Lockett & Wilde's Dreadfully Haunting Mysteries: The Ghosts of the Manor - Lucy Strange & Pam Smy

 

Matilda lives with her Aunt Evelyn and is part of a stage show where her aunt plays Signora Valentina who can speak to the dead; Matilda being the dead person she can speak to.  But when Baroness Beauchamp comes backstage one evening and declares that her manor is 'most dreadfully haunted' Aunt Evelyn, Matilda, Uncle Barnabus (also part of the show) and Colin the parakeet end up moving to Beauchamp Manor to help remove the ghost.  However, when they arrive, it's Matilda who discovers she has the gift of seeing the dead that her Aunt pretends to have, but can she rid the manor of the ghost and what of Edgar who she befriends who also happens to be a ghost?

Lucy Strange always writes wonderful books that create a mysterious atmosphere so I was very exciting to curl up with Lockett & Wilde's Dreadfully Haunting Mysteries and I most definitely wasn't disappointed.  The Ghost of the Manor is a wonderfully gothic novel with just the right balance of spookiness and humour that allows readers to immerse themselves in Matilda's Victorian world without being too scared.  

Matilda has grown up being part of her aunt and uncle's fraudulent theatre show where the audience are lead to believe Evelyn talks to ghosts, so it comes as a great shock to Matilda when she learns that she's the one in the family who actually has the power.  It's this that leads her to meet Edgar, a young boy about her own age who just happens to be a ghost tethered to Beauchamp Manor.  Together, they become a crime-fighting duo to be reckoned with, intent on ridding the manor of unwanted ghosts as well as trying to get to the bottom of fraudulent goings on.  Their friendship blossoms quickly and shines through the pages of the book, as does their trust in one another, and I know that readers will delight in getting to know them (there is already a queue in my class for the book after they saw me reading it last week!).

With wonderful illustrations by Pam Smy that perfectly complement the story-telling, The Ghosts of the Manor is a heart-warming book that is perfect for this time of year as the nights grow dark and cold.  The first in a new series, I'm already eager to see what lies in wait next for Lockett & Wilde's Dreadfully Haunting Mysteries.

Ministry of Mischief - Alex Foulkes

Joey is on a school trip with her friends to the Abermaple Museum where they are taking part in the Mini Victorian Britain competition.  They're hopeful that their diorama will win and there is much excitement as the prize is a trip to The Abermaple Igloo!  However, when they arrive, they bump into Harry who used to be their classmate but left to move to another school.  He seems intent on causing problems so when Joey sees him sneaking off she follows, determined to stop him but what she finds is something she could never imagine: three strange creatures who are on their own field-trip to bring bad luck to humans!  They lure Joey and Harry to Impworld and to the Ministry of Mischief.  The big question is: how do they get home?

I first read Alex's Rules For Vampires back in 2001 and loved it as well as the sequel, Ghosts Bite Back (you can read my reviews here: Rules For Vampires; Ghosts Bite Back) so I was thrilled to learn that she had a new book publishing when I heard her talk at the Simon & Schuster middle grade showcase earlier this year.  Ministry of Mischief is another guaranteed hit for Alex and is full of humour with and just the right amount of peril in this adventure.  

From the beginning, it's clear that Joey lacks confidence in herself, and you first see this when she is chastising herself for her messy handwriting.  She feels she's letting her friends down and I wonder whether this is part of the reason why she goes after Harry when she thinks he's up to no good.  Harry, on the other-hand, is uber-confident and seems to be rather full of himself.  His arrogance shines, especially in the way he treats Joey.  At the beginning, the pair clearly do not get on, so it is  interesting to read their dynamic as they find themselves in Impworld (I won't spoil things but...)

The characters we meet in Impworld are rather brilliant, with their names reflecting their role in bringing bad luck to humans.  Stubbz, Szlice and Warezit are very different but readers will quickly enjoy getting to know them and exploring Impworld with this strange group.  

With illustrations by Nikolas Ilic to add to the atmosphere, Ministry of Mischief is a brilliant read and one that children in my class are already loving.  Out now, this is a perfect read for autumn as the nights begin to draw in. 

The Light Thieves & The Terrifying Dawn - Helena Duggan

 

Grian, Shelli and Jeffrey are in a race to save the sun from being stolen by Howard Hanson, and with barely any sun left, the trio fear that they may be fighting a losing battle.  The only person who can help is White Rose, but they don't know who that is, nor do they know where to find them.  With only four letters to go on, the trio need to find the answers they need before the sun is extinguished forever.

This is the final book in The Light Thieves trilogy (you can read my reviews for the previous books here: The Light Thieves ; Search For The Black Mirror) and so I was full of excitement when The Terrifying Dawn arrived for me.  It's been such a thrilling series so I was desperate to find out how it all ends.

I love that Helena always does a 'The Story So Far' section at the beginning of the book set out in pictures and key notes, and The Terrifying Dawn is no different.  It's a brilliant way of bringing myself back up to speed in a quick and easy way.  

The book centres on the race to stop Howard Hanson by solving the clues left in four letters by White Rose, and you can find these letters at the beginning of the book.  Grian, Shelli and Jeffrey need all the help they can get and find themselves questioning things on more than one occasion, but one thing remains true and that's their friendship and loyalty to each other - it really is wonderful to see.

This is an action-packed rollercoaster of a finale that is bursting with hope and resilience.  With twists and heart-stopping moments galore, this is a book you won't be able to put down.

Like the A Place Called Perfect trilogy, Helena has created a vivid world that readers have become invested in and this makes the race to save it even more exciting. The Light Thieves And The Terrifying Dawn is a brilliantly fitting ending to a series I have loved.  I'm sad to be saying goodbye to Grian, Shelli and Jeffrey, but I'm looking forward to seeing what Helena writes next.

Bridget Vanderpuff And The Monster Mountain Mystery - Martin J Stewart

Bridget is back and this time she is on a train bound for Butterälp; however, when they arrive, they discover that there's a monster terrorising the village which is why they've cancelled their chocolate festival for the first time ever.  It's up to Bridget to discover where the monster's hiding and save the day before it's too late.

I have absolutely adored this series from the very beginning and I always love immersing myself in Bridget's world.  From the wonderful bakes her father makes, to her disastrous bakes that she uses alongside her inventions to solve crimes, this is a series that I just can't get enough of.

Bridget is on top form in The Monster Mountain Mystery and we see her pitting her skills against a Meanie from the very first page, and she doesn't let up.  She takes the lead throughout and persuades Tom to follow her in her daring deeds.  They make a wonderful duo and their friendship is a joy to read.

Butterälp is a joyous new location for Bridget and is a place I'd absolutely want to visit (monster aside!).  Like Tom, I have the biggest sweet-tooth and I would certainly be channelling his energies whilst there - why have one hot chocolate when you can have them all?!

Bridget Vanderpuff And The Monster Mountain Mystery is a deliciously thrilling book with plenty of chcotastic twists and treats to tempt readers into just one more chapter!   With footnotes to add extra chocolatey goodness to the plot, this is a book that deserves to be devoured ... however, I highly advise having a mountain of chocolate (and hot chocolate) on hand to help the cravings you will undoubtedly have!

Turtle Moon - Hannah Gold

 

Silver's parents have been trying unsuccessfully to have another baby for years and it's making them miserable.  Although they try to hide it from Silver, she is aware so when her dad (an artist) gets the chance to take them all to Costa Rica for four months where he has been commissioned to paint at a turtle rescue centre, he jumps at the chance, hoping the change will help them.  Although a very different way of life, Silver settles into routines but when some rare turtle eggs are stolen, things get very dangerous.

Hannah has the most wonderful way of writing that lulls the reader in with her gentle style, whilst also highlighting important environmental issues and tugging on readers' heart strings.  And Turtle Moon is no different.

Silver is aware that her parents long for another baby and she quietly worries that she's not enough for them.  It's a situation that I can imagine many parents find themselves in and my heart broke for them.  Whilst Silver's dad hopes that the four month change will help them all, it seems to have the opposite effect on her mum who becomes more withdrawn.  Whilst Silver worries for her mum, she heads out to explore and meets Rafi whose family live at the centre.  When he's not at school, Rafi loves nothing more than caring for the turtles and their eggs, and this is how Silver discovers so much about the creatures.  Silver is a strong character whose love of nature shines through in the book.  But when danger lurks, can she and Rafi save the day?

I also liked the fact that there was strong involvement from adults throughout the book and I need to give a particular shout out to Ana, whose outlook on life was rather wonderful.

The descriptions of Costa Rica and Turtle Beach in the book are rich and wrap the reader in a warm hug.  As I read, I could almost hear the thrum of nature from the jungle and feel the warmth of the sun on my skin (just what I needed as the weather turns chilly!).

Turtle Moon is a wonderfully written book that highlights the plight of turtles and the threat to their eggs from poachers (the author's note at the end is a very interesting read).  It sensitively deals with families going through IVF in a way that children will be able to understand.  

Publishing 26th September, Hannah most definitely has another huge hit of a book on her hands with Turtle Moon.

Dread Wood Terror Tower - Jennifer Killick

After the events in Fright Bite, Club Loser's parents are taking no chances and aren't letting any of the group out of their sights, but when Dread Wood becomes infected with caterpillars that bite and cause fevers, the gang are certain who is behind it: the Latchitts.  Knowing that they have no choice but to solve the problem themselves, they determine to get themselves a Saturday detention and use it to head into the woods to see what they can do; however, things don't go to plan and, not only are they are overcome by a white gas, but Colette is kidnapped.  With the centenary celebrations for Dread Wood High looming closer, Club Loser knows that this is when the Latchitts will strike; they also know it will be their best chance of getting Colette back.  But can they do the impossible and finally defeat the Latchitts?

Oh blimey, the arrival of Terror Tower earlier this week really divided my emotions!  After initial excitement and squealing, I found myself feeling sad that this would be my last adventure with Club Loser and Mr C.  They're characters I've really come to know and love, and I know I'm going to miss them (especially Mr C who inspired me to set-up my own hot choccie station in my office at school!).  I read the book this weekend whilst I had family visiting - it meant getting up earlier than everybody else to devour a few pages, as well as grabbing time between things we were doing, as I couldn't just sit and ignore everyone in favour of reading the book in one go.  Everybody knew what I was reading and they also knew how creepy but amazing I find this series so delighted in trying to sneak up on me and scare me!  Whilst I was frustrated at not being able to gobble the book up in one go, I was in many ways pleased that it took me longer to read so I could savour the events.

I promise not to give any spoilers in this review so won't say too much about the plot but, safe to say, there are some very creepy creatures that appear and their genetic mutation and the things they do may well have made me squirm more than any other creature in this series (quite an achievement if you've read the other 5 books!).  In particular, the scene towards the end in the tower ... I'll say no more but 😱😱!  Jennifer really is the queen of MG horror and this book secures that crown for evermore in my opinion.  Terror Tower comes full circle in many ways (they're back at school, they end up with a Saturday detention... you'll need to read the book to find out more) and it's a roller-coaster of a ride from the get-go.  If you can't read the book in one sitting, I guarantee that you'll be thinking of it whilst you're away from it!

Angelo, Gus, Nai, Hallie, Colette and Mr C are characters I feel I've really come to know and love.  From Gus' quirky one-liners to Mr C's cringeable attempts to be cool, the characters are brilliantly relatable and very loveable; however, there is one of them I got very worried about during Terror Tower.  As for who it is and what happens to them, well you'll just have to read the book to find out.

I could go on forever singing the praises of the Dread Wood series; it's the perfect blend of creepy horror and humour, and Terror Tower is a fittingly brilliant ending.  I'm sad to see the end of this series but am delighted that my new class insisted that book 1 be their first daily reading for pleasure book this year (I didn't even need to have a vote, they just bombarded me with pleas so who was I to refuse?!).  My class last year were completely obsessed with the series (they have good tastes) and have already been back to see if I have Terror Tower! It's clear that we're a Dread Wood school! These books will forever have a place in my heart and will always make me jump when I read them!  Club Loser to the end. 

Relic Hamilton Genie Hunter - Joseph Coelho

12 year old Relic lives with his grandfather in London and loves nothing more than looking for treasure on the banks of the Thames.  His grandfather runs the antiques shop under where they live and one day, whilst he's sorting out the basement, Relic comes across a brass lamp.  When he polishes it, his life changes forever as a genie appears before him, a genie who is evil and feeds on hope.  This leads to the discovery of a secret community of genie hunters, but when relic's grandfather falls unconscious, can they save him?

I know Joseph's writing as I loved his Fairy Tales Gone Bad, but this is the first of his novels I've read so I was looking forward to it.

Relic lives a fairly simple life with his grandfather and enjoys the time they spend together mudlarking; however, it's clear from the beginning that he is being bullied.  He and his grandfather obviously have a close bond so when he releases the genie and his grandfather falls unconscious, he feels completely lost.  The arrival of the Hermitic Sodality of Genie Hunters to help him comes at completely the right time but what they have to tell him changes his life forever.  He is thrust into a world of technology, genies and discovering new things about the world ad himself on a daily basis.

What unfolds is an action-packed adventure and one that paints genies in a whole new light.  We traditionally see them as gentle creatures there to grant wishes, but these genies are evil and intent on causing havoc; they will stop at nothing to get what they want and it's up to The Hermitic Sodality of Genie Hunters, and now Relic, to stop them.

I know that this will be a book that will go down well in school as readers will delight in the excitement, the peril and the technology that abound.  Relic is a character that readers will be drawn to and the cliff-hanger ending will leave them wanting more.

Relic Hamilton Genie Hunter publishes on the 3rd October and I'm already desperate to read the second instalment!