| Amber Brown Is Not A Crayon, Paula Danziger |
[22 Dec 2011|12:17am] |
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Total Icon Count: 25 Teasers:   
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| The Mysterious Benedict Society, Trenton Lee Stewart |
[27 Nov 2011|06:22am] |
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Total Icon Count: 25 Teasers:
  
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| The Name of This Book is Secret (The Secret Series #1), Pseudonymous Bosch |
[17 Sep 2011|12:55pm] |
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Total Icon Count: 25
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| The Demon Collector by Jon Mayhew |
[17 Feb 2011|11:16pm] |
The Blurb On The Back:
Edgy Taylor sees demons when nobody else can.
He also works all hours for the most brutal and abusive master in London.
One night, when Edgy fears his master’s temper may spell the end, a mysterious bespectacled old man intervenes to save him. The man does not think Edgy is insane. Instead he takes Edgy to the Royal Society of Daemonologie. Here Edgy discovers that chance had nothing to do with their meeting. And that chances are something he is about to run out of.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers):Collapse )
The Verdict:
A companion novel to the critically acclaimed MORTLOCK rather than a sequel, this is another darkly entertaining historical fantasy for children, with plenty of thrills, spills and riddles. For me the demons really steal the show, but I loved the main character and there were plenty of twists in the tale to keep me guessing. I’m really looking forward to reading the next in this entertaining series.
THE DEMON COLLECTOR is released in the UK on 7th March 2011. Thanks to Bloomsbury for the ARC.
Cross-posted to  bookish, books, bookworming, fantasywithbite and kiddie_lit.
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| Gullstruck Island by Frances Hardinge |
[30 Jan 2011|10:39pm] |
The Blurb On The Back:
On Gullstruck Island the volcanoes quarrel, beetles sing danger and occasionally a Lost is born ...
In the village of the Hollow Beasts, above the treacherous reefs and azure sea, live two sisters. Arilou is a Lost – a precious child with the power to leave her body and mind-fly with the winds – and Hathin is her helper. Together they hide a dangerous secret. Until sinister events lead to even deadlier lies, and to disaster ...
With a blue-skinned hunter on their trail and a greater enemy behind him, they must escape. Can the fate of two children decide the future of Gullstruck Island?
Discover a dazzling world, a surprising heroine ... and an incredible adventure. For on the island of Gullstruck nothing is exactly as it seems!
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers):Collapse )
The Verdict:
A gorgeously imagined children’s fantasy that combines a vividly created world that draws on many different cultures and traditions with a tightly written story of escape and revenge. It’s a long book but it held my attention from start to finish and left me hungry for more.
Cross-posted to bookish, books, bookworming, fantasywithbite and kiddie_lit.
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| Twilight Robbery by Frances Hardinge |
[21 Jan 2011|11:46pm] |
The Blurb On The Back:
As dusk approaches the good people of Toll-by-day slam shut their doors and tremble ... It’s time to discover deadly Toll-by-night – a very different place! And orphan Mosca Mye is trapped there, with only a murderous goose and a war-crazed dandy to help her.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers):Collapse )
The Verdict:
This is a richly written, vivid and imaginative sequel to the award winning middle grade book FLY BY NIGHT. You don’t need to have read FLY BY NIGHT to follow this although it may help explain the relationship between some of the characters. However it is a long book and the pace drags at time while at times it feels a little over-written. However I remain a big fan of Hardinge’s work and for its faults the sheer creativity here makes it worth the time.
TWILIGHT ROBBERY will be released in the UK on 4 March 2011. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the ARC of this book.
Cross-posted to bookish, books, bookworming, fantasywithbite and kiddie_lit.
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| Ministry of Pandemonium by Chris Westwood |
[18 Jan 2011|10:59pm] |
The Blurb On The Back:
Another night shift, another lost soul – pray the good guys find it first.
Ben Harvester sees what no one else can ...
A cobbled alleyway – a place where it’s always night – hidden behind a crack in the wall.
Mr October, a man of many faces and secrets, knows Ben has a unique gift. He sets out to recruit Ben to a top-secret, highly classified Ministry department – to help in an eternal war against an unspeakable enemy.
And so Ben begins to understand just how great and deadly his gift may be, and why it puts him and everyone he loves in grave danger ...
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers):Collapse )
The Verdict:
There are some deliciously dark moments in this middle grade fantasy by Chris Westwood and the central idea of a Ministry existing to help ghosts pass on to the afterlife is well executed and very believable. For me the story was a little too slow, mainly because it concentrates on introducing Ben to the work of the Ministry and his own special gifts. However there’s plenty of action and the promise of a sequel will definitely see me reading more.
THE MINISTRY OF PANDEMONIUM will be released in the UK in March 2011. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the ARC of this book.
Cross-posted to bookish, books, bookworming, fantasywithbite, kiddie_lit and urbanfantasyfan.
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| Skulduggery Pleasant: Mortal Coil by Derek Landy |
[28 Dec 2010|09:12pm] |
The Blurb On The Back:
“The blonde girl with the black lips turned to Valkyrie. ‘We know,’ she said. ‘We’ve seen the future. We know you’re going to kill the world ...’”
Valkyrie has discovered that she is Darquesse, the evil sorceress. The problem is, she doesn’t feel she can tell Skulduggery, and so she must try to change her terrible destiny alone.
But the price of changing your destiny is high, and if she fails, she’ll die alone too ...
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers):Collapse )
The Verdict:
The 5th in Derek Landy’s MG fantasy series is easily the goriest and scariest yet. Landy’s finally starting to pull together some of the outstanding storylines from the earlier books, which is good, and there’s also some character death and gut-wrenching scenes that promise much for book 6. However, there is also a certain amount of padding in this book and some of the storylines didn’t gel as well as in the earlier stories – this isn’t fatal but it is noticeable because the earlier books have been so tightly written.
Cross-posted to bookish, books, bookworming, fantasywithbite and kiddie_lit.
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| Skulduggery Pleasant: Dark Days by Derek Landy |
[28 Dec 2010|07:54pm] |
The Blurb On The Back:
”Valkyrie turned to the portal. The wind whipped her hair. She ran, straight into the yellow ...”
Skulduggery Pleasant is gone, sucked into a parallel dimension. There is no official, Sanctuary-approved plan to save him.
But Valkyrie’s never had much time for plans ...
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers):Collapse )
The Verdict:
A dark and stunning read from start to finish, this 4th instalment in Derek Landy’s MG fantasy series is a delight from start to finish. I’m not convinced that some of the content is suitable for younger readers as there’s a lot of death and violence, but older readers should thoroughly enjoy it.
Cross-posted to bookish, books, bookworming, fantasywithbite and kiddie_lit.
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| Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine |
[19 Dec 2010|07:08pm] |
The Blurb On The Back:
There is no descriptive Blurb on the Back, instead we get the following quotes:
”Gail Carson Levine has a real gift for humour, and her heroine is a real, live girl: strong, funny, assertive, and confused like all the rest of us. ELLA ENCHANTED is true, touching, and very funny.”
- Karen Cushman, author of the Newbery Medal-winning THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE and the Newbery Honor book CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY.
”Gail Carson Levine brings humor and wit to her story and gives us an intriguing, funny, spirited heroine. This book is fresh and charming!”
- Sharon Creech, author of the Newbery Medal-winning WALK TWO MOONS
”This refreshing take on one of the world’s most popular fairy tales preserves the spirit of the original but adds plenty of humorous twists and a spunky, intelligent female lead.” (Pointer review)
- THE KIRKUS REVIEWS
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers):Collapse )
The Verdict:
A charming and warm retelling of CINDERELLA, this book was a huge amount of fun from beginning to end and kept me thoroughly entertained. I’d definitely recommend this for readers aged 8+ and those who remain young at heart.
Cross-posted to bookish, books, bookworming, fantasywithbite and kiddie_lit.
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| Bartimaeus: The Ring Of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud |
[20 Oct 2010|10:32pm] |
The Blurb On The Back:
”The rules between my masters and myself are clear: the magician forces me to help him get wealth and power, and I do my best to nobble him.”
Bartimaeus, the djinni with attitude, is back.
The inimitably insolent Bartimaeus has returned – as a slave to King Solomon, wielder of the all-powerful Ring. Until a girl assassin shows up with more than just murder on her mind and things start to get ... interesting.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers):Collapse )
The Verdict:
Bartimaeus is back in a prequel to the bestselling BARTIMAEUS TRILOGY that is well worth a few hours of your time. Funny, sharp, fast paced and jam packed with plot, while there is a slight sense of déjà vu in terms of the themes explored, it is nevertheless a delight from beginning to end and a book that 9 – 12 year olds should thoroughly enjoy. If you’re completely new to the character, then it’s probably worthwhile starting here rather than with the Trilogy as it will give you a better idea of what to expect.
BARTIMAEUS: THE RING OF SOLOMON was published in the UK on 14th October. Thanks to the Amazon UK Vine Programme for the ARC.
Cross-posted to bookish, books, bookworming, fantasywithbite and kiddie_lit.
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| The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas |
[12 Oct 2010|10:34pm] |
The Blurb On The Back:
NEVER STEAL FROM A WIZARD!
Connwaer is a thief of the Twilight. On the run from the city’s Underlord, he steals a banished wizard’s locus stone. Touching the locus magicalicus should kill him, but miraculously he survives.
Intrigued, the wizard Nevery takes Conn on as his apprentice and the boy becomes embroiled in his master’s plan to save the city from the death of magic. But Conn is hiding his own dark secret ...
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers):Collapse )
The Verdict:
A fun, fast-paced read with a great central character who’s self-reliance and determination has you rooting for him, this is a great introduction to the people and places of Wellmet and I will be reading more of this series to find out what happens to Conn next.
Thanks to Quercus for the free copy of this book.
Cross-posted to bookish, fantasywithbite and kiddie_lit.
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| I Spy: The Constantinople Caper by Graham Marks |
[18 Sep 2010|01:24pm] |
The Blurb On The Back:
Trey can’t wait to go on a grand tour of Europe with his father – until he realizes it involves dusty museums and boring business meetings.
Then, out of the blue, everything changes and they’re boarding the Orient Express, destination: Constantinople. And he’s sure they’re being followed by a sinister man with a pencil mustache.
Who is this shadowy stranger?
Trey feels like his personal hero – star sleuth Trent ‘Pistol’ Gripp, from Black Ace magazine – with his own mystery to solve!
But it’s a mystery that’s about to turn deadly – when Trey finds himself on his own, and on the run, in a city that he soon discovers has a thousand hidden dangers ...
Welcome to 1927 and a world of spies, intrigue, guns and car chases – where nothing is what it seems and you can’t trust anybody ...
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers):Collapse )
The Verdict:
Although the historical setting is interesting, the story’s quite old-fashioned and the plot didn’t hold together well enough for me while the stereotypical dialogue for the American and English characters grated. It’s an okay read, but I won’t be reading on with the series.
Thanks to Usbourne Books for the free copy of this book.
Cross-posted to bookish, books, bookworming and kiddie_lit.
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| Skulduggery Pleasant: The Faceless Ones by Derek Landy |
[05 Sep 2010|02:27pm] |
The Blurb On The Back:
You’ve seen it all before: some bad guy wants to bring about the end of the world, and Skulduggery and Valkyrie fight valiantly to stop it happening. A few people get hurt, sure, but everything’s all right in the end.
Well, not this time.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers):Collapse )
The Verdict:
This is the third nail-biting, laugh-out-loud, imaginative and dark instalment in what is one of my all-time favourite Middle Grade fantasy series. Although it may be a little too violent for more sensitive readers, there’s plenty in it for child and adult readers and the cliff hanger ending has me panting to get hold of the next book.
Cross-posted to bookish, fantasywithbite and kiddie_lit.
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| Tall Story by Candy Gourlay |
[09 Aug 2010|08:40pm] |
The Blurb On The Back:
What you want is not always what you get.
Even when your wishes come true.
Andi desperately hopes her long lost half-brother Bernardo will be as mad on basketball as she is. But when he steps off the plane from the Philippines, she can’t believe her eyes. She hasn’t seen him for ten years, but even so, how did he get to be EIGHT FOOT TALL? An eight-foot tall boy who is about to crash into her life with his size 22 feet.
But Bernardo is not what he seems. Bernardo is a hero, Bernardo works miracles, and Bernardo has an amazing story to tell.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers):Collapse )
The Verdict:
Candy Gourlay’s debut novel is a warm, charming tale about giganticism and accepting peoples’ differences and it has a wonderful supernatural element to it that gives the story an ambiguity that’s delicious to read. Bernardo and Andi are great characters and the use of a Filipino village gives a welcome multi-cultural element that’s interesting, humorous but never patronising. Definitely a writer to watch.
Cross-posted to books, bookworming, kiddie_lit and bookish.
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| A Most Improper Magick by Stephanie Burgis |
[26 Jul 2010|10:36pm] |
The Blurb On The Back:
At twelve years old, any proper young lady should be sitting quietly at home, practising her embroidery, learning French and keeping her opinions to herself.
But Kat Stephenson is no ordinary young lady.
Kat’s father may be a respectable vicar, but her late mother was a notorious witch, her brother has gambled the family into debt, and Kat herself is the newest target of an ancient and secretive magical Order.
In the first thrilling instalment of The Unladylike Adventures of Kat Stephenson, Kat sets out to win her older siblings their true loves, battling highwaymen, sinister aristocrats, wild magic and even ghosts along the way.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers):Collapse )
The Verdict:
Diana Wynn Jones meets Jane Austen in a fast-paced Regency fantasy for middle grade readers that combines highwaymen, magic and true love for a sparkling read. It’s the first of a trilogy and I can’t wait for the next instalment.
A MOST IMPROPER MAGICK is published in the UK on 4th August. It will be published in the USA under the title KAT, INCORRIGIBLE on 5th April 2011.
Thanks to Templar Publishing for the ARC.
Cross-posted to bookish, fantasywithbite, and kiddie_lit.
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| Desperate Measures by Laura Summers |
[16 Jul 2010|11:22pm] |
The Blurb On The Back:
”‘Jamie and me have run away,’ said Rhianna, ‘and now you can too, Vicky.’
I took her hand in mine. It was freezing.
When we first started school, they thought Rhianna could manage without any help. But every morning, Mum would whisper to me, ‘Keep an eye on your sister, Vicky.’
So I did. I looked out for her. Kept the bad kids away. Protected her from danger. And now Mum was dead. I would always have to look out for her.
For ever and ever, amen.”
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 youngest brother Jamie will have to be split up.
How can they stay together?
Desperate times call for desperate measures ...
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers):Collapse )
The Verdict:
Nominated for the Watersone’s Children’s Book Award, Laura Summer wins credit for writing a book that has a brain-damaged character in a central role and for writing from their perspective. However it is a simplistic story with very black and white characters and the fact that it doesn’t seem to tie in with real life dealings with, e.g. social workers, may well put the target teen audience off (although I would recommend it to readers age 9+).
Thanks to Piccadilly Press for the free copy of this book.
Cross-posted to bookish, cool_teen_reads, kiddie_lit and yalitlovers.
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| The Blackhope Enigma by Teresa Flavin |
[26 Jun 2010|01:28pm] |
The Blurb On The Back:
An old painting ...
A strange labyrinth ...
The sudden appearance of skeletons in a locked room ...
For centuries, Blackhope Tower has been shrouded in intrigue, which seems to centre around a curious painting hanging in the Mariner’s Chamber.
Its meaning has baffled historians, but when fourteen-year-old Sunni Forrest visits the tower, she finds herself transported to the very heart of the Blackhope enigma, and the painting itself. Can she and her friend Blaise overcome its dangers and evade their ruthless pursuers? And will they find their way home ... alive?
An age-old mystery is about to unravel.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers):Collapse )
The Verdict:
Although this book has an exciting premise, the delivery fails to meet up to expectations. The passion for art that comes across the page isn’t enough to sustain what’s ultimately a bland story with bland characters. It’s an okay read, but no better.
THE BLACKHOPE ENIGMA is published in the United Kingdom in July. Thanks to Templar Publishing for the ARC.
Cross-posted to bookish, kiddie_lit and fantasywithbite.
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| Mortlock by Jon Mayhew |
[30 May 2010|02:40pm] |
The Blurb On The Back:
Every now and then, a gentle scratching made Josie flinch and pull the bedclothes closer around her.
‘I can come in whenever I want to,’ the noise seemed to gloat. ‘You may think you’re safe, but I can come in. Whenever I want.’
Josie is a knife thrower in a magician’s stage act.
Alfie is an undertaker’s assistant.
They are both orphans and they have never met, but they are about to be given a clue to the secret of their shared past.
A past which has come to seek them out.
And while they flee for their lives, they must unravel the burning mysteries surrounding the legacy that threatens to consume them.
Morsel by morsel.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers):Collapse )
The Verdict:
A dark, thrilling historical fantasy this story has a likeable and resourceful hero and heroine, plenty of magic and some great set-pieces. It is a dark story and the Aunts (while my favourite characters) may be a little too dark for younger readers although I thought that it was a great read and a lot of fun.
I am giving away a signed copy of MORTLOCK on my LJ here for anyone who is interested in checking it out.
Cross-posted to bookish, fantasywithbite and kiddie_lit.
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