TEEN: Summertime of the Dead - Gregory Hughes

Release Date: 30/08/12

Book Blurb: 
Yukio's two best friends are dead. Tormented and blackmailed by the Yakuza - the Japanese mafia - they have taken their own lives. Yukio is a kendo champion and he knows all the stories of the samurai. Heartbroken and furious, he is determined to avenge the deaths of his beloved Hiroshi and Miko. And so begins a deadly struggle between Yukio and the Yakuza, and between Yukio's capacity for love, and his thirst for revenge. Shot through with the beauty of Tokyo in spring, this is an unforgettable and uncompromising read.

Review: 
This title is a bit of a strange one as it has all the feeling of a Young Adult story but with more adult themes explored within. As such recommending this has been quite difficult, not because I didn’t enjoy the story but trying to find the right age range really made this difficult as the subject matter isn’t one that should be introduced too early.

Within this book by Gregory Hughes is a story of emotional pain, bloody revenge set in the modern world that harks back to traditions of a bygone era as this tale is set in modern Japan. Written from the principle characters point of view we see it all from its seemingly innocent beginnings into its dark decent to its final conclusion.

It is well written with the lead character coming over quite strongly but when you add a world that few westerners will fully understand into the mix (let alone the YA market) its definitely a story that is not one I’d give them too early and would recommend that you read yourself before passing on. Don’t get me wrong, it is well written, the prose sharp but with the overall emotional turmoil within if you want to give a younger child a taste of Japan then I’d recommend Chris Bradford first.

   

TEEN: Ashes Trilogy 2: Shadows - Ilsa J Bick

Release Date: 27/09/12

Book Blurb: 
Alex has escaped from Rule - but what new horrors face her in the ravaged world outside? Tom is safe - but what will he risk to find Alex? Chris - how much does he really know about the terrible darkness of Rule? And what are his true feelings for Alex? Ellie - where is she? The terrifying follow-up to the hugely popular Ashes.

Review: 
Having not been really all that enamoured with the first book in the series, I really wasn’t expecting too much from the second and to be honest I wasn’t disappointed. Whilst the tale does try to keep the pace moving with an over abundance of action the tale did feel more than a little flat as the sheer volume of supporting cast within left me wondering who was who and what they’d done in the first (and no I’m not joking when I say that I did a quick reread and wrote a cheat sheet to refer to.) All in, not a great book for me and whilst there will be a number of readers who enjoy the descriptions alongside action within, this book for me didn’t hit all my requirements in a title. All in a great shame.



 

TEEN: Every Other Day - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Release Date: 02/02/12

BOOK BLURB:

Born into the mysterious world of an ancient alchemical order, Donna has always been aware of the dark feud that exists between the alchemists and the fey. Her own mother - bound by a dark Faerie curse - has been confined to a hospital bed for as long as she can remember ...But now there is a chance to release her, and Donna will stop at nothing until she is free. Armed with her own brand of powerful magic, Donna must face the fearsome Wood Queen in order to save her mother. But in the Ironwood - a place that haunts Donna's dreams - there is far greater and more dangerous magic already at work...


REVIEW:

Having really enjoyed Jennifer’s YA Wolves series, I really was looking forward to seeing what she’d come up with when a new series was in the offing. This title, brings everything that she does so well in her other books and blends it into a Buffyesque type world that really gives the reader a real treat.

Add to this solid prose, a great sense of pace and when tied in to Jennifer’s wonderfully descriptive plotline alongside some great twists and as a reader you know that you’re going to feel satisfied by the final page, although with some of the tales aspects, the reader is going to find out that she plays for keeps. Magic.

TEEN: Strange Angels 5: Reckoning - Lili St Crow

Release Date: 27/10/11

BOOK BLURB:

Nobody expected Dru Anderson to survive this long. Not Graves. Not Christophe. Not even Dru herself. She's battled killer zombies, jealous djamphirs, and bloodthirsty suckers straight out of her worst nightmares. But now that Dru has bloomed into a full-fledged svetocha - rare, beautiful, and toxic to all vampires - the worst is yet to come. Because getting out alive is going to cost more than she's ever imagined. And in the end, is survival really worth the sacrifice?


REVIEW:

A cracking outing from Lili for her Young Adult series featuring Dru, Graves and Christophe in a high action, high tension and emotionally charged release that will keep you glued from the start to the end. As usual with Lili it has great prose, serious pace and a kick ass plotline that keeps you going throughout.

Add to this a ready made audience that can’t wait to find out what happens in this title and a few questions left requiring answers at the end and it’s truly a series that keeps on giving making the wait for the next title really hard. Damn you Lili. Damn you….

TEEN: Hartslove - KM Grant

Release Date: 01/09/11

BOOK BLURB:

Young Daisy and her six brothers and sisters love Hartslove, the crumbling castle that has been in their family for hundreds of years. But their kind but feckless father, scarred by his experiences in the Crimean War, and by his wife's desertion, is drinking the family money away. Then he puts Hartslove up for sale: he has spent his remaining money on a young, wild, horse. Daisy, passionate about her home and her family, is determined that the horse is the One; that he will win the Derby and save them all.

But not everyone at Hartslove is on Daisy's side, and rich people are descending on the castle every day with an eye on snapping it up for themselves. With only months to go before the Derby, can Daisy and her wild brother Garth overcome the odds and lead The One to glory?


REVIEW:

To be honest with you, this book didn’t attract me with the jacket text as such has made this a title that I was reluctant to start. So when I finally did, I didn’t exactly hold out high hopes for it. Sadly I wasn’t proven wrong.

For me the characters were flat, had very little to endear them to the reader and when you look at the situation in which they were placed the modern young reader will have a lot of problems associating as it’s one that doesn’t occur these days.

Add to this quite a slow pace, lacklustre prose and it was a title that I really wished that I’d missed.

TEEN: August - Bernard Beckett

span style="font-size:130%;">Release Date: 18/08/11

BOOK BLURB:

A wonderful introduction to numbers as each page reveals babies involved in various crazy antics ...until ten little babies lie fast asleep in their beds. With an easy-to-read rhyming text by Rose Impey and charming, humorous art by Nicola Smee, this is the perfect book for all young readers, whether they're learning to count or not.


REVIEW:

Whilst this title is originally sited as an adult book I’d suggest that its perhaps more of a break through from the Teen market to the world of adult titles. It’s cleverly written, the characters believable as well as interesting and when added to a writing style that is not only fascinating but one that feels like a warm guiding hand, makes this a title that was hard to put down. All in, whilst I’m not that familiar with this Antipodean author it is something that makes me think about looking more into his early stuff purely for the fact that I like his style.

Whilst it won’t be for everyone there are some interesting idea’s explored within which when blended with decent dialogue as well as a firm guiding hand make this a journey of discovery for all.

8+: Kill Fish Jones - Caro King

Release Date: 28/04/11

BOOK BLURB:

Meet Grimshaw and Lampwick the Robber, a curse demon and his master, stuck in Limbo and getting on each others nerves. Grimshaw hasn't had a chance to unleash any destruction in the Real World since Lampwick's death bed curses years ago. When Lampwick has an unexpected opportunity to curse a whole new set of humans, Grimshaw can't believe his luck! There is one young boy on Grimshaw's list: Fish Jones. But Fish has unworldly talents of his own. Unlike other humans, he can see Grimshaw. And as Grimshaw's destructive inventiveness intensifies, it is matched by Fish's ability to escape. Why is Fish able to avoid the curse? And when Grimshaw plans to wreak the ultimate destruction, not just on Fish, but on the world, will young Jones' power be enough to stop him? Full of humour and wild imagination, KILL FISH JONES is a devilishly good read.


REVIEW:

Having read a few of Caro’s titles to date I thought that I was starting to get a handle on her writing. That is until this latest title landed. Full of humour, action and adventure it’s a title that was a lot of fun to read and with the cracking pace set from the outset it’s a book that really keeps you chuckling as you read. Personally I didn’t think that the lead character was as well formed as previous ones but the real hero of the book for me was the vile demon Grimshaw. I loved that guy and whilst he may not be the best or the biggest, you had to give the guy credit for trying. All in a lot of fun and whilst I prefer her Seven Sorcerer series this one was a lot of fun to read.

TEEN: Raised by Wolves 2: Trial by Fire - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Release Date: 12/06/11

BOOK BLURB:

At seventeen, Bryn is has the usual schoolgirl worries: a new boyfriend, a new school and a new home. But she has one major concern that her friends don't have: she is an alpha - a human girl in charge of her own werewolf pack. When Bryn and her closest friends, Dev and Lake, broke from the werewolf Callum's pack, it had all felt right. Together with Chase, Bryn's new love, they had rescued some newly made female werewolves from a despicable master and established their own pack, with Bryn as leader. Yet Bryn has always resented the rules of Pack life - the constant bowing to authority, the submission to the alpha. And she is determined to live differently, to run this pack openly and justly. Then one night, a badly beaten werewolf shows up on her territory. He needs help, sanctuary, care. But taking him in could violate inter-pack rules, and no one knows better than Bryn the costs of challenging those rules. Obedience is law in Pack life, but Bryn is going to break the rules, again.


REVIEW:

The second novel in Jenn’s series and one that built upon the complex pack relationships of the original. What also happened within demonstrates that whilst other YA titles are a little light hearted the author of this one likes to play for keeps and that danger within, no matter who you are, can lead to consequences that you may not wish to pay. As with the original there was double dealing, there were characters that you got to know and love and perhaps best of all emotional growth for our tales heroine. Its cleverly written and lets face it when you find the key behind the events within it’s a shocker, one that you know will be called to account at some point.

All in I had a lot of fun reading this and if you want a YA series to help lead to other authors like Kelley Armstrong then this is perhaps the one that I’d recommend as the characters are wonderfully constructed, the story cleverly composed and all in it’s a tale (or tail if you prefer) that will keep you wondering exactly what will happen within and what the greater overall series arc will contain.

TEEN: Bracelet of Bones - Kevin Crossley-Holland

Release Date: 31/03/11

BOOK BLURB:

It is 1036. Halfdan is a Viking mercenary who is determined to travel to Constantinople and become one of the Viking Guard serving Empress Zoe. He promises to take his daughter, but one morning Solveig wakes up to find him gone. Setting off in her own tiny boat, she is determined to make the journey from Norway to the breathtaking city. Her boat is washed up, but Solveig is undeterred. What awaits Solveig as she continues on her summer journey across the world? She finds passage with Viking traders, witnesses the immolation of a young slave girl and learns to fight. She sees the clashes between those who praise her Norse Gods and the new Christians. In this perilous and exciting world, a young girl alone could be quickly endangered or made a slave. Will Solveig live to see her father again, and if she survives, will she remain free? A glittering novel that explores friendship and betrayal, the father-daughter relationship, the clash of religions and the journey from childhood to adulthood.


REVIEW:

As a fan of historical fiction I can often be found wending my way through the ancient roman world or sailing the whale road with one of the crew of Scandinavian raiding vessels or another.

Here, in this book, Kevin takes the reader on a journey of discover from the fjords through to Miklagard as the tales heroine journeys seeking her father through adversity, war and many deaths.

It’s wonderfully descriptive and the young reader will marvel at each step of this incredible journey with a whole host of supporting cast members who will leave the reader wondering who will live to the journey’s end.

Back that up with a great sense of pace and the reader really has a treat in store.

TEEN: Raised by Wolves - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Release Date: 16/09/10

BOOK BLURB:

Pack life is about order, but Bryn is about to push all the limits, with hair-raising results. At the age of four, Bryn watched a rabid werewolf brutally murder her parents. Alone in the world, she was rescued and taken in by Callum, the alpha of his pack. Now fifteen, Bryn's been as a human among werewolves, adhering to pack rule. Little fazes her. But the pack's been keeping a secret, and when Bryn goes exploring against Callum's orders, she finds Chase, a newly turned teen Were locked in a cage. Terrifying memories of the attack on her parents come flooding back. Bryn needs answers, and she needs Chase to get them. Suddenly, all allegiances to the pack no longer matter. It's Bryn and Chase against the werewolf world, whatever the consequences. A thrilling new YA adventure, with an electrifying link between a tough heroine and an exciting boy-were at its heart, Raised by Wolves will leave you howling for more.


REVIEW:

A fun frolic with three unforgettable characters, cat, mouse and dog who prove that an ordinary life, can be something special and that no matter what the argument, friendship is a bond that is far stronger than anger.

It’s fun, the characters are memorable and as a modern fable it’s beautiful. Great fun for any reader and a title that will be requested time and again by the young adult in your life especially when backed with the beautiful accompanying colourful artwork. Definitely an author to watch.

8+: Frightfully Friendly Ghosties: Ghostly Hollerday - Darren King

Release Date: 02/09/10

BOOK BLURB:

It's winter and what better than a ghostly holler-day by the sea? But how are Tabitha Tumbly, Charlie Vapour, Humphrey Bump and the other ghosties to decide between Frighten-on-Sea and Scare-borough? A postcard from their friend Headless Leslie decides for them: Headless is in Frighten and cannot remember how to get home. He wrote the address on the postcard, then he forgot what the address was. I'd lose my head if it wasn't screwed on which it isn't.' So the friends descend on Frighten and set off on an exciting ghostie caper, involving a haunted Frighten pier, a mysterious phantom magician, a fun fair and an extremely infuriating Headless Leslie.


REVIEW:

A weird little offering and one that’s quirky enough to appeal to the young reader as our ghostly pals take a trip to Frighten-On-Sea for their Holler Day. Full of ghostly frolics, a touch of magic and a gang of characters that readers will just love to hang around with, their power each aid the group to achieve their goal with fiendishly ghostly fun that will give the reader a ghoulishly enjoyable experience.

8+: A Kit Salter Adventure: The Book of Bones - Natasha Narayan

Release Date: 02/09/10

BOOK BLURB:

Kit Salter and her friends Rachel, Waldo and Isaac tumble into another adventure when their coach is hijacked on the wilds of Dartmoor. Their arch enemies, the Baker Brothers, are behind the kidnapping. They force the children into a perilous voyage to China in search of a secret martial arts manual. From bustling Shanghai, their journey takes them to the hidden heart of Imperial China Peking's Forbidden City. En route they battle opium smugglers, pirates and kung-fu fighters, before a climatic encounter with the mysterious Wooden Men, giant killers armed with lethal powers and a dastardly will of their own. Will Kit and her friends survive the danger and mysteries of China and win back their freedom? Find out in this twisting, thrilling adventure.


REVIEW:

Kit Salter is a huger Heroine in a small package. Beautifully constructed, she’s a character that the reader will jus love to be around. Add to the mix a whole host of supporting cast members and it really is a dream story for the younger reader. Part Indiana Jones, part Doc Savage, part mystery all wrap up to give the reader something unique. Great fun all in and whilst danger is a constant companion, smarts alongside a touch of luck oft wins the day.

8+: Kit Salter 2: The Maharajah's Monkey - Natasha Narayan

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.

9+: Magic Thief: Found - Sarah Preneas

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.

TEEN: Jealosy - Lili St Crow

BOOK BLURB:

Dru has made it to Schola, the leading school where the vampire-fighting Order is based. There she is up against the capricious Anna, the only other female who shares her powers. Dru must unlock the mystery of who betrayed her mother, battle her intensifying feelings for both Graves and Christophe, and try to stay hidden from Sergej's deadly nosferat - bloodthirsty hunters who'll stop at nothing to destroy her.


REVIEW:

Having loved this young adult series from Lilith with the first two offerings, I was left thinking what Lili could do for this, the third instalment. What occurs within is a journey of growth both emotionally and physically and how our heroine learns to adapt to her new environment. It is well written, it has great pace and there is a huge innocence with the principle character that will endear this title to the adult reader. Add to the mix great timing through lulls and peaks and some dialogue that really does sound like it would come from the real world. A great title from Lili and one that I’ve already placed in an easy to access area for me to enjoy again soon, especially when I need the literature equivalent of chicken soup. Roll on the next adventure.