Mr Ripley's New Children's and Teens Book Picks: Published January 2014

                     

                              
Julian Sedgwick - Mysterium 2: The Palace of Memory - Published by Hodder Children's Books - 2, Jan 2014
Danny Woo has escaped from the jaws of death once - but his trials are not yet over. He's meant to be recovering, but when he discovers the Mysterium - the circus into which he was born, and which cost his parents their lives - is being reformed in Barcelona, he determines to join them. But all is not well - who is the bad seed inside the once-loyal company? And who is the woman in green who can kill, and who seems to be trailing Danny with each move he makes? Everything, he knows, is linked to the death of his parents: he must continue his quest to find his parents' killers. Once again, the story culminates in Danny's participation in a well-known and dangerous stunt.
                   

Alan Gibbons - Raining Fire - Published by Indigo - 16, Jan 2014
The gun is the coward's fist. The gun is power. Alex and Ethan are growing up on an estate where there are just two choices: sport or crime. Ethan is selected for a football training programme in the US, his chance to escape the gangs that terrorise his neighbourhood. But Alex is drawn into an explosive feud with a gun at its heart. In this gripping and absorbing real life thriller, Alan Gibbons explores the complex issue of gun crime, and the far reaching consequences it can have.

M. J Howes - Feed - Published by Chicken House - 2, Jan 2014

Fourteen-year-old friends Lola and Patrick are in desperate trouble - along with everybody else. Monstrous enemy invaders have increased their human raids. Those taken face a terrible fate: like animals they will be transported, processed and eaten in a food chain like no other - unless Lola and Patrick can find a way to save them.

                      

Ruth Warburton - WitchFinder: Witch Finder - Published by Hodder Children's Books - 2, Jan 2014

London. 1880. In the slums of Spitalfields apprentice blacksmith Luke is facing initiation into the Malleus Maleficorum, the fearsome brotherhood dedicated to hunting and killing witches.
Luke’s final test is to pick a name at random from the Book of Witches, a name he must track down and kill within a month, or face death himself. Luke knows that tonight will change his life forever. But when he picks out sixteen-year-old Rosa Greenwood, Luke has no idea that his task will be harder than he could ever imagine.

Mr Ripley's New Children/Teens Horror Books - Published by January 2014

                   

Ransom Riggs - Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine's Children (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children) - Published by Quirk Book - 14 Jan 2104

"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" was the surprise best seller of 2011--an unprecedented mix of YA fantasy and vintage photography that enthralled readers and critics alike. Publishers Weekly called it "an enjoyable, eccentric read, distinguished by well-developed characters, a believable Welsh setting, and some very creepy monsters."
This second novel begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrine's island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises. 
Complete with dozens of newly discovered (and thoroughly mesmerizing) vintage photographs, this new adventure will delight readers of all ages.


                   

William Sleator - Blackbriar - Published by Skyscape - 21 Jan 2014
Danny can feel something sinister about his new home, Blackbriar, an old, abandoned cottage in the English countryside. The residents of a nearby town refuse to speak of the house and can barely look Danny in the eyes. Then Danny begins to have strange dreams of fires and witches, and awakes to shrieks of laughter that seem to come from another time and place.With help from his friend, Lark, Danny begins to unravel the mysteries of Blackbriar and its frightening past, through the discovery of an ancient doll and a chilling list of names and dates carved on the cellar door. But what might be most terrifying of all is the mystery that does not lie in the past but in the here and now...
                       

Michelle Muto - The Haunting Season - Published by Skyscape - 21 Jan 2014

Siler House has stood silent beneath Savannah’s moss-draped oaks for decades. Notoriously haunted, it has remained empty until college-bound Jess Perry and three of her peers gather to take part in a month-long study on the paranormal. Able to talk to ghosts, Jess quickly bonds with her fellow test subjects, who have their own “gifts.” One is possessed. Another just wants to forget. The third is a guy who knows how to turn up the August heat, not to mention Jess’s heart rate…when he’s not resurrecting the dead.

The study soon turns into something far more sinister when they discover that Siler House and the dark forces within are determined to keep them forever. To escape, Jess and the others must open themselves up to the true horror of Siler House and channel the very evil that seeks to hold them in.

                    

Darren Shan - Zom-B Gladiator - Published by Simon & Schuster - 2 Jan 2014

The sixth book in the series. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, B Smith has decided to live--and to fight for good as long as possible. However, London is overridden with the brain-eating undead and swarming with human mercenaries whose sense of right and wrong dissolved when society did. When they lay a trap, B is captured. And it'll take dozens of battles--and the fight of a lifetime--to escape. Filled with gripping, bloody action sequences, the sixth book in Darren Shan's horrifying Zom-B series promises the fright--and the fight--of your life.

MR RIPLEY'S ENCHANTED BOOKS: FAVOURITE BOOKS 2013 - Children's/YA and Adult

                                   

2014 is officially on the horizon and Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books is coming to the end of yet another year. Around this festive time I like to take a trip down memory lane and highlight some of my favourite reads of 2013.  All of the following books have been reviewed on the website so if you would like to know and read more then just use the search bar....... Mr Ripley's Favourite Adult Reads 2013: (in no order) Brandon Sanderson - Steelheart - Published by Gollancz - 26, September 2013 Cherie Priest - The Inexplicables - Published by Tor 14, February 2013 Gareth Powell - Ack-Ack Macaque - Published by Solaris 3, January  2013 Samantha Shannon - The Bone Season - Published by Bloomsbury 20, August 2013 Joe Hill - NOS4R2 - Published by Gollancz - 31, October 2013 Mr Ripley's Favourite Children's/Young Adult Reads 2013: (in no order) SF Said and Dave McKean - Phoenix - Published by David Fickling - 1, August 2013 Brandon Sanderson - The Rithmatist - Published by Orion - 23, May 2013 Ian Johnstone - The Bell Between Worlds - Published by HarperCollins - 6, June 2013 Andy Mulligan - The Boy with Two Heads - Published by David Fickling - 6, June 2103 John Connolly + Jennifer Ridyard - Conquest - Published by Headline - 26, September 2013 Oisin McGann - Rat Runners - Published by Corgi - 7, March 2013 Rhys A Jones - The Obsidian Pebble - Published by Spencer Hill Press - 29, October 2013 Emerald Fennell - Shiverton Hall - Published by Bloomsbury - 3, January 2013  Chris Riddell - Goth Girl: and the Ghost of a Mouse - Published by Macmillan - 12, September 2013 Ashley Miller + Jack Stentz - Colin Fischer - Published by Puffin - 7, February 2013 Andrew Lane - Lost Worlds - Published by Macmillan - 25, April 2013 Michelle Paver - The Burning Shadow - Published by Puffin - 1, August 2013 I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all (readers, authors, illustrators and publishers) for your support in 2013. I'd like to wish you all a great Christmas and a wonderful start to the New Year.

Mr Ripley's Children's Book Recommendation - Animal Spirits Series: Wild Born/Hunted - By Brandon Mull & Maggie Stiefvater

                         

WILD BORN - Book One by Brandon Mull - Out Now
Four children separated by vast distances all undergo the same ritual, watched by cloaked strangers. Four flashes of light erupt, and from them emerge the unmistakable shapes of incredible beasts - a wolf, a leopard, a panda, a falcon. Suddenly the paths of these children - and the world - have been changed for ever. Enter the world of Erdas, where every child who comes of age must discover if they have a spirit animal, a rare bond between human and beast that bestows great powers to both.

 A dark force has risen from distant and long-forgotten lands, and has begun an onslaught that will ravage the world. Now the fate of Erdas has fallen on the shoulders of four young strangers ... 

Book Two: Hunted is by Maggie Stiefvater - Published 1st Jan 2014 - Check out the cool game and more: http://spiritanimals.scholastic.com/

Mr Ripley's Book Review: The Obsidian Pebble by Rhys A Jones - Spencer Hill Press

                           

Spencer Hill Press have delivered what they set out to do - publishing special reads that fall into the category of "I couldn't put it down". Literally I found myself not being able to put this book down. It was such a fantastic read that it will definitely find itself gaining a late entry on my best reads of the year list. This is the first exciting installment in the Artefact series - it is the authors first step into the world of children and young adult literature.  

The amazing story line in this book will definitely help it to shine as it has so much going for it in my opinion. Eleven year old Oz Chambers is the star of the story - he appears to be a normal down-to-earth character who happens to live in a haunted house. However this haunted house is full of secrets and a mystery that will leave you flicking through the pages like a mad Buzzard in a whirlwind in order to get to the end. 

When Oz and his friends hear ghostly footsteps in the boarded up dorm during Halloween, Oz and his friends go exploring. They try to find out more about the eerie reputation engulfing this place. The story is a great journey focusing on friendships, loyalty, school and family life. I particularly enjoyed the way in which the hard lessons in life were explored through the many ups and downs that life can throw at you. The more that you read on the more the mystery engulfs the reader in a magical world that is action packed full of ghostly encounters and mind tingling moments that you will just love.

This book has so much character in it that you will find yourself lost within the 340 pages. It is really well written but, most importantly, the story inside is particularly good. The author has a great ability to write from a child's perspective which encompasses a fantasy magical world that is both gripping and intriguing. There is definitely more than one puzzle to unearth within this adventure. It is a cool, witty and fun book that will have every reader from ten to hundred enchanted and wanting to read more. 

I really hope that this book finds more readers. If this review has enchanted you then you will need to look out for this small indie publisher from the US - I hope that you manage to grab a copy. I am really looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Hopefully I won't need to wait too long.

Guest Author Post: Inspirations For Phoenix by SF Said - Published by David Fickling

My new book Phoenix is set in space.  One of the biggest inspirations for it was an amazing book of astral photography created by the Hubble Space Telescope .  I found this book in Reykjavik, on a trip to see the Northern Lights, and it stayed with me through the seven years it took to write my story, always giving me a sense of wonder when I needed it.  

http://hubblesite.org/

        

I was so glad when I learned that Dave McKean loves space photography as much as I do!  When the writing was complete, I passed the Hubble book on to him.  I think he made incredible use of it in illustrating the space sequences in Phoenix, though he also added many unique and mind-blowing concepts of his own, including the idea of using fractals to represent the connections between all things.

           

When I was thinking about how to navigate through space, I was very inspired by the idea of Astrolabes.  These were ancient astronomical devices, popular in the Islamic world a thousand years ago, and then in medieval Europe.  They enabled people to find their exact positions, even at sea, for the first time.  They were analogue computers – like the GPS of their day!

                          

I found a beautiful catalogue of Astrolabes put together by the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich
http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections.html#!csearch;searchTerm=astrolabe
which has a fantastic collection of them.  Again, this book stayed in front of me while I was writing.  Then, when I was done, I passed it on to Dave, who found it as breathtakingly beautiful as I had.  And again, I think he did something extraordinary with it.

Perhaps the hardest part of Phoenix to get right was the idea of the Twelve Astraeus.  In the story, these are the astral origins of all the ancient gods and mythologies.  It was very hard to write about beings of such mystery in ordinary prose.  Very late in the writing process, at the urging of my editor David Fickling, I found another way of describing them.

I realised that information about the Twelve Astraeus could be communicated in a series of song fragments, accompanied by illustrations.  I imagined Dave doing a series of portraits, depicting each of the Twelve Astraeus in turn, along with their attributes.  Through these images and fragments, readers might just glimpse them, and form their own ideas about who they were.  This seemed like it could be much more powerful and resonant than simply being told.

I'm happy to say that when Dave's portraits came through, they had exactly the numinous luminous glow I was after.  They gave me the sense of awe and wonder that I always wanted my story to have.  I can't really thank him enough, because in truth, although there were many inspirations behind this book, perhaps the biggest was Dave himself, and his infinite imagination!

SF Said Website: http://www.sfsaid.com/p/phoenix.html

Twitter: @WhatSFSaid

David Mckean Website: http://davemckean.com/

Twitter:@DaveMckean

Publisher Website: David Fickling: http://www.davidficklingbooks.com/
Mr Ripley's Book Review: http://www.mrripleysenchantedbooks.com/2013/08/book-review-sf-said-phoenix-illustrated.html

Mr Ripley's Book Cover Wars Final Winner 2013/14 - Niel Bushnell - Timesmith

                             

Mr Ripley's book cover wars has now come to a climatic end. After four exciting heats, we now have a worthy winner.......

As usual I would like to thank the many people who have supported the book cover wars. Although this idea is now in its fifth year I still find the whole process tremendously exciting! I hope that you too have had as much fun as I have - either as an observer or a contender.

Altogether 1,700 votes were cast over five weeks, which just highlights the passion that this competition generates. In the final there were 678 votes in total. An epic last minute battle saw only two votes stand between Roderick and Niel's respective book covers. However there can only be one winner. . . . . 

Book One: Niel Bushnell - Timesmith	194	28.61%	28.61%
Book Two: Alexander Gordon Smith - The Fury	95	14.01%	14.01%
Book Three: Roderick Gordon & Brian Williams - Terminal	192	28.32%	28.32%
Book Four: Thomas Taylor - Dan and the Caverns of Bone	99	14.6%	14.6%
Book Five: Ian Johnstone - The Bell Between the Worlds	98	14.45%	14.45%

Without further ado I'd like to award the title of 'Mr Ripley's Book Cover Wars 2013/14' to . . . . . . .  Niel Bushnell for 'Timesmith'. 

Niel's book cover will be placed in the Ripley's Hall of Fame where it will accompany the following past winners:

2009/10 - Jon Mayhew 'Mortlock' 
2010/11 - Darren Shan 'Birth of a Killer' illustrated by David Wyatt
2011/12 - Curtis Jobling ''Werewolf: Shadow of the Hawk' illustrated by Andrew Farley
2012/13 - Thomas Taylor - Haunters illustrated by Steve Wells 
2013/14 - Niel Bushnell - Timesmith - illustrated by James Fraser & Kate Grove

The winner of the book competition is...... Karen Everitt. Congratulations to you - please get in touch with your postal details. 

Preview: New Chicken House Children's Books Published Early 2014

                            

M.J. Howes - Feed - Published 2nd January 2014 - Age 10+

Taken, frozen and eaten – this is the fate facing the human race from enemy invaders – unless fourteen-year-olds Lola and Patrick can stop them.

Fourteen-year-old friends Lola and Patrick are in desperate trouble – along with everybody else. Monstrous enemy invaders have increased their human raids. Those taken face a terrible fate: like animals they will be transported, processed and eaten in a food chain like no other – unless Lola and Patrick can find a way to save them.

Trenton Lee Stewart - The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict - Published 2nd January 2014  - Age 9+
The prequel to the bestselling Mysterious Benedict Society series. When nine-year-old Nicholas Benedict is sent to a new orphanage, he encounters vicious bullies, selfish adults, strange circumstances – and a mind-bending mystery. Luckily, he has one very important thing in his favour: he’s a genius.                              

David Massey - Taken - Published 6th March 2014 - Age 14+
When hope is all you have, survival is all you can fight for … A crew of five young adventurers are toughing it out together, sailing around the world on a gruelling charity challenge. They are used to being pushed to the limit, but nothing could have prepared them for being kidnapped. When they are taken hostage by a notorious warlord and his band of child soldiers, the trip of a lifetime turns into a one-way journey into the heart of the African jungle.              

Philip Webb - Where The Rock Splits The Sky - Published 6th March 2014 - Age 12+
Where Megan lives it’s forever dusk: an endless indigo sky above a wounded land that’s slowly dying... Ever since the ‘visitors’ came, the world has stopped turning. No one sleeps, everyone’s afraid. But Megan wants to know what’s coming. She’ll stop at nothing to save those she loves. She’ll ride across a forsaken wilderness to where the rock splits the sky to set the world spinning again – and discover what she’s truly made of.

Wendy Constance - Brave - Published 3rd April 2013 - Age 10+
Thirteen winters old, Wild Horse and Blue Bird must prove their skill and bravery...Together with a sabre-tooth cub, they set out on the most dangerous adventure of their lives. They must fight spear, tooth and claw to survive.

This exhilarating, epic adventure was the winner of the 2013 Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition. It will appeal to fans of Michelle Paver’s Chronicles of Ancient Darkness.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books Cover Wars Final 2013/2014 - Plus Book Swag Competition - Angie Sage/Matt Whyman/ Sean Williams

This is the big final for the book cover wars for 2013/134 - are you ready to vote?

Over the last four weeks, different authors and illustrators and publishers have battled for their book covers to be voted into the grand final. As a result, we now have five worthy winners who now have the chance to be crowned with the title 'Mr Ripley's Enchanted book cover of the year'. So without any further waiting, let the final battle commence . . . . 

A big thanks also to everyone who has voted and left comments - around 1100 votes have been cast over the last four heats! 

As a voter, not only will you get the chance to choose your final favourite book cover, but you will also be in with the chance to win a great prize. One signed copy of Matt Whyman's - The Savages, a signed Angie Sage promo Fyre postcard and a fantastic rare Sean Williams - Twinmaker medium adult T-shirt (kindly donated by Julie Pike) thank you very much!

If you are interested then all you need to do is:

• Vote for your favourite book cover using the poll (see top right of the page)
• Leave a comment through this post
• Sit back, watch the voting develop and wait to hear whether you've won (once the poll has closed). Please note that this competition is open Worldwide
• This poll will end Midnight 2nd December 2013

So here are the five book covers for you to vote for:

                         

Book One: Niel Bushnell - Timesmith ( The Timesmith Chronicles) - Published by Andersen - 14, March 2014 -  Designed by James Fraser, art editor Kate Grove. 

    

Book Two: Alexander Gordon Smith - The Fury - Published by Farrar Straus Giroux - 23, July 2013 - Cover by Christian Fuenfhausen 

                      

Book Three: Roderick Gordon & Brian Williams - Terminal - Published by Chicken House - 2, May 2013 - Cover by David Wyatt 

              

Book Four: Thomas Taylor - Dan and the Caverns of Bone - Published by A&C Black Children's - 6th June 2013 - Cover by Thomas Taylor 

                     

Book Five: Ian Johnstone - The Bell Between the Worlds ( The Mirror Chronicles) - Published by HarperCollins - 6 June 2013 - Designed by Blacksheep UK. 

Let the voting commence on this years Book Cover Wars Final 2013/14. Please leave your comments on the post to win that signed book.  Also  if your really nice give us a mention use #bookcoverwars on Twitter or share on Facebook. 

Mr Ripley's New Young Adult Book Picks: Published In December 2013 - US Published

                             

Greg Weisman - Rain of the Ghosts - Published by St Martin's Griffin - 3, December 2013 

Rain of the Ghosts is the first in Greg Weisman's series about an adventurous young girl, Rain Cacique, who discovers she has a mystery to solve, a mission to complete and, oh, yes, the ability to see ghosts.

Welcome to the Prospero Keys (or as the locals call them: the Ghost Keys), a beautiful chain of tropical islands on the edge of the Bermuda Triangle. Rain Cacique is water-skiing with her two best friends Charlie and Miranda when Rain sees her father waiting for her at the dock. Sebastian Bohique, her maternal grandfather, has passed away. He was the only person who ever made Rain feel special. The only one who believed she could do something important with her life. The only thing she has left to remember him by is the armband he used to wear: two gold snakes intertwined, clasping each other’s tails in their mouths. Only the armband . . . and the gift it brings: Rain can see dead people. Starting with the Dark Man: a ghost determined to reveal the Ghost Keys’ hidden world of mystery and mysticism, intrigue and adventure.

James Bartholmeusz - BK 3 : The Grey Star - Published by Medallion Press - 1, December 2013 

After thwarting the Cult of Dionysus and with the city of Nexus in ruins, all that remains for the Apollonians is to find the final Shards of the Risa Star before the Cult can use it to wreak havoc on an astronomical scale—but in this final installment of the Seven Stars trilogy, Jack Lawson and his allies face unexpected challenges. They are worlds apart; some battling old enemies in a desert fortress, and others in a formerly prosperous city-state that is slipping into totalitarianism. All the while, the pieces of a greater puzzle have been moving into place and a trap has been laid, and Jack must confront a truth that threatens to destroy everything.

Ellen Oh - Warrior (The Dragon King Chronicles ) - Published by HarperTeen - 31, December 2013

Kira, the yellow-eyed demon slayer who protected her kingdom in Prophecy, is back . . . and her dramatic quest is far from over. After finishing Ellen's first novel, Prophecy, School Library Journal said they were "ready for a sequel." Well, here it is! Filled with ancient lore and fast-paced excitement, this page-turning series is perfect for fantasy and action fans.

Kira has valiantly protected her kingdom—and the crown prince—and is certain she will find the second treasure needed to fulfill the Dragon King's prophecy. Warrior boasts a strong female hero, romantic intrigue, and mythical creatures such as a nine-tailed fox demon, a goblin army, and a hungry dragon with a snarky attitude.                            

Trisha Wooldridge - The Kelpie - Published by Spencer Hill Press - 17, December 2013

I can't honestly say I was joking when I suggested to my best friend, Joe - Prince Joseph, eldest son of England's Crown Prince - that we could probably find something the police had missed in regards to the missing children. After all, eleven and twelve year olds like us did that all the time on the telly and in the books we read 
When Heather and Joe decide to be Sleuthy MacSleuths on the property abutting the castle Heather's family lives in, neither expected to discover the real reason children were going missing: 

Book Review: Brandon Sanderson - Steelheart - Published by Gollancz/Delacorte Press

                   

Brandon Sanderson has done it yet again. He has produced another book that has just blown through the cobwebs of my mind. As soon as I had read the synopsis, I felt that this book had real potential both as an individual story and a new series. That assumption stayed with me from the very first page to the last. This is an epic book (in every sense of the word) that really does deliver a packing punch.

The story starts with 8 year old David and his father, who are in a bank, trying to secure a mortgage. The author eases us gently into the story until Steelheart (the super villain) rampages through the bank in a show of dominance and force. He starts killing the workers and eventually destroys the bank by creating an earthquake that wipes it off the face of the earth. 

The story leads us through a world in chaos. A key event, known as the "Calamity", causes normal people to suddenly gain superpowers. These people, who are called Epics, are a superbly crafted 'pick and mix' bunch of super villains. They are like a mad amalgamation of your favourite DC and Marvel comic characters. They really are fantastically depicted and very well represented throughout this fantasy read. 

I particularly grew to like one of the main characters known as David. I was interested in the way that he analysed the situations that he faced. I also enjoyed the way in which he delivered a variety of metaphors really badly - I found myself chortling on a number of occasions at the air of foolishness created when he delivered these.

The last thing that I want to do is to give away the whole story in this review. However I just want to comment on a few further aspects that really enhanced the story such as the minimalistic use of dialogue. This really created just the right balance of conversation between characters which didn't give too much away or slow down the pace of the story. Equally, the language used to explain the weapons, gadgets and other Sci-fi technology was very well used and created an amazing visual picture.

This is a book that you can easily get wrapped up in - so much so that time soon rapidly disappears. The author has an amazing ability to take you from the safety of your sofa into the fantasy world within just a few sentences. Once hooked, you remain there until you finally finish the book. It's full of thoughtful and well worked out plot twists and turns. Great ideas such as a city made of steel and enforcement officers really add an interesting dimension to events.

This story is easily one of the best books that I have read this year. It will grab you and then punch you straight through into the Sci-fi fantasy world. It's filled with so much action that it will leave you breathless. Brandon is a great artist in painting an imaginable and make-believe post-apocalyptic world where anything can happen. It is one of the best starts to a new series that I have read in a very long time. I am really looking forward to the next installment, which I hope will be very very soon!