Shrapnel Boys - Jenny Pearson

WWII has arrived in London which changes Ronnie's life forever.  Unlike some of his classmates, he isn't evacuated, instead he remains at home with his mum and his younger brother, Micky.  It's their neighbour, Vera, who introduces them to Johnny, a man who comes to build their Anderson shelter for them. Good looking, Ronnie's mum begins flirting with him and Johnny quickly becomes a regular visitor to the house. Whilst his mum and Micky are enamoured by him and fall for his charms, Ronnie isn't so easily fooled. He's convinced that Johnny is up to no good and he's determined to prove it, no matter what it takes.

Those of you who read my blog regularly will know that I'm a big fan of Jenny's books, and I love their mix of humour and heart-felt messages. Shrapnel Boys is a very different book for her and her first foray into historical fiction. I have a weakness for MG or YA books set during WWII so I was intrigued to find out more. 

It's clear from the start that Jenny has thoroughly researched the period (the letter that came with my proof copy is testament to this). The writing has an authentic feel to it in both the way the characters speak as well as the way they live. It was a very different time and Jenny has captured that brilliantly; from go-karts to skipping school; tripe to jam roly-poly, readers will feel like they've been transported back in time. 

Set in Deptford and Lewisham, Ronnie is living his life the best he can; with his dad no longer in the picture (an abusive parent and husband; he had left them some years earlier), he clearly feels protective towards his mum and his younger brother so when Johnny arrives on the scene, he's naturally defensive... with good reason: Johnny and his manipulative ways make a rather terrifying character.

Despite this being a very different genre of novel for Jenny with a darker tone to the writing, she still manages to brilliantly pull off the ability to weave in some humour whilst sensitively tackling some heavy themes (antisemitism, fascism, the mention of historic abuse and recruitment into gangs), all of which are dealt with in an age appropriate way that children will understand.

Johnny's bravery is evident throughout the book; from the first time he stands up to Johnny, right to the very last page.  Shrapnel Boys is a captivating and emotional read, and quite possibly my favourite of Jenny's yet.   This would absolutely make a brilliant class read and will definitely spark some interesting conversations.  

Publishing on the 8th May, Shrapnel Boys is a book that you need to pre-order. 

Whish You Were Her - Elle McNicoll

18 year old Allegra Brooks has a glittering career in TV and film; she's the star everyone is talking about but nobody knows she's autistic. As the summer approaches, all she craves is the time to be a normal teenager so she decides to head to Lake Pristine for the summer, to spend time with her father in his book store.  Determined to ensure her whereabouts are kept secret, her father insists that his staff don't share Allegra's location; however, with the town's annual book fair looming, this could be trickier than they think.  Factor in that she and one of the booksellers have been anonymously emailing each other and have formed a friendship, and this may not be the quiet holiday Allegra was imagining. 

Oh my goodness, Elle certainly knows how to write YA romance.  Her first YA, Some Like It Cold (you can read my review here), blew me away so when I received an email on Valentine's Day to say I'd been preapproved to read Wish You Were Her, it immediately by-passed my reading pile (huge thanks to Charlie Morris at Macmillan Children's Books for making my weekend).  I curled up with it on Saturday evening, staying up until I could stay awake no longer, and then stayed in bed far too long on Sunday morning, lost in its pages - it was simply wonderful.

Allegra is living what many teenagers would feel is their dream life: fame, fortune and an acting career to marvel at. But it comes at a price (no privacy, no time to herself and no friends). This is made all the more difficult for Allegra who is autistic and only a handful of those closest to her know.  With some time to herself, she wants to spend the summer doing what other teenagers do, which is why she heads to Lake Pristine.  At first, everything is great: she's spending time with her father whom she hasn't seen in years, she's making friends and the emails she's exchanging with one of the booksellers are definitely making her smile - but are her assumptions about who it is right?   

As with Some Like It Cold, I find myself struggling to write my review; not because I didn't like it, quite the opposite - I absolutely adored it and I find myself unable to grasp the right words to express myself, so I'm simply going to list everything that made my heart sing:

I love that Allegra is very relatable;

I love Jonah - everybody needs a Jonah in their life;

I love that Jonah is very different when writing to in person (I can relate to that!);

I love that I got to head back to Lake Pristine: it felt familiar, homely and safe;

I love that you get to catch-up with some familiar characters as well as meet new ones;

I love that neurodivergence is woven seamlessly into the story;

I love that the book had me talking to myself and willing characters on;

I love that I completely escaped the real world whilst reading it;

I love that the book made me cry; 

I love that it's one of those books I needed to just sit with after I'd finished reading it to allow myself to absorb everything;

I love that it left me with a massive book hangover and I've yet to start another book (those of you who know me, will know how rare that is)... 

I could go on and on.

 

At its heart, Wish You Were Her is an enchanting love story full of warmth and hope that captivated me and made my heart sing.  Publishing on the 5th June, it's guaranteed to warm even the coldest of British summer days.  

I still don't think my words have done the book justice, but hopefully you get the gist!

The Dawn of Adonis - Phil Earle

 

The story of Adonis in When The Sky Falls captivated me when I read it in 2021 (you can read my review here), so when the chance arrived to discover how the great ape ended up at the zoo in London, I took the first opportunity to dive in (I'm so grateful to Phil for sending me a signed copy).

The story is set in Edwardian London where the streets are full of danger and the docks even more so.  Goliath is a man nobody messes with so when he set his sights on acquiring an animal that will make him rich, he gets what he wants. However, he ends up with far more than he bargained for: in fact he gets a heavily pregnant and dangerously ill female ape and it's only thanks to his ill-treated 'nephew' Toff that the creature gives birth before it dies.  But this involves an innocent vet and a twelve year old girl called Nettie - a girl who is determined that this baby isn't going to spend it's days at the mercy of someone as vicious as Goliath.  And so begins the most unusual friendship and a race against time across London.

I began The Dawn of Adonis on Sunday morning and did little else all day other than pour through the pages - I just couldn't put it down.  Nettie is an incredibly spirited and determined character, fuelled on by grief and her desperate desire to do the right thing. Having lead a decent life by Edward London's standards, she is suddenly thrust into a world that is completely alien to her; one where she is reliant on Toff for help and her wits to carry her across London in any way she can.  Her love for the ape is undeniable and is the driving force in everything she does.  It leads to a remarkable and unusual friendship with Toff, whose life has been very different to hers, but they are bound by a common goal and their relationship is wonderful to read. 

London in all its grime and crime is brought to life by Phil as the pair make their desperate race through the streets and, at times, I could almost smell the stench as I read.  The book highlights the plight of so many in the city at the time and the lengths they had to go to to make ends meet.   

Publishing on the 5th June, The Dawn of Adonis has a gripping plot and readers will find themselves willing Nettie and Toff on in their quest to save the baby ape.  It's a story full of empathy with touches of humour peppered between the danger.  Friendship, loyalty, grief and determination weave through the pages and will fill your heart - I absolutely adored it.  My proof copy will be heading into school in the morning and there is already a waiting list for it!

Felix and the Future Agency - Rachel Morrisroe

 

Felix has always known he was different, and his ability to predict the future completely freaks people out at school, so when he is invited to join a secret society full of people with similar skills to his own, he jumps at the chance. But a dark spectre may be out to ruin the day.

Having met Rachel last Saturday at the Simon and Schuster middle grade event, and having listened to her talk about the real-life inspiration for the book, Felix And The Future Agency completely by-passed my reading pile.  I began reading it last Sunday evening, and it's been a book I've been unable to put down since (including sneaking in pages whilst eating my lunch!)

Felix is a wonderful character who has had a really tough time of things.  Following the death of his parents in a car crash a year earlier, he is living with his gran who will do anything for him.  School is no picnic either, with his unique ability to predict the future causing him no end of trouble (well, if you knew one of your classmates was about to get hurt and have their bag stolen, you'd warn them, wouldn't you?).  Constantly in front of the headmaster, he can't see a way forward until Lydia turns up out of the blue and takes him to somewhere completely different: a top secret government department called The Future Agency.  Here is ability to communicate with his dead grandfather and predict the future are seen as assets and, in an instant, Felix's life changes completely.  He fits in immediately, makes friends, and learns how to hone his skills. His dyslexia is catered for (I love of Rachel approaches this in the book - it's a superpower, not a hindrance) and he quickly settles into a host of lessons I'd love to learn!

Nothing is ever plain sailing of course - that would be boring! - and there are bullies and characters you'll enjoy sneering at, and some rather well-known ghosts who make an appearance! 

My son always laughs when I talk about world building in my reviews, but how could I not mention the most amazing place that Rachel has created under London?  All centred around The Buckingham Palace Line on the London Underground, the Magic Mile is a delicious mix of magic, ghosts, celestaurs and a host of shops and eateries I'd love to explore, all hidden behind the façade of the Federation of Teacup Collectors (I really wish this was a real place: I'd love to try the array of teas!).  Then you have the Future Agency itself which is a world away from any school I've ever been to!

But there is darkness afoot and premonitions that Felix can't make sense of.  It soon becomes apparent that all is not right and a dark and terrifying spectre threatens both the magical and non-magical world.  They say when things get dark, that's when we see people's true colours and we certainly see Felix's resilience, his fierce loyalty to his friends and his bravery come to the fore in his determination to get to the bottom of what is going on.  Without realising it, he's a real hero. 

From the start, Felix and The Future Agency is a captivating book that is guaranteed to draw readers in and enchant them (I promise, you'll never look at the London Underground in the same way again!).  It's a gloriously gripping read with twists that will definitely keep you on your toes and will ensure you get the urge to read just one more chapter!

Publishing on the 22nd May, Felix And The Future Agency is a book that will enthral and excite readers, but be warned ... the end will leave you desperate for more (seriously ... how could you leave it there?!)

Inferno & Mafiosa - Catherine Doyle

 

I read Vendetta, the first book in the Blood For Blood series, in December (you can read my review here), completely unaware that this was a series that Catherine Doyle had written back in 2017.  The end of Vendetta left me desperate to read the second book, Inferno, so I bought it knowing that I had a train journey last Friday which made the perfect opportunity for uninterrupted reading time.  

In Inferno, Sophie is determined to put the events of Vendetta behind her and to begin to lead a 'normal' life again, but things conspire against her and she is, once again, drawn back into the world of the Falcones, and with an other mafia family looming, things are about to change for Sophie.

I absolutely devoured Inferno and was left on Saturday morning with the absolute need to immediately get my hands on Mafiosa, the final book in the trilogy, so much so that I got off the train from London and made a bee-line for the nearest book store to buy it!  

Mafiosa sees the blood war from book 2 really take hold with Sophie firmly in the middle of it all (I'm doing my very best not to include spoilers in this!).  Her life has changed beyond imagination and love is adding an extra complication.

I guess, by this stage, it will come as no surprise to hear that I absolutely devoured this book as well!  I began reading it on Saturday evening and finished it on the train home on Sunday afternoon.

I don't think anybody could imagine how much Sophie's life changes over the course of this series.  She is one seriously strong character who is desperately trying to navigate her life in any way she can.  There were times when I wanted to shout at her through the pages to tell her to run, there were times when I wanted to reach in and hug her, and there were times when I was utterly hoping that she got what she most desired (oh, boy, those kissing scenes!!!).  Above all, though, she is a character that readers will be able to relate to: after all, she's just a normal teenager trying to navigate her life.  I have to give a shout out to Millie, who is undoubtedly the best friend in the whole world - everybody needs a Millie in their life!

This entire series is a completely compelling read that will grip and excite in equal measure.  Action, danger and romance all roll into a mafia YA that gives just a hint of Romeo and Julliet.  I don't think I can really convey how much I loved this series, but oh my goodness...!!  It really is bloody brilliant (& yes, there is plenty of bloodshed!).  The book feels real and believable in a a rather dark and dangerous way, and I just want to shout about how much I loved it!

The Blood For Blood series has left me with a serious book hangover and I shall long be thinking of Sophie and ... well, you'll just have to read the series to discover what I'll be thinking about!

All Brains Are Wonderful - Scott Evans, Illustrated by The Boy Fitz Hammond

 

All Brains Are Wonderful is the most remarkable book that explores the intricacies of our brain in a way that children will be able to understand and enjoy.  It combines interesting and important facts with bright engaging illustrations to create a book that will prove both enjoyable and useful for readers of all ages. 

Covering a range of relevant topics, including how our brains are formed, the book guides readers through the essential details and also includes some incredible facts (the book definitely taught me some things I didn't know!).

The sections I particularly love are those about Society and Taking Action.  Section two, Society, is all about neurodiversity; the past, present and future; discrimination and whether neurodiversity is a disability.  Each of these areas is sensitively explained in detail, in a way that both neurotypical and neurodiverse people will understand and appreciate.  The final section, Taking Action, looks at how we can look after our brains,  both in terms of nutrition as well as mental health.  

As a teacher, and as a pastoral lead, I am always looking for books that I can use in school and All Brains Are Wonderful is one that I will use repeatedly, both with individuals as well as with classes. 

Publishing on the 3rd February, All Brains Are Wonderful is a book that should be in every school.

Magicalia: Thief Of Shadows - Jennifer Bell

 

I'm a big fan of Jennifer's books and have been since reading the first Uncommoners book.  The first book in the Magicalia series, Race of Wonders, was a brilliant read (you can read my review here) and I've been waiting as patiently as I can for Thief Of Shadows to be published, so its arrival at the end of last week meant it raced straight to the top of my reading pile! (there may have been dancing round the kitchen when I opened it!)

The book begins with Bitsy and Kosh in the middle of a most unusual lesson at the European Conservatoire of Conjuring, after which Kosh is directed to an area of the school he's never been to before.  With Bitsy for company, he finds several members of staff waiting for him but the meeting is quickly interrupted by the Shadowmith, a notorious criminal.  It is then that things go very wrong and Kosh is accused of being the Shadowsmith, which forces himself and Bitsy into a race against time to prove his innocence and to protect the item the Shadowsmith is deserate to get their hands on.

It was absolutely wonderful to be back with Bitsy and Kosh again.  At the end of Race of Wonders (I won't include spoilers), they were determined to make the most of their conjuring skills and their exploits in Thief of Shadows certainly allows them to do that! Their skills and their ability to stay calm in the face of danger is great to read and, along with Mateo, it's a real race against time to save the day.  

As with Race of Wonders, there are a host of magicores to discover and I loved trying to guess which emotion they were based on as well as discovering their personalities (I'm definitely basing lessons on this is school!). 

The book is a rollercoaster of an adventure that will leave readers gripped and breathless. It's a feast for the imagination and a mythical world that is wholly believable.  It's pure escapism that is guaranteed to brighten even the darkest winter day and I can't wait to see what's in store next for our heroes.

Magicalia: Thief of Shadows publishes on the 6th February and I'm absolutely thrilled to be welcoming Jennifer into school this coming Tuesday to talk to us all about the series and to celebrate the publication of this second book.  Having enthralled the school back in 2018 with the final Uncommoners book, I know that we're in for a real treat.