The Princess and the (Greedy) Pea by Leigh Hodgkinson

Out Now, Hardback £14.99

Do you remember The Princess and the Pea story? Here’s the truth! A fabulous fun story, perfect for reading aloud, a great rhyming rollicking read.

With gorgeous collaged illustrations and fantastic use of typefaces, this is sure to be the new favourite in your house.

Peril on the Atlantic by A.M. Howell

Out Now, Paperback £7.99

Any fan of Adventure on Trains will be excited to get their hands on this book, which is the first in a new series of adventures, this time set on ships! For the first time, Alice joins her father on board of the cruise ship he works on as staff captain. The Queen Mary is on its way to cross the Atlantic in record time and winning the prestigious Blue Riband. Alice is meant to stay in her cabin for the duration of the crossing, but she can’t possibly do that, so she heads off exploring – and immediately stumbles upon a crime scene! She joins forces with two other passengers, Sonny and Miriam, and porter Charlie and together they discover that in addition to the first crime (viewed as an accident by the people in charge) someone is also trying to sabotage Queen Mary’s record breaking journey. At the beginning this book seems like a very straightforward detective mystery, but ends up being so much more, with Alice discovering parts of her family history which might just change her life completely. A great read for any young detective story enthusiast, and all boat lovers. Definitely give it a go, you won’t be disappointed!

Alice Eclair, Spy Extraordinaire 3: A Sprinkling of Danger by Sarah Todd Taylor

Out Now, Paperback £7.99

It’s not a secret that I love books, travelling and food, so it was a given that I will pick up Alice sooner rather than later. And once I did, I finished the whole series in less than a week! It is brilliant, definitely a series each young spying enthusiast needs to pick up. Alice is such a great character – she is a master baker and a spy, she gets to work with all kinds of glamorous and clever people, and can make friends with anyone. I can just imagine me and my friends wanting to be just like her and have all these cool adventures when we were young “detectives” (read 10- or 11-year-olds with a Famous Five obsession).

Definitely one for fans of Robin Stevens and Bastien Bonlivre (and the beautiful descriptions of cakes are a bonus!).

Don’t miss out on Alice’s other adventures in A Recipe for Trouble and A Spoonful of Spying.

Wolf Road by Alice Roberts

Out Now, Hardback £14.99

If you are a history buff, then you need to pick up this amazing book. Written by professor Alice Roberts, it is not only a brilliant adventure, but also full of interesting facts which many times are definitely surprising – did you know that in Stone Age it was the women, mostly mothers and grandmothers, who were the leaders of the tribes, and the workload such as hunting and cooking was equally shared among men, women and children? I know now. And all these facts are expertly woven into the story, so you don’t have a feeling of just a fact book. The book’s protagonist is Tuuli, a child in a smallish tribe (talo), and we follow her journey from winter camp to their summer set. Along the way Tuuli rescues and adopts a wolf cub, and later meets Andar, a boy who is completely different to any other person she’s ever seen. But their meeting will have consequences … We heard from reliable sources that this is the first book in a trilogy, so fingers crossed we get the next one soon.

Impossible Creatures

Out Now, Hardback £14.99

Christopher is a boy from our world. Mal is a girl from the Archipelago, a magical world hidden from us. Christopher has a special relationship with animals, who flock to him in droves. Mal knows how to fly. When these two children meet by chance, it is the start of a wonderful friendship and an unforgetable adventure, in which they are joined by a griffin, a Berserker, a part nereid and a small dragon.
This might just be the biggest children’s book of the year, and rightfully so! The story of Christopher and Mal is exciting and entertaining, there’s magical creatures galore (including the brilliant bestiary at the beginning) and the book is extremely well-written. Definitely one for young and old fantasy lovers everywhere.

The Boy Who Made Monsters by Jenny Pearson

Out Now, Paperback £7.99

When Benji’s parents are lost at sea, he and his brother Stanley are sent to Scotland to live with their estranged uncle Hamish at Lochy Loch. The loch has been in their family for generations and it’s Benji’s only link left to his parents, so when he overhears that uncle Hamish owes so much money that they are about to loose their home, Benji decides he needs to come up with a plan to help save Lochy Loch.

What better idea than a Lochy Loch Monster? There’s just one thing … evidence is needed to prove it exisits.

Benji, with the help of his new friend Murdy, sets out to show everyone there really is a monster in Lochy Loch while learning to understand his brother’s grief and his own feelings along the way.

While this books is brilliantly funny and had me chuckling away, it is also a gorgeous tale of family, friendship and grief.

In the Shadow of the Wolf Queen by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Out Now, Hardback £14.99

Ysolda has lived in Glaw Wood all her life, and it is all she knows other than legends of far off places. She lives an outdoor life in tune with Nature. Hari, her older sister, can hear trees talking to each other, a gift Ysolda wishes she had too. One day when out with her sea hawk Nara, Ysolda meets a strange girl her own age and they fight. Returning home she sees the mysterious Ryders heading towards her home but an earthquake stops her getting there in time and her sister is gone. The stranger reappears and tells her she had come to warn her sister that the Wolf Queen has sent Ryders to take gifted people from all around and is searching for the Anchorite and End World Wood. She suggests they try to find the Anchorite themselves, but Ysolda sets off alone to rescue her sister from the Wolf Queen’s palace.

I loved this book for its amazingly vivid descriptions of Giant Sea Wolves, a palace made of wrecked ships, mysterious forests and trees and roots, and its gripping story. Themes of trust, betrayal and strong women with magical powers, both real and feigned. Can’t wait for the next part.

Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis

Out 28th Sept, Paperback £8.99

Rosalyn has been brought up in a family of notorious professional thieves, the only world she knows is that of glamour, money and organised heists. But she’s desperate for more – friends and college, a chance at normal life and to get away from her overpowering mother. But when her escape plan goes horribly wrong, she’s forced to accept an invite to the Thieves’ Gambit. The winner will be granted one wish. This wish could fix everything as long as Rosalyn remembers rule number one – trust no one!

This is an addictive, fast paced thriller perfect for fans of The Inheritance Games. I absolutely loved it. Suitable for 12+

Murder on a School Night by Kate Weston

Out Now, Paperback £8.99

Kerry and Annie, BFFs. Annie wants to be ‘popular’ but Kerry is resigned to being uncool. When Heather, the leader of Les Populaires invites them to join, there has to be a catch … and there is. She wants them to investigate who is sending her messages, supposedly from her father – who died a year ago.

A hilarious novel for 16+ that had me chuckling all the way full of murder, intrigue, cyber bullying, period products, romance, feminist detectives, and croquet (of all things …)

You Could Be So Pretty by Holly Bourne 

Out 28th September, Paperback £8.99

A powerful dystopian novel set in a world where, unless you are pretty, you are worthless. This thought provoking novel about body image and the power of social media follows two girls, Bella, a pretty who follows the rules (but is the price of being beautiful worth it?), and Joni, an objectionable who is fighting the rules because everyone is beautiful.

The Handmaid’s Tale meets Uglies for today’s generation. This novel will make you think about the world we currently live in, the pressures on teenagers and women, the power of social media and whether females really are “equal”.

A mind opening, beautifully written novel about friendship, self-love and standing up for what you believe in.

Suitable for older teens, 14/15+.

For more reviews, adults and childrens, check out Booktime Magazine 

Published 28th September

Published 10th October

Published 28th September

Published 26th October

You can check out other books due to be published and pre order here