New Recruit is the second part of the Department 19 animated web comic created by Will Hill and Tom Percival. You can watch the first part, If you go down to the woods today, here on the blog.
The latest book in Will Hill’s Department 19 series, Department 19: Battle Lines is out now.
When David’s uncle comes to visit he sets off a bizarre series of events. Things become complicated when the pet rats turn bright red.David senses that somehow the red rats are connected to the story he is reading, and he becomes more convinced when the colour red becomes contagious.
The parallel story sees Felix and his friend Bella inadvertently shifted into a strange land where they must solve a riddle. But this puts them into great danger. How will they escape and find their way home?
The Watcher in the Shadows by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
A mysterious toymaker, Lazarus, lives as a recluse in a crumbling mansion by the sea, surrounded by the mechanical beings he has created. Strange lights seem to shine through the mists that envelop the small island where the old lighthouse stands, and somewhere in the woods nearby lurks a shadowy creature.
When her mother takes a job as a housekeeper for the toymaker, fourteen-year-old Irene meets Hannah and her alluring sailor cousin Ismael, and what seems like a dream summer begins. But Lazarus’s house contains dark secrets and before long Irene and Ismael find themselves entwined in the mystery of the September lights.
Sinking by David Hill
A grim secret. A life in danger.
When a crazy old man leaps out of the bushes at Conrad on his way to swimming training, he gets the fright of his life. And when he discovers the man’s granddaughter is that weird horse-riding girl from school, he decides to steer clear of them.
But fate has other ideas … and he is drawn into a grim secret. What’s the old man’s connection to a death from long ago? And whose life is in danger now?
The Subterranean Stratagem by Michael Pryor
Kingsley Ward and Evadne Stephens are the Extraordinaires and they should be the toast of the town – but their juggling and escapology act is failing, and Kingsley is to blame. His wolfish side is breaking free, ruining performances and endangering those around him. The secret to controlling this wildness lies in his mysterious past. Was he really raised by wolves? Who were his parents? What happened to them?
The discovery of Kingsley’s father’s journal promises answers, but when it is stolen the Extraordinaires uncover ancient magic, a malign conspiracy, and a macabre plot to enslave all humanity. What begins as a quest to restore Kingsley’s past becomes an adventure that pits the Extraordinaires against forces that could shatter the minds and souls of millions.
The Originals by Cat Patrick
To the outside world, Elizabeth Best is a model student. She’s a cheerleader, gets straight As and holds down an after-school job. But what the outside world doesn’t know is that Elizabeth Best is actually three girls. Lizzie, Betsey and Ella are no ordinary triplets. Born as part of an illegal cloning program, the girls were forced into hiding when the program was uncovered. To avoid being taken away, the girls have lived as one girl ever since. Living a third of a life can suck. Imagine having to consult your sisters before choosing your clothes, or hairstyle, or boyfriend. So when Lizzie is forbidden from seeing Sean, the amazing guy from her English class, she and her sisters decide they’ve had enough. But for a chance at a full life, they’ll have to risk everything they know.
Doll Bones by Holly Black
Twelve-year-old Zach is too old to play with toys. Or at least, that’s what his father thinks. But even though he stops hanging out with Poppy and Alice, stops playing with his action figures, it’s no good. There’s one toy that still wants to play with him. A doll that’s made from the bones of a dead girl. The only way to end the game is to lay the doll to rest forever. It’s time for a journey to Spring Grove cemetery. It’s time to grow up.
The Trouble with Mummies by Fleur Hitchcock
Sam comes home one day to find his family turning a little bit loopy – his mum is redecorating using hieroglyphics and his dad is building a pyramid in the back garden. He hopes it’s just a weird new fashion …but then the strangeness starts to spread. With the help of his friends Ursula, Henry and Lucy the Goat, Sam must save his town from rampaging Roman rugby players, hairdressers turned cavewomen, and a teacher who used to be a ‘basket of kittens’ but now wants to sacrifice the Year Ones to the Aztec sun god. As history invades Sam’s world, will he be able to keep the Greeks away from the Egyptians and discover the cause of the Mummy madness?
Death and Co. by D.J. McCune
Adam is a Luman, and it runs in the family. Escorting the dead from life into light, Adam must act as guide to those taken before their time. As his older brothers fall into their fate however, Adam clings to his life as a normal kid – one who likes girls, hates the Head and has a pile of homework to get through by Monday morning. When Adam gets a terrible premonition he realises that he must make a devastating choice, risking his life, his family and his destiny.
Transparent by Natalie Whipple
High school is hard when you’re invisible. Fiona McClean hates her family, has had to move to a new school and seems to be completely invisible to the boy she likes. So far so normal, right? But Fiona really is invisible. She doesn’t even know what colour her own hair is. Born into a world where Cold War anti-radiation pills have caused genetic mutations, Fiona is forced to work for her mind-controlling mobster father as the world’s most effective thief. When her father announces she must become a murdering assassin, Fiona and her telekinetic mother make a break for freedom. Running to a small Arizonian town, Fiona finds that playing at ‘normal life’ with a mother on the edge, a brother she can’t trust, and a boy who drives her crazy is as impossible as escaping her father.
One of my favourite genres of stories for children and teens is horror. There weren’t many of these types of book around when I was younger, but there is plenty to choose from these days, from Derek Landy and Joseph Delaney, to Darren Shan and Barry Hutchison. Chris Priestley is an author of spooky, chilling and creepy stories that I’ve been reading more of lately and his latest book, Through Dead Eyes is a new favourite.
Alex joins his father on a business trip to Amsterdam. During the day he hangs out with the daughter of a family friend. They visit the usual sights but also coffee shops and flea markets off the beaten track. At one of these markets Alex spots an ancient-looking mask. Before he knows what he’s doing he buys it. Later, in his hotel room, he feels compelled to put the mask on. Alex is sucked into a parallel Amsterdam, one from centuries before which begins to reveal the dark past of both the building he is staying in and the little girl who once lived there edging stealthily towards the terrible twist.
Through Dead Eyes is a chilling ghost story that haunts you long after you’ve turned the last page. I read it on a wet and dreary day which added to the chilling tone. Chris Priestley really knows how to keep the reader on edge throughout the story. The thing I love the most about Chris’s writing is that there are lots of twists that you don’t see coming, especially towards the end of the story, and he leaves you with a feeling of unease. You know that, even though the story has finished, things are not right in the life of the characters. Like any good ghost story you get pieces of the puzzle as the story progresses and you’ve got to figure out how they all fit together. You just hope that the main character solves the puzzle before it’s too late.
The setting of Amsterdam adds to the eerie feeling of the story, because Alex is surrounded by so much history. The buildings are hundreds of years old and they would hold many stories. Alex is drawn to the history of the hotel he is staying in and the strange feelings he has inside his room. This history and the connection between the mask and the paintings draw you in to the story.
The cover is fantastic and captures the tone of the story perfectly. It was the cover, with the mottled and cracked surface, and the creepy eye, that grabbed my attention and made me pick it up.
Through Dead Eyes is great for readers aged 11+ who like to give themselves a good scare.
Last year in the lead up to Anzac Day I had some of our wonderful New Zealand authors and illustrators join me on the blog to talk about their Anzac books and what Anzac Day means to them. You can read their posts by clicking on the links below. You can also read about my favourite Anzac books and Philippa Werry’s fantastic new non-fiction book about Anzac Day, Anzac Day: The New Zealand Story.
Christchurch City Libraries has a great info page about Anzac Day and Gallipoli for children, with basic facts and links to some interesting websites.
There has certainly been a lot of hype around The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey. The teasers haven’t mentioned very much about what the story is about but it sounds intriguing.
The 5th Wave is due out in May from Penguin Books NZ.
Today I have the pleasure of being joined by New Zealand author, Anna Mackenzie. Anna is the author of the award-winning The Sea-wreck Stranger, and her latest book, Cattra’s Legacy tells of the journey of Risha, not only across the wild land in which she lives, but from timid young girl to fierce and powerful young woman. I love Cattra’s Legacy and I asked Anna a few questions about her fantastic new story and the life of a writer.
The novel began with a single idea, a visual image initially, of a girl alone at a graveside. That idea could have gone many different ways, but my daughter had just begun to read fantasy novels, so I decided I would write one for her, from that starting point. That gave me the direction, and the story soon took over.
Elgard opened out before me just as it does for Risha. I was sometimes a step ahead, but a small one, and every now and then we would both be surprised. About six or seven chapters in I sketched a rough map which I added to as I wrote. The map on page 7 is a tidy version of that, created using computer software rather than a pen so that it’s more legible for readers. In terms of the history of Elgard, I had a broad sense of it as soon as I knew Pelon had been a scholar – about the time Risha began to read his manuscript – but some of the regional details became clear to me only after reaching LeMarc.
I rode farm horses when I was growing up, but it wasn’t really my thing. That said, my earliest memories include the creak of saddle leather and the smell of horse and hot summer: my father used to sit me in front of him on the saddle as he rode around the farm – I guess between the ages of 2 and 4.
As for weapons training, I’ve learned both martial arts and archery in the past. All knowledge is useful in writing!
My aim as a parent is to instil in my kids a confidence in themselves, the knowledge that they are loved and valued for who they are, and the bravery to fight for what they believe in.
Determination. I don’t tend to give up (even when I probably should!). It’s an essential skill for a writer, and for many other things. Some people call it stubbornness.
No. Given the size of our market there is a fairly small crop of YA books published each year. Some years there will be more of one type of book than another, but feisty female characters are a feature of New Zealand’s YA literary landscape – and certainly of my work.
I read very widely and this is a story I loved discovering as I wrote it. For readers who are looking for similar adventure fantasy, try Cynthia Voight’s Elske, Celine Kiernan’s Moorehawke trilogy, The Merlin Conspiracy and Dalemark quartet by Diana Wynne-Jones and Garth Nix’s Abhorsen trilogy.
The best thing is getting to live dozens of different lives through the experiences of my characters – writing a new story is just like that feeling when you are completely wrapped up in reading and have to be dragged reluctantly away.
The worst thing is far too much time spent sitting at a desk: it’s seriously bad for you, but sometimes I have to be dragged away from there too!
Check out my review of Cattra’s Legacy here on the blog and enter to win a copy.
Risha is strong and outspoken, and at 16 has developed into a leader of men, a strategic thinker, and a woman — one can imagine — who will assume the legacy left by her mother.
The story begins with 13-year-old Risha living a simple life in the mountains with her father. When her father suddenly dies, Risha is left alone, an outcast of her village. Disguised as a boy, Risha leaves the village with a group of traders, on a quest to find out the truth about her mother and her heritage.
Here begins a grand sweeping adventure as Risha is caught up in dangerous pursuits, intrigue, trickery and betrayal. She is left for dead, confused by the actions of many, and is made to hide from those who wish her harm.
She finds out by chance that she is Cattra’s daughter. Who is Cattra — and why do so many wish Risha harm?
Cattra’s Legacy tells of the journey of Risha, not only across the wild land in which she lives, but from timid young girl to fierce and powerful young woman. Risha’s world is full of secrets, lies, promises, danger, strategy, rescue missions, and plenty of fighting. Anna has created Elgard, a world that is both beautiful and harsh, and she takes Risha from one corner of the land to another. From her rocky mountain home of Torfell where she has grown up, Risha travels through the busy city of Caledon, the Lacstone Marshes and the Citadel at LeMarc. As you delve further into the story you discover the politics of Elgard, the struggle for power between the various rulers, and the enormity of the task that Risha has ahead of her. There was one particular part of the story, when Risha and Torfell are going through the marshes, that reminded me of the Swamps of Sadness scene from one of my favourite movies, The Neverending Story. It’s a heart-breaking part of both the movie and Anna’s book, and I’d love to know if this part of the story is a tribute to that movie or just a coincidence.
Risha is a wonderful character who grows so much throughout the story, and she grew on me more and more as the story progressed. She starts off as a timid young girl who lives a quiet life with her father in the mountains of Torfell, but the events of the story mean she has to grow up fast. She grows in to a fierce and powerful young woman, who is very self-assured and you wouldn’t want to cross her. You know that she is going to become a strong, but kind leader of her people and will do everything in her power to unite the people of Elgard. One thing I really like about her is that she’s really focused on her duties. Even though she could have her pick of the males around her, romance isn’t her number one priority. I’m sure that romance will come in to the other books that are to follow in the series.
Between Cattra’s Legacy and R.L. Stedman’s A Necklace of Souls, there certainly isn’t going to be a shortage of strong female main characters for the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards next year. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series and see how Risha develops even further. I certainly know that Risha is ready for the challenges that lie ahead.
Tom Percival is the brilliant artist that creates the amazing Skulduggery Pleasant covers. He’s also an animator, and an author and illustrator of his own picture books. Tom created this very cool video to promote Will Hill’s Department 19 series.
The latest book in Will Hill’s Department 19 series, Department 19: Battle Lines is out now. Department 19 is one of my favourite series and I can’t wait to sink my teeth in to this latest book. Keep an eye on the blog for my review and your chance to win a copy.
Mandy Hager’s The Nature of Ash is one of the finalists in the Young Adult category of the 2013 New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards. It was one of my favourite Young Adult books of 2012 so I’m really glad to see it as a finalist. I reviewed it back in June last year, so if you want to hear all about it and find out what makes it such a worthy finalist, read on.
I love books with lots of action, but I also want to read about characters that I care about and can relate to. Those books are the ones that make me keep reading furiously, just to make sure the characters make it to the end of the book alive. I love books like Hunger Games, Divergent and The Maze Runner for this very reason, but there aren’t many books like this for teenagers set in New Zealand (Fleur Beale’s Juno series and Brian Falkner’s Tomorrow Code are the only ones that come to mind). Mandy Hager has set a new standard in thrilling, action-packed stories for NZ teens with her new book, The Nature of Ash, and I’ll say it can proudly stand alongside these international, best-selling dystopian thrillers.
Ash McCarthy thought he finally had it made: away from home and all its claustrophobic responsibilities, he’s revelling in the freedom of student hostel life. But life is about to take a devastating turn, when two police officers knock on his door. Their life-changing news forces him to return home to his Down Syndrome brother Mikey, and impels him into a shady world of political intrigue, corruption, terrorism and lies . . . so many lies. As if this isn’t bad enough, the whole country is imploding, as the world’s two greatest super-powers start a fight that leaves New Zealand ‘piggy-in-the-middle’ of their deadly games. While trying to protect Mikey, along with strangers Travis and Jiao, his fight to uncover the truth turns into a nightmare race to save their lives and stop the destruction of all the principles he holds dear.
The Nature of Ash is an exciting, explosive, action-packed thriller that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. From the first page I got caught up in Ash’s life and the horrific situation he finds himself in. Mandy Hager has painted a picture of a future New Zealand that you could imagine turning from fiction into fact. Our country is caught in the middle of a conflict between the two super powers of the world, the Western Alliance (USA, UK, Australia, Taiwan, Malaysian Federation, Republic of Indonesia, Peru) and the United People’s Republic (China, East Russia, United Korea, Japan, Republic of Indochina, Fiji, Chile). Our Prime Minister is corrupt and will sell his loyalty to the highest bidder, there are protests, riots and looting breaking out all over the country, and food is running low. In short, the country is falling apart and things keep getting worse. In the middle of it all is Ash, who had gone to study in Christchurch, but gets called back to Wellington when a bomb explodes at his dad’s office.
In my opinion, Ash is one of the most authentic male teen characters in New Zealand fiction. Mandy Hager is absolutely spot-on with Ash’s voice, his actions and decisions. Sure, he swears, he drinks, and smokes some weed, but in the crappy situation that he’s in you can completely understand why he talks the way he does and makes those decisions. He’s fiercely loyal to his family, especially his brother Mikey, who has Down Syndrome. Even though it’s hard to look after Mikey and keep him calm and happy, Ash does all that he can to help him and protect him from harm. I also loved Jiao and Travis, the other teenagers that escape from the city with them. Jiao is an Asian girl who often looks after Mikey and is someone that he trusts (and has a bit of a crush on) and Travis is the son of policewoman Jeannie. The group have some tense moments but they pull together when they need to.
The adult characters are a real mixed bag. Ash and Mikey’s Dad is a very loving parent who really cares about his kids. He’s always telling them he loves them and provides them with what they need. Ash is left with no doubt that his father loves him and does all he can to protect them, even hiding secrets from them so they don’t need to worry. There are many other adults who help them along the way, including Jeannie, Lucinda, Simon, and one of my favourite characters, Erich. Then there are the immoral, sadistic characters, like the members of Muru, whose actions made me so angry.
Mandy Hager has created a story and characters that will stay with me long after I’ve put the book down. I’m sure that teenage boys in particular will relate to Ash and his struggle to do what’s right.
5 out of 5 stars
Please note: Ash uses some quite strong language (which I think is perfectly acceptable because of his situation) so please consider this if buying for your school library. I would recommend the book for 13+. Teaching notes are available through the Random House New Zealand website.
CAUTION: May contain spoilers
I need to get this out of the way now: OMG! This book is AMAZING! Michael Grant, you are brilliant and I bow at your feet! OK…calming down now.
Ever since Michael Grant launched his Gone series I have been wondering how the series would end. With each book, the situation in the FAYZ (Fallout Alley Youth Zone) has got progressively worse. When you trap a bunch of kids inside a dome (some with super powers), with no adults, limited food, disease, and no idea if or when they’ll ever get out, you know it isn’t going to end well. After the previous book, Fear, I have to say I had no idea how the series was going to end. One of the things I love about Michael Grant is that he certainly keeps you on your toes and isn’t afraid to shock you. He certainly does this in the final book in the Gone series, Light.
All eyes are on Perdido Beach. The barrier wall is now as clear as glass and life in the FAYZ is visible for the entire outside world to see. Life inside the dome remains a constant battle and the Darkness, away from watchful eyes, grows and grows . . . The society that Sam and Astrid have struggled so hard to build is about to be shattered for good. It’s the end of the FAYZ. But who will survive to see the light of day?
Light is everything I hoped it would be and much, much more. It is a truly EPIC conclusion to the series and the way in which Michael wrapped the series up left me totally satisfied. I won’t go in to any details because I’d hate to spoil the ending, which fans have been waiting years for. Michael had me on the edge of my seat and it was nerve-wracking from beginning to end. I read it over a couple of days and found that I could think of little else but the story. As soon as I put it down I wanted to know what was happening to the characters. By the time I’d read the final page, I felt like I was a survivor of the FAYZ who had to adjust to normal life again. You’ve been with these characters through the whole experience so you really feel like one of them.
Everything that I love about Michael Grant’s books is here in Light. There is plenty of violence and gore (including some cannibalism), the action is non-stop, the suspense makes you tear out your hair and chew your fingernails, and there are the characters you love (and those you hate) fighting against incredible odds. There is also plenty of death and destruction, and not all of the main characters survive the ordeal. I found myself saying ‘Oh no Michael, not them!’ several times during the story.
Out of all the things I love about this series, it’s the characters that have made me keep reading. Michael has created so many great characters in this series and they get a lot thrown at them. From the very first book, I’ve wondered who would make it through to the end, and I’m pleased to say that Michael totally surprised me. It has been really interesting to see how the characters react to different situations, and seeing their true nature shine through. None of the characters have made it through unscathed and I’ve loved watching their development throughout the series.
Thank you Michael Grant for creating this incredible series and these memorable characters that I’ll never forget. I absolutely found it worthwhile and I had so much fun getting lost in your crazy world.
Even though this series has ended, we still have much more of Michael Grant to look forward to, with his BZRK series, The Magnificent 12 series (for younger readers), and hopefully more of Eve and Adam (with his incredibly talented wife, Katherine Applegate).
5 out of 5 stars
I have a copy of Light to give away to one lucky Gone fan. All you have to do is enter your name and email address in the form below and tell me who is your favourite Gone series character. Competition closes Wednesday 10 April (NZ and Australia only).
My Best Friends Are Books 