Harley Hitch Takes Flight - Vashti Hardy

Harley is back and it's the middle of the summer holidays. She and Cosmo are heading for a picnic when they bump into Cosmo's mum who has been very busy for weeks, and with good reason, as she is bringing the Avation Parade to Forgetown. Full of excitement, Harley and Cosmo decide they are going to build a flying machine to enter into the parade. Together, they decide to build a hippogriff but, unbeknown to Cosmo, Harley decides to surprise her best friend by also making the hippogriff a pet for Cosmo. But things become tricky in more ways than one. 

I have been a fan of the Harley Hitch series from the very beginning and have relished Harley's sense of self and adventure, as well as her ability to get things wrong (such an important lesson for children to learn in my opinion). I have also loved the STEM representation and the promotion of this with girls. It's a series that is a joy to read and you are always guaranteed a great plot.  Harley Hitch Takes Flight is no exception. From the very beginning, you know there's going to be an adventurous plot and the idea of the parade leads to so many exciting events in the plot.

As I've cone to expect, Harley doesn't set small goals and is ever determined to produce something amazing. However, her desire to also surprise Cosmo leads to their own issues and friendships become fraught.  I love the dynamic between Harley and Cosmo, which shows readers that friendships can be tricky to navigate, even with those you are closest too.

A brilliant series with wonderful illustrations to enhance the plot. Harley Hitch Takes Flight combines adventure, inventions, family and friendship perfectly to create a must-read book.

Northern Soul - Phil Earle

When 14 year old Marv is introduced to Carly as she joins his class, he falls for her big style, so much so, he can't talk properly in front of her. In desire need of help, he knows he can't ask his dad for advice, but when he listens to a record his dad is playing he thinks he finds the answer: he turns to Otis Reading and asks him what he should do.  However, he doesn't expect Otis to actually help him which is why he is complete taken aback when the singer appears in his bedroom one night. With a host of advice, Otis is determined to help Marv but will his advice be enough for Marv to win the girl of his dreams?

I'm a huge fan of Phil's writing so I was thrilled to receive an early copy of Northern Soul. It's very different from his previous books and is a glorious tale of first love in all its cringable reality. From corny chat-up lines to embarrassing parents and first kisses, this is a book that will have adults reminiscing over their teenage years and current teenagers hoping their own experiences will be less embarrassing.  

As a tortured teenager myself, I was a slave to Otis Reading and spent hours in my bedroom listening to his music ... I still listen to him today with my airpods jammed in my ears. So having his music and the man himself play such a pivotal role in the book made it an instant hit for me.

The Barrington Stoke collaboration makes this book the perfect size for reluctant teenagers.

Northern Soul is a glorious charming tale of first love that will make you laugh, make you cringe and make you want to play Otis Reading in repeate. What a joy this was to read. 

The Creatures of Kilburn Mine - Dan Smith

A meteorite crashing to Earth sparks interest amongst Pete, Nancy and Krish, especially when they see their teacher, Mr Bennings, on the moor near where it landed. When Mr Bennings begins to act strangely in school, the trio are determined to get to the bottom of what is going on. However, when they head to the meteorite's landing site and head into Kilburn Mine, the gang are in for much more than they expected. 

The Crooked Oak series is one that I have loved from the very beginning and a new book is always met with excitement. Brilliantly paced and delightfully scary, The Creatures of Kilburn Mine did not disappoint. Teachers behaving strangely, weird goings-on and horrific creatures that have the potential to cause damage on an epic scale all combine perfectly to create a plot that will have readers gripped and squirming in equal measure. 

This series is hugely popular in school and I know that The Creatures of Kilurn Mine will be snapped out of my hands in seconds on the first day of next term. 

Lie or Die - A. J. Clack

After kissing her best friend's ex-boyfriend, Kass is in a bid to make things up to her. So when Thea announces that she's sent in applications for them both to be on a new reality show, Kass feels she had no choice but to go with it. The premis of the show is Big Brother meets The Traitors, and the 10 contestants have to play against each other to route out the 2 Agents in order to win the money. 

Thea is successful in her audition but Kass doesn't make the final cut. However, when Kass and Lewis accompany Thea to the studio, they discover that one of the contestants had been taken seriously ill due to their shellfish allergy. Cue Kass who is drafted in at the last minute to become the final contestant. 

From the beginning, contestants are reminded to trust no-one and, as the game begins, contestants are quick to start sizing each other up. It doesn't take long though for things to take a sinister turn and when contestants begin to actually die, the game becomes a fight for survival. But who is behind the killings? Why do they want the contestants dead? Can anybody in the game really be trusted?

Kass is your typical teenager, trying to navigate friendships and relationships. Having slipped up and kissed Thea's ex, she is desperate to make things up to her and prove she is a good friend. It's for this reason that she goes along with the reality show audition, despite her reservations, and it's their friend Lewis who helps her through it. It's clear that Kass feels like she isn't as good as the others, and even feels that she isn't as shiny as Thea. From the start, she feels wrong-footed but her ability to know when somebody is lying is something she feels will help her in the game.

Lie Or Die is a truly gripping read. As the popularity of reality shows continues to rise, the plot of the book is something that readers will certainly be able to relate to (perhaps not in first hand experience, but certainly in their understanding of the show).  It isn't long before the show takes a deadly and dramatic turn and whilst the contestants don't fully realize the situation to begin with, readers will and it helps to add to the tension.

What unfolds is a nail-biting fight for survival, one that will have readers on the edge of their seat and unable to put the book down. On top of the threat of death, the contestants cannot rule out their fellow contestants which just enhances the tension. 

Publishing on the 7th March, Lie Or Die is a darkly addictive and compelling YA read that is perfect for fans of The Traitors and Big Brother.

Reggie Houser Has The Power - Helen Rutter

Reggie has ADHD which means he finds being in the classroom difficult. As he finishes primary school, and the summer holiday looms, he begins to worry about secondary school, that is until he wins a trip to Trontin's holiday park. Here he meets hypnotist Michael Gareth who manages to hypnotise Reggie. Amazed by the power of this, he decides he is going to learn how to hypnotise people so he can use it to make people finally like him in his new school.  To begin with, Reggie can use his powers for good, but what will happen when a group of boys befriend Reggie with ulterior motives?

Reggie is a character that I know readers are going to immediately warm to, and many will be thrilled to be able to see themselves reflected in him. His ADHD means that he is full of energy, his mind can wander quickly and he can be forgetful. He is often in trouble at school and with his mum, but all Reggie really wants is to feel that people like him and that he has friends. School can be tough and learning how to make friends is often one of the most difficult things children have to do - I remember it well from my school days all those years ago and my heart went out to Reggie. When Reggie meets Michael, he feels that this is the answer to his prayers and his obsessive research means that he quickly becomes good at hypnotising people.  

As with Helen's previous novels, Reggie Houser Has The Power perfectly combines humour with strong, important messages about acceptance, friendship and being yourself. In the course of the book, Reggie discovers a lot about himself and that he can use his powers for good as well as for his own gains.  What Reggie needs to discover though, is that his ADHD is his superpower and, instead of trying to fight it, he should embrace it.

Before the beginning of each chapter, readers will find 'do try this at home' tips, each of which can be tried on people as a way to 'hypnotise' them. They're great to read and have a go at ... the last one is my favourite and I can't wait to try it on my family! Want to know what it is? Well, you'll just have to read the book to find out!

Publishing, 1st February, Reggie Houser Has The Power is a story full of heart, hope and hypnotic antics. It is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and show us that we all deserve to accept who we are.

Beano Minnie's Mission Of Maximum Mischief

'When new kid, Whelan, starts at Bash Street School, Minnie isn't impressed.  He might just be the one person who is better than her at Super Epic Turbo Cricket - plus where was her gaggle of adoring fans?  But the pair soon realise they have far more in common than they every imagined, and Whelan might just be the friend she needs.'

As a kid, the Beano was my comic of choice and I still remember heading down to the newsagents every week with my pocket money to buy the latest edition, so the arrival of Minnie's Mission Of Maximum Mischief! took me back years and the freezing weather a few weekends ago gave me the perfect opportunity to curl up and dive in.

Last month, Minnie celebrated her 70th anniversary so I was hugely grateful to Farshore Books for sending me this copy.  The book is the perfect blend of novel and comic book and full of all the high-jinx I remember from when I was a girl.  Minnie is really brought to life in this book and you get to know her much better.  Alongside her faithful peashooter and pranks, you discover a girl who loves playing turbo cricket, is hugely competitive, but is also very worried about her parents.  Woven into the laughs is a story-line about parental separation that will be helpful for many children, showing them that they are not alone.

With wonderful illustrations and a brilliant story-line, Minnie's Mission of Maximum Mischief! is a great read and one that is guaranteed to be a firm favourite with many.

Pirates of Darksea - Catherine Doyle

Max's brother, Christopher, has always longed to join the fabled pirate king, Thorne O'Malley, on the Stolen Sunrise to explore Darksea, but the night he escapes to the beach (with Max in tow), nothing appears.  So Christopher resorts to plan B and writes a letter to Captain O'Malley, puts it in a bottle & throws it into the sea.

Two years later, and life has changed as Christopher is in hospital, and is getting sicker.  Max is desperate to do anything he can to help, so when a parrot arrives at Max's window one night brandishing Christopher's letter, Max follows it.  It turns out that Captain O'Malley needs a new crew member and Max is going to fill the position in the hope that he can acquire some magic to help cure Christopher in return.  However, when Max arrives on the Stolen Sunrise, everything is not as he expected, and the once abundant magic of Darksea is disappearing fast due to the monster that lurks under the sea.  But instead of coming to the rescue, Captain O'Malley is on a very different mission and Max realises that if he is going to stand any chance of helping his brother, he is going to have to be braver than he ever has been before.

Pirates of Darksea is the perfect sort of book for me: full of adventure and bravery; peril and a sprinkling of magic; a host of wonderful characters (some you'll love and some you'll need time to make decisions on) and a rather brilliantly arrogant talking parrot who often steals the show!

The world-building is wonderful as Max heads from UK shores into the world of Darksea and you'll find yourself immersed in the book in more ways than one.  The other thing I loved about the book was the relationship between Max and his brother Christopher; from the very beginning it's clear that they are close and this becomes even more apparent when Christopher is in hospital: everything Max does is motivated by his desire to help his brother get better, and this is heart-warming to read.  

Pirates of Darksea is an unputdownable, swashbuckling adventure full of magic, twists, hope and love.  Publishing, 14th March, this is a book that will sweep you away.

Fright Bite - Jennifer Killick

Club Loser are back and this time, they are heading for an evening of fun and frivolity at Neon Perch, the place to hang out, to celebrate Colette's 13th birthday. With a kitty for 'noms and spends' in a Mr C-style bumbag and a host of activities pre-paid, the team head in to relax and enjoy themselves. The evening starts well and then they head to Project Z, the escape room where they quickly realise that things aren't right but they have no choice but to keep going. With sinister goings on, unwanted visitors and vicious creatures out to attack, Club Loser's evening takes a very different turn and they are forced into the fight of their lives.

Anybody who follows me on social media will know how much I fangirl over Jennifer's books, and I have had the greatest pleasure of reading both Dread Wood and Fear Ground to my class this term. They are huge fans and insisted on having the lights out and the blinds closed during reading time (they are braver than me!). They have been asking me about Fright Bite for weeks and so I'm gutted that we have finished for Christmas and won't be able to let them know I have a copy until next term ... it did mean, though, that I was able to read it without a gaggle of children chomping at my heals to get their hands on it! I know it won't even make my trolley when I get back to school!

The arrival of Fright Bite was the best start to the Christmas holidays I could have asked for and I literally dropped everything yesterday to read it. I promise it won't disappoint.

Club Loser are now closer than ever and know each other so very well (Gus' analysis of who he sits next to in different situations highlights this and is genius!) and it's nice to see them heading off for a night of fun, after all, it's what they deserve. Of, course the evening doesn't go as planned (& we readers would undoubtedly be very disappointed if it did!) and the action quickly ramps up - there are some dramatic twists and turns; expect several audible gasp moments and to be creeped out in the very best way. 

Gus remains my favourite character and his manner and speech make me laugh and love him in equal measure, but Mr C is still a close second as I just love his attempts to be cool! The girls are fierce and remind us that equality is alive and kicking... and Angelo is an ever level presence. I always feel for him, and his character quietly reminds us that outward appearances can harbour anxieties and struggles that aren't always visible (as do the others to be fair) . In amongst the humour and horror is a level of humility that let's children know that it's OK not to be OK, and that everyone has something going on that isn't always obvious. 

Released on the 18th January, Fright Bite is scrumptiously scary, frightfully funny and utterly moreish.  I've always said that Jennifer is the queen of MG horror and Fright Bite proves that she reigns supreme.

Finding Hope - A Whistledown Farm Adventure - Nicola Barker

Ava's parents are heading to Chicago for work for two weeks, which means that Ava is spending her holidays with her aunt, uncle and cousin on their farm.  Being a city girl, she's not really looking forward to it but things don't seem as bad as she thought ... to begin with.  However, the more she tries to help, the worse things seem to get, and it's clear her cousin, Tom, really doesn't want her around.  Can Ava turn things around before her parents return and how can a small lamb help?

It was freezing this weekend and the snow showed no sign of disappearing, which gave me the perfect excuse to spend all of my time curled up under a blanket with a good book.  Thankfully, Finding Hope is set during the spring so there was some immediate relief from the cold!  

Like Ava, I'm very much a city girl so I think I would feel exactly the same at the prospect of spending two weeks on a farm.  Not only does she have to contend with missing her parents, she also has to get used to lots of different routines as she is thrown into helping out on the farm.  She's interested and keen to understand but Tom is obviously unhappy at her being there and his superior attitude causes problems.  When Ava makes mistakes, things only get worse and I really felt for Ava - she's simply trying to do her best to fit in.  

It is clear from the description and the details within the book that Nicola knows her way around a farm and I very much enjoyed getting to know about things such as how to look after an abandoned lamb as well as how to incubate eggs.  Readers will delight in the details that paint such a vivid picture.  I'm sure they will also delight in the idea of wandering the Durham Dales with Ava and Tom (living not too far from there, this was one of the things I loved).

With messages about friendship, family and learning how to fit in woven perfectly into the plot, and wonderful illustrations by Rachael Dean, Finding Hope is a heart-warmingly charming read that will appeal to many, in particular animal lovers.  

Publishing on the 29th February, Finding Hope is the first in a new series and I can't wait to head back to Whistledown Farm and catch-up with Ava and her family again.