The Unfamous Diaries of Daisy Brewster The Drama Queens - Jenny Valentine

Daisy and her cousin Maxxy are back.  Things haven't changed as they are still sharing a room which is really starting to annoy Daisy.  The only reprieve she gets is during rehearsals for her drama club's production of Bugsy Malone, but even then things don't seem to be going Daisy's way.

I really enjoyed The Frenemies (you can read my review here) so I was thrilled when book 2, The Drama Queens, arrived.  Daisy still feels she is living in her cousin's shadow, especially as her mum spends more time chaperoning Maxxy than being at home.  Their friendship is factious with Maxxy being completely wrapped up in her self.  On top of this, Leo, Daisy's brother, is being a pain in the neck; the biggest spot in the world has erupted on her chin and she has developed feelings for her co-star, Olivier.

Daisy is a completely relatable character, experiencing all the things girls of her age go through.  The fact that it's all shared through her chatty diary means readers get to hear her inner thoughts and feelings, which will help them to understand that they are not alone in the things they are experiencing (I remember applying toothpaste to spots at that age!!). 

I enjoyed the mix of everyday life and Hollywood starlet that the two main characters bring, and although Maxxy seems to have everything, there are times when Daisy realises that this might not be the case - empathy is quietly woven into the pages.

With appealing illustrations by Hannah McCaffrey to enhance the plot, The Drama Queens is a book that will be perfect for fans of Dork Diaries and Lottie Brooks.

The Drama Queens publishes on the 23rd April.

This Misadventures of Mina Mahmood School Inspectors! - Farhana Islam

 

Mina is back in her second book and this time, the end of Year 6 SAT party is scuppered by the sudden arrival of the inspectors!  In an instant the teachers change and everybody is on high alert.  And if that wasn't enough, things get worse when Barney's brother's pet tarantula gets loose! It's up to Mina, Reema and Mobeen to impress the inspectors and save the day.

I thoroughly enjoyed Mina's first book, School Trip, so I was excited to dive into School Inspectors! The book is fast-paced and full of laughs that will engage readers. After the tension of the exams, Mina and her classmates are excited for the celebrations that will follow, so the idea that everything is being cancelled due to the inspectors visiting completely changes the atmosphere.  Then add in the complete identity change of every teacher and you can imagine what ensues! Chaos as staff prepare for the arrival; and tension as the inspectors need to be shown round the school. Mina, Reema and Mobeen are chosen for the honours with strict instructions to not 'embarrass or ruin the future of the school'. I'll leave you to read about everything that unfolds but be prepared to laugh out loud!

Will the school pass the inspection? You'll just have to read the book and find out.

Tarantulas, inspectors and utter chaos in this laugh out loud book that will be a hit with reader. 

K-Pop Academy - Mina Finch

Book 1 The Stage Of Shadows

Hana Kim's dreams have come true after being awarded a scholarship to K-Pop Academy, the most prestigious training school in Seoul. But when she arrives, things aren't quite as she expected them to be, and she learns that there are shadows lurking, feeding from the other students' fears. It's up to Hana and her new friends to rid the school of the shadows before they take over.

Book 2 The Cursed Spotlight

Hana and her friends are back and this time preparations are underway for the Lunar New Year celebrations, during which one lucky student is chosen to perform the Spotlight Solo. When Nari is selected for the solo, her fears increase as shadow demons grow and threaten everything. Once again, Hana and her friends need to step up and use the skills they have learnt at the academy to save the day.

I have to admit that I'm not a big K-Pop fan but I thoroughly enjoyed both of these books. The boarding school setting, the friendship aspects of both books as well as the action made for a great read. 

At about 140 pages in each book, they are great for those who prefer a shorter read, and the K-Pop link will appeal to those who love Kpop Demon Hunter (the series is the unofficial book for the fans).

Out now, the books are fun and fast-paced, with engaging characters and positive messages woven into the plot.

Evenfall: The Tempest Stone - Alexander Armstrong

 

Following the events at the end of Evenfall: The Golden Linnet, Sam is still getting used to his new role as the leader of the Order of The Evening.  But when they discover that Georgie is abut to unleash a deadly virus on the world, he and his friends need to step up before it's too late.

The Golden Linnet was Alexander Armstrong's brilliant debut novel (you can read my review here) and one that blew me away when I read an early copy.  It was also an absolute pleasure to have hosted Xander at school for his very fist author visit and it felt very special to hear him read an extract to a packed hall of students and teachers.  Having chatted to him before the talk, I knew that the second book was already well underway, so it's been a rather impatient wait to see what was in store next for Sam, Ish and Goz.

There really is no let-up for Sam and his friends in this book as the action begins right from the start (by the way, I love that the prologue gives you a reminder of book 1).  He needs to come to terms with his new-found powers and the fact that the order is there to quietly protect the world from evil.  And evil isn't far away in the form of Georgie who, quite frankly, is a terrifying madman, intent on wrecking havoc on the world.  With the ability to travel through time, he is incredibly tricky to track down, yet Sam and his friends have no choice but to do that if they are to save Sam's uncle and the rest of the world.

I loved that The Golden Linnet was largely set in and around Durham so I could picture where the action was taking place.  And The Tempest Stone was no different; as well as Durham and Northumberland, I was thrilled to discover Lagrasse and the surrounding area in south-west France appearing (somewhere I can highly recommend a wander round if you're ever in the Occitania region of France).  Armstrong uses the setting wonderfully to convey vivid pictures of events as they unfold; whether that's present day Durham or historic France, readers will delight in the imagery created.  

Armstrong once again, weaves magic, folklore and fantasy in a thrilling battle between good and evil.  The rich and intricate plot is a heart-stopping adventure with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat right to the very last page!   

A Girl's Guide To Spying - Holly Webb

It's 1914 and Annie is determined she wants to join the Girl Guides and drags her sister, Phyl, along with her. Phyl discovers she actually enjoys it but couldn't have believed it would lead to an adventure that would change her life. Her Guide captain, Miss Lynley, recognises how clever she is and recommends her as a messenger at MO5. Phyl jumps at the chance and is excited at the prospect, but there are some in the offices who believe girls shouldn't be working there, and make Phyl's life tricky. But when one of them goes missing, Phyl is convinced foul play is at the heart of it and sets out to discover the truth.

I'd heard so many good things about A Girl's Guide To Spying from bookish friends on social media and it was a book definitely on my purchase wish list. Then a girl in my class came in with it, told me it was brilliant and handed it to me to read, I took it as a sign and it became my first read of the Easter holiday.

Firstly, my class clearly know me well and I absolutely did love it! A world War adventure with strong female characters and a mystery to solve - it's as though the book were calling out to me!

I really liked Phyl as a character: she's someone who doesn't really realise how quick and clever she is; she has a strength she doesn't realise and doubts herself when she has no need to. She's a good friend and is determined to do the right thing.  She and her friends are definitely characters readers will enjoy getting to know.

The book brilliantly highlights how much the role of girls was changing at this time. With boys and men fighting in France, women are beginning to step up and Phyl and her sister are keen to play their part. The suffragette movement is deftly woven into the plot as well, and the extracts at the top of each chapter also highlight what life was like for girls at the time. I know that readers will be shocked by some of what they read but it will definitely make good discussion points. 

A Girl's Guide To Spying is everything I hoped it would be and more, and I gobbled it up in a day. A host of brilliant characters, a twisty plot so readers will have to guess who the culprit is; a fast-paced plot... I could go on! Jo Clarke has got it spot on when she said that it's a must read for fans of Robin Stevens! I'm already excited for book 2!

We Are Dragon - Alastair Chisholm

 

'Reika's world is on fire.

She's lived her whole life aboard Constructs - giant mechanical creatures that battle for territory.  Now a new enemy has swept across the land - Dragon.  And even with all the survivors united against it, Dragon is winning.

Technically brilliant, Reika believes that she alone can turn the war.  But her choices are dangerous, both for her and her friends/  And there is a truth about herself she must face...

If she doesn't, she could destroy everything she's trying to save.'

Alastair Chisholm is a master when it comes to writing sci-fi and this has been evident since his first book Orion Lost.  We Are Dragon is the culmination of the I Am Wolf trilogy, (you can read my reviews of the previous two books here: I Am Wolf and I Am Raven) and it is one readers have been anticipating. 

Once again, the world-building within the book is wonderful and readers are transported to the world of Constructs, feeling every inch of the action as it unfolds.  The book builds to an almighty crescendo that will have readers on the edge of their seats and unable to predict how things will end. 

Reika is at the heart of this book and is far from perfect.  She learns so much about herself as the lot unfolds and readers will appreciate her faults and the journey she goes through, both physically as well as personally as a person.

With themes of power and belonging, We Are Dragon is the perfect ending to what has been a brilliant trilogy and is guaranteed to be in demand when it publishes on the 9th April.

The Library Of Lost Stories - Eloise Williams

 

It's Christmas and Noni and her father are struggling to make ends meet.  Since the death of her mother, her father has struggled with day to day life, so Noni is the one who keeps things going; but now the bailiffs are banging on the door, threatening to evict them if they don't settle their debts.  When her father tells Noni about how he met her mother on the mobile library, she sees sparks of her old dad, and this inspires her to renovate the library van to see if it will bring back the father she used to know.  There's only one problem: the van has lain idle for years on Mrs Williams' drive, and Mrs Williams is known to all children in the area as the local witch.  So how is Noni going to succeed in her mission without being hexed?

Set in Wales in 1976, The Library Of Lost Stories is set in a small Welsh town where ten years earlier a coal mining accident killed over one hundred children and almost 30 adults.  The town is still healing and the van hasn't run since that day.  Things are tough for lots of the town's residents and the bailiffs are known to more than just Noni and her father.  But it's the death of Noni's mum that has affected her father and, although it is never expressly stated in the book, he is clearly suffering from depression.  It's evidently hard for both Noni and her father: he is crippled by grief and she is left picking up the pieces.  Small things like not having enough fuel to watch a full television programme; she's the one making meals and doing the cleaning; she's trying to do his repair work for him; she's no longer going to school ... she simply accepts it's what she has to do but life is tough.

At this point, I need to give my age away as the book was a rather nostalgic walk down memory lane in many respects: as a child of the 70s, there were so many subtle references that took me back in time and really made me smile (not least of which was the mention of raspberry ruffles which always remind me of my grandad!).  Life was different then and children would go off for the day without parents worrying.  I suppose it is this that allows Noni, usually a loaner, to befriend Rebecca, Claire, Gareth and Jones the stray dog, and to begin to do up the van.  Of course, they have to get past Mrs Williams and this will be the biggest problem of all.

Like Eloise, I have fond memories of hours spent at my local library as a girl (I can still visualise the place now).  As a reader it was a safe haven and a place that provided me with endless opportunities to escape into stories, so the thought if Noni and her friends restoring the van to help her father (and the community) filled my heart.  To this day, I think having access to books is essential for children (and adults, to be fair) and The Library of Lost Stories is a perfect example of why.

Publishing on the 3rd September, The Library Of Lost Stories is a poignant story about hope and faith and bringing people together; it's about justice and people being able to tell their own stories.  It's a book that will fill your heart with joy will restore your faith in humanity.