8+: North of Nowhere - Liz Kessler

Release Date: 31/01/13

Book Blurb: 
The sleepy seaside village of Porthaven hides a mystery ...Mia's grandad has vanished and nobody knows why. When Mia and her mum go to support her grandma, Mia makes friends with local girl, Dee. But why does Dee seem so out of reach? Why does she claim to be facing violent storms when Mia sees only sunny skies? And can Mia solve the mystery and find her grandad before time and tide forever wash away his future? A night of storms. A lifetime of secrets. A week to find the truth.

Review: 
If there’s something that Liz does well, its bringing a story of suspense and mystery with a character that the younger reader can not only associate with but want to spend time with. The prose as usual is crisp, the twists and turns magical and when added to some cracking authorly slight of hand, the reader will be more than thrilled with the title. Add to the mix some magical scene settings through vividly descriptive passages and all round the reader is in for a treat, especially as the whole thing plays out wonderfully within their imagination like a personal mini movie. Magical.



   

TEEN: The Masque of the Red Death - Bethany Griffin

Release Date: 02/08/12

Book Blurb: 
Death is impossible and living is impossibly hard for 17-year-old Araby Worth in this sexy, post-Apocalyptic reimagining of Poe's gothic horror story of the same name. It's 1870 and a deadly virus has decimated the population of North America. Masked corpse-collectors roam the streets, removing the bodies before the contagion can spread. Though Araby tries to escape it all with drugs and parties, even at her most intoxicated she can't forget her brother's death - or her guilt for causing it. But things begin to change when William, the fascinating proprietor of The Debauchery Club where she searches for oblivion, and Elliott, nephew of the insane dictator, enter her life. One wants her heart, and the other her name. Convinced that he has won over his uncle's army, Elliott believes that having Araby on his arm will charm the populace into supporting a new government. After all, her father is the inventor of the mask which prevents the spread of the plague and saved civilisation - for those who can afford it...but Araby's greatest interest is that his plans will make protective masks available to all citizens and, in particular, to Will's young siblings, whom she has come to love despite herself.

But nothing is what it seems. A new contagion called the Red Death is sweeping the city and a shocking revelation about the origin of the new virus puts Araby's life in danger. The mob wants her. The rebels want her. And both boys want her. In this superb two-book series, what and who Araby chooses may just decide the fate of humanity ...

Review: 
If a book is based on what many would think of as a literary classic, then that book has to be something special and to be honest this was a book that’s taken me some time to review purely as I wanted to digest what I’d read.

Firstly this book is all about the setting, its dark, it seeps into the readers unconscious and to be honest it works delightfully well for the author. The principle character comes over very well (if not a little over the top) and for readers of Teen fiction, will fit in beautifully whilst still being someone they can identify with.

Add to this solid direction, a wonderful sense of pace and of course a story that keeps you going right to the very end which all in makes this a book that you really will enjoy.

   

8+: Emily Windsnap 5: Emily Windsnap and the Land of the Midnight Sun - Liz Kessler

Release Date: 06/09/12

Book Blurb: 
Emily and Aaron are sent on a top secret mission by King Neptune. The king has been having nightmares he doesn't understand and he knows only that Emily and Aaron must go to the Land of the Midnight Sun to avoid catastrophe. But when the friends arrive in this icy world of mountains and glaciers, they uncover a mystery more dangerous than they ever imagined. With the help of her best friends and a brave heart can Emily survive and fulfil her mission? A magical adventure about the power of friendship.

Review: 
Liz is an author that knows what her readers want and delivers it in spades as in this, the fifth title in the Emily Windsnap series has gone to prove. Emily as a character has grown and with the support of her friends alongside her courage really has gone from strength to strength with each subsequent title challenging her more than the last.

Here sent to the far north (on a mission for Nepture) Emily is thrown straight in at the deep end and its only through her determination that things get done, it’s a wonderful read, has some truly magical moments and when blended with the authors no nonsense no word wasted style really makes this one of the best of the series to date. Great stuff.

   

7+: Wings and Co 1: Operation Bunny - Sally Gardner

Release Date: 04/10/12

Book Blurb: 
Emily Vole makes headline news in the first weeks of her life, when she is found in an abandoned hatbox in Stanstead Airport. Then, only a few years later, her neighbour Mrs String dies leaving Emily a mysterious inheritance: an old shop, a small bunch of golden keys and a cat called Fidget. In the shop Emily discovers drawers full of fairy wings and the beginning of an adventure of a lifetime as the old Fairy Detective Agency comes back to life. It is up to Emily to reopen the shop, and recall the fairies to duty. Together they must embark on their first mystery to find Emily Vole's real parents and do battle with their great fairy-snatching enemy, Harpula. Read by Bertie Carvell.

Review: 
Sally Gardner is one of those authors that can apparently turn her hand to any genre with remarkable style. Having read her more adult titles such as The Silver Blade or the Red Necklace, I wasn’t sure how well she’d be able to turn out what was more a young readers story but it appears that she does it with skill to spare. Within this book is a story that has all the elements to entertain as well as amuse the 8+ reading market with a story that will make you laugh, give you some wonderful twists and when blended with the fantastical takes you into a world of its own. Add to this some wonderful stand out characters like Fidget backed up with our heroine and all in it’s a book that I really can’t recommend enough for the younger market. Great stuff.



   

10+: Talina in the Tower - Michelle Lovic

Release Date: 02/02/12

SYNOPSIS:

Savage hyena-like creatures threaten Venice - the Ravageurs are on the prowl and seizing men, women and children. On the night of 30 June 1846 Talina's parents disappear and she and her cat, Drusilla, are forced to go and live with her Guardian and his three savage dogs in his lonely tower in the northernmost edge of the city. Here she discovers that she has the ability to change herself into a cat, but changing herself back into a girl isn't quite so easy. As a cat she learns about the Ravageurs and how over the centuries they have become semi magical creatures, visible only to children in the human world, and that they are intent on destroying Venice. She is determined to save the city - it's time for desperate measures - and her adventures are about to begin.


REVIEW:

I love a great story that takes you on a whirlwind adventure and to be honest Michelle’s writing always does that for me. Here in the latest release is a story that gives you magic, high adventure and of course an overall arc that will enchant you from the first page to the last. Add to this Michelle’s solid use of prose, cracking dialogue and a lead character that the readers will want to embark on their adventure with and it’s a story that was a pure joy to read.

Finally add to this a sense of whimsy, an enchanting story overall and a whole host of supporting cast members that will make this a hard tale to forget. Great stuff.

TEEN: Hollow Pike - James Dawson

Release Date: 02/02/12

BOOK BLURB:

Lis London is hoping for a fresh start when she arrives in the sleepy village of Hollow Pike - but nothing here is as it seems...Lis has a recurring nightmare where someone is trying to kill her. A ritual murder in the woods - just like her dream - makes Lis think she might be next to die. A killer stalks the night.And the birds...see...everything...Hollow Pike - where witchcraft never sleeps.


REVIEW:

Young Adult stories are a joy to behold as they deal with all manner of issues from real life such as dealing with bullies to the fantastical tales of magic within our own world. Whilst this title from James works on a number of levels, the main problem that I had with it was that, for me, the magic within this title wasn’t needed. It really detracted from the tale whereas if they’d left it out it would have generated a greater story overall as a tale of friendship alongside real life struggles for modern teens.

That said, the characters were believable, the dialogue had a teen flavour and the prose alongside pace worked extremely well. All in its my first James Dawson title and I’ll definitely be back for more, but I hope the author remembers that at times less is more and slightly more realistic slant can generate a greater story overall.

12+: The Hunting Ground - Cliff McNish

Release Date: 05/01/12

BOOK BLURB:

When Elliott and his brother move into the old and crumbling Glebe House they don't expect to find themselves sharing it with ghosts. But soon sinister events are unfolding. An old diary reveals glimpses of the mansion's past - and of a terrible tragedy. An old woman talks to ghosts - but is she in fact being controlled by them? And what of the sinister East Wing - a hideous labyrinth devised by a truly twisted mind? Can Elliott and his family escape the clutches of Glebe House? Or will they end up trapped in the endless maze of corridors, forever hunted by the dead?


REVIEW:

If there’s a young adult author that does ghost stories with a touch of scare alongside the thrill of discovery, it’s Cliff. Previous titles by him have this wonderful awareness as well as a great understanding of the readers mind utilising xenophobia to scare the hell out of the reader. It’s beautifully creative, with characters that feel realistic alongside having strengths as well as weaknesses as they face the perils within. Back that up with an understanding of pace which allows the reader wonderful breaks to catch their breath alongside moments of fast moving peril and you know that it’s a book that will keep you glued to the last page. Whilst the conclusion felt a little rushed the overall arc was something that I really enjoyed and clearly demonstrates why I really have to devour Cliff’s work each time a new title arrives.

TEEN: Midwinterblood - Marcus Sedgwick

Release Date: 06/10/11

BOOK BLURB:

Have you ever had the feeling that you've lived another life? Been somewhere that has felt totally familiar, even though you've never been there before, or felt that you know someone well, even though you are meeting them for the first time? It happens. In 2073 on the remote and secretive island of Blessed, where rumour has it that no one ages and no children are born, a visiting journalist, Eric Seven, and a young local woman known as Merle are ritually slain. Their deaths echo a moment ten centuries before, when, in the dark of the moon, a king was slain, tragically torn from his queen. Their souls search to be reunited, and as mother and son, artist and child, forbidden lovers, victims of a vampire they come close to finding what they've lost. In a novel comprising seven parts, each influenced by a moon - the flower moon, the harvest moon, the hunter's moon, the blood moon - this is the story of Eric and Merle whose souls have been searching for each other since their untimely parting. Beautifully imagined, intricately and cleverly structured, this is a heart-wrenching and breathtaking love story with the hallmark Sedgwick gothic touches of atmosphere, blood-spilling and sacrifice.


REVIEW:

This is a quirky story and one that Marcus Segwick does well as he takes the reader on a journey of discovery through the principle characters past lives as well as giving the reader the chance to observe the almost Shakespearian tragedy of them throughout. It’s experimental, it has Segwick’s fingerprints all over it and it has some interesting twists but to be honest it wasn’t a title that kept me enthralled as it felt a little flat and more a series of short stories with an interlinking thread throughout rather than a fully planned or realised novel by the final page.

Don’t get me wrong, it does do what it promises and gives you something different, but for me, its not a title that’s going to stay with me for very long and I feel that others have tackled this sort of thing before with greater success. Still something for Marcus’ fans but for the majority of readers, not the authors best piece of work to date.

TEEN: Ravenwood Chronicles 1 and 2: By Midnight and Darkness Falls - Mia James

Release Date: 03/02/11

BOOK BLURB:

April Dunne is not impressed. She's had to move from Edinburgh to Highgate, London, with her parents. She's left her friends - and her entire life - behind. She has to start at a new school and, worst of all, now she's stuck in a creepy old dump of a house which doesn't even have proper mobile phone reception. Ravenwood, her new school, is a prestigious academy for gifted (financially or academically) students - and the only place her parents could find her a place, in the middle of term, in the middle of London, on incredibly short notice. So she's stuck with the super-rich, and the super-smart . . . and trying to fit in is when the rest of the students seem to be more glamorous, smarter, or more talented than she is, is more than tough. It's intimidating and isolating, even when she finds a friend in the conspiracy-theorist Caro Jackson - and perhaps finds something more than friendship in the gorgeous, mysterious Gabriel Swift. But there's more going on at Ravenwood than meets the eye. Practical jokes on new students are normal, but when Gabriel saves her from . . . something . . . . in the Highgate Cemetery, and then she discovers that a murder took place, just yards away from where she had been standing, April has to wonder if something more sinister is going on. . . . and whether or not she's going to live through it . . .


REVIEW:

To be honest I missed out on this one until I had the second title land and requested the original as I hate to jump into a series if I can read the preluding books. What this title by husband and wife team Tasmina and John Perry, does is give the reader a story that whilst it starts slow allows the reader to get a firm grip on the lead character in order to be able to associate the strange world into which she’s thrust through her eyes.

Add to this some very nice descriptive pieces, a setting that you can walk through mentally and of course a plot line that will grasp the reader within its palm to guide them to where the author wishes them to travel. All in it was a story that I enjoyed reading, I loved the twists and I hope to see more from this couple as they work very well together.




Release Date: 01/09/11

BOOK BLURB:

Highgate When April's family moved to the sleepy North London village of Highgate, everyone told her it was the start of an amazing new life. They didn't know the half of it. Weeks later, her father was the latest in a series of brutal killings, someone has tried to kill her, and now her boyfriend, Gabriel, is dying too ...Murder April couldn't save her father, but there's just a chance she can save Gabriel. There's an ancient recipe, hidden in a forbidden book, which holds the cure. All April has to do is find it. Somehow. Vampires But she has to keep a low profile. In a school full of vampires, where one of their own has been killed, they're beginning to suspect they have a Fury in their midst. April's blood might be deadly to vampires, but even that won't save her if they figure out who she is. Time is short, the stakes are high, and surviving school has never been so tough ...


REVIEW:

This is the second title in the Ravenwood Mystery and whilst the original guided you into the world, this one really doesn’t lt up from the first page to the last. The action within comes thick and fast, the characters continue to grow and the novel changes that sets this series apart from the multitude of other vampire titles really takes this one in a direction of its own.

Add to this the seemingless blend of a writing couple that work well together, backed up with stunning prose and pace which leaves you with a title that is not only hard to put down but nigh impossible until the final page is turned. Whilst at times harrowing, it’s the strength of the characters that drives the story through and the emotional turmoil to which they find themselves. A stunning series.

3+: Moo, Baa, Baa, Quack and Meet the Gang - Francesca Simon and Emily Bolam

Release Date: 22/09/11

BOOK BLURB:

It's a big day for the Potter's Barn Band - their first concert! But nobody can remember the words. The animals need a plan - and fast!


REVIEW:

A short fun story by Francesca Simon with bright art by Emily Bolam that really makes this book a joy to read. It has fun animal noises, a lovely story and questions at the end to help make the child think about what they’ve read. Add to this a few other titles by these two to help make learning to read fun and it’s a world apart from the Peter and Jane titles that I and many others in my school were forced to read to learn originally.

All in a great piece of fun and as such something that will help you, help them make their first few journeys in the wonderful world of books.




Release Date: 22/09/11

BOOK BLURB:

When Honey the puppy comes to live on Buffin Street, everyone is very excited. And Honey is about to discover just how much fun Buffin Street can be!


REVIEW:

The second book by these two authors, and to be honest it’s my favourite as it features a whole host of cats. (Hey I’m Cat Man; you know that the felines rule.) As with the other title, it’s fun, it has great characters and with the questions at the back of the book it’s something to help make them think as well as remember to teach them valuable skills.

Add to this the bright colourful artwork by Emily that makes this a real joy and it’s a great way to help enthuse the child with books to give them a world of imagination to spend some time in. Magical.

10+: The Bad Tuesdays 5: A Crystal Horseman - Benjamin J Myers

Release Date: 24/08/11

BOOK BLURB:

Chess must decide who to trust as things begin to spiral out of control. Box is now part of the Twisted Symmetry's Elite Cavalry. Has he forgotten where his loyalties lie? Is it too late? Or can he still help Chess in her struggle to stop the Twisted Symmetry's sinister plan?


REVIEW:

With readers having been haunted by the turn of events in the previous title, this story has been a long time in the making and will have had many readers champing at the bit to get their hands on it. As with the previous Bad Tuesdays novels it continues from where the previous left off and gives the reader more of what they crave, adventure, excitement and characters who they can associate with thrown into the midst of a science fiction nightmare.

It’s cleverly woven, the characters really continue to come into their own and what makes this really decent is the fact that the author won’t spare the horses or the budget to deliver a subpar title. All in, this next instalment was a lot of fun, worth the wait and really is starting to set the sequence for the next set of books already prebooked by the publisher. If you haven’t started these yet, get to it now, you really won’t be disappointed and it’s a series that continues to go from strength to strength.

TEEN; Mickey Bolitar 1: Shelter - Harlan Coben

Release Date: 15/09/11

BOOK BLURB:

Mickey Bolitar's year can't get much worse. After witnessing his father's death and sending his mom to rehab, he's forced to live with his estranged uncle Myron and switch high schools. A new school comes with new friends and new enemies, and lucky for Mickey, it also comes with a great new girlfriend, Ashley. For a while, it seems like Mickey's train-wreck of a life is finally improving - until Ashley vanishes without a trace. Unwilling to let another person walk out of his life, Mickey follows Ashley's trail into a seedy underworld that reveals that this seemingly sweet, shy girl isn't who she claimed to be. And neither was Mickey's father. Soon, Mickey learns about a conspiracy so shocking that it makes high school drama seem like a luxury - and leaves him questioning everything about the life he thought he knew. With this new series, Coben introduces an entirely new generation of fans to the masterful plotting and wry humour that have made him an award-winning, internationally bestselling author.


REVIEW:

The modern trend seems to be for successful adult authors to move into the YA Genre to create something that will not only sell but a title that adults will pick up as they already know the author. What Harlan presents in this book is a story that works to his strengths, gripping undercurrents, mysterious twists and a historical touch that helps generate backstory without going into too much detail.

Add to this a cracking lead character, a solid overall arc and of course great dialogue which when backed with a myriad of supporting cast members makes this title work on so many levels. I really will enjoy the next book in this series as it’ll be interesting to see what Harlan takes it.

12+: Jake Rollins and the Howling Sphinx - James Rollins

Release Date: 07/07/11

BOOK BLURB:

An ancient and priceless ruby - the Eye of Ra - has been found beneath the Egyptian sands in the Valley of the Kings. Legend has it the jewel holds immense power, but it has fallen into the wrong hands - which means trouble for Jake and Kady Ransom, and a new action-packed adventure as the pair are catapulted into an ancient land of shifting sands, dark magic and dangerous enemies ...Can Jake and Kady survive and outwit the Skull King himself?


REVIEW:

To be honest when I read the first book I saw potential and had a blast so when the second landed I underwent a reread in order to make sure that I got the most from the release. As with the original it was a lot of fun, the action quite fast when it got going and the characters really stepped from the pages. Add to this a whole degree of mystery that underlie this mysterious world which when backed with a whole host of rich history to dip into really made this a real joy to read.

Hopefully each of the characters will continue to grow with my only real gripe being the sadly lacking expansion of Kady who I felt should have come more into her own in this outing. With luck that will be rectified in future offerings but as usual, the prose really kept it moving alongside some great dialogue. Great stuff.

9+: The Midnight Palace - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Release Date: 02/06/11

BOOK BLURB:

The book begins with a chase through the streets of Calcutta in May 1916. Lieutenant Peake pauses for breath outside the ruins of the Jheeter's Gate station knowing that he only has a few hours to live. Inside his overcoat he is sheltering two newborn babies - twins, a boy and a girl. Peake entrusts them Aryami Bose. Sixteen years later we meet the boy, Ben, and his friends. They have formed a secret club, The Chowbar Society, which meets each week at midnight in the old ruin they have christened The Midnight Palace. Then Aryami Bose turns up with Sheere, Ben's sister, and tells them the story of the parents they never knew. Their father was an engineer and writer who died in tragic circumstances at the inauguration of Jheeter's Gate station. But as the novel unfolds, there is more to their history than meets the eye and they are lured by a shadowy figure from the past into a final showdown in the ruins.


REVIEW:

Having loved Carlos’ first title last year I really couldn’t wait to see what would occur with this book and pretty much started after I realised what it was. As with the previously its devilishly clever, lovingly thought out and with a cracking cast and story arc that translates to English beautifully.

Add to this a cracking sense of whimsy, top notch descriptions alongside a decent pace which will leave the reader in no doubt about the scary yet enlightened story that they’re about to embark upon. If you haven’t yet read Prince of Mist then please do so, you won’t regret it and this title just goes to prove how good a writer Carlos is.

10+: The Bad Tuesdays 4: The Nonsuch King - Benjamin J Myers

Release Date: 05/05/11

BOOK BLURB:

Splinter Tuesday is hungry for power, and he has a daring plan to get it - if he can stay alive! His brother, Box, is fighting for his life on a distant planet. His sister, Chess, is learning to walk between the worlds. Only then will she be ready to take on the evil Twisted Symmetry - and win. But the Twisted Symmetry has plans of its own. Time is running out. Splinter, Box and Chess have never been in more danger.


REVIEW:

Whilst I’ve not always been as appreciate of the Bad Tuesdays as I perhaps should have been, the characters in this series really stand out making this an Urban Fantasy for the young reader to enjoy. They are fully rounded, they have some great characters flaws and above all else the author has taken the time to not only allow them to play to their strengths but also to figure things through their weaknesses. Add to this a decent pace, some memorable moments and a great overall arc, it is a story that will leave readers gasping for the next Tuesday outing. Great stuff.

12+: The Hunting Ground - Cliff McNish

Release Date: 05/05/11

BOOK BLURB:

When Elliott and his brother move into the old and crumbling Glebe House they don't expect to find themselves sharing it with ghosts. But soon sinister events are unfolding. An old diary reveals glimpses of the mansion's past - and of a terrible tragedy. An old woman talks to ghosts - but is she in fact being controlled by them? And what of the sinister East Wing - a hideous labyrinth devised by a truly twisted mind? Can Elliott and his family escape the clutches of Glebe House? Or will they end up trapped in the endless maze of corridors, forever hunted by the dead?


REVIEW:

If there’s a young adult author that does ghost stories with a touch of scare alongside the thrill of discovery, it’s Cliff. Previous titles by him have this wonderful awareness as well as a great understanding of the readers mind utilising xenophobia to scare the hell out of the reader. It’s beautifully creative, with characters that feel realistic alongside having strengths as well as weaknesses as they face the perils within. Back that up with an understanding of pace which allows the reader wonderful breaks to catch their breath alongside moments of fast moving peril and you know that it’s a book that will keep you glued to the last page. Whilst the conclusion felt a little rushed the overall arc was something that I really enjoyed and clearly demonstrates why I really have to devour Cliff’s work each time a new title arrives.

TEEN: A Year Without Autumn - Liz Kessler

Release Date: 07/04/11

BOOK BLURB:

If you could see into the future - would you look? Jenni Green doesn't have a choice. On her way to visit her best friend, Autumn, Jenni suddenly finds she's been transported exactly one year forward in time. Now she discovers that in the year that's gone by, tragedy has struck and her friendship with Autumn will never be the same again. But what caused the tragedy? How did Jenni skip a year? And can she find her way back to the past to try to change what lies ahead? With humour - and her customary light touch - the author of the EMILY WINDSNAP books plays a fascinating game with time, and explores the changes that take place in friendships and families in the aftermath of a disaster.


REVIEW:

Having enjoyed Liz’ last Emily Windsnapp series I was interested to see how the author would deal with a title that dealt more with the adult side of life and consequences. Here in this title, that is exactly what happens as this tale, aimed at the older teen market takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster with only a touch of science fiction added. It’s well thought out, the characters are believable and the hooks that the author gives the reader will not only appeal on an emotional level but also on a likeability factor.

All in, this is a book that should be read if only to see Liz’ writing going to another level as the prose are delightful, the subject matter thought provoking and above all else it’s the dialogue and friendship of the principle characters that will really enamour the reader to the overall arc.

12+: The Double Life of Cora Parry - Angela McAllister

Release Date: 03/02/10

BOOK BLURB:

Abandoned to the workhouse after the death of her guardians, Cora Parry refuses to accept her fate. Under the tuition of persuasive streetrat Fletch, Cora finds herself reluctantly drawn deep into the Victorian underworld. As she is gradually seduced into a life of crime, Cora creates a persona for herself - Carrie - allowing her to separate her uneasy conscience from her actions. But soon things are spiralling out of control. Carrie is committing acts of crime that Cora knows she can't possibly have done. Where does Carrie end and Cora begin? Who is really in control, and where will it end? An atmospheric page-turner from a talented storyteller.


REVIEW:

Angela McAllister’s writing is set in the Dickensian time period and whilst this might not be for everyone it works beautifully for her.

Cora is ideal as the tales heroine, she has guts, she is a survivor and whilst life may not have gone well for her, she learns to survive and develop street skills whilst retaining her sense of self. As the tale progresses however, events take unprecedented turns and with a revelation or two to unfurl before the end, the reader will be gripped to the final page.

Add a touch of a ghost story, a hint of Dicken’s and back it up with a helping of descriptive prose and you’ll be walking the streets taking your chances alongside Cora. All in a different type of tale and one that’s beautifully told which will not only endear Angela to the reader but also help set her up as a firm fan favourite.

10+: The Bad Tuesdays 3: Blood Alchemy - Benjamin J Myers

Release Date: 07/10/10

BOOK BLURB:

Chess Tuesday is on the run...And the deadly Twisted Symmetry isn't far behind. They've already hunted down and imprisoned her brothers, Box and Splinter. In a world where neither friends, enemies nor family are what they seem, trust is not an option. And Chess is about to discover that the truth may be more dangerous than she ever thought possible.


REVIEW:

To be honest with you, I’ve had a seriously hard time getting into this series and whilst I can appreciate the hard work as well as the writing talent of the author, I really couldn’t get a handle on the cast and as such felt alienated. Whilst a number of people may think that this is due to me jumping into this series part way through, it isn’t I picked up the first title and made my way from there.

All in it does build up the tension, it does give the reader an adventure and overall the reader may well get a blast from it. But for me, without being able to get a handle on the characters I get lost, confused and really don’t care which way it goes. With luck a future titles may well feature different characters in the Bad Tuesday series such as Box is a bit of an enigma that really needs more page time.

9+: Timecatcher - Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

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.