Today we hear from Bookbabbler Emily….

The Considine Curse by Gareth P Jones

Fourteen-year-old Mariel returns to England for her grandmother’s funeral. It is the first time she has been back since she emigrated with her mother as a baby, and it is the beginning of the uncovering of some really extraordinary truths about the Considine family. Why did Mariel’s mum argue with Grandma all those years ago? Why does Amelia wear so much perfume? Why is there a very large cat flap in Louvre House? Why does Gerald seem scared of his brother’s appetite? Did Grandma Considine really break her neck falling down the stairs? And most importantly, what is the dark secret that lies at the heart of the family?

The Considine Curse by Gareth P Jones was so good, it is one of the best books I have ever read.

This book is about a girl called Mariel. Her Grandmother dies, and when she is at the funeral, she meets her seven cousins. Gerald, Oberon, Freddie, Amelia, Lily, Elspeth, and Madeleine. They are very odd, and they have a deadly secret. If you read this book you will find out what it is!

My least favourite character is Oberon. My favourite is Mariel.

The only thing I would change about it is when at the end, Mariel goes with her cousins. I would like to see what happened after that.

The story is really good, and I would definitely recommend it to boys and girls age 10 – 15. I score this book 9 / 10 , and I will read this again definitely.

Thanks, Emily, and thanks to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for sending us a copy. It’s here for you to buy now…

Today we review the latest Barry the Fish with Fingers book…

Barry the Fish with Fingers and the Hairy Scary Monster – Sue Hendra

Barry and his fishy friends are playing Hide and Seek. Puffy finds a great hiding place in an old wreck, but he gets scared out of his wits when he sees a hairy monster lurking in the shadows. Luckily Barry the fish with fingers comes to the rescue – and discovers that the ‘monster’ is a friendly seahorse who just needs a haircut!

A lovely story of friendship with the message of not judging by appearances. Barry proves to be brave and finds a new friend in the process.

I read this book with my toddler, and our timing to first read it couldn’t have been better, as we’d just been playing Hide and Seek and we opened this book to find Barry doing the same! That helped to instantly capture her interest, and the bold and colourful illustrations ensured it was held. As they’re playing Hide and Seek, there’s the chance for her to practice counting and all of the brightly coloured fish give her the opportunity to test her new found knowledge of colours, which she does like to show off! I also like the fact that the ‘monster’ turns out to be a lot less scary than he first appears, which is always a reassuring message to give to very imaginative tots.

This book is a great, fun addition to our picture book collection, and is already proving to be a daily favourite.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster for sending us a copy to review – it’s here for you to buy now….

Today we review the first book in the Haunting Emma series, Deception…

Deception – Lee Nichols

When Emma Vaile’s parents leave on a mysterious business trip, it gives her the perfect excuse to be a rebellious teen. But then her best friend stops talking to her, the police crash her party and Emma finds herself in the hands of a new guardian, Bennett Stern, and on a plane to his museum-like mansion in New England. After enrolling at Thatcher Academy, Emma settles in by making friends with the popular crowd. She has memories of Thatcher she can’t explain and strange visions are haunting her. Emma doesn’t trust anyone any more – except maybe Bennett. But he’s about to reveal a ghostly secret to her. One that will explain the visions …and make Emma fear for her life.

Emma has plans to party and get up to all the kind of things that she shouldn’t be doing, when her parents fly off on another business trip. However, that takes an early turn for the worse when she unexpectedly ends up having to look after their antiquities shop, and then her so-called friend appears to trap her into needing a legal guardian in their absence and before she knows it, she’s being flown to the other side of the country and attending a new school. That’s where she starts to realize that her friends and family have been keeping some huge secrets from her, leading to her discovery of her powerful supernatural abilities. To share any more, would really be spoiling it for you!

The book’s written in the first person, so we get to share in all of Emma’s feelings and new discoveries, and she’s a very easy character to like. Early talk of ‘the Incident’ immediately sparked my interest, along with a few strange sightings and apparitions, and I found myself eager to read on to find out more. Before I knew it, I was half way through the book, and the story had me engrossed. I enjoy paranormal fiction, and it was a nice change to read a book based on good old-fashioned ghosts, though with a fresh twist.

Deception has a likeable, believable heroine, an absorbing plot line and, whilst it’s a great book on it’s own, it ensures you’ll be wanting to read on to the next Haunting Emma book, Betrayal. I can’t wait!

Thanks to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for sending us a copy to review, it’s here for you order now…

Today we hear from Bookbabbler Liz….

Lia’s Guide to Winning the Lottery – Keren David

Money can’t buy you love. But it can buy many other very nice things. Lia’s mum is a nag, her sister’s a pain and she’s getting nowhere in pursuit of the potentially paranormal Raf. Then she wins £8 million in the lottery, and suddenly everything is different. But will Lia’s fortune create more problems than it solves? Everyone dreams of winning the lottery – but what’s it really like?

Lia’s Guide to Winning the Lottery is a fabulous, laugh-out-loud funny read, and I enjoyed it so much more than I thought I would! Lia is a sixteen year old school girl with a perfectly normal life – her mum is always harping on at her, her sister is a saint and her dad wants her to take over the family business – Latimer’s Loaves, a bakery. All Lia wants to do is quit school as soon as possible and move into a flat of her own – away from her annoying family. Then Lia wins the lottery jackpot, and is eight million pounds richer. Suddenly, anything seems possible – after all, what could you possibly want that eight million quid can’t get you? However, Lia soon realises that being a millionaire isn’t all it’s cracked up to; the thing she wants the most – to get to know Raf, the boy of her dreams – appears to be the one thing money can’t buy, and now with all the publicity, everyone has an opinion on what Lia does, but it’ll be a while before she knows if it’s for the better, or worse.

From the first few pages, I knew Lia and I would get along like a house on fire. I think Lia was one of the funniest characters I’ve come across in a very long time – she had a great sense of humour and knew how to make people laugh with her comments; she was just downright hilarious! Whether it be with snarky comments about Twilight, or misunderstanding what someone had said, Lia was what I would call “LOL-worthy”, and I really liked her.  And some of the things she said were just so funny because they were true – my favourite line was probably when she was talking about Raf, and said, “Girls plotted to become his science partner – not that we actually have partners in Science in the UK, it must be a special American thing.” I cracked up at this part, because I’ve always wondered why we don’t have the lab partner system here in the UK – it was nice to know I wasn’t the only one thinking it! I think this really helped me relate to Lia as well, and I definitely felt connected with her throughout the entire book. The only thing I would say is that a lot of Lia’s humour relies on references to British culture and language (it’s a very British book), so the language barrier may cause a few problems for some people – but if you’re willing to work with it, it’d definitely be worth it!

Lia’s friends were also great characters – Jack was another funny one, and definitely made me laugh a lot; I could see why he and Lia were friends! I felt a bit sorry for him though because his mother was awful and overbearing – half the time Lia was scared to talk to him, because his mum was likely to go ballistic! Shaz, Lia’s best female friend, was kind of the voice of reason in the trio – she was the one who told Lia straight whenever she was doing something stupid or selfish. Towards the end of the book we find out something quite unexpected, which sort of changed the vibe of the book a little bit, as it affected the three friends – I preferred the first half, to be perfectly honest, but still enjoyed the second half as well, despite its slightly more serious tone.

Raf, the love interest, was a little odd to say the least. He was sort of stuck in the nineteenth century – he didn’t really use technology, was interested in old books and art and didn’t like crowded places (something I could understand, I don’t like them either). He seemed aloof and distant, but was actually just very shy, and seemed to really like Lia. I’m not sure how believable their relationship was – it seemed to progress a little too fast for me, and they didn’t really know each other very well, but it was cute and I liked reading about the time they spent together. I also liked reading about Raf’s past, and finding out more about him- it made him seem less distant, and more likeable.

Overall, Lia’s Guide to Winning the Lottery was a lovely summer read, and great for anyone looking for something fun and light-hearted. While I felt the ending seemed a bit rushed, I really enjoyed the book overall, and will definitely be looking out for the author’s future works!

Thanks Liz, and thanks to Frances Lincoln Children’s Books for sending us a copy to review. It’s out this month and here for you to buy now…

Today we hear from Bookbabbler Vjollca…..

Watchman William: Ghost Detective by Diana Shaw

With his young friend Thomas, and the great detective, Sherlock Holmes for inspiration, William sets out to investigate mysterious happenings in and around Hardleigh Manor, all with a little help from his readers…Can William stop the bicycle thief? Who is causing the sabotage at Hardleigh Hotel? Floods, false trails, enormous exploding marrows and suspects upended in pig swill – all in a day’s work for William! Loaded with clue summaries, suspect lists and lots of action, readers can help William and Thomas in their efforts to become great detectives.

Watchman William is a collection of detective stories. William is a ghost who was a watchman in Elizabethan times. His great hero is Sherlock Holmes. As William writes up his lists of suspects and clues, readers can try to solve the mysteries just like the Victorian detective.

My favourite story is the first one in the book in which William meets a boy called Thomas who begins helping him in his investigations when the postman’s bike goes missing in strange circumstances.

The stories are very funny especially when William uses his ability to materialise and disappear, usually to help him in his detective work, but sometimes just for fun!

Thanks, Vjollca, and thanks to Inside Pocket Publishing for sending us a copy to review. It’s here for you to buy now…

Today we have a review for younger readers, by Helen…

Seahorse Stars: The First Pearl by Zuzu Singer

Dive into the colourful waters of Rainbow Reef for more amazing adventures with Cammie Sunbeam – a true Seahorse Star! Cammie is thrilled to be joining the Pearlies – the most amazing club in Rainbow Reef. As a Pearlie, it is a young seahorse’s duty to do their best, serve Rainbow Reef and all its creatures, think of others and to do a good turn every day. Cammie has to earn her Proficiency Pearls by completing six special tasks before she can become a Seahorse Star – a group only the best Pearlies can join. Her first task is earn her Coral Comping pearl. Has she paid enough attention to her Pearlie leader, Miss Swish, or will she find herself in at the deep end?

This book is the first in the Seahorse Stars series, about a seahorse named Cammie Sunbeam and her experiences as a member of the Pearlies, which is similar to Brownies or Rainbows.  It focuses first of all on Cammie’s first Pearlie meeting where, along with her friend Jess Splash, she is put into the Dancing Waves group and gets to know other young seahorses as well as the group leader, Miss Swish.  Their aim as Pearlies is to earn six Proficiency Pearls by completing different tasks, in order to become Seahorse Stars, and the first task, also covered in this book, is to succeed at camping.

The story seems to be aimed at girls of younger primary school age, perhaps 5-7 (although Erin’s sister who is nearly 9 also enjoyed reading it); in addition to the obvious parallels between Pearlies and Rainbows/Brownies there are several references to the seahorses’ primary schools and the things the seahorses like to do with their parents.  The author has done a good job of translating a young girl’s world into an underwater context and there are little jokes included for the parents, too, such as the references to the father cooking and taking care of the children whilst the mother works as “one of the guards who protected them all from danger” (presumably based on the premise that it’s the male seahorse who carries and gives birth to the young).  This is also a refreshing reversal of gender stereotypes without “trying too hard” to push a feminist agenda.

As the story progresses, it covers issues common to a young child’s life such as having to get on with people you don’t like, having to listen to instructions even when you think you know better (and the consequences of trying to do it your own way!), and dealing with disappointment. Ultimately, of course, there is a happy ending, although I didn’t find the means to the end too predictable.

Zuzu Singer is another pseudonym of Lee Weatherly, author of the Glitterwings Academy series (as Titania Woods) as well as several Young Adult titles, and Seahorse Stars is very similar to Glitterwings in tone and appeal. Having no boys myself, I couldn’t say for certain that it would not appeal to them, but certainly it seemed particularly aimed at little girls as all the main characters are female and the book cover includes a lot of pink and sparkly bits!

Erin and I enjoyed reading this together – Erin found that there was enough excitement to keep her interested but without too much threat of danger, and I enjoyed the way the seahorse community is depicted (a map is provided in the front of the book, along with an introduction to the main characters). All in all this is a fun and undemanding read – my husband found it slightly formulaic when it was his turn to read – but definitely enough to hold your interest for a week of bedtime stories (there are eight chapters but you might have to read the last two in one go!)

Thanks, Helen and Erin! Thanks to Usborne Children’s Books for sending us a copy – it’s here for you to buy now…

Today we hear from Bookbabbler Luke…

Aftershock by Mark Walden

Otto Malpense is a pupil at H.I.V.E., the top secret school of villainy. Otto o and the rest of the elite Alpha stream have been sent on their most dangerous exercise yet: The Hunt. But when Otto and the Alphas arrive in the icy wastes of Siberia, it becomes clear that something is wrong.

Dr Nero, the head of the school, has made some powerful enemies at the Globe League of Villainous Enterprises.

In a shocking twist, the first strike against Nero will be a strike against the Alpha stream. There’s a traitor in the midst….and time is running out to discover who it is.

In the book we initially follow Natalya as she is captured as a child and forced to fight in a place called the Glasshouse run by Anastasia Furan and her brother Pietor. It is a cruel regime where the children are beaten if they under achieve. Throughout the book we go back to Natalya’s childhood and her growth into Raven who now works for the H.I.V.E.

Otto and his friends are students of H.I.V.E and are currently studying for their exams and preparing for an event called the HUNT where the students are released in a country and Raven has to track them down. But un be known to the students Anastasia and the Disciples have plans to infiltrate H.I.V.E, kill Raven and use the children caught in the Glasshouse. It’s obvious that one of the children has been helping the Disciples, and the book leaves you guessing till near the end whom this is.

Overall I loved the book. The children are likeable and ingenious in their attempts to overcome the intelligence of H.I.V.E. It is fast paced and well written. I was a little disappointed with the ending, however I presume another book will follow to tie up all the loose ends.

Thanks, Luke, and thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing for sending us a copy. Check out Mark Walden’s Facebook page and you can buy the book here now…

Today, Bookbabbler Sarah reviews our author in residence’s new book, and we’re running a fab giveaway to celebrate it!

A Tangle of Magicks by Stephanie Burgis

After her antics in A Most Improper Magick, Kat Stephenson is back to cause more chaos! Stepmama drags the family to Bath to find Kat’s sister a new suitor. But, unknown to most of its gossipy visitors, Bath is full of wild magic. When Kat uncovers a plot to harness this magic in the Roman Baths, she finds her brother Charles is unwittingly involved. Kat must risk her newfound magical powers as she defies the Order of the Guardians to foil the plot and clear her brother’s name.

A Tangle of Magicks is the second book in the series starring the magical Stephenson family. This is the first book by Stephanie Burgis that I have read and I was very impressed.

The story follows the lives of the Stephenson family with particular focus on twelve year old Kat. Elissa the eldest has just got married when the rest of the family travel to Bath to find Kat’s elder sister Angeline a suitor. After their Stepmother’s dramatic arrival, the Stephenson’s begin exploring Bath. However, Kat soon senses wild magic, but does not suspect that her elder brother Charles may be involved.

Set in Bath in the early nineteenth century, the setting was one of my favourite parts of the novel. I loved being taken on a tour of Bath by Kat Stephenson and seeing places that are there today, but in a totally different light. This book is so well researched; I really enjoyed the story of Sulis Minerva and her connection with the baths.

I really liked the character of Kat Stephenson, although only twelve she seemed almost worldlier than her older sister Angeline. Charles, Kat’s elder brother was a great character who just seemed to always fall in with the wrong crowd. I was perhaps most surprised by how much I liked the stepmother, even if she was a little cringe worthy at times!

Overall, this is a really fun book with a strong sense of good versus evil. The characters are fantastic; you will love the goodies and hate the baddies and the story itself is fast moving and will leave you wanting to read more and more.

I can’t wait for the next installment in this series - 10/10.

Thanks, Sarah, and thanks to Templar for sending us a copy to review. Templar have also offered us some books to giveaway, so here’s your chance to get your hands on the book for free! We have 3 sets of A Most Improper Magick and A Tangle of Magicks to giveaway, so to be entered into the draw, comment on this post, ‘like’ it on Facebook, or retweet it, and we’ll pick a winner at 7pm on Sunday (UK only) – good luck!

Today we hear from Bookbabbler Liz….

Glee: Summer Break – Sophia Lowell

Calling all Gleeks! Spend summer vacation with uber-ambitious Rachel Berry, Cheerio extraordinaire Quinn Fabray and dreamy Finn Hudson in the third completely original Glee novel. Packed with all the hilarity and drama that a true Glee fan demands, this summertime story follows the Glee Club members as they attempt to run a singing workshop for kids. (Summary from back of book)

Glee: Summer break is another great addition to the series, and is a perfect read for the summer! This book concentrates more on Rachel Berry, our resident rising star, as she goes through a journey of self-discovery. Rachel has created a busy schedule for herself over the summer – after all, she needs as much practice as she can get if she’s going to make it to the top. Mr Schuester, however, announces that he’s organised a singing workshop for kids, and he wants all the Glee members to help mentor them over the summer! Rachel, of course, is furious – she can’t drop her busy schedule for something as silly as looking after children! But when she gets a taste of the fame she so desperately desires, she starts to realise that perhaps it’s not all as good as it’s cracked up to be. Maybe working with kids would be better after all!

I thought Glee: Summer Break was fabulous and really enjoyed reading about the Glee club and its various activities.  There was the usual drama and hilarity throughout – Mercedes and Santana were having another diva-off, Finn was listening to some of Kurt’s old CDs and Brittany was attempting to communicate with her cat! Rachel, being a superstar-in-training, was too busy to deal with such frivolous things and was entirely focussed on advancing her career and fame. It was so funny when Rachel started to see herself from other people’s points of view – I think she got a real shock when she understood that not everyone loved her as much as she loved herself! It was also great to see her start to understand how important the Glee Club was to her and the other members, and that blowing them off for selfish reasons maybe wasn’t the best idea, considering how much they all needed each other.

One thing I noticed is that the summary implies the book will be about the Glee Club trying to organise the singing workshop, when this isn’t really the case – the book focuses more on Rachel and her experiences than the actual workshop itself, which is actually only mentioned at the beginning and end. Also, there are few issues where the book doesn’t exactly match up with the show, but I don’t think it takes away from the story.

Overall, Glee: Summer Break was a funny, cheery novel packed with drama, that I think any big fan of the Glee TV would enjoy. It’s sure to be a fun read for those sun-filled summer days!

Thanks, Liz, and thanks to Headline for sending us a copy to review. It’s here for you to buy now…

Today we hear from Bookbabbler Luke…

Furnace 5: Execution by Alexander Gordon Smith

The whole world has become a prison, and Alfred Furnace is its master.

Monsters rule the streets, leaving nothing but murder in their wake. Those who do not die become slaves to Furnace’s reign of cruelty. I am a monster too. I am the only one who can stop him, but in doing so I could destroy everything.

Am I the executed or the executioner? Who will die? Me, Furnace or the entire human race.

ALL I KNOW IS THAT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER IT ALL ENDS TODAY.

The book continues the story of Alex Sawyer who was framed for murder and condemned to life in Furnace with its punishments and pain. The previous books describe his attempts to escape the brutality, however having not read these I read the brief descriptions at the back of this book which was a great help in understanding the story. This is the final book and although I had not followed the story of Alex I found it easy to understand the plot. The book is fast paced and after Alex has defeated (or so you initially think) the evil Albert Furnace you feel things can only get better for him. Wrong. He is captured by the military led by Colonel Alice Panettierre who torture and experiment on him and the other mutants from the furnace. They wish to use the nectar which gives Alex his strength and misuse it themselves. Colonel Panettierre will stop at nothing to get the nectar and the experiments she engages in are horrific for Alex and his friends. Alex must escape and save his friends before he finally defeats the evil Furnace.

The main character, Alex, who has been experimented on so much that he is more monster than human, remains a character that you cannot help but feel sympathy for. His friends help to fetch some humour into the story; however the ending is very sad and totally unexpected. This book will really keep you interested right to the end. There is even a web site address given at the end of the book to read further what happens after the final chapter.

My only misfortune is that I haven’t read these books from the beginning, as this was brilliant.

Thanks, Luke, and thanks to Faber and Faber for sending us a copy to review. It’s here for you to buy now..