The Last Bard - Maz Evans

Will's life changed irrevocably when his father died.  Since then, he and his mother have been living with his cruel uncle and his son who treat both Will and his mother in the most appalling way.  When Will's paternal grandfather dies, he and his mum head to his flat to clear it out.  As his grandfather disowned his mum when she married Will's father, he has never been to the flat before and both are shocked by what they find, for Rex threw nothing away and the pair need to wade through years of paperwork.  In amongst the papers, Will finds Rex's copy of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, the contents of which lead to a huge surprise: Will is Shakespeare's last living relative and the only person who can summon the characters from the book.  As he begins to get to know the residents of Arden Heights and the various problems they are facing (not least of which is the threat of the building all the flats being bought up and turned into a hotel), could Will hold the key to solving everybody's problems? 

Regular readers of my blog will know how much of a Maz fan I am and I still have fond memories of her visit to school (can't believe that was just before COVID!) so I was hugely excited to read The Last Bard.  I have to say that I think this is her best book yet! 

Will and his mum are very close to each other; they've had to be since the death of his father in order to survive the horrors of his uncle and cousin.  It's clear that his mum feels awful about the situation but is powerless to get out of it (I really wanted to reach into the book and help her out).  The week at Arden Heights, although it's his uncle who has demanded they go and clear the place out, is the perfect excuse for the pair to get away and have some time together (and to sleep in proper beds!).  What unfolds is a glorious tale that deftly and appropriately weaves some really serious issues (family problems and bullying) with Maz's brilliant blend of humour to create a book that readers are going to absolutely adore.

There's a real warmth that runs through the book, and readers will love getting to know the various characters and their quirks.  Will and Ani are both hiding important information and as the details unfold, I think it will help any readers who need to open up about problems they may be having.  

The book is a real nod to Shakespeare and Maz acknowledges that she references every play in some way in the book - how many can you notice?  The use of the characters in the plot is brilliant and adds a wonderfully witty element to the plot that will have you snorting your tea through your nose (just me?!).  It will also open up the world of Shakespeare to a host of children who may otherwise not have been interested.

I could wax lyrical about The Last Bard for a very long time - safe to say that Maz is a writing genius; the book is a brilliant read, and would make a brilliant read aloud... time to get practising those accents! 

Lionborn -Sharique Zea

Fionn knows he's different: he dreams of terrifying beasts and wakes-up covered in battle scars; however, nobody, not even his parents, believes him... until Tiny, a new boy, arrives at school.  Along with his friend Ella, the trio quickly discover that Fionn has inherited some very powerful magical gifts.  Now, he just needs to learn how to use them to stop those who are desperate to use his blood to resurrect a demon. 

Lioborn is the first in a new series and it certainly begins with a bang! Readers are immediately thrown into the action and this keeps going as the plot unfolds.  Jumping between worlds and perilous situations, Fionn needs to muster all his strength and courage to do what is right. 

Although Fionn had always felt different, he has never quite known why.  Bullied at school, Ella is his only friend until Tiny comes along.  As their friendship develops, it becomes evident that they are linked together in more ways than Fionn could have imagined. Tiny is the perfect character to help develop Fionn's confidence, something he's never really had.  Watching him grow as the plot unfolds is lovely to see.

Publishing today, Lionborn is beautifully written; it is guaranteed to grip readers and leave them wanting more.  Why not order your copy here ?

The Not-So Great Escape - Emma Green

Things have been tricky for Hedley since the accident that killed his mum: his dad's legs 'no longer work'  so he spends his days in bed.  As a result, Hedley spends weekends at Bridlebank Therapy Centre where he shares a room with Aiden who seems intent on bullying him.  Heldey prefers to play things safe all the time whereas Aiden is happy to take risks.  So what happens when the pair are sent to help out at Farmer Bert's Petting Farm?  A stolen alpaca, an accidental robbery and a night on the run is what.  But when the unlikely group become an internet sensation, can the adventure help Hedley learn that playing it safe isn't always best?

Hedley hates taking risks and spends his life calculating the the risk of everything he does.  His life has changed immeasurably since the accident and this is clearly what drives what he does.  He is protective of two things: his sister and the hat his mum gave him; not that his room mate Aiden respects that.  Aiden clearly has his own issues and his father's ever changing occupations when he talks about him hints as to why Aiden is the way he is.  Although the boys appear very different, it is clear as the book progresses that they need each other.  Aiden is the mastermind behind the alpaca heist and his unique take on everything is humorous to read.

The Not-So Great Escape is full of laughs and capers as the mad-capped adventure unfolds whilst Aiden, Hedley and his sister Lilly help to return an alpaca to the home they believe it should be in.  Along the way, quite by accident, the mis-matched group become famous and the media updates at the ends of chapters creates a unique update,

The book is huge amounts of fun and the plot is fast-paced but, woven into that are some strong, important messages for readers, with an ending that I really didn't see coming (it stopped me in my tracks and I was grateful I wasn't reading it in public...).  Perfect for fans of Jenny Pearson, The Not-So Great Escape is a story about finding yourself, friendship and learning to move on, and is going to be a huge hit when it published on the 1st January.

The Golden Monkey Mystery - Piu Dasgupta

Roma attends Miss Oliphant's School For Young Ladies where she spends her time reading and following her burning desire to become a doctor, something unheard of for women.  Whilst on a walk one day, Roma stumbles across a monkey, but not just any monkey, a rare golden leaf-eater monkey usually only found in a secret location in the Himalayas hundreds of miles away.  With no concern for her own safety, she runs into the forest to follow the monkey, followed by Birala the cat.  Roma is determined to catch the monkey in order to return it to its rightful home, but the journey is far from easy.  During the chase, she will face bandits who are on the hunt for the Snakestone, a jewel with immense power.  Along the way, she is befriended by siblings Max and Arabella, but will they prove more of a hindrance than a help?  A race across India, and a race against time, can Roma do the unimaginable and get to the monkey and the Snakestone before the bandits?

I read Piu's debut novel, Secrets Of The Snakestone, last year and instantly fell in love with it (you can read my review here) so it was with huge amounts of excitement that I settled into a train journey to London earlier this week with The Golden Monkey Mystery.  The books link together through the Snakestone jewel but follow very different paths; where Secrets Of The Snakestone is set in Paris, The Golden Monkey Mystery is set in India.  The book opens with a prologue which describes the theft of the Snakestone jewel one hundred years earlier.  We then jump to Roma who wakes from a nightmare.  Unable to return to sleep, she heads to the school library where she writes a letter to Sir Horatio Bancroft-Pratt expressing her desperate desire to attend his medical school in order to become a doctor.  From the very beginning, readers see Roma's fierce independence and headstrong nature, and it continues throughout the book.  But behind everything, I think she is lonely: she never knew her mum who died in childbirth, and her father is absent; her only friends seem to be the school cook and Birala the cat who she talks to (and who talks back to her).  I feel that she needs this adventure almost as much as the monkey needs rescuing - are they rescuing each other?

Along the way she encounters Max and Arabella who are spending the summer in India.  Max is clearly desperate for an adventure and is determined to join Roma; however, he proves very naïve.  His younger sister, Arabella, is very spoilt and seems to have spent her life getting everything she wants, which is what gets them into this mess.  An unlikely trio, the adventure is something none of them realise they absolutely need.  

The Golden Monkey Mystery is an adventure that will weave its way into your imagination and won't let go.  Amongst the action, readers will delight in the richness of the descriptions of the landscape that really bring the setting to life in all its glory.  Danger and daring combine wonderfully in this novel that is going to be an instant hit in school, and the lure of a book that hasn't yet been published will excited my students.

Publishing 15th January, The Golden Monkey Mystery is a book that is guaranteed to banish the January blues and fill readers with warmth. A word of warning though: read this when you have time to abandon everything else as you won't be able to put it down!

 

Lilly's Monster

Since the tragic death of her brother, Holly has been struggling. Her family are simply trying to hold things together and decide that time away from home would help.  However, when they arrive at the cottage they have rented, it quickly becomes apparent that there is something else there: a restless spirit in the form of a small child called Lilly desperate to relive the past. But can Holly discover the secrets to Lilly's past and help her family before it's too late?  

This is a gripping psychological thriller that will set your heart racing.  Holly is desperately holding the truth of her brother's death inside her, terrified that her family will hate her if she reveals what really happened. The holiday is supposed to be a chance for them to begin to heal but it quickly turns into very much the opposite.  Lilly's appearance at first, makes her seem just like a lost little girl, but then things slowly begin to take a very dark and sinister turn and everybody seems powerless to stop it.

Holly is hurting, who wouldn't be? She is terrified by the truth of what happened, is consumed with guilt and is now dicing with death herself in an attempt to purge her feelings.  She's pushing everyone away but Lilly's arrival changes all of that.  Both characters are dealing with grief in very different ways and the twists that are woven into the plot show how difficult escaping abuse can be.  I don't want to say too much more as I don't want to give anything away, but this is a book that explores some strong themes in its 280 pages.

Publishing 6th November, Lilly's Monster is an emotionally heart-racing, terrifyingly gripping supernatural YA horror that will stay with you long after you've read the final page. 

Beastopia - Chrissie Sains

Digby loves his pet mouse Cheddar; however, as Digby's tenth birthday approaches, he is becoming increasingly anxious about The Curse of The Tenth Birthday which seems to strike the pets in his family - they just vanish.  Determined that Cheddar won't befall the same fate, Digby and his friend Tai set about staying up all night to watch over his precious pet.  What begins as a sleepover to protect one small mouse quickly develops into something far larger and more exciting than either Digby, Tai or his sister Mog could have ever imagined, for they are about to discover the magic of Beastopia. 

Chrissie Sains' Alien In The Jam Factory series is a real favourite of mine and the cuddly Fizzbee that sits in my office is a firm favourite with children of all ages in school (including children who have moved up to Senior School and come back to see me ... and always have to see Fizzbee too!).  Because of this, I was excited at the prosect of a new series, especially one that involves a host of new creatures to get to know.  Beastopia is an adventure into a new world where magical creatures need protecting and involves a quest to earn the right to be the ones to take on the role of protectors.  

The plot is action-packed and full of fun with just enough peril to keep readers guessing.  Readers will love Digby, Tai and Mog (I really liked that she has diabetes and shows that monitoring glucose levels means that it won't limit what she can do) and will be desperate to adopt the creatures (well, most of them!).

Once again, Jenny Taykor has worked her magic to create illustrations that perfectly capture the plot - they're just fab.

Out now, Beastopia is a fab book that will delight readers and will leave them wanting more!  I'm already excited for book 2.

Sad Girl Hours - Anna Zoe Quirke

Ella and Saffron meet one night at university whilst celebrating an early New Year's Eve.  They bond instantly but, unbeknownst to Nell, Saffron suffers with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) which she is determined to keep hidden at all costs.  Nell decides that Saffron's dislike of autumn can be changed and creates a to do list for the pair of all the best things to take part in as the nights draw in.  But whilst the pair grow closer, will they remain just friends or will romance blossom?

This is a beautifully written story with so many wonderful messages woven through the pages.  Saffron is struggling hugely but is terrified to let any body close enough to her to know exactly what's going on.  As she and Nell grow closer, Nell realises that there's something Saffron is holding back, but she can't get her to open up.  Mental health is treated so much better than it ever used to be but there are still people who feel that it is a taboo subject.  So many times, I wanted to reach into the book and hug Saffron (and help her).  It's not until the relationship she has with her parents is revealed that you begin to understand why she approaches things the way she does.  

Shining a spotlight on SAD in such a brilliant way will help so many people.  I know that I hate the winter (I say that sitting on a sunlounge in Spain dreading returning to the UK knowing that months of cold and rain await me...) but SAD is a whole different level; if this book helps just one person to understand the condition and reach out for support then that will be a good thing. 

I also really enjoyed the relationships between the characters and the exploration of sexuality - the positivity and the freedom was wonderful to read. 

Told in dual perspective, Sad Girl Hours is a wonderful YA romance story of acceptance, bravery and  being yourself ... it will also give you a host of autumny things to do now the clocks have gone back!