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Book Cover Book Title and Blurb Reason for choice Author The House in A magical island. A This is the best book I’ve the Cerulean dangerous task. A read this year. Everyone Sea – T.J. burning secret. should give it a go, visit

Klune the island in the Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At Cerulean sea and meet forty, he lives in a tiny the family that live house with a devious cat there. and his old records. As a Case Worker at the It has amazing Department in Charge characters from Linus Of Magical Youth, he the civil servant who spends his days does everything by the overseeing the well- being of children in book to Lucy the son of government-sanctioned the devil who doesn’t orphanages. want to be bad but is only 6 so somedays When Linus is when the webs take him unexpectedly summoned he can’t help it. by Extremely Upper Management he's given Klune builds a world you a curious and highly classified assignment: can imagine, makes me travel to Marsyas Island laugh and cry as we Orphanage, where six follow Linus on his way dangerous children to finding a family. With reside: a gnome, a sprite, the sweetest romance a wyvern, an and an undercurrent of unidentifiable green acceptance of blob, a were- differences this blew me Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must away. I’m sure I read it set aside his fears and too fast and if I had it on determine whether or the island I could savour not they’re likely to bring every word & imagine about the end of days. the future for the inhabitants of the But the children aren’t House. the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours. Strange At the Strangeworlds Welcome to Strange Worlds Travel Travel Agency, each worlds, can we find a Agency – L.D. suitcase transports you suitcase to the world of Lapinski to a different world. All your dreams? you have to do is step inside . . . I would want this book When 12-year-old Flick because it has the most Hudson accidentally wonderful writing style ends up in the with strains of Lewis & Strangeworlds Travel Tolkien and the Agency, she uncovers a adventure of Nesbit secret: there clear from its opening are hundreds of other worlds just steps away lines Flick and Jonathan from ours. All you have take us on a wild ride to do to visit them is through suitcases and jump into the right beyond. suitcase. Then Flick gets the invitation of a The way the book ends lifetime: join wraps up this edition Strangeworlds' magical perfectly but leaves me travel society and explore other worlds. plenty of scope to imagine more But, unknown to Flick, adventures the world at the very centre of it all, a city called Five Lights, is in danger. Buildings and even streets are mysteriously disappearing. Once Flick realizes what's happening she must race against time, travelling through unchartered worlds, seeking a way to fix Five Lights before it collapses into nothingness -- and takes our world with it. Bloody Rose – Live fast, die young. Ok so this is book 2 in a Nicholas loosely connected series Eames Tam Hashford is tired of but was definitely my working at her local pub, favourite to date, Kings slinging drinks for world-famous of the Wyld introduces mercenaries and Roses dad on a to listening to the bards save her, but this moves sing of adventure and forward in time when glory in the world the sense of adventure beyond her sleepy and enthusiasm has hometown. worn thin for Rose.

When the biggest mercenary band of all Rose is getting tired of rolls into town, led by the adventuring life but the infamous Bloody Tam wants an adventure Rose, Tam jumps at the and joins her band. chance to sign on as What follows is a tale of their bard. It's adventure family, friendships and she wants - and adventure against the adventure she gets as the things that go bump in crew embark on a quest that will end in one of the night. two ways: glory or death. I’d take this to the island It's time to take a walk because the writing and on the wyld side. sense of adventure as well as the slower family driven moments make it a brilliant read. Every Heart a Eleanor West’s doorway- Home for Wayward This book is just the seanan Children best! Full of diverse McGuire No Solicitations characters who make No Visitors No you feel you’ve come home I’ve reread it over Children have always and over and every time disappeared under the I find something new as right conditions; our characters find or slipping through the lose their doorways. shadows under a bed or at the back of a From this I could replot wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and the books that come into old wells, and after & continue the emerging somewhere... stories of some else. favourite characters.

But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.

Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own world.

But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new- found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter.

No matter the cost. Protector of Keladry has finished her I couldn’t go to a desert the Small box page training, she's island without these set – Tamora passed her exams and volumes, so this is a bit now she's a fully-fledged Pierce of a cheat. It’s a quartet squire. Which is great - except that you can't of adventure following really be a squire if no Kel from 10 to 19 as she knight will take you on. earns to be a knight and experiences her first But Kel's luck is in. After combat and first war weeks of waiting, a alongside first love, with knight-master has come squire as part 3. forward. A true warrior

to follow - if she can cope with the gruelling She has such a life on campaign. conviction that Bandits are renegade everyone matters you are just what find yourself wanting to she's trained for - it be a better person. The couldn't be better. But minor characters are all eventually Kel will have well runded and you fall to return and face the in love or hate with Chamber of the Ordeal, the final test of a squire. some. I’ve read these One boy has already died every year since they in the chamber this were published so my year... coies are falling apart but I can’t imagine feeling miserable without having these to pick me up. Once and I’ve been chased my I’m a sucker for an Future – Amy whole life. As a fugitive Arthurian retelling and Rose Capetta refugee in the territory this is one of the best. controlled by the & Cori tyrannical Mercer McCarthy corporation, I’ve always Set in the far future had to hide who I am. when humanity has Until I found Excalibur. spread across the galaxy, Arthur is now Now I’m done hiding. female and Merlin a teenager we see a My name is Ari Helix. I varied cast of characters have a sword, a are falling in line to take cranky wizard, and a revolution to start. their place in the story as it plays out for the When Ari crash-lands on final time. Old Earth and pulls a from its ancient resting place, she is revealed to be the newest reincarnation of King Arthur. Then she meets Merlin, who has aged backward over the centuries into a teenager, and together they must break the curse that keeps Arthur coming back. Their quest? Defeat the cruel, oppressive government and bring peace and equality to all humankind.

No pressure. Another bit of a cheat, Chronicles – after all you can’t start a Patricia C set without finishing it. Wrede I love how Cimorene is a Cimorene is everything a strong willed princess princess is not supposed who, not wanting to be to be: headstrong, married to a simpering tomboyish, smart - and prince, sets out to bored. So bored that she runs away to live with a change her fate and - and finds the goes from Dragon family and excitement Princess to Queen of the she's been looking for. Enchanted forest.

Another read I can’t imagine my life without although my 1990’s copy is falling apart due to persistent rereading.

The side characters again help make the story especially Morwen and her cats. Lost & Found, Combining The Found Seen & and the Lost and The The only book on my list Unseen: The Unreal and the Real, I haven’t read all of, selected short this comprehensive after all you need boxed set contains fiction of something new to keep many of Ursula K. Le Ursula K Guin's award-winning the imagination working LeGuin short stories and if you are stuck on a novellas. desert island. For the first time, the legendary Ursula K. Le I have read some of Guin's most iconic short these over the years in stories and novellas other anthologies so am have been combined looking forward to into one boxed set. diving into strange Coming in at over fourteen hundred pages, worlds and experiences this collection is the from a classic SFF perfect addition to your author. bookshelf.

The Books of Celebrating the 50th Wizards, words and Illustrated anniversary of the strange Worlds. The Eition – Ursula books of Earthsea timeless and K LeGuin & wander a world created beloved A Wizard of of islands and the magic Earthsea - '...reads that is in every thing. like the retelling of a tale first told Before Harry Potter there was , setting centuries ago' (David out to learn the magic of Mitchell) - comes this the naming in a strange complete omnibus wizarding school. edition of the entire So as I can probably tell Earthsea chronicles, Harry Potter from including over fifty memory I’m taking the other wizard of my illustrations childhood with me to illuminating Le weave the magic. Guin's vision of her classic saga.

Contains 'Firelight', a brand new story about Ged's last days and 'The Daughter of Odren'

Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea novels are some of the most acclaimed and awarded works in literature-they have received prestigious accolades such as the , a Newbery Honor, the , and many more honors, commemorating their enduring place in the hearts and minds of readers and the literary world alike.

Now for the first time ever, they're all together in one volume-including the early short stories, Le Guin's "Earthsea Revisioned" Oxford lecture, and new Earthsea stories, never before printed. With a new introduction by Le Guin herself, this essential edition will also include over fifty illustrations by renowned artist Charles Vess, specially commissioned and selected by Le Guin, to bring her refined vision of Earthsea and its people to life in a totally new way.

Stories include: '', 'The Tombs of Atuan', '', '', '', '', 'The Rule of Names', 'The Word of Unbinding', 'The Daughter of Odren', 'Firelight' and 'Earthsea Revisioned: A Lecture at Oxford University'

With stories as perennial and universally beloved as The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of The Rings-but also unlike anything but themselves-this edition is perfect for those new to the world of Earthsea, as well as those who are well-acquainted with its enchanting magic: to know Earthsea is to love it.

- 1,008 pages - 56 illustrations (including 7 lavishly coloured plate sections) - maps of Earthsea - stunningly beautiful endpapers - Six novels - 4 short stories - An essay

Dragon Singer When Menolly, daughter My last pick is another – Anne of Yanus Sea Holder, comfort read the middle McCaffery arrived at the of a trilogy set on a Craft Hall, she came in planet where style, aboard a huge bronze dragon, followed defend the world and by her nine fire lizards. knowledge is split into The Masterharper of guilds. Pern, aware of her unique skills, had chosen Menolly is a singer who her as his only girl comes from a family apprentice. But the that didn’t appreciate holdless girl had first to her skills, having lived overcome many heartaches in this holdless she now arrives at the Harper Hall and strange new life. Two things sustained her — finds life doesn’t have to her devoted lizards, a be painful. I love the subject on which she was hope in this book as well fitted to instruct her as two of my favourite Masters — and the characters from my music... music of teens Master Robinton compelling beauty, music-making where at and Menolly. last she was accepted. In the Great Hall, Menolly It wouldn’t be right to could fulfil her destiny. leave them home.