Release Date: 03/09/10
BOOK BLURB:
If you were a fairy for a day, what magic spells would you cast? Grab your wand and join in the preparations for a fabulous fairy party! With magic changing pictures on every spread and a fun rhyming text these books are ideal for aspiring fairies everywhere!
REVIEW:
Whilst I love interactive titles, this one has so much potential that it’s almost criminal when it fails to reach for the stars. It’s beautifully drawn, the pull and slide tabs adding to the magical element, however the real problem is the length, which no matter how well done it is, will leave a pretty sour taste in the purchasers mouth. With only four turnable pages, it is extremely short and for the money, does make me feel that there are better titles out there, it’s just a real shame that it hasn’t reached its full potential.
Release Date: 02/09/10
BOOK BLURB:
As a boy, Andrew was touched by the otherworld when the ghost of a dead murderer sought out his village, showing him his fate. And though his father is just a blacksmith, nothing will keep Andrew from riding to the Crusades to seek the honours he has been promised. He lives battles of the imagination, seeing harsh midday sun glint off sword and armour, where he rides his horse into war in a riot of colour and noise. But dead men keep secrets, and much of the future has been kept from him. Andrew may find the glory of the Crusades and skirmish with Saladin's most powerful warriors. Or he may become entangled in Templar politics and wander in the desert haunted by jinn and demons. What is certain is that Andrew will face tests of blade and spirit. And his dreams will be measured in blood before he sees home again.
REVIEW:
Young Adult novels are full of adventure and deep within this one is a young lad’s dream of becoming a knight. Set during the crusades the author feels like they’ve borrowed from “A Knights Tale”quite liberally. It’s fun, it’s quirky and there’s a supporting cast of players that are a huge amount of fun to hang around.
That said, the side quests and struggles of some of these players did feel at times, like they were superfluous to the story’s overall arc. Which, whilst I could see that the author was utilising them in order to help create different paces for the reader, would have been better had they been put to one side for a separate tale all of their own set to run at the same time as the main story and could have used a number of Burt Lancaster and Nick Cravate films for inspiration.
Overall, the story will fulfil what the reader wants as destiny is met head on, dreams are achieved and all in is a great piece of escapism for the young adult reader.
Release Date: 20/05/10
BOOK BLURB:
The old Dublin Button Factory hides a secret. There, Jessie meets a boy who walks through walls but can't remember his own name, and discovers the Timecatcher, a swirling, powerful Magic, which every seven years reveals the past, both good and bad, in a jumble of days. The Timecatcher is about to open now, and there are those who will go to any lengths to control it. Jessie and her friends - both ghosts and human - must stop them, before it's too late. A fast-paced ghostly adventure, sparkling with humour and heart.
REVIEW:
A young adult story with ghost’s in the modern world as the author brings a hero of legend to the audience. Deep within this mystery is a tale of death, one of magic and another of redemption as the various cast members bring their strengths and weaknesses to the fore within. It’s quirky, it has some true magic of its own and it is backed to the hilt with possibilities to keep the young reader engrossed. I look forward to further offers in this series (hopefully) along with more by this author as she definitely knows how to entertain the reader as well as spin a yarn like a storyteller of old wrapped up with the charm of the Irish. Great stuff.
Release Date: 27/05/10
BOOK BLURB:
In 1943 Max Carver's father - a watchmaker and inventor - decides to move his family to a small town on the Atlantic coast. They move into a house built for a prestigious surgeon, Dr Richard Fleischmann and his wife but abandoned when their son drowned in a tragic accident. Behind the house Max spies an overgrown garden surrounded by a metal fence topped with a six-pointed star. When he goes to investigate, Max finds statues like troupe fill the garden. In the centre is the large statue of a clown set in another six-pointed star. Max has the curious sensation that the statue is beckoning to him. As the family grows increasingly uneasy when they discover a box of old films belonging to the Fleischmanns, his sister Alicia has unsettling dreams while little Irina hears voices whispering to her from an old wardrobe. But Max spends most of his time with his new friend Roland, who takes him diving to the wreck of a boat that sank close to the coast in a terrible storm. Everyone on board perished except for one man - an engineer who built the lighthouse at the end of the beach. During the dive, Max sees something that leaves him cold - on the mast floats a tattered flag and on it is the symbol of the circle and six-pointed star. As they learn more about the wreck, the chilling story of a legendary figure called the Prince of Mist begins to emerge ...
REVIEW:
Sometimes a foreign author gets a break and manages to sell one of their titles to another nation. Often these books are overlooked or the translation fails to impress the other countries readers. So with a bit of trepidation I gave this title a go, and boy, was I pleased I did.
The story was not only riveting but one that was eerie with a capital E. Whilst it took me a while to adjust to the time period in which its set, I really did get goose bumps as the story unfolded. Whether this is because of the years of horror I have at my disposal I don’t know, but Carlos’ story was scary it wove its way into the psyche and above all else it was the fear of the unknown that gave this offering the edge. A great offering and one that will definitely stay with me for some time to come. I really do hope that other titles by this author are made available to the UK audience as I’d love to see what else he has in his bag of tricks.
Release Date: 08/07/10
BOOK BLURB:
Every little boy knows that going shopping with Mum is the most boring thing in the world. But for little Albie, one trip to the supermarket opens a whole new world of fun! Because this isn't just any supermarket - it's the supermarket zoo - and with a whole trolley full of animals on his list, Albie will never see shopping the same way again.
REVIEW:
Childrens titles really have to have something a little different about them to appeal to not only the reader but the child in question. What unfurls within this title is a shopping trip with a difference, instead of grocery’s you buy animals. Its quirky, its got some nice artwork and its definitely bright. Any young child who see’s this will be enchanted by this book alongside full of wonder and look at shopping in an entirely new light. A great offering and one that will remain a firm favourite.
Release Date: 27/05/10
BOOK BLURB:
Five purring pussycats, That are stranger than they look. Each cat has a secret That you'll find inside this book ...Kids will love meeting Skipalong the Cowboy Cat, Black-eared Bob the Pirate Cat and many other feline friends in this fabulous pop-up book. Each page introduces a new pop-up cat, along with fun information about their secret lives. Did you know that Venus the Space Cat sometimes nods off in her basket and then wakes up in mid-air?
REVIEW:
Pop ups are not only fun but they form an essential part of every childs memories. (I really remember my Incredible Hulk pop up book in the Eighties.) So knowing this, you can pretty much figure that the book has to be something special in order to gain that much coveted place. Within this title you get fun, you get characters who stand out and of course there is a fantasy within for almost every child. Add to the mix a well known author who knows their trade and you’ve gotten something pretty special to enjoy time and again. Great stuff.
Release Date: 01/07/10
BOOK BLURB:
Three years ago, a mysterious package arrived for Jake and Kady Ransom. Inside were two halves of a Mayan gold coin, their mother's sketchbook and their father's notebook. But their architect parents failed to return from an expedition to the site of a long-lost Mayan civilization. Now Jake and Kady are plunged into a terrifying adventure. Someone is very interested in what's happened to their parents. And in Jake and Kady themselves. So begins a journey into a world of dangers both ancient and modern. Can Jake and Kady survive long enough to solve the mystery?
REVIEW:
Having read James’ books for a number of years, I was interested to see what would occur with his first children’s book. As you’d expect from a thriller writer, he has a great sense of pace and you know that he really understood his male lead very well (as it turned out to be a younger version of James himself.) It also has some interesting characters, a deliciously evil villain and to top it all off, some great idea’s with dialogue as this adventure takes you to James’ version of the Lost World. Great fun, great adventure and with more to follow, the reader can be sure of a few more scrapes to enjoy as the darkness closes in.
Release Date: 05/07/10
BOOK BLURB:
Bear is playing on the beach and, seeing the seagulls wheeling above him, decides that he would love to learn how to fly. And there are four children with him who know exactly how to make that happen. This is an exhilarating story about friends helping each other to realise their dreams - and having great fun doing it.
REVIEW:
What makes this title is the beautifully colourful illustrations by Adrian Reynolds (artist for the Harry and his Bucketful of Dinosaur titles) alongside an audio CD that will have your young reader chanting along.
The plot is reasonable and whilst there are a few nonsense words within, it’s the freshness and regular refrains that will stick in the young child’s mind. Whilst it won’t make my top ten picture titles for this year, it does keep the young reader happy and at the end of the day that’s what matters.
Release Date: 02/09/10
BOOK BLURB:
After the initiation ceremony of Reed's newly created secret society, Noelle has disappeared and the only clue is a mysterious note. Is Reed's behaviour the cause or is there something more sinister happening? With the kidnapper warning of worse things to come if Reed tells anyone of Noelle's abduction, Reed realises it's up to her discover who has taken Noelle and to try and rescue her...before she becomes the next target.
REVIEW:
OK, this title is a little different to a lot of the Private titles already out there. For this reason it has gotten back more to the roots of the original premise and allowed the author a bit more freedom so that this title is different enough and therefore not a clone as some of the others have felt.
Whilst a number of people will wonder what the author is up to, it contains emotional conflict , friendships sorely tested with a twist that many won’t see coming. It’s definitely a title that has left me demanding the next time sooner rather than later. The only real quibble that I have, is to do with one of the task’s that Reed is charged to complete. It felt childish, it felt unnessesary and to be honest it felt that it was just there to help wad up some of the pages. With luck, the next title to feature Reed will solve the riddle on the task’s set but at the moment the reader is left a little up in the air.
Readers and fans of the series should be made aware that the next release will be a prequel but one with a major difference. So keep an eye out, if its as good as the excerpt it’s going to impress as well as satisfy many an established fan.
Release Date: 02/09/10
BOOK BLURB:
When Mrs Starch, the most feared biology teacher in Florida, goes missing during a school trip to the Black Vine Swamp, her class is secretly relieved. The school principal tries to cover it up as a 'family emergency', but Nick and Marta just aren't convinced. They think it's much more likely to have something to do with Smoke, the local troublemaker - whose run-ins with Mrs Starch are infamous - and decide to do some investigating of their own. But there's more going on in Black Vine Swamp than either one of them could guess. And Nick and Marta must see off an eccentric eco-avenger, a stuffed rat named Chelsea, a crooked oil prospector, a singing substitute teacher, and an angry Florida panther before they really begin to see the big picture.
REVIEW:
As a person who has fond memories of wildlife tales where the average person becomes a hero, I have to say that when this offering by Carl Hiaasen landed I was more than curious. Within this offering are every day characters who learn that they can be more, that they can overcome their own troubles to help something more than their own desires. It promotes positive traits, it help’s promote ideal’s and above all else it demonstrates that justice is not blind to million dollar companies. This title was a real joy to read and one that I can heartily recommend as personal struggles are overcome to positive effect and it goes to show that the little guy can make a real difference in this title where the eco message is passed on to the next generation.
Release Date: 17/05/10
BOOK BLURB:
Imagine if you were able to change history. By altering one tiny thing you could start a chain of catastrophic events. Ethan is one of the Named, fated to stop this ever happening, although the forces of chaos have other ideas and Ethan is finding it more and more difficult to stay one step ahead. He is also a normal schoolboy, whose life is rapidly becoming far too confusing. So when Isabel arrives on the scene she is only going to make matters worse ...or is she? This is history in the making - literally.
REVIEW:
Having been recommended this title by friends, I wasn’t 100% sure what was going to unfurl within this title. What does occur within is a tale that is not only fairly complex but one that will introduce the young reader to the time travel concept. It’s beautifully constructed, it’s got believable characters and the script is something that leaps from the page into your mind. Add to the mix a masters touch with the lulls and peaks and the reader will have a tale that will stay with them long after the final page is turned.
Release Date: 29/04/10
BOOK BLURB:
Dark secrets at the maharajah's palace...Lost treasure and a bear attack in the Himalayas...And a naughty Indian monkey, filled with an ancient evil...When world-famous explorer Gustav Champlon disappears just before a trip to India to find lost treasure, Kit Salter is determined to discover why. Tiny footprints in Gustav's room put her on the trail of a naughty Indian monkey. Before long she and her friends are aboard a steamer to India, on a quest to find the monkey and save Champlon. Welcomed into the palace of the boy Maharajah, a fabulous adventure ensues: Tiger hunts, court intrigue and a mountain expedition to find the lost paradise of Shambala...A second fantastic story in a wonderfully exotic setting from an exhilarating writer.
REVIEW:
Having missed the original offering by this author I was left wondering if I was going to be going either out on a limb or miss something that left me up in the air as to where I was. I shouldn’t have worried as this title welcomes the reader and takes them on an adventure that the young reader will have a hard time to put down.
What the author does well, is weave a story that you fall for which comes through even if the character can be a bit on the maddening side some times. There’s adventure, there’s danger and to be honest there’s a hell of a lot of fun to be found within. A real treat for readers and an offering that will make sure that I check out the first offering sooner rather than later. Great stuff.
Release Date: 01/07/10
BOOK BLURB:
Ever and Damen have travelled through countless past lives - and fought off the world's darkest enemies - in search of each other. But just when their destiny seems finally within reach, a powerful curse falls upon them. A single touch of their hands, a soft brush of their lips will mean death for Damen - cast into the darkness of the Shadowland. But as she seeks to break the curse, Ever meets Jude - a green-eyed, golden surfer boy who understands magick, and understands Ever better than she realises. And she begins to ask a terrifying question: even if you're immortal, can true love really last forever?
REVIEW:
OK, this series is one that I absolutely love, the characters not only have to face their own supernatural natures but also the daily struggles and personal incites that make this a real challenge for them personally. It’s beautifully written, it has cracking dialogue but it’s the overall arc alongside the character growth that make this series a real guilty pleasure and one that I can’t recommend enough to other readers.
Release Date: 07/06/10
BOOK BLURB:
Hardbattle Books is no ordinary bookshop. Magic has settled there in every corner and over the years has brought chaos to Mr Hardbattle's life and driven away most of his customers. His livelihood threatened, Mr Hardbattle is finally forced to take action. Together, Mr Hardbattle, the resourceful and down-to-earth Arthur and Miss Quint embark upon a quest to find a new home for the magic.
REVIEW:
Books are a magical experience, so it is not a surprise to find a tale where magic and a bookshop go hand in hand for the young reader. An offering where magic, mayhem and fun should ensue.
That said, with this titles blurb, I really expected a Mr Benn type of adventure and was sadly disappointed as it would have been not only exciting to have had the principle characters chasing villains bent on ruining literature classics throughout their titles in the hope of stopping a greater catastrophe to the world of literature. Sadly, this was not the case and whilst the tale did fulfil the blurb and there were moments of pure indulgence, I felt a little cheated at the possibilities left unrealised.
Other than that, the dialogue had a realistic bent to it, the characters did stay true to their conception and there were touches of magic such as having characters grow to reach greater potential than they envisioned. All in, it did do what it set out to do, the characters were acceptable and to be honest I really fell for Trunk (who I think was a homage to Bagpuss), now all I need to do is find a shop where I can get my own magical toy elephant.
Release Date: 29/04/10
BOOK BLURB:
Conn is following a shooting star through a wilderness of woods and mountains, far from his home. What is he up to? Conn thinks the star will lead him to his locus magicalicus, or wizard stone. He needs this to save his city of Wellmet, whose magic is close to dying. With a new order of exile from Wellmet, this time with a death penalty, Conn has never been in such a tight fix. When a flame dragon shoots from the sky to pick him up in his mouth, Conn is swept away to a further adventure. Who is the dragon and will Conn ever get back to save his city, and himself, in time? INTERACTIVE WEBSITE Visit www.magicthief.co.uk for fun games, lost diary entries and author interviews.
REVIEW:
OK, this is the third offering in the series and one that may well be billed as the Poor Man’s Harry Potter. What Sarah does well is engage the reader and that is done in numerous ways. First of all it’s the character of Conn that really stands out, he has traits that young readers will just love, he’s brave, he is honest and the author blends it all together with a pretty wicked sense of humour. It’s quirky, it’s savvy and its definitely an offering that gave me a whole host of fun right through to the final page. I’ll look forward to other titles in the series purely for the magical currents that make your time disappear as the pages appear to blur by.
Release Date: 04/05/10
BOOK BLURB:
No Time to Die When Jenny plans to spend the summer undercover at the theatre camp where her sister was murdered she had no idea the drama would be quite so deadly. Still grieving and trying to cope with the loss of her sister, Liza, Jenny feels completely out of place on stage, unlike the rest of her theatrical family. But she is determined to understand why her sister was murdered, and more importantly, find out who killed her. So when Jenny thinks she hears Liza speaking to her, and suspects that someone might be following her, she is sure the truth will unfold...but, the drama that follows is even more twisted that she thought. The Deep End of Fear After her childhood best friend, Ashley, tragically drowns in an icy pond, Kate thought she was done with daring adventures for good. But now she has to return to her childhood home and it all comes flooding back. And the scary thing is, the neighbour that she's tutoring claims he can see Ashley...and, that she's been daring him to go on potentially fatal adventures. Can Kate face up to her childhood fears to stop history from repeating itself?REVIEW:
If you want strong characters who are prepared to stand up on their own and be counted, then you can guarantee that you’ll get that from Elizabeth Chandlers writing. They’re independent, they’re sassy and damn stubborn. Add to the mix a beautifully constructed set of stories and essentially a two for one title in one volume and its going to be something special that the readers will love. Great stuff.
BOOK BLURB:
Journey into the mysterious world under the sea as 3-D pop-ups swing off the page, bringing to life whales, dolphins, angler fish, and much more! Filled with stunning art and interesting facts about various oceanic zones--such as coral reefs, the frozen sea, the deep sea, and much more--Lucio and Meera Santoro take readers on an interactive and imaginative journey deep beneath the surface of the blue sea!
REVIEW:
As a huge fan of the pop up book, Lucio and Meera really do pull out the stops with their titles. This one, the next offering after Predator’s is not only engaging, it can be a bit frightening, full of fun facts, pull downs and pull outs it’s definitely a title to inspire future Jacque Cousteau’s. A real treat and definitely something I know my nephews will love when they’re old enough to enjoy. Great fun.
Release Date: 01/07/10
BOOK BLURB:
BILLI SANGREAL is a Knight Templar and has thrown herself utterly into their brutal regime, shutting herself off from everyone and everything. But when Billi finds herself at the heart of a savage werewolf attack, she knows their target - a young girl - must be rescued at all costs. For this is no ordinary girl. Vasalisa is an avatar with an uncontrollable force within - and it's not just the werewolves who want her.The Dark Goddess wants to sacrifice Vasalisa and use her powers to unleash unimaginable catastrophes and devastation. Can Billi protect Vasalisa from the ancient goddess - and at the same time stop her from destroying the world?
REVIEW:
OK, I didn’t start with book one and was interested by the premise. It’s well written, the author has a great outline but perhaps best of all, the principle character is one that really does make this title something special. She’s not only believable but she also stands out with realistic teenage traits and has her own personal struggles to overcome as well as resolving the quest to which she is now engaged.
Back this up with beautiful descriptiveness alongside top quality dialogue and you know that you’ve got something a little special. Definitely an author to watch and one that I’ll be watching for some time to come. Great stuff.
Release Date: 03/06/10
BOOK BLURB:
Philippa is looking forward to spending New Year in the village where her new friend Robyn lives. But her fairy godsister, Daisy - assigned to a new job but disobeying orders as usual - turns up to warn her that Something Really Bad (SRB) is going to happen! What they don't know is that a fairy has gone missing from the ancient stone circle on the moors - and that at ATC (Above The Clouds) Headquarters, the fairy godmothers in charge have a special plan for them. A perfect story for Liz Kessler's many fans, in which humans and fairies swap worlds with dramatic and unexpected consequences.
REVIEW:
Young Readers who love fairies will probably be pretty enthused by this offering by Liz Kessler it’s got adventure, it’s got magic and it has a time scale that should the quest be unfulfilled the world is at stake. Unfortunately as an initiate to this series I felt locked out in the cold as I didn’t understand the driving forces behind the characters involved and whilst it was interesting, there just wasn’t enough hooks to keep me glued to the final page which left this title one that was read over numerous sittings rather than over one or two. A great shame but it might be worth noting but start with this from the beginning in order to give it a fair crack of the whip.
Release Date: 03/06/10
BOOK BLURB:
Emily is delighted when her family returns to Brightport. But their attempts to follow Neptune's orders to bring humans and merfolk together seem hopeless. Thrown out of mermaid school and scorned by her old enemy Mandy Rushton, Emily goes in search of the lost sirens, banished by Neptune to a top secret undersea cavern. Only when she uncovers the true story behind the lost sirens can she bring the pieces of her own life back together.
REVIEW:
Whilst I didn’t get on that well with Liz’s Philippa Fisher title, I absolutely loved this one. Yes it’s the fourth book in the series and whilst there are some spoilers for the previous novel, this one definitely is readable without prior knowledge of events or the characters. It’s fun, it has adventure and above all else it carries the message of people accepting others cultures which is a message that should be imparted to children of all ages. Add to the mix characters that not only “swish” off the page, but bring to life their world alongside their emotional worries and you know that it’s a title that the 8+ range will get a blast from. I really will have to check out the other titles in this series.
Release Date: 02/09/10
BOOK BLURB:
Captain Flinn is Puffin's favourite pirate. He has swashbuckled his way through three pirate dinosaur adventures and lived to tell the tale. But now he faces his toughest challenge yet. Captain T Rex and his pirate crew are smuggling sausages out of a secret cove and their favourites are children chipolats - gulp! Watch out Captain Flinn! But this time, the Captain T Rex has bitten off more than he can chew and wily Captain Flinn and his friends soon teach him a lesson he won't forget.
REVIEW:
Whilst I’m not the biggest fan of Russell’s artwork it is fun, it is almost childlike and the overall story benefits from the style. It’s an interesting story, it carry’s itself well and to be honest it’s the dinosaurs that really make this for me. Add to the mix, a whole host of fun, investigative rhymes and above all else Children Chipolata’s and its something that will appeal to many. Whilst this is part of a series it is something that can be picked up separately for the readers pleasure and will be one that great fun can be had, especially if you can do different voices.
Release Date: 02/09/10
BOOK BLURB:
So go on, ask me. 'Dear, dear Tuffy. Why was your Christmas so horrible?' Well. I couldn't climb the tree. I couldn't touch the dangly decorations. And Ellie made me part of her sing-along Christmas performance. Horrible, horrible, horrible! But I showed them. I was Tuffy the Acting Cat, superstar. How was I supposed to know things would get so ...messy?
REVIEW:
In my secret guise of Catman (hey I’ve got five of the critters living with me) you can pretty much be sure that if a title involving felines is available I’ll pick it up and read it. Here in this offering, we get the tale told from the cats point of view about how Christmas was ruined for him after he was trying his best. It’s quirky, it’s funny but to be honest there was a lot more that could have been done for this offering such adding realistic problems such as the half devoured tinsel hanging out of the backend. That said, there are moments within that every cat owner will identify with, such as the cat not understanding why they’re not allowed to climb the tree or chew the wires etc which overall make this definitely something that the young reader will enjoy on the build up to the big day.
Release Date: 08/07/10
BOOK BLURB:
In the RSPCB's most dangerous mission to date, Ulf the werewolf visits a haunted castle to investigate some very spooky goings-on. But little does he know that he's heading into a trap: the evil Baron Marackai is lying in wait with a beastly plan - and this time he's got help from the dead! Can Ulf unravel the ghostly mystery, or will he end up as zombie food? The future of the RSPCB depends on him...
REVIEW:
In a world where events are moving faster than they can be reported and rainforests with wild populations of creatures are being eradicated, the Beastly Boys have brought the message of conservation to the young adult readers with this innovative and wonderful series. Within you get a fast moving adventure, a villain so dark he’s practically black and a story that is not only innovative but memorable. Here you get the best elements of the Urban Fantasy genre backed up with creatures/monsters of legend alongside differing environments with each tale. Also add great characters, larger than life background characters alongside a kickass principle character and you know its definitely something special.
Release Date: 05/08/10
BOOK BLURB:
Charlotte Usher has always felt invisible at school. But now she has a plan to break into the popular crowd and nothing is going to stop her. Not even death. It's the first day of the rest of Charlotte's life. She isn't going to be invisible any more. And she's not going to stop at just getting noticed, she's determined that she'll be envied! Much to Charlotte's surprise her plan actually seems to be working: Petula, the most popular girl at school has finally acknowledged her existence and her lab partner for the rest of the term is none other than Damen Dylan, school heart-throb and object of Charlotte's desire. It's only a matter of time before she's accepted into their elite circle...that is until, in her excitement, Charlotte chokes to death on a gummy bear. So, OK, it's the first day of the rest of Charlotte's death - why should that change her plans?
BOOK BLURB:
Charlotte may have graduated Dead Ed but that's not the end of her story Life, for Charlotte, was one bitter disappointment after another. And it seems death isn't going to be much different. Convinced that graduating Dead Ed was her route to the afterlife Charlotte is a little surprised to find she has to complete an internship! Answering the phones at a help centre for troubled teens isn't proving brilliantly exciting. Until Scarlet calls: a pedicure-gone-hideously-wrong has landed Petula in a coma and Scarlet thinks Charlotte is the only person who can help...
BOOK BLURB:
Before she can rest in peace, Charlotte Usher must return to the tragic site of her death: High School. On the brink of Dead Ed graduation, Charlotte and her fellow classmates learn they have one last mission to complete before gaining entrance to the much-anticipated afterlife: Observe one designated teen with an unexplained problem and help said-troubled teen by Prom. For the life of her, Charlotte can't imagine why she has been assigned to help Damen, last year's Homecoming King and her former fatal crush. To make matters worse, her boyfriend Eric is sent to look after her best (breathing) friend Scarlet, who has since ditched her goth girl image for a girlier look that turns more heads than just her boyfriend Damen's. Charlotte would die (again) for love. But when her only chance at an afterlife means having to face the dreaded, all-too-familiar pains of being invisible, it may be too much for her to handle.
REVIEW:
To be honest this series was a bit of a worry for me. After all, there’s nothing worse than reading a book, finding that you don’t like it and then have another two in the series to read.
That said, once I started I was pretty gluad that I did as I had an absolute blast. Each book is self contained although spoilers are present in the later two. The characters within evolve not only spiritually but mentally with each of their personality quirks adding to the overall arc giving the reader the chance to care about them.
It’s quirky, the dialogue crisp as well as witty and the overall thoughts conveyed almost has an innocence about it that is lost in a lot of Teen fiction. The story’s are also well balanced with morals and have fitting peaks and lulls in pace to make this an absolute joy to read. If you want something different for your teen, want life (or in some cases death) lessons imparted then pick up these titles. I really hope that there’s going to be a book four.
Release Date: 03/09/10
