Today we have another offering from the new MIRA Ink…

The Iron King – Julie Kagawa

My name is Meghan Chase. In less than twenty-four hours I’ll be sixteen. Countless stories, songs and poems have been written about this wonderful age, when a girl finds true love and the stars shine for her and the handsome prince carries her off into the sunset. I don’t think it will be that way for me. Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan’s life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home. When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she’s known is about to change. But she could never have guessed the truth – that she is the daughter of a mythical fairy king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she’ll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

This is the first book in the Iron Fey series, and it gets off to a great start. As I was reading, I was thinking it was part Shakespeare (Oberon, Titania and Puck all appear), part Alice in Wonderland and part Labyrinth – that old 80′s David Bowie movie – a reference for older readers! I enjoyed being transported into the fantastical world of the faery, and Kagawa’s idea that our belief in them is what keeps them alive is a great premise. As is the rise of the new fey, that we’re making stronger with our ‘worship’ and belief in gadgets and technology.

The books opens with the normal-ish life of a high school girl, before something strange begins to unfold with her little brother. Within a couple of chapters you’ll be hooked, as the storytelling moves quickly, and before I knew it, I’d finished the book in one sitting. You do care what happens to Meghan and the journey she goes on, though it’s difficult to believe that a teenager could take on so many revelations and face all of the battles that she does so well, though I guess the idea is that you do what you have to do when you need to. She meets some brilliant characters, with Grim the cat being a favourite of mine.

As the adventure closes, Meghan barely has time to take a breath before the books ends with her about to embark on another, and so we can now eagerly await the second book in the trilogy, The Iron Daughter, out in April.

Today we hear from Luke…

Killer Genes – C T Furlong

The US president is fighting for his life!

Mysterious lights, an inexplicable illness and a deadly plague plunge the ARCTIC6 into another exciting adventure.

When the friends stumble across a research facility hidden deep in the Suffolk countryside, they discover an insane plot in which the lives of millions are at stake.

As they work to unravel the secrets of the facility, a deadly countdown is ticking. Can they prevent a global disaster? Do they have time to save the lives that hang in the balance?

Will they even have time to save themselves?

The book starts with all the leaders at the G20 summit falling ill to a virus that is proving deadly with no known cure. As the story progresses some of the world leaders die, and as the others cling to life, an antidote to the virus has to be found and quickly.

We then start to follow the blog of Tara Johnson, who along with her brothers Cam and Renny, embark on an adventure in Suffolk. They are joined by their cousin Iago and Aretha and later by their best friend Charlie. All six of them are camping for a few days whilst their parents are away in the Lake District. The adventure begins straight away after one of the six falls from their bike and requires the assistance of a hammer to reshape the wheel of their bike! This leads them to the home of a strange old lady who appears more interested in the colour of their eyes than anything else, and her ramblings unnerve the 6 as they go deeper into the woods to find a camp site.

They are followed by the old ladies dog who proves to be an invaluable companion of the six and a formidable relationship develops between them and the dog.

They come across what appears to be a large warehouse deep in the woods and upon exploration they find animals and humans being used for experimentation on a virus that could wipe out mankind.

We then follow the six as they attempt to stop the scientists within the research facility, and their attempts to save mankind and each other.

This book engages with the reader from the prologue, and I could not put it down once I had started to read. All the characters are believable and the six friends all work together to overcome the evil scientist Peter Gek. The dog made the story more interesting for me and I loved the relationship that developed between the six and the dog. The story is very fast paced, and I must admit I did have to re read a few of the pages just to clarify the story line. I don’t want to give away any more of the story so I highly recommend you read it for yourself.

Overall an excellent book. I would love to read more adventures of the ARCTIC6 and Bandit the dog.

Great review, thanks, Luke. Thanks to Inside Pocket Publishing for sending us a copy, too. It’s out 1st Feb, so click on the link below to get your hands on it!

Today we hear from Bookbabbler Wendy…

The Beasties – Jenny Nimmo

Daisy has just moved to a brand new house and finds herself on the first night frightened and lonely.  Daisy’s new room feels strange and her new bed too big but with the help of the Beasties and the magic of stories Daisy settles in.

The Beasties are Weevil, Floot and Ferdinand and they move in under Daisy’s bed with their treasures and each night they tell a story which helps her fall asleep. The stories within the story are illustrated in a fairytale style with paler colours than the bold ones of the main story. The illustrations are very detailed with lots for children to discover. At the end of the story Daisy discovers The Beasties and she tells them a story and so they leave as she is no longer frightened of her new room and is able to tell her own stories.

This is a great night time story and is written in a lovely style and is a favourite read for my children. What is even lovelier though, is to listen to them telling their own stories based on the style of The Beasties’ stories. I would highly recommend this book.

Thanks, Wendy and thanks to Egmont Books for sending us a copy. It’s in our shop for you now.

Today we hear from Bookbabbler Bethan…

Tumtum and Nutmeg: A Circus Adventure – Emily Bearn

Tumtum and Nutmeg once again find themselves in a fantastic adventure… A circus adventure. Along with their old friend General Marchmouse and the two children, Arthur and Lucy, the Nutmouses will find themselves at the circus.

A really good book – General March mouse doesn’t know what he’s heading for when he accidentally steals a toy circus bus.

My favourite character is General March mouse because he’s funny and silly. The other characters in the book are mice too: Tumtum, who’s furious with anybody who gives away his secret hiding place (in a broom cupboard in Rose cottage) away, Nutmeg, who’s distraught when General March mouse doesn’t arrive for his birthday tea.

This book comes from Emily Bearn’s Tumtum and Nutmeg series. At first it was hard to understand because I hadn’t read any of the other books in the series but then I sort of fell into the story and I understood it suddenly.

In this story General March mouse thinks he’s joined a circus but he’s actually joined a…GANG OF THIEVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This story gave me a mixture of feelings – sometimes it was funny like when I found out that all the mice were afraid of sherbet, at other times it was exciting like when Lucy and Arthur (the children who live in Rose cottage) were looking for the toy circus bus that General March mouse stole and sometimes even scary like when the book makes you think General March mouse is going to go to prison when he isn’t guilty of  anything.

If in the future I’m ever offered another Tumtum & Nutmeg book to read I’ll say yes because they’re really good books.

Children aged 6-10 would definitely enjoy this book & younger children might enjoy having it read to them.

Thanks, Bethan and thanks to Egmont books for sending us a copy. It’s in our shop for you to buy now…

Today we have a review for little ones..

Nice Bear Naughty Bear – Avril Lethbridge

Nice Bear Naughty Bear is a book about manners designed for toddlers to learn by having fun.  It is written in catchy rhymes with each bear having their own rhyme with the underlying message being that soon all bears will learn that life is nicer when you are kind.

This is a lovely book with watercolour style paintings of the bears. It starts and ends with a general rhyme about nice bears and naughty bears and then in between there are all the different bears such as Rude Bear and Thank You Bear. The rhymes are nice, simple and memorable. It is a great fun way of teaching manners and since reading this book we have used the bears to remind the children about their manners especially the ‘Sharing Bear’ and the ‘Please Bear.’

My 5 year old loves this book and even gave it the honour of taking it to school for show and tell! I would also recommend it as an early reader as she was able to read the majority of it.

My 3 year old also liked this book and he also found the naughty bears rather funny especially the ‘Nose Picker Bear!’

Thanks, Wendy. If you’d like to get a copy, it’s here for you to buy now.

Today we hear from Bookbabbler Sarah…

Heart of Valour – L J Smith

More than a year and a half has passed since Alys, Claudia, Jane and Charles helped to free the great sorceress, Morgana Shee, from imprisonment and close the passage between the Stillworld and the Wildworld. But when an earthquake hits California and continues to shake with lingering aftershocks, the Hodges-Bradley children begin to suspect this was no ordinary quake, and that the passage seal between the worlds may no longer be stable. With their parents overseas and Morgana travelling north to find the epicentre of the quake the children are left on their own. But peril lurks around every corner, and strange happenings in their home town force them on journey that will test their skills to the very limit. It seems that Morgana’s archrival, Thia Pendriel, has stolen the Forgotten Gem, the Heart of Valour, and is waiting to spring her trap…

Heart of Valour is the second book following Morgana Shee and the Hodges-Bradley children. It begins a year after the events in the previous book ‘Night of the Solstice’ have taken place, when an earthquake in California causes the passage between the two worlds to open. L J Smith is great at creating suspense with the reader, I continued to wonder if this was a ‘real’ earthquake or was something more sinister opening the passage deliberately?

The Hodges-Bradley children whose parents are away decide to travel to the epicenter where they hope to find Morgana. However, the journey is fraught with sinister activity and LJ Smith really does leave the reader teetering on the edge of their seat. Into the plot also returns Thia Pendrial, the arch rival of Morgana. Thia has stolen the Forgotten Gem and it is up to the Hodges-Bradley children to try to help stop her plans. Other characters from the previous book also return including the Alys’ faithful serpent. We also see Janie’s ability with magic change dramatically and the arrival of Elwyn gives a romantic element to the book.

This is a magical action packed adventure from L J Smith and readers who enjoyed ‘The Night of the Solstice’ will not be disappointed. A great book for both children and adults.

Thanks, Sarah and thanks to Simon & Schuster for sending us a copy.

Today we’ve something for little ones..

The Four Little Pigs by Kimara Nye

A picture story book about Tom and his magical visit to his Granny’s who happens to be a witch. It is based on the story of The Three Little Pigs but with a twist. The premise is that Tom thinks the story of The Three Little Pigs is boring so his Granny magic’s him into the fairy tale. As Tom knows the tale he is able to help the pigs defeat the wolf.

The story reads like a traditional tale and my children found it very amusing. It is longer than the average picture book but as it is so well written it did not lose the children’s attention. This is helped by the illustrations that are colourful and cartoon like, my children especially liked the picture of when Tom’s nose is turned into a pig snout.

You do not need to know the story of The Three Little Pigs to enjoy this book but if you know the story you can appreciate the twists from the original and how upset the wolf is at events changing.

Both my three and five year old enjoyed this story and particularly liked joining in with the “ little pig little pig…” parts.

Thanks for the review, Wendy.

Today we have a guest post from writer, Jayn E Winslade…

I am sure that when I was a child, I lived almost entirely in a world of fantasy. My teachers always referred to this as a dream world, but I think it was far more tangible than a dream and way more satisfying. This was probably because I spent a lot of time in hospital; if you have ever had a similar experience you would probably agree that the world of fantasy is preferable to the real world. I became absorbed in the fantasy worlds created by writers such as Alan Garner, Tolkien, Penelope Lively and Helen Creswell. I was so grateful for the fact that whatever else was wrong with me, I could read!

As soon as I was fit and able I began to dance and ice skate, a further extension of my fantasy world where nothing existed other than the sheer physical joy of movement, the driving force of the music, and the freedom of being anywhere and everywhere in the space.  Dance provided the tool through which my imagination could soar, and I could communicate joy, sadness, wickedness, magic, and all manner of fairy tales and stories conjured in those hours of free self-expression.

I skated in competitions and shows, and later went on to perform as a dancer. When I began to teach I both taught and created dance, revelling in the reward of sharing my passion with young aspiring dancers. However, a turning point in my life arrived when I stumbled upon six sets of antlers hanging in the village church in Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire. When I learned about the Horn Dance, my world of fantasy meandered along a new pathway as I pondered upon the idea of the Horn Dance having a profound effect upon a parallel world; a world of magic where there lives a magical herd of deer led by a courageous half-man half-stag character called Deeron.

I was a child again, drifting off into my own fantasy world where I would meet Deeron, his second-in-command Arog, and their wonderfully amazing and sometimes comical herd of deer. My heroines were born. Brave, self-sacrificing and ever determined, Emily and Jen risk danger and death to help Deeron save the sacred world of magic. Late at night when I slipped into bed I felt as though I was still there with them, in the cold stillness of the forest, afraid of the dawn and of all the danger it would bring. Suddenly, I had the power to put them through whatever nasty experiences I chose; they are buried in pine needles, boiled in heat, frozen, trapped, lifted into the air and carried by a golden hand through the terrifying landscape that exists between the mortal world and the world of magic.

Emily and Jen have the kind of courage and determination that leaves most ordinary mortals speechless. Personally I am not sure I would be brave enough to do any of the things they do. Who knows, maybe in the world of magic we find a part of ourselves we didn’t know existed.

Since Emily & Jen Dance for Deeron was first published at the end of June, I have been lucky enough to run creative writing workshops for my readers, performing one most recently at Birmingham Central Library. I felt myself back in the magical forest again with Emily, Jen, Deeron, wicked Smolder and the lovable but bossy Freyar. This time, however, it was more exciting because I wasn’t there alone – my group of brave explorers were there with me. We hunted for items belonging to some of the many characters, providing an insight into what they were really like as people. We also danced the deer dance witnessed by Emily and Jen at the beginning of the book, and when we lay down to sleep on Deeron’s leafy floor, it was as though we were really there listening to Deeron softly singing:

Hear the crackling of the fire,

Grant a wish to one and all,

For tonight we all will slumber,

Safely here in Deeron’s Hall.

The groups’ own creative writing at the end was terrific. Everyone felt that the practical experience of Emily & Jen Dance for Deeron really brought the story to life. I guess that no matter how much I write, I will always find a way to express my ideas through movement and dance. In many ways I am just like Emily, for when I dance I leave the real world behind. I do hope so!

Thanks very much, Jayn. Jayn’s Emily and Jen Dance for Deeron is available to buy now..

Today we hear from Bookbabbler Aly…

If I Could Fly – Jill Hucklesby

Calypso Summer. Yeah, that really is my name. ‘A girl with such a name is on a journey. She will have adventures,’ my mother used to murmur in my ear. And I now I am on a journey. I’m running from something terrible – but I don’t know what. It’s like my brain has blocked it out. For now, I’m learning to survive: to break the System and not get caught. I’ve found a friend I can trust. Next stop, freedom. Somehow, somewhere…”If I Could Fly” is a story you’ll never forget.

If I Could Fly is a heart-warming novel with a futuristic feel to it. At first I did get the feeling that it was aimed towards younger readers but then I realised that the protagonist herself is 13-14. It is told from her point of view throughout which results in it giving the reader the greatest impact. Through her, you get the instant feeling that there really is this very young girl on the run, all alone and scared. As things start to come back to her in snippets, it becomes apparent that there is more to her story than meets the eye. I must have read the novel within two hours or so – it’s not exactly short but not as long as novels as I am used to so it took no time at all. I felt that some things were not explained in great detail which did often lead to a mysteriousness that flowed throughout the book, leaving me slightly confused at times.

Alfie is the first person she ever considers a friend post running away. Their friendship is just lovely, there are not many characters at all, which I have never encountered before but I think that only adds to her loneliness and so, the first time Alfie was introduced I felt this burst of joy alongside her, feeling happy and relieved that someone around her age who seemed so open and warm wanted to talk to her.

Calypso is living on her own, with the company of a stuffed Teddy Bear and a Rabbit. They are, in a way, her companions. It’s sad to see her predicament, I don’t think I could handle such loneliness even at my age. She is a strong and determined character who I found very endearing. Overall it was a satisfying and pleasant read with a unique concept which always kept things interesting.

Thanks Aly, and thanks to Egmont Books for sending it to us.

Today we have a guest post, by author Jenna Burtenshaw..

The Importance Of Creative Assistants

When it comes to writing any kind of story there is one thing I would not be without.

I could live without my laptop; I’d just go back to writing with a pen.  I could even manage without the regular cups of tea that often gather and multiply upon my desk, but my writing life would not be the same without my creative assistants.  And by ‘assistants’, I am of course talking about the furry kind.

The wet-nosed, crazy, canine kind.

My doggy assistants listen patiently when I decide to read tricky chapters out aloud.  They are among the first to find out where a story is going and what the ending will be.  Sometimes they give a sniff of approval.  If it is an exciting chapter, they may even bestow upon it the honour of a tag wag, and if they really like something they will usually fall asleep.  Yes, I take all of these as ‘good signs’.  If any of them wander off with their tails down in disgust, that’s when I know I need to rethink my strategy.

Maisie, my big, curly-haired scottie dog, is definitely the hardest to please.  She is a born critic who has far better things to do in her day than listen to a human chattering away.  She would much rather be outside snuffling her nose into a mud heap in the name of scientific doggy research, and when she does decide to listen, she demands a chewy snack for her trouble.

Nella, my Yorkshire terrier, is much easier to please.  Give her a tummy rub and she will happily pretend to be interested in anything you have to say.  She can be content for hours on a cosy cushion by the fire while I’m typing, only occasionally waking up to cause trouble, stir up the other dogs or chase birds.

Belle is another matter.  Belle is a pointer who jumps at every noise, hoping that she may one day get a chance to pounce upon her mortal enemy, the postman.  Her concentration span depends upon how many cats wander past the window or how many vans drive up to the house, and once she starts barking, she never wants to stop.

Between them, my creative assistants leap on my keyboard, drop soggy tennis balls on my books and knock piles of papers over whenever they take a liking to something on my desk.  They can be little demons when they are feeling rambunctious and little angels when they are in the mood for a cuddle.  They cheer me up when things aren’t going very well and somehow manage to distract me whenever I am on a typing hot streak.  They run through the house like whirlwinds, leaving trouble and muddy paw prints in their wake, but I would never be without any of them.  They certainly make things interesting!

If you are ever looking for a writing buddy, I say always ask a dog.  They are cuddlesome, fun, and guaranteed to keep you on your toes.

Which animal would you choose as your perfect creative assistant?

Thanks, Jenna, and good question! Do let us know, Bookbabblers. Jenna’s debut novel, Wintercraft can be bought here now, and her second book, Wintercraft: Blackwatch can be pre-ordered below, too. You can check out Jenna’s blog here.