I Read, Therefore I Blog

The Blurb On The Back:

Tamzin Pook is a fighter in the Amusement Arcade, where she does battle with Revenants - reanimated brains within armoured engine bodies - and is never sure whether she’ll survive another day.

In the wheeled city of Thorbury, a rebel faction has brutally seized control and it will take someone skilled at fighting Revenants to save the day … Enter Tamzin.

Along with an oddball gang of mercenaries and a teacher named Miss Torpenhow, she must outwit a pair of assassins to secure a peaceful future.

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The Verdict:

Philip Reeve’s standalone adventure set in his MORTAL ENGINES universe for readers aged 12+ is a thrilling story of friendship, belonging and what it means to be a hero. Although Tamzin and Miss Torpenhow are the main characters, this is very much an ensemble piece that explores the geography of the Traction Cities’ world at a breakneck pace. Although this is a standalone story, there is scope here for a sequel, which I would definitely read.

THUNDER CITY was released in the United Kingdom on 26 September 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

It’s me … Nina Peanut.

I’m Nina Peanut: a famous megastar, mystery-solver extraordinaire and extremely kind and patient big sister to the world’s most annoying brother.

Guess who is a ghost and is living right here in my school? It’s Lady Deborah from our history lesson, and she is stuck in her own shoe.

Watch as Brian and I film our investigations to find out what she’s doing there and how we can set her free. I’m also battling Megan Dunne to become class captain - vote for me, because who is more of a ghost expert than I am? Answer: hardly anyone!

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The Verdict:

The second in Sarah Bowie’s self-illustrated humorous graphic novel for readers aged 9+ is a well-constructed, fun affair filled with verbal and visual jokes. There’s a useful summary at the front if you haven’t read book 1 and Nina is such a well drawn character that you root for her, especially against the awful Megan. Certainly there’s more than enough here for me to want to read book 1 and I look forward to seeing what Bowie does next.

NINA PEANUT MEGA MYSTERY SOLVER was released in the United Kingdom on 26th September 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Last night Wesley and his friends Josephine and Margot threw their neighbour Rachel a surprise birthday party.

This morning Rachel is dead. And Wesley is the one who finds her body.

Rachel’s friends throw a traditional Caribbean Nine Night celebration to help guide her soul to the next world. But Wesley, Margot and Josephine don’t have time to mourn Rachel. They are determined to find out what has happened - and what secrets Rachel was keeping …

A brilliantly sharp and funny whodunnit that will keep you guessing till the end, from the queen of twisting murder mysteries.

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The Verdict:

Sharna Jackson’s mystery sequel for readers aged 9+ is an emotionally sophisticated affair that deals with grief, regret and betrayal in a way that the target readership can relate to. The 9 night structure gives the Copseys plenty of scope to dig into the suspects, including Wesley’s mum which lends tension and the mystery itself is more about Rachel herself than her death. All in all it’s a solid read and I’d check out Jackson’s other books.

THE NINE NIGHT MYSTERY was released in the United Kingdom on 6th June 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Welcome to Dread Wood High. It’s a scream …

Club Loser are celebrating Colette’s 13th birthday. Pizza, go-karting, escape room … it’s going to be the best night EVER!

But nothing ever quite goes to plan. The supposedly fake zombies are out for blood. Two sinister figures lurk in the shadows. And, worst of all, there are creatures on the loose. And, worst of all, there are creatures on the loose. Vicious, poisonous creatures straight from your nightmares!

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The Verdict:

The 5th in Jennifer Killick’s comedy horror series for readers aged 9+ is another entertaining adventure that mixes out-loud laughs with some genuinely frightening moments. The friendship between the Club Loser members works really well and the budding romance between Angelo and Colette quite sweet. My one criticism is that although the horror elements are seriously chilling, the escape room formula is a little too formulaic and predictable.

DREAD WOOD - FRIGHT BITE was released in the United Kingdom on 18th January 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Meet … Sunshine Simpson

Sunshine’s larger-than-life Grandad is always telling her to get out and find her own adventures, but unfortunately BAD LUCK has a habit of coming her way.

Her new friend Evie is fast becoming a FRENEMY, her home haircut is a DISASTER, and the school showcase is so STRESSFUL! Everything seems to be going wrong! Especially with Granddad getting older every week.

Sunshine needs to find her voice, but can she break through the clouds to stand tall, stand proud and show the world she can SHINE?

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The Verdict:

G. M. Linton’s debut novel for readers aged 9+ (illustrated by Fuuji Takashi and Emily Bornoff and the first in a series) is a sensitively written book about learning who you are and what’s important to you while also dealing with the difficult topic of illness, death and grief. I particularly enjoyed the emphasis on Sunshine’s Jamaican heritage and her and her family’s pride in their identity and I look forward to reading more of her adventures.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

”Never eliminate the impossible.”

When Mutt gets a job as an apprentice at the leading detective agency in the realm of Rillia, he’s not expecting to work with ex-princesses, snow gnoblins, and the most notorious assassin of the White Hand Clan.

And he’s definitely not expecting to be thrown in the deep end on the agency’s toughest and most dangerous job yet - the Mysterious Case of the Vanishing Jester …

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The Verdict:

Chris Smith’s humorous fantasy mystery for readers aged 9+ nods to Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett and features warm, comic-style illustrations by Kenneth Anderson. Although the culprit is easy to guess, the wry, knowing narrative voice and the way Smith weaves the various plot lines and incorporates backstory and information through segments entitled a Traveller’s Guide to Rillia is very entertaining so I would definitely read a sequel to this.

CLARITY JONES AND THE MAGICAL DETECTIVE AGENCY was released in the United Kingdom on 25th May 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Meet
Jase
Tyrone
Kinga
Harri
and Sherlock the dog

They’re the clue-crackers and dynamic detectives of the CASTLE ROCK MYSTERY CREW.

Jase is spending the holidays at a caravan park with his auntie and grandma. He’s sure it’ll be a boring few weeks, but then he teams up with a new crew of friends to uncover who is behind some mysterious thefts. When the finger of blame starts to point at the kids, they must find the true culprit to clear their names and see justice done!

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The Verdict:

Vicky McClure’s adventure mystery for readers aged 9+ (written by Kim Curran and illustrated by Alan Brown and the first in a series) is well-meaning and sensitive in incorporating people with dementia within the story. The pacing works, the mystery well drawn and I liked the friendship that develops between the Crew but the marketing is a great example of why I don’t like celebrity children’s novels and as such I am not sure I would read on.

CASTLE ROCK MYSTERY CREW was released in the United Kingdom on 11th May 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Agents of history. Partners in mystery. Sisters in solving crime!

Lizzie Sancho and Dido Belle have formed a detective agency … and it’s time for their toughest challenge yet!

Georgian London is plagued by a series of mysterious thefts and sinister poisonings. Lizzie and Belle must use all their daring detective skills to find out who is behind the crimes and bring them to justice. The clock is ticking …

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The Verdict:

The second in J. T. Williams’s historical mystery series for readers aged 8+ sees Dido narrate another solid central mystery with a wide array of suspects set against the background of the Abolitionist struggle. Simone Douglas’s illustrations atmosphere and I liked the incorporation of actual people from history (including Jane Harry) but the use of Dido and Lizzie themselves still makes me uneasy, especially as the sense of period drops at times.

THE LIZZIE AND BELLE MYSTERIES - PORTRAITS AND POISON was released in the United Kingdom on 30th March 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

The story of a dolphin, a girl and a life-changing friendship

Ró finds school impossible. When she reads, the words seem to jump around on the page, and she just can’t make them stick.

But when she goes to the bay each afternoon to watch a dolphin leap through the water, she finds the strength to keep going. Then the dolphin disappears, and everything in her life starts falling apart. Can Ró overcome her fears to find him?

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The Verdict:

Serena Molloy’s novel for readers aged 9+ is a moving coming-of-age story about a girl struggling with dyslexia against the backdrop of the breakup of her parents’ marriage told in a lyrical style. The formatting of the text is unusual in how it distributes text across the page but works well with George Ermos’s dynamic illustrations (although I do wish there had been more in a manga style given that Ró is described as using it in her own art).

WIDER THAN THE SEA was released in the United Kingdom on 30th March 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Down by the river, where the silvery sticklebacks swim, Mimi, Titch and Nusrat are the Stickleback Catchers: solvers of puzzles, seekers of adventure.

Mimi’s gran has started forgetting things. There are cracks appearing all around their home, and a mysterious black crow - both of which only Mimi seems able to see.

The Stickleback Catchers begin piecing the magical clues together - which, one by one, might help the to close the crack, and bring Gran back forever.

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The Verdict:

Lisette Auton’s fantasy novel for readers aged 9+ is a moving affair that covers the effects of dementia and features a trio of characters with different disabilities. I respected Auton’s decision not to specify the characters’ conditions because it makes it easier for readers to identify with them and while the plot does meander at times, it’s still absorbing and Mimi’s reaction to what’s happening to her Gran is very believable.

THE STICKLEBACK CATCHERS was released in the United Kingdom on 9th February 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.