly ninja Dragon Eye. Can Jack defeat his ruthless enemy? Or will the ninja complete his mission to kill the young samurai . . .

William Hussey - Witchfinder:Dawn of the Demontide -(Witchfinders) - Published By OUP - 4 March
Book Synopsis - See Book Review 
The first in a terrifying trilogy, read on if you dare: Jake could now see the demon fully. Its body was a mass of steely sinew, its arms roped with muscle. Six fingers sprouted from its hands, each ending in lethal talons. The thing did not possess a nose; instead a large hole, bubbling with green mucus, occupied the middle of its face. Mr Pinch's tongue flickered between his teeth and slurped across his fat lips. He was hungry. When a violent storm rages around the little village of Hobarron's Hollow, a young boy is sacrificed 'for the greater good'. His blood is used to seal a mystical doorway and prevent an apocalyptic disaster known only as the Demontide. Twenty-five years later, another boy, Jake Harker, is about to be drawn into the nightmare of the Demontide. Witches and their demon familiars stalk his every move, and his dreams are plagued by visions of a 17th Century figure known only as the Witchfinder. When his father is abducted, Jake must face the terrible secrets kept by those closest to him and a shocking truth that will change his life 
forever . . .

Malinda Lo - Ash -  Published By Hodder Children's Books - 4 March  -  (Book Pick)
Book Synopsis:
In the world of ASH, fairies are an older race of people who walk the line between life and death, reality and magic. As orphaned Ash grows up, a servant in her stepmother’s home, she begans to realise that her beloved mother, Elinor was very much in tune with these underworld folk, and that she herself has the power to see them too. Against the sheer misery of her stepmother's cruelty, greed and ambition in preparing her two charrmless daughters for presentation at court, and hopefully Royal or aristocratic marriage, Ash  befriends one of these fairies–a mysterious, handsome man–who grants her wishes and restores hope to Ash's existence, even though she knows there will be a price to pay. But most important of all, she also meets Kaisa, a huntress employed by the king, and it is Kaisa who truly awakens Ash’s desires for both love and self-respect...Ash escapes a life with her grim and self-serving stepmother and finds her beloved one...
ASH is a fairy tale about possibility and recognizing the opportunities for change. From the deepest grief comes the chance for transformation.

Robert Williams - Luke and John - Published By Faber and Faber - 18 March

Book Synopsis:

Luke's mum is dead. He finds himself in a small, scruffy northern hill town, with a near silent father, who he fears might be trying to drink himself to death. Then he meets Jon. Jon is massively strange. He wears 1950s clothes, has a side-parting and a twitch. The kids at school call him 'Slackjaw'. When Luke discovers his secret, Jon changes his life in more ways than he can imagine. Luke and Jon is a coming of age novel about family, bereavement and how lives can change forever in a single second. Written with great power, warmth and humour, it signals a hugely engaging and original new voice. Compelling and emotionally acute, it is a unique debut.

Annemarie Allan - Ushig - Published By Floris Books - 25 March

Book Synopsis:

 Ellen whistled again and repeated the old rhyme Aunt Marian had taught her. 'I call you once. I call you twice. I call you three times over'. Surely in a place as beautiful as this, anything that answered her call was bound to be friendly. While exploring a small loch above the village of Aldhammer with her brother Davie, Ellen repeats a childish rhyme to call something to her. What arrives is an ancient being with the ability to shapeshift and the power to destroy. Ushig is a kelpie, a water wraith, and his intentions are anything but pure. Dragged into a dark, parallel world, inhabited by the creatures of Scottish legend, Ellen must pitch her wits against primeval magic. Can she outsmart the predatory Queen of the Night? And what does Ushig stand to gain? Another unique and gripping tale from Annemarie Allan, presenting an innovative spin on characters from Scottish folklore in a very modern manner. If you thought you knew the story of the kelpie - think again!

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Great Reads Of The Week!

This week I have had the chance to sit down and enjoy some quality reading time, as a result I've managed to read many great books. Unfortunately I just don't have the time to review them all. Therefore I have decided to list them, with a brief synopsis, in order for you to read and make up your own mind. Hopefully you'll be able to find a book that takes your eye - there's so much choice!


Here are the books as follows: 

Eoin McNamee - The Frost Child(Book 3 of The Navigator Trilogy) - Published By Wendy Lamb Books - U.S

Book Synopsis

Twice the Harsh have tried to destroy time, and twice Owen and the Resisters have banded together to stop them. In City of Time, Owen killed the Harsh king, and now the Harsh are hungry for revenge. Their massive fleet is ready to set sail on the sea of time and hunt down the wily Navigator. In this third and final adventure, the Navigator and his friends use every last ounce of bravery and endurance to fight the toughest battle ever. As Owen searches for a solution, he travels through time to meet his father and grandfather, and discovers that the mysterious Frost Child holds the key to the power of the Harsh.

Brandon Sanderson - Alcatraz Versus The Knights Of Crystallia - Published by Scholastic Press - U.S

Book Synopsis

When Alcatraz and Grandpa Smedry make a pilgrimage to the Free Kingdom city of Crystallia, the Smedry home base, Alcatraz is shocked to see that he is, in fact, a legend. When he was a baby he was stolen by the Evil Librarians, and his mother, a Librarian herself, was behind the whole scheme. Now, with his estranged father, who is acting indeed strange, Bastille, who has been stripped of her armor, and Grandpa Smedry, who is, as always, late to everything (that's his Talent), Alcatraz tries to save a city under siege. From who? Why, the Librarians of course!

Pierdomenico Baccalario - Ring Of Fire (Century Quartet Book 1) - Published by Random House - U.S
Book synopsis
Every hundred years, four kids from four cities must save the world.

Rome, December 29.

A mix-up with their reservations forces Harvey from New York, Mistral from Paris, and Sheng from Shanghai to share a room with the hotel owner’s daughter, Elettra. The four kids discover an amazing coincidence—they all have birthdays on February 29, Leap Day. That night, a strange man gives them a briefcase and asks them to take care of it until he returns. Soon afterward, the man is murdered.

The kids open the briefcase. In it they find a series of clues that take them all over Rome, through dusty libraries and dark catacombs, in search of the elusive Ring of Fire, an ancient object so powerful that legend says even a Roman emperor couldn’t control it.

In the first book of the Century quartet, Italian author P. D. Baccalario begins a mystery that will take four cities and four extraordinary kids to solve.

Jeremy Robinson - Pulse(Chess Team Adventure) - Published by Thomas Dunne Books - U.S
Book Synopsis
Imagine a world where soldiers regenerate and continue fighting without pause, and where suicide bombers live to strike again. This is the dream of Richard Ridley, founder of Manifold Genetics, and he has discovered the key to eternal life: an ancient artifact buried beneath a Greek inscribed stone in the Peruvian desert. When Manifold steals the artifact and abducts archaeologist Dr. George Pierce, the United States Special Forces Delta operative, Jack Sigler, callsign King, and his 'Chess Team' - Queen, Knight, Rook, Bishop and their handler, Deep Blue - give chase. They must save Pierce and stop Manifold before they change the face of genetics - and human history - forever.

Chris Priestley - Death and the Arrow(Tom Marlowe Adventure) - Published  by Corgi Children's - U.K
Book Synopsis 
Fifteen-year-old Tom helps his father run a print shop in London. When he and old Dr Harker hear of a curious murder in the City, with the victim pierced by an arrow and holding a card of 'Death and the Arrow', they are intrigued. And as more victims are discovered, the mystery closes more tightly.

Sophie McKenzie - The Medusa Project:The Hostage - Book Review

Mr Ripley's Book Review

Teenagers Nico, Kitty, Ed and Dylan were implanted with the Medusa gene when they were babies. Fourteen years later, they have been brought together to work as part of the government's secret service.This is where the story begins, with the character's first mission as part of the Medusa Project. Not knowing what to expect . . . . the mission starts with a visit to 'Fostergames', a computer games software company. Here it is suspected that Damian Foster, the head boss, is hacking into the Ministry of Defence's computer system.

The story starts to take shape when Ketty has a vision involving her brother Lex, who she sees handing over a disk. But as to what's on the disk, and why he's seen to be handing it over - these are the answers that are required.

The characters soon stumble headlong into a dangerous game of revenge. At this point, the story takes on a blistering pace and draws you into their world with great skill. The children need to work together and use their psychic abilities to come out on top. Ketty's visions are a central part to the story - some of her interpretations are not clear though and lead them into further danger.

The narration at times was lacking in parts, especially involving Ketty as the main character. As most of the story evolved around her, I felt it needed to be stronger. 

My favourite aspect of the book involved the use of the children's special powers, which they had to use quite frequently, to get themselves out of tricky situations.The ending of the book leaves a very interesting start to the next one, which is entitled 'The Rescue'. There is also a World Book day offering called 'The Thief' which will be published in March. So lots to look forward to!

Book Published by Simon and Schuster - Jan 2010

Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl - Beautiful Creatures - Book Review

Book Review
The appearance of Lena Duchannes, into the small town of Gatlin, South Carolina, caused a great stir amongst the townspeople. Not only was she new to the area but she was also a relation of Macon Ravenwood - a man who nobody really knew, or claimed to know, and yet they all spent much time speculating about him.


The book quickly establishes intrigue through Ethan Wate’s disturbing dreams. As the narrator he shares his initial description of falling (in which he smells a distinctive lemon and rosemary scent), as well as his raw emotional feelings, which soon become a significant part of the storyline.


The story is captivating, as many distinctive characters add further developments to an already rich and varied plot. Some aspects of the storyline are answered quickly, whilst others are pieced together over time and yet even then, the route to their final destiny twists and turns to an ending which is not established as an obvious path from the outset. The differing relationships between characters . . . .  soon adds to the unexpected.


The connection between Ethan and Lena is a particularly powerful one. They soon become bound together by an everlasting love for each other, or so they hope, but with the curse of the sixteenth moon - nothing should and can be taken from granted.


The flashbacks, which Lena and Ethan have, add further intrigue to the story - especially as they involve their ancestors. The parallel storyline adds a different dimension, and yet, still delivers vital information to support the ongoing plot. I thought this was very well developed, and as a result, heightened the intensity of the characters.


A gripping and memorable read from a book that I certainly found hard to put down. At least until I‘d eventually reached the final concluding page . . . . . . .

Book Published By Puffin -  4 Feb 2010


Book Synopsis:

In Ethan Wate’s hometown there lies the darkest of secrets . . . There is a girl. Slowly, she pulled the hood from her head. Green eyes, black hair. Lena Duchannes. There is a curse. On the Sixteenth Moon, the Sixteenth Year, the Book will take what it’s been promised. And no one can stop it. In the end, there is a grave. Lena and Ethan become bound together by a deep, powerful love. But Lena is cursed and on her sixteenth birthday, her fate will be decided. Ethan never even saw it coming.

About the Author

Kami Garcia is a teacher and reading specialist with an MA in education, and leads book groups for children and teenagers. Margaret Stohl has an MA in English and studied creative writing under poet George MacBeth at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. They both live in Los Angeles, California, with their families. Beautiful Creatures is their debut novel.

Waterstone's Children's Book Prize Short List 2010

• Flyaway by Lucy Christopher - Published By Chicken House
• In this touching novel for ages 10+, Lucy Christopher explores the remarkable bond between a young girl, a boy and a damaged wild bird - a relationship that will touch everyone who reads it. While visiting her father in hospital, thirteen-year-old Isla meets Harry, the first boy to understand her and her love of the outdoors. But Harry is ill, and as his health fails, Isla is determined to help him in the only way she knows how. Together they watch a lone swan struggling to fly on the lake outside Harry's window. 

• The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh - Published By Chicken House - See Book Review
• It's 1347 and fifteen-year-old Will, an orphan boy, lives at Crowfield Abbey. Sent into the forest to gather wood, he rescues instead, a creature from a trap - a hob, who shares with Will a terrible secret. Somewhere in the forest behind the abbey where he lives,is a grave. And buried deep in the snow is an angel. But how can an angel die? What has it to do with the monks of the Abbey? When two hooded strangers arrive at Crowfield asking questions about the angel's grave. Will is drawn into a world of dangerous Old

• The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester - Published By Macmillan
• Piper McCloud can fly. Just like that. Easy as pie. Problem is, the good folk of Lowland County are afraid of Piper. And her ma’s at her wits' end. So it seems only fitting that she leave her parents’ farm to attend a top-secret, maximum-security school for kids with exceptional abilities, whose skills range from super-strength to super-genius. But Piper is special, even among the special. And there are consequences. Consequences too dire to talk about. Too crazy to consider. And too dangerous to ignore.
• 
  
  By turns exhilarating and terrifying, an unforgettable story of defiance and courage starring an irrepressible heroine who can, who will, who must . . . fly.
  
  
  

• Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur  - Published By Puffin
• Something terrible has happened. Eleven-year-old Aubrey is on her own. ‘It was fun at first, playing house. Nothing to think about but TV and cheese. A perfect world.Â’ SheÂ’s determined to hide away and take care of herself, because facing the truth is too much to bear. ‘I couldnÂ’t let anyone know that I was alone. I was staying right here.Â’ But with the love of her grandmother and the letters she writes, can Aubrey begin to see that even though sheÂ’s lost everything – all is not lost?

• The Seven Sorcerers by Caro King -  Published By Quercus - See Book Review
• Nin had never liked Wednesdays, but this one took the biscuit. On this Wednesday she woke up to find that it was raining buckets and that her brother had ceased to exist. Nin realizes she is the only person to remember Toby because whoever took him is about to make her disappear too. Enter Skerridge the Bogeyman, who steals kids for Mr. Strood. With his spindle, he draws all memories of Nin out of her mother's head. She escapes to the Drift, a land filled with the fabulous and the dreadful. What is the sorcerers' secret and will Nin and Toby escape their fate at the House of Strood?

• The Toymaker by Jeremy De Quidt - Published By David Fickling
• What good is a toy that will wind down? What if you could put a heart in one? A real heart. One that beat and beat and didn't stop. What couldn't you do if you could make a toy like that? From the moment Mathias becomes the owner of a mysterious piece of paper, he is in terrible danger. Entangled in devious plots and pursued by the sinister Doctor Leiter and his devilish toys, Mathias finds himself on a quest to uncover a deadly secret.

• Meteorite Strike by A.G. Taylor - Published By Usborne - See Book Review
• Sarah and Robert are sure their number is up when their aeroplane crashes over the Australian desert. But this is no ordinary air disaster. A meteorite strike has impacted Earth, bringing with it a deadly alien disease. Thousands fall victim to the virus, falling into a deep coma. Luckily, Robert and Sarah appear to be unaffected - until they begin to exhibit some extraordinary psychic side-effects. This quickly makes them a target for HIDRA, a rogue international agency determined to experiment on them like lab rats in an attempt to control their superpowers. Before long, the children are captured in HIDRA's secret desert HQ, a prison for superhuman kids who can control fire, create storms and tear steel with their minds. This new generation of superheroes must join forces if they are to escape HIDRA. But what kind of world awaits them outside?

• The Great Hamster Massacre by Katie Davies. - Published By Simon & Schuster
• A very natural and honest version of life's events from the perspective of a young girl - from her suspicions about her neighbours, to her rocky friendship with the girl next door; from the sudden death of her beloved granny to her relentless quest for a pet hamster, only to then find it mysteriously slaughtered - which kickstarts a local investigation of 'suspects'. This is the first in a proposed series of short novels featuring the same characters and setting - with the themes of pets and detective work holding them together.

• Desperate Measures by Laura Summers - Published By Piccadilly Press 
• Vicky and Rhianna are twins but they couldn’t be more different. For their fourteenth birthday, Vicky wants a card from the hottest boy in school. Rhianna, brain-damaged at birth, wants a Furby. Instead they get a nasty shock – their foster parents can’t cope and it looks as if Vicky and Rhianna and their younger brother Jamie will have to be split up. How can they stay together? Desperate times call for desperate measures…

  Do you have your favorite?


Goog luck to you all! The winner will be announced on Wednesday 10 February.

Matthew Kirby - The Clockwork Three - One To Watch - Scholastic 2010

About the Book
An enchanted green violin, an automaton that comes to life, and a hidden treasure. . . . THE CLOCKMAKER'S GRIMORE is a richly woven adventure story that is sure to become a classic! 

Three ordinary children are brought together in their struggles by extraordinary circumstances. . .

Giuseppe is an orphaned street musician from Italy, who was sold by his uncle to work as a slave for an evil padrone in the US. But when a mysterious green violin enters his life he begins to imagine a life of freedom.
 
Hannah is a soft-hearted, strong-willed girl from the tenements, who supports her family as a hotel maid when tragedy strikes and her father can no longer work. There she learns about a hidden treasure, which she knows will save her family.


Book Published By Scholastic Press U.S - Oct 2010 - Age 10-14

Synopsis:
Giuseppe is a busker, wrenched from his brother and sister in Italy and brought to America to play his fiddle on the streets for the ruthless Stephano.  He sees no way to escape, until the day he finds a green violin that plays magical music.  Frederick is an apprentice clockmaker, with a past he chooses not to remember, but which has left him unable to trust anyone.  His need for independence fuels a secret ambition, the drive to create a clockwork like none ever seen.  Hannah is a maid in a grand hotel, working to pay the rent for her family’s shabby tenement and keep them off the street.  Her life is one of sacrifice and endless drudgery, until a mysterious guest moves into the topmost suite of the hotel, and Hannah overhears a rumor of hidden treasure.

The lives of the three children soon interlock, like the turning gears in a clock, and they all come to realize that each one holds a key to the mysteries and dangers faced by the others.  Their adventures sweep them across their city, from the shipyards to the opera house, from the depths of the Archer Museum to the opulence of the Gilbert Hotel, from the city’s old cemeteries to the darkness of McCauley Park.  Along the way they must learn to trust each other, and in themselves.  For they risk losing those things they hold most dear, and the dangers they face soon become all too real.

Michelle Harrison - The Thirteen Curses - Book Review

Mr Ripley's Book Review
The first book in this series was a 2009 personal favourite of mine. I felt the author had her work cut out, in order to either match or produce something even more spectacular, than she had previously written. Quite a task, and one that could leave many a writer quivering in their own boots of success . . . 

However, as I have come to expect from Michelle, I was far from disappointed; the writing was exquisite. Whilst the book started fairly slowly it soon gained in momentum, with a steady pace to the very end. The chapters that particularly covered the entrapment of Red, and a host of other misfortunate characters, are superbly written - voiced through a particularly dark and moody tone. I thought they were fantastic, so much so that they are actually at the point of brilliance!

The only aspect that didn't quite gel for me at points, was the sub-plot related to Rowan and Michael's background. I felt it weighted the pace of the story line down at times, and left it feeling slightly unnecessary. I acknowledge that it all ties in towards the end but I would have liked more of the story to have featured in the Fey world.

Red, Tanya and Fabian have to solve the riddle and find all the charms, which take the form of the "Thirteen Curses". This leads them all into head long experiences involving mystery and danger; leaving the reader engaged but also somewhat apprehensive as to what might happen next.

The ending uncovers some great twists and a number of thought provoking moments, these give a different take through the whole journey. This has great appeal for all readers, with something to entice all of you into the realm of the fairies.

Will this be the end or the start of new things to come?

Book Published by Simon & Schuster - Jan 2010

Book Synopsis
The Thirteen Treasures have become the Thirteen Curses. When fairies stole her brother, Red vowed to get him back. Now trapped in the fairy realm, she begs an audience with the fairy court where she strikes a bargain. Her brother will be returned - but only if she can find the thirteen charms of Tanya's bracelet that have been scattered in the human world. Returning to Elvesden Manor, Red is assisted by Tanya and Fabian and a desperate hunt begins. Soon they make a shocking discovery. The charms now have twisted qualities of the thirteen treasures they represent...and the longer they are missing the worse the consequences will be. Can Red, Tanya and Fabian find all the charms? And even if they do, will the fairies keep their promise?


About the Author
Michelle Harrison is 29 years old and an editorial assistant in children's publishing. She is a former bookseller at Ottakars/Waterstones in Stafford. Originally from Grays in Essex, she is a keen illustrator as well as writer and now lives in Oxfordshire with her partner. Her debut novel THE THIRTEEN TREASURES won the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize in 2009. 

Alex Bell - Lex Trent Versus the Gods

Thanks to Sam for sending me more details about this great forthcoming title. I mentioned this book some time ago, in the February picks post, as it looks a great read. I for one, am really looking forward to reading it once it's been published.


About the book...........

Perfect for fans of The Edge Chronicles, Lex Trent Versus the Gods is the first in a new comic fantasy series by brilliant Gollancz author Alex Bell. The book turns on its head the notion that cheats never prosper, following trickster Lex Trent as he cheats, swindles and lies his way to the top under the guidance of the Goddess of Fortune.“There are some people who are born lucky. They seem to float through life on little golden wings whilst misfortune, hardship and calamity hurry to get out of their hallowed way. One might say that Lex Trent was such a person.” 


Whilst Lex is seemingly dedicated to his legal studies he’s always enjoyed a challenge – which is why he leads a double life as the notorious cat burglar ‘The Shadowman’ who has been (luckily) evading capture for years.  But Lex’s luck is about to run out because the Goddess of Fortune has selected him to be her player in the highly dangerous Games. Losing is not an option for Lex (particularly as it so often involves dying) but can he really win each of the perilous rounds? Given that the reward for doing so is money, fame and glory – all things that Lex is quite keen on – he’s going to do whatever it takes to make sure he will... and he’s certainly got good experience of cheating.

Book Published by Headline - 4 February 2010

About the author
Alex Bell has always wanted to be a writer but had several different back-up plans ranging from a dolphin trainer to animal shelter vet but then, at fifteen, she had an epiphany involving John and Robert Kennedy and decided to become a lawyer instead.  She studied Law on and off for six long years before the boredom became so overwhelming that she had to throw down the textbooks and run madly from the building. Since then she has never looked back.

Jon Mayhew - Mortlock - Book Review

Mr Ripley's Book Review

I have had this book for quite a while now; I have been keeping it back for the special moment that I know as 'savouring time'. However as the last book I reviewed had a character called 'Mortlock' (The Obsidian Key), I thought that the 'savouring' moment had finally arrived to dust the book down and start the reading journey. . . . . The book starts with some speed, taking you straight into the action from the very first page. The author certainly sets the standard from the beginning and delivers a delicious piece of Gothic horror - you will struggle to find this quality from any other debut author.  Dark humour is sprinkled throughout the story and gives an added dimension to the book - showing characters' emotions in the face of evil. The book is based upon an original story plot but is greatly enhanced by the incredible description of individual characters; inflicting brutal acts on their victims and intimidating all who have the unfortunate luck to encounter them! My favourite though, are the beaky-like creatures known as 'Ghuls,' who show up at the Great Cardamom house and menace them - all at devastating and perilous lengths. The plot is developed around the search of a powerful item, known as the Amarant, which holds the power of life and death. Everyone wants to become the master of this object and the owner of these powers. The mysteries that unfold encompass raging battles to find the 'Amarant' first. The backdrop to the story is well executed, keeping  you on edge the whole time. The further you delve into the story the more it freaks you out. The end swiftly comes to a close but not too quickly. Instead it left me feeling distinctly satisfied (even though I didn't want it to end). The only mystery I was left with, related to whether the story may be further developed into a sequel, as the ending felt fairly final to me. Book Synopsis The sister is a knife-thrower in a magician's stage act, the brother an undertaker's assistant. Neither orphan knows of the other's existence. Until, that is, three terrible Aunts descend on the girl's house and imprison her guardian, the Great Cardamom. His dying act is to pass the girl a note with clues to the secret he carries to his grave. Cardamom was one of three explorers on an expedition to locate the legendary Amarant, a plant with power over life and death. Now, pursued by flesh-eating crow-like ghuls, brother and sister must decode the message and save themselves from its sinister legacy. About The Author Jon Mayhew is a man with a dark imagination, who has always loved writing and storytelling. An English teacher (to children and teenagers) for 20 years, he now works as a specialist teacher for children with autism. He has four children himself and, when neither teaching nor writing, he plays in ceilidh bands and runs marathons. Mortlock is his first novel. Jon lives between the ancient cities of Chester and Liverpool.