Murder At Christmas - Fleur Hitchcock

Grace is incredibly excited to be away from boarding school for the Christmas holidays. And spending it with her mum and brother Billy at their Aunt Mollie's hotel.  At first, everything is perfectly, but when her mum goes out for the morning and doesn't return, Grace and Billy begin to  worry. Shortly after that, a dead body is discovered on the stairs at the hotel.  What on earth is going on and can the siblings, along with their new friends, get to the bottom of things before Christmas Day?

The arrival of a new Fleur Hitchcock murder mystery is always exciting, but combine that with the Christmas theme and the book zoomed straight past my reading pile! Fleur has a way of writing murder mysteries that grip readers without being too scary, all whilst maintaining the drama and the action. This series is one that is very popular in school and I know that Murder At Christmas will not be in my office library for long. 

Set in Bath in a small, luxury hotel that is run by Grace's aunt, the book exudes a Christmassy feel from the start: ginger bread and chocolate treats, rooms with thick carpet and a cosy feel, Christmas trees, breakfasts to make your mouth water, and staff that are always willing to help ... heck, I wish this hotel were real as I'd be there in a flash!  The place gives off a lovely, cosy, homely vibe ... but there is definitely something going on and Grace and Billy are determined to get to the bottom of it. 

All Grace wants is a relaxing Christmas holiday with her family. She hates her new boarding school and has missed her family who have moved to Australia due to her mum's job.  But when her Mum goes missing, it's Grace who has to step up and become the adult. You can feel the weight of responsibility on her shoulders as she tries desperately to work out what's going on and who she can trust - it's a lot, especially when she also feels she has to take charge of her younger brother, Billy. 

This is such a great book. To be fair, the entire series is superb, so I don't know why this one would be any different! Perfect for curling up with and getting lost in in the run up to the festivities, Murder At Christmas will make you want to embrace the holiday season whilst also checking in on your family! The plot is easy to follow but will keep readers guessing. It's an action packed whodunit with a rollercoaster of an ending that is guaranteed to put you in the festive mood and I absolutely loved it!

The Beast From Beneath - Martin Howard

The second in the Mallory Vale and Maggoty Skull series sees the dynamic duo battling a Nightmare that has taken root in Aunt Lilith after she decided to try to improve her psychic powers.  As Lilith realises that being able to hear the dead isn't all she thought it would be, Mallory and Maggoty have to undertake a perilous journey into the depths of Carrion Castle in order to find a solution to the problem before it's too late.

I adored Mallory Vane And The Curse of Maggoty Skull (you can read my review here ) and I'd been waiting for The Beast From Beneath since finishing book 1!

Whilst mastering her new skills , and discovering just how powerful she can be,

Mallory goes from strength to strength in this book and seems to be the one heading the household this time.  Maggoty's desperate desire for a new and expensive wig, her new role as a necromancer and Aunt Lilith's predicament certainly keep Mallory busy and her strength of character shines through - she's very much becoming a strong person whose reluctance about her powers have given way to confidence.

Maggoty remains one of my favourite ever fictional characters! His attitude, manner and way of speaking all made me laugh and add a light-heartedness to the book.  I love the humour, darkness and Death that lurk in this brilliant book that is perfect for this time of year.

The Beast From Beneath is another guaranteed hit for Martin (it's already been borrowed from my office library twice in the past week) and I sincerely hope that Mallory and Maggoty will be back. 

So, as predicted, The Beast From Beneath is already a hit at school and I have a review from a student to add to my own:

The Beast From beneath was a good book because the mysteries were dark yet funny (because of the one and only Maggoty Skull).  It was also really cool when Mallory could summon people who had gone to the afterlife.  Maggoty's constantly, annoying jabbering about the Eleganza made me smile, it was also pretty emotional when Maggoty ... (I'm redacting this bit as a spoiler!!).  I have noticed that Mallory becomes a bit darker throughout the series, making me wonder if one day she will finally become a dark necromancer like her relative.  Todd was really funny, always randomly appearing out of Aunt Lilith's ear saying something about food.  I really enjoyed this book and I hope there will be another one.

The Wintermoor Lights - Dan Smith

 

Strange lights are starting to appear over Wintermoor and only teenagers seem to be able to see them, and once that happens they seem to change forever.  Tara's friend, Zoe, is the first to be affected and she seems to spend time in a trance and muttering numbers.  As more of Tara's friends are affected, none of the adults seem to believe her, claiming it's all a prank.  But will they start to believe Tara when children begin to disappear?

The Wintermoor Lights is the second of The Night House Files (you can read my review of The Dead Soul Project here) and it's 1984 (almost ten years after the date of the first investigation).  Once again, the book incorporates case files, newspaper articles and narrative of the events which all combine to create a compelling read.  The everyday setting makes the whole thing completely believable yet, at the same time, creepy: children with glowing eyes, in trances and  muttering numbers - I really wouldn't like to be faced with that.  Add in the fact that nobody believes Tara, and things get scary!  All she wants to do is to help her friends but she has no idea of how to do that - the build up of frustration sets your heart racing.

The addition of wonderful illustrations by Luke Brookes and the layout of the book in terms of the files, as well as the dyslexia-friendly font and page colour, make this an unputdownable read.  Dan's partnership with Barrington Stoke goes from strength to strength and I'm already excited to read the next Night House File: The House Of Horrors.

How To Survive A Horror Movie Duology - Scarlett Dunmore

 

In How To Survive A Horror Movie, Charley finds herself at an all girls' boarding school located on a remote island.  She and her roommate/only friend, Olive, share a love of horror movies and live their lives by the rules they've learned from them (I love that the chapter titles form the rules).  But when Sixth-Year students start dying and Charley and Oliver are the ones to find them every time, the films they watch begin to feel like real life.  When the girls that have died begin to haunt Charlie, and everyone suspects that she has something to do with their deaths, she realises that she needs to use the ghosts to help her solve their deaths.

How To Survive A Horror Movie Sequel picks up several months after the end of the first book and finds Charlie and her mum on the road, something that has become the norm after the end of book one, with Charlie determined to stay one step ahead of things and away from the killer she thinks is still after her (I'm trying desperately not to give away any spoilers for anybody who has yet to read either book!).  When their car breaks down, the pair find themselves in the small Scottish town of Glendale, nicknamed 'The Devil's Punchbowl'.  At first, everyone appears friendly and they are even given a house to stay in, rent free, until their car is fixed.  But, as they settle into life in the town, and Charlie's mum is offered a job, Charlie begins to see ghosts everywhere.  Nervous, she relies on a pentagram to help her, but when things take a murderous turn, she knows that the ghosts need her help.  The question is, can she use those horror movie rules to save the day again?

So ... I'm not a fan of horror movies (sorry!), they terrify me and I still have vivid memories of sleepless nights when I was young, after watching only two minutes of Nightmare On Elm Street!  However, there was something about How To Survive A Horror Movie that really appealed to me ... and I wasn't wrong!  I read and loved it last year, and then reread it again this week before reading the sequel.  

There is something very endearing about these books (that may sound bizarre!).  Charlie has had a very difficult time following the death of her father, and is trying to make a new start at Harrogate.  Olive is her only friend and partner in crime against the rich girls who clearly wield power in various ways in the school.  Their shared love of horror movies is what bonds them and it helps them to navigate the horrors that unfold in the book.  With girls dying at an alarming rate, it's Charlie who realises that they are being murdered ... why?  Well, because they are haunting her!

I really don't want to give anything away, so I'm trying to be vague as well as specific at the same time!  In the second book, Charlie is trying to recover from the horrors of book one but is still terrified by the events and the prospect of what could happen.  She is eternally on edge and her resilience is frayed to say the least.  She struggles to trust anybody but begins to make a new life in Glendale before discovering things really aren't quite as they seem.

Despite my wimpiness at the horror genre, I absolutely loved these books!  They're fast-paced and gripping reads, full of scares and suspense that keep the pages turning, and there are elements of humour that lighten the moments.  The deaths are, in may ways, over the top in the very best gory, horror-movie way that will delight readers.  And readers will be kept guessing as to who the murderer is in book one.  

In the sequel, I found myself waiting for the murderer to arrive; I knew what I was waiting for and that helped to build the suspense for me.  There's also the added witch element of book 2 which I really much enjoyed.  The book has more ghosts, more murder and a slow drip-feed of the town's history and I was completely gripped by it all!

Both of these books are an ode to horror movies in the very best way.  Expect scares (if you're a wimp like me!), dark humour and an atmosphere perfect for the dark nights that are creeping in.  Perfect for those looking to move into the YA genre, How To Survive A Horror Movie and How To Survive A Horror Movie Sequel have firmly changed my opinion of horror books, and I really hope there'll be a third book!

Inkbound Meticulous Jones And The Skull Tattoo - Philippa Leathley

Metty Jones is spending her tenth birthday the way most ten year olds do, by getting her fate tattoo, the mark that will tell her and the rest of the world how her life will pan out. However, when her fate is revealed as a skull in the palm of a violet glove everything changes, for Metty discovers she is destined to be a murderer.  Her dad quickly moves her to the countryside and people start avoiding her fearing that she will kill them and Metty finds herself feeling very isolated.  Then when Metty's dad disappears, she becomes worried.  The arrival of her Aunt Mag brings hope, especially when she takes Metty to New London, but it quickly becomes apparent that there are people who are desperate to get hold of Metty and they will stop at nothing to achieve their goal.  

I'd heard great things about Inkbound when it came out in hardback, but it was a book that I'd just never got round to buying despite it being on my wish-list (I realise now the error of my ways!).  And so it was, last Saturday, that I bought the paperback version (Waterstones Children's Book of The Month).  I began reading it over lunch and realised an hour later that this clearly was a gripping book as I was still sitting in the café with a cold cup of tea next to me!  

Reasons why I loved Inkbound:

• the idea of your fate being predetermined and everything that brings up (so many discussions to be hand around this!);
• the intricacies and vividness of the world-building (I need to visit New London despite already feeling I've been!);
• the adventure and twists that unfold as the plot progresses;
• there's just the right amount of MG darkness to build suspense;
• the characters: they're fully formed, intriguing and come with flaws that make them human; there's a big question about who can be trusted and there are also those I began to enjoy hating!  Metty and Mag are definitely my favourites!
• the drip-feed of Metty's family history; 
• the exploration of family, friendship and loyalty;
• the magic that flows through the plot, measured in ink and controlled by individual tethers (please can I have one?!);
• the steampunk/Victorian/fantasy vibe;
• how quickly I became engrossed in the plot (which didn't let up until the end);
• it's the start of a new series and I can't wait for more;
• Philippa is coming into school before the end of the month and I can't wait to discuss the book with her!

From the start, the plot is intriguing and will capture readers' imaginations; it's fast-paced and guaranteed to keep you guessing. Perfect for fans of Vashti Hardy, Peter Bunzl and Jessica Townsend, Inkbound is a book that will stay with you even after you've finished reading it. 

Ministry of Mischief The Takeover - Alex Foulkes

Joe and Harry are back in their second adventure.  Things have changed over recent weeks and good luck seems to be everywhere due to the Imp King having lost his power and the Sprite Queen being in control.  With the sprites ruling the land, misfortune may disappear unless the gang can help the Imp King regain control.

I read the Ministry of Mischief last September and loved getting to know the array of wonderful characters (you can read my review here) so I was delighted when The Takeover arrived last week and I was able to catch-up with them all (as well as meet a few new ones).

It's been two weeks since the crew arrived back from their last adventure and, with the imps living in the humanrealm unseen, things are interesting from the start.  When things start going right for a change and good luck appears to be following them it seems unusual, and then with the arrival of Chirry the sprite, the gang begin to realise what's going on.  What ensues is a delightful adventure that is fast-paced and full of events that will make readers chuckle.  It's a book that will entertain and warm hearts at the same time.  With positive messages woven in, this is a book that would be a great read aloud, either at home as a family or in school.

Publishing 25th September, Ministry Of Mischief The Takeover is a great book to put a smile on your face as the weather begins to turn autumny.  I know that it will go down well in school when it hits my shelves on Monday.

Lessons In Death - Sophie McKenzie

Georgia and her best friend Billy are trying out for the school play that's being organised by Mr Truckle.   After the first rehearsal, Georgia realises she's left her bag in school and returns to fetch it from the rehearsal room when she hears a noise.  Going to investigate, she finds Mr Truckle dead in the library.  She races to get help but when she returns, Mr Truckle has vanished.  Unfortunately, none of the staff believe Georgia when she tells them, so she confides in Billy who promises to help her find out exactly what has happened.  And so the pair embark upon solving the mystery.  

I love a good murder mystery so was excited by the sound of Lessons In Death.  I must admit that the blurb, at first glance, made me think of Murder Most Unladylike; however, one chapter in and I was quickly reassured that the books would be very different (don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of Robin's books, I just didn't want them to be similar).

The pace of the book is fast and you are quickly swept away trying to work out what exactly has happened to Mr Truckle.  It's clear he's a well-liked member of staff and Georgia can't understand why staff aren't more worried.  Mention of messages from him don't reassure her so she feels she has no choice but to take matters into her own hands.  

There is a strong bond between Georgia and Billy, but then Wren enters the equation.  New to the school, she is keen to make friends.  Georgia is aware that her mum and Wren's were childhood friends but Georgia seems reluctant to befriend her.  Wren is just keen to fit in and is desperate for that sense of belonging so why is Georgia so reluctant - this element of the plot will create interesting discussions.  Georgia is resilient, stubborn and clearly has her faults - I like that about her. 

Set in a secondary school, there is a more grown-up feel to the book whilst maintaining an MG appropriateness, making it perfect for pre-teens who aren't quite ready for YA yet.  I already know that the book is going to be popular with my Year 6s.  

Publishing 11th September, Lessons In Death is a page-turner of a book full of twists that will keep readers guessing until the end (I didn't guess the outcome!).  I love that this is the first in a new series and I can't wait to read more.