Christmas Hours

Our hours are the same as always up to the 21st. On Wednesday 22nd we are open until 9pm. Thursday 24th is normal hours, 8.30am to 9pm. On the 24th, Friday, we will close at 5pm. We reopen on Monday the 27th at 10am. All these hours are weather permitting and may be changed.

Barker and Jones would like to wish all our customers a very happy Christmas and a great New Year.

Review: Matched, by Ally Condie

Matched is the newest in the wave of dystopian fiction sweeping the teen market. On Cassia's seventeenth birthday, Society chooses her perfect match for her. This will ensure her offspring are as healthy as possible. Cassia is lucky; out of everyone in her age group, she's the only one Matched to someone she already knows. Not only someone she knows, but her best friend, Xander.

But when she looks at the data, his picture disappears and another flashes on the screen for just a moment. Another boy she knows. One who is destined never to be Matched. Cassia is told this was a cruel prank and to forget it, to prepare for her life with Xander. But the more she tries, the more she thinks of her second Match. Until finally she is forced into a choice between everything she's ever known, and something she never could have imagined...


Matched is a fascinating read for all the little details spread through it. Cassia causally mentions that the Society only has 100 of most cultural things; 100 poems, 100 novels, 100 songs. There are a few Artifacts floating around, too; Cassia has an old powder compact, and her brother has a pocket watch. Most of the Officials seem friendly and helpful, until something goes wrong. Then they can literally be terrifying. The three pills issued to each citizen are troubling, as well; if the Cities are so safe, why does anyone need a nutrition pill designed to keep them alive for several days? Why are pills designed to calm your nerves handed out in such a blase way? And what is the purpose of the mysterious red pill?

Cassia's gradual realisation is perfectly handled. It's difficult to know which boy to root for; Ky is more interesting, but Xander is sweet and funny and genuinely cares for Cassia. This first of a trilogy will leave you desperate for more.

Whatever I've been feeling for Ky must stop. Now. I am Matched with Xander. It does not matter that Ky has been places I've never been or that he wept during the showing when he thought no one could see. It does not matter that he knows about the beautiful words I read in the woods. Following the rules, staying safe. Those are the things that matter. Those are the ways I have to be strong.

I will try to forget that Ky said 'Home' when he looked into my eyes.

Boys Don't Cry, by Malorie Blackman

Malorie Blackman's new books tackles teenage pregnancy from an unusual perspective - that of the father.

Dante is a good boy, mostly. He studies hard, he's nice to his girlfriend. Ok, so he fooled around once at a party with his then-girlfriend Melanie, but that was almost two years ago and they were both drunk. It didn't mean anything, and she moved away afterwards anyway.

On the day his A level results are due, Dante answers the door to Melanie, holding a baby. She tells him that this is his child, conceived during that party. She asks him to babysit, just for a little while, just while she goes shopping.

And then she calls to tell him she can't cope any more, that she wants him to look after Emma for a while.

At first Dante completely fails to deal with it. But he gradually begins to step up and take responsibility, and the evolution of his feelings makes for fascinating reading. Emma impacts not only his life but that of his father and brother, and watching the effect she has on this family of near-strangers is the best part of the novel. Each member is battling his own demons, but Emma manages to bring them all together.

This is a lovely read.


I woke up to the sound of plaintive mewling, like next door's cat was upset or something. Eyes closed, I mentally swatted away the noise. Then I remembered. When I managed to will my eyes open, Emma was standing up, holding onto the sides of her cot, watching me. Throwing back my duvet, I stumbled out of bed. The closer I got to her, the more the smell hit me. And the smell was appalling. I mean really, really bad in a throat-catching, nose-blistering way. I didn't need to be a rocket scientist to know I was about to be hip-deep in baby poo.

Damn it, I didn't sign up for this.

Of Thee I Sing, by Barack Obama

Barack Obama has chosen thirteen of America's most famous sons and daughters, from George Washington and Abraham Lincoln right up to Martin Luthor King Jr. and Cesar Chavez. Using simple language he shows how today's children can be inspired by these heroes, to do or to be anything that they want. The beautiful illustrations are a perfect complement to this fabolous tribute. As President Obama's two daughters walk through the pages, they are joined by other children representing these famous Americans. As they journey through the book they begin to share, so that by the end, Sitting Bull is holding Georgia O'Keeffe's paint palate and Neil Armstrong's toy rocket is in the hands of Helen Keller. It's a fabulous way of showing how connected we all are, even today.

Of Thee I Sing was originally written as a letter to Barack Obama's two daughters and was completed in 2008, before he was voted in as the forty fourth president.


Have I told you that you are smart?

That you braid great ideas with imagination?
A man named Albert Einstein turned pictures in his mind into giant advances in science, changing the world with energy and light.


Have I told you that you don't give up?

When violence erupted in our nation a man named Martin Luthor King Jr. taught us unyielding compassion. He gave us a dream that all races and all creeds would walk hand in hand. He marched and he prayed and, one at a time, opened hearts and saw the birth of his dream in us.

Review: Harry Potter Film Wizardry

The end of an era is upon us. The last Harry Potter film hits our screens this weekend. To celebrate, Bantam have released this beautiful book.

Starting with The Philosopher's Stone, now ten years old, this book traces the work that went into each movie. Talking to stars, producers, directors, and every department from location scouts right down to props and costumes, this book is a fascinating account of a piece of movie history. It's also very amusing to look back at the stars in the first movie and compare them to their current selves...

However, it's also more than that. Attached to certain pages are reproductions of certain props. Early in the discussion of Philosopher's Stone is a copy of Harry's acceptance letter to Hogwarts. On a page about Hogsmeade, there are tiny sweet boxes to push out and make. A description of Dolores Umbridge has copies of her Educational Decrees in a pocket, and hidden in a section about the Prisoner of Azkaban is an actual copy of the Marauder's Map. This is a fabulous work of art and the perfect present for the Harry Potter fan in your household.

Christmas Gift Ideas

Classic Poetry Selected by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Paul Howard, this collection showcases some of the best poetry of the last 450 years.






Illustrated Shakespeare Shakespeare's most popular plays, simplified for a young audience.





Fairy Tale Treasury This beautiful hardback treasury features all your favourite fairy tales, and some you've never heard of. A surefire winner.



By Sun and Candlelight Shirley Hughes' soft illustrations accompany poems and excerpts from famous novels. A great selection.



Illustrated Alice A simplified version of the classic series, complete with some of Lewis Carroll's famous nonsense poetry.




Illustrated Classics for Boys Moonfleet, Robin Hood and the Canterville Ghost are among the classic boy's stories rewritten for this collection.



Illustrated Classics for Girls classic tales such as Little Women, Heidi and the Secret Garden are beautifully rewritten in this collection.



Illustrated Stories for Boys A mix of stories for boys age 5 to 95.





Illustrated Stories for Girls A mix of stories for girls to share.

Some Christmas titles

Drawing, Doodling and Colouring for Christmas Spend your Christmas afternoon with this wonderful array of puzzles and game.



Christmas Baking for Children Leave Santa some perfect treats with this beautiful, sturdy children's cookbook.




Baby's First Christmas with music CD Teach Baby some classic carols while enjoying the festive scenes in this sturdy board book.



1000 Christmas Stickers Decorate the scenes or your presents with these pretty stickers.






Christmas Doodles 50 cards and a wipe clean pen. Practise your Christmas art over and over again.

Event: Author Visit

The Author a Month for November was Brian Gallagher. Brian is well known in Ireland's theatre community as well as in RTE where he worked as a writer on Fair City for twelve years.








Brian's newest book, Across the Divide, is set in Dublin in 1913 during the Lockout. Nora and Liam come from opposite sides of Dublin's social divide, but their love of Feis Ceoil brings them together. When Larkin's strikes start gaining power, their friendship is threatened...

Brian visited with two groups of children from a local school and explained a little about writing and about the historical background to the novel. We'd like to thank him for traveling to be with us today.

Review: Billionaire Boy, by David Walliams

Billionaire Boy is the third novel from David Walliams, illustrated by Tony Ross. Joe Spud is the richest twelve year old in the world, after his father invents toilet paper that's wet on one side and dry on the other. Joe has his own cinema, race track, butler (he used to have an orangutan butler, but that worked out rather messily.) He's got eight billion in trust for when he gets older, but to keep him going until then his father gives him a million every now and then. The only thing he doesn't have is a friend.

Joe switches from his posh school (tights and Elizabethan ruffs, and lessons like 'Learning to step over the homeless person as you leave the opera' and 'History of wearing corduroy') to the local comp, where no one will know who he is. He quickly makes a friend, but thanks to his father's well meaning interference his secret soon comes out. Can Joe ever be happy?


Aimed at eight or nine year olds, this book pokes gentle fun at the 'Oh, if I won the lotto everything would be perfect!' school of thought. Joe has more money than he can possibly spend, but it doesn't make him happy – just friendless and vaguely overweight. Walliams has a deft touch and the comedy and drama never overwhelm each other.

And the moment where Joe picks his favourite books – The Boy in the Dress and Mr Stink – made me laugh. Both, of course, are written by David Walliams.


"Sit down!" said Grubb Two, as he or she put his or her hand on Lauren's shoulder to force her down onto the bench. Lauren, however, grabbed his or her hand and twisted it behind his or her back, and then pushed him or her to the ground. The other Grubb charged her, so Lauren leaped into the air and kung fu kicked him or her to the ground. Then the other one leaped up and tried to grab her, but she karate chopped him or her on his or her shoulder and he or she raced off screaming in pain.

It really is quite hard writing this when you don't know someone's gender.

Review: Illustrated Stories for Bedtime, published by Usborne

The newest in Usborne's Illustrated Story Collections is a beautiful hardback aimed at children just beginning to read. The eight stories span from the well known - King Donkey Ears, The Enormous Turnip - to the slightly more obscure - The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Danny the Dragon. Each is beautifully illustrated. Your child will love reading the stories with you. A real treasure.


There was once a poor man named Wilf. He would travel from town to town looking for work, with only his dog, Scruff, and a very special stone.

One day, he came to a small cream cottage with a thatched roof. "Let's try here," he said to Scruff and rapped on the door.

It was opened by a woman who gave him a suspicious look. "Who are you?" she snapped. "What do you want?"

"Good morning ma'am," said Wilf. "I was wondering if you had any small jobs I could do, in return for some lunch?"

"I'm sorry, I don't have any jobs," said the woman, starting to close the door.

"I can make soup from a stone," Wilf said, quickly.

"Really?" said the woman. "That I'd like to see," and she invited him in.

Review: Illustrated Stories for Christmas, published by Usborne

Usborne's Christmas books are always beautiful and this one is no exception. Part of the Young Reading range, the stories range from classic Christams tales – 'Twas the Night before Christmas and The Snow Queen – to more modern stories – The Elf and the Toymaker and Santa's Day Off – to classic tales – East o'the Sun, West o'the Moon. Each is beautifully illustrated and written to appeal to children. Perfect to share with your young children on a snowy afternoon.


Wandering home that night, Kay gazed at the sparkling snowflakes drifitng down. As he stared, he noticed one that seemed to be growing. He gasped. The snowflake grew larger...

...until it became a beautiful woman. She was astonishing. Her shimmering white clothes were coated in snow and she herself was made entirely of ice.

'The Snow Queen!'

The woman turned her bright, cold eyes on Kay. He shook his head and she vanished. 'I must have imagined her,' he thought.

Review: More Bloody Horowitz, by Anthony Horowitz

Anthony Horowitz is best known for his Alex Rider series, but he also has a wicked sense of humour and it's fully on display here. Right from the first story, The Man who Killed Darren Shan, to the 'Editor's note' at the end, these stories never stop surprising you. Even when you know there must be a twist coming, it's hard to see them ahead of time.

The book itself is beautifully printed in an old fashioned style and the cover is vivid and eye catching. This is sure to be a bestseller.


"Are you really a machine?" Cameron asked.

"I am. But you don't need to think of me that way, dear. I'd like to be your friend."

"What's your name?"

"Tamsin."

"Tamsin? Tamsin?" Cameron played with the name for a moment. "If you're really made of metal, I'm going to call you Tin Sam," he announced.

And that was the name that stuck.

Event: Author Visit

This month's Author was Aubrey Flegg, Author of the Louise trilogy, Katie's War and The Cinnamon Tree, and the newly published Fugitives! a story of the Flight of the Earls. Aubrey met two groups of children from a local school and talked a little about his life and some of the experiences that later became novels.




We'd like to thank Aubrey for traveling to visit with us today.

Review: Illustrated Grimm's Fairy Tales, published by Usborne

The Young Reading collections are always beautiful and the newest in the series is no exception. The fifteen stories are a mix between the well known - Snow White, The Elves and the Shoemaker - and the lesser known - The Bear and the Wren, King Thrushbeard. Each story is illustrated in a slightly different style, making for easy identification. The book is satisfyingly chunky, but the stories are simple enough for even the youngest children.

A perfect bedtime treat.

One winter's morning, the queen was sitting beside her window sewing when it began to snow. The snowflakes drifted like feathers down from the sky and settled on the window ledge.

As the queen watched them, her needle slipped and pricked her finger. Three drops of blood fell onto the snow.

'I wish I had a child,' she sighed, 'with skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as the ebony wood of the window frame.'

Nine months later the queen's wish came true and she gave birth to a baby girl. The king was delighted. 'Let's call her Snow White,' he suggested.

But the king's happiness didn't last long. The queen became very ill and within a week she died. He and Snow White were all alone.

Review: Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, illustrated by Axel Sheffler

Last year's best seller returns in a new paperback format. This is the 70th anniversary of the book's publication, and the bright new pictures are a fantastic way to celebrate. A beautiful book from the illustrator of The Gruffalo and Tabby McTat. Everyone knows at least a few lines from these poems. Treat yourself to the book and see the story unfold.


His manner is vague and aloof,
You would think there is nobody shyer.
But his voice has been heard on the roof,
While he was curled up by the fire.
And he's sometimes been heard by the fire,
While he was about on the roof.
(At least, we all heard that somebody purred!)
Which is incontestable proof
Of his singular magical powers;
And I've known the family to call
Him in from the garden for hours
While he was asleep in the hall.
And not long ago this phenomenal cat
Prduced seven kittens right out of a hat!
And we all say, Oh! Well, I never! Was there ever
A cat so clever as
Magical Mr Mistoffelees?

Review: Lies, by Michael Grant

Lies is the third in the 'Gone' series.

In Gone everyone over 15 vanished in an instant, leaving the kids to struggle with what had happened. In Hunger, the monstrous gaiaphage revealed itself in the nearby mine. Now in Lies, everything the town has built is threatening to come down around them.

The Council have taken some of the pressure off Sam, but he still holds himself responsible for everything that happens in the town. When Zil, part of the Human Crew, starts stirring up trouble, Sam wants to deal with him once and for all. The Council refuse.

Meanwhile Orsay has become known as the Prophetess. The children believe she's in touch with the world outside the FAYZ, their sealed little bubble. The messages she relays seem to say that the kids who vanish on their fifteenth birthday – take the poof, as the kids call it – have all reappeared in the real world. More and more kids are contemplating taking the poof.

When Zil finally attacks the consequences are tragic. But through the smoke and flames of Zil's rampage an old enemy is spotted. Someone everyone believed to be dead...


Reading any of the Gone books always poses a dilemma. You're not going to want to put it down for any reason. So far three books in the projected six-book series have been published, one about every six months. It's not fast enough. These books are heartstopping, breathtaking thrillers and they never let up.

Gone, the first book, takes place over the course of twelve and a half days, with an epilogue a few days later. Hunger, set three months later, covers only five days, again with an epilogue three days later. Four months on, Lies covers almost three days. The intervals are getting shorter, but the books themselves are not and it makes for a much more intense story.

I loved the brief glimpse of life outside the FAYZ, though Grant cleverly doesn't tell us whether it's real or an illusion provided to Orsay by the Darkness. The new kids are a nice touch as well; in an enclosed environment, it should be hard to introduce new characters, but Grant pulls it off so well that they never feel shoehorned in. At the same time the regular characters are not neglected; several have breakdowns of one kind or another in the course of the story, and it's painful watching them wrestle their way back to something approaching normalcy.

Can't wait for the next book, Plague, or indeed the final two – Darkness and Light.

Parents be warned; there is violence in this book, some quite severe.


'You ok, man?'

Sam didn't answer. He peered into the darkness. Searched the shadows. Clenched. Ready.

Finally, he forced hims fists to relax. Forced himself to take a breath. 'I've never set out to hurt anyone,' Sam said.

Edilio waited.

'I never set out thinking I'm going to kill someone. I go into a fight and I think, maybe I'll have to hurt someone. Yeah. I think that. And I have. You know; you've been there.'

'Yeah, I've been there,' Edilio said.

'If it's him, though, if Drake is somehow back...it's not going to be about just doing what I have to do. You know?'

Edilio did not answer.

'I've done what I had to do. To save people. Or to save myself. This won't be like that. If it's him, I mean.'

'Dude, it's Zil. Zil and the Human Crew did this.'

Sam shook his head. 'Yeah. Zil. But I know he's out there, Edilio. I Know Drake is out there. I feel it.'

'Sam...'

'If I see him, I'll kill him,' Sam said. 'Not self defence. I'm not waiting until he attacks. I see him, I burn him.'

Edilio grabbed him by both shoulders and got in his face. 'Hey! Listen to me, Sam. You're getting freaked out here. The problem is Zil. Ok? We have real problems, we don't need nightmares. And anyway, we don't do cold blooded murder. Not even if it is Drake.'

Sam firmly pried Edilio's hands off his shoulders. 'If it's Drake, I'm burning him down. If you and Astrid and the rest of the council want to arrest me for doing it, fine. But I'm not sharing my life with Drake Merwin.'

'Well, you do what you got to do, Sam, and I will too. Right now what we got to do is figure out what Zil is up to. So, I'm going to go and do that. You want to come? Or do you want to stand here in the dark talking about murder?'

Edilio stomped away, swinging his machine pistol down into firing position.

For the first time, Sam followed Edilio.

Review: Eva's Journey, by Judi Curtin

Eva's Journey is the newest offering from Judi Curtin, author of the well loved Alice and Megan series.

Eva's father is a rich and powerful builder. Eva is used to only the best of everything; yearly trips to New York for a new wardrobe, private school, all the latest gadgets. But the building market is collapsing, and Eva's treats and luxuries have to go. Soon they're selling their beautiful house and moving into a fixer upper, and Eva's posh private school has become the local public.

Desperate to regain her former glory, Eva visits a fortune teller who tells her to do good deeds. Eva begins watching the people around her and, in the process, learns that she's not as badly off as she thought...



A modern day fairy tale, Eva's Journey charts Eva's progress as she learns that stuff, while nice, is not what makes life worthwhile. The friendship she begins with the odd girl in her class makes her new life more bearable, and the steadfast friend from her old life makes it more fun. Watching out for other people distracts her from her own troubles, and before she knows it she's enjoying herself in her run down house, last year's clothes and no gadgets.

A timely story and one I enjoyed a lot.




Victoria looked around approvingly.

'The house is looking lovely,' she said to my dad. 'You've got a talent for home improvement.'

I wondered how Dad would take that. Up to recently he'd had a talent for running one of the biggest businesses in town.

But Dad looked at Victoria like she was his best friend in the whole world.

'Thanks,' he said, beaming so much that he accidentally thumped his finger with the hammer.

Victoria and I giggled, and fled upstairs.

Review: The Enemy, by Charlie Higson

The first in Charlie Higson's new series starts with a bang, catapulting you straight into a nightmare world.

A year ago something happened. Everyone over the age of fourteen caught a mysterious new illness. The lucky ones died. The rest? Well, they're still around, hunting down the surviving kids in a desperate search for food.

The children who are left have come together to form gangs to help protect each other. But the adults – mothers and fathers, the children call them – are growing smarter, and the children's safehouses are being overrun. Rumours of a safe haven couldn't come at a better time...


The first scene – an attack by adults on a supermarket where children have been staying – is the perfect opener. All the important information is slipped in perfectly naturally; adults are bad, they hunt children, it's been like this for about the year, the kids aren't as safe as they used to be. It also starts one of the plotlines, as a captured child fights desperately to get back to his friends.

It's hard to put this book down once you've picked it up. The pressure almost never lets up, our heroes scrambling from one problem to the next. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, but several of them die during the course of the story – no one is safe here, not the heroes, not the villains, not that new character who was just introduced or the one you've been reading about for two hundred pages.

Luckily the sequel is already out, but you'll have to wait a while for the third.

Ollie was walking alone by the lake. There were ducks on it, probably fish swimming down below. He felt neither happy nor sad. He was thoughtful. This all looked fantastic on the surface.

Franny had given him a small lettuce to try. It had tasted delicious, but when he'd pulled off one of the leaves he'd found a small slug on it.

There was always a slug on the lettuce.

This was too good to be true.

He had never trusted Jester, and he didn't trust David.

He wasn't going to let his guard down just yet.

Being careful had kept him alive this far.

There was no reason to stop being careful now.

Review: The Dead, Charlie Higson

The sequel to The Enemy is set a year before it, making it a prequel. Sort of.

Only a few weeks before the book begins, adults began falling prey to a strange new disease. Most of them died outright. The ones who are left are desperate for human flesh, and the only source left is children. Anyone over fourteen is dead or changed.

When the book begins the kids have been on their own for only a couple of weeks. Their new reality hasn't really sunk in yet. Most haven't realised how drastically the world has altered. It's not until a group holed up in a school dorm are attacked by the people who used to be their teachers that it really begins to sink in.

Abandoning the school, the group head for the countryside but are rapidly cut off and forced to retreat towards London. They're rescued by by a man driving a coach, the only uninfected adult they've seen in a long time. the roads of London are clogged with zombies, though, and it takes a long time before they find somewhere they can call home.


This book, if anything, is even more gory than the last. There are several loving descriptions of the zombies, including Greg and the one they nickname Pez. There's also a horrific sequence set in the Oval Cricket Ground. The protaganists aren't any safer in this one than they were in The Enemy, either, and it's an entirely new group this time around. There are fewer characters to keep track of this time, and most of the action comes from two specific characters, making it easier to keep track of who's doing what where for what reason.

The ending does provide two very clever links with The Enemy, though; one I saw coming and one I didn't, though I should have. From the way this one ends, I'm guessing the third will bring all our characters together.

The Dead is just as fast paced as The Enemy, events rolling together with few breaks. It's a hard book to put down, as just as one problem is almost solved another rears its' head. The final chase through London was almost unbearable. Once I'd reached the end and figured out who some of the people were, it was fascinating to see them now, weeks into the apocalypse. I also really loved the quiet nod to another recent series of all-the-adults-are-dead books, one that I'm guessing few people will notice.

One of the better books I've read this year.

Jack lifted out the sword. It was clean and gleaming, the edge still sharp. The curators at the museum had obviously looked after everything very well. He smiled. The blade was perfectly balanced in his hand, a good weight. He sliced a long curve through the air.

Perfect.

'Jack?'

He took the scabbard and belt from the dummy torso they were fixed to and fastened them round his waist. It was a good fit. The scabbard hung well.

'You coming, Jack?'

'Yeah. I'm ready.'

Event: Author Visit

The second in our Author a Month program sees Aubrey Flegg visiting on Thursday 14th October. Aubrey will be talking about his newest book, Fugitives! a novel about the Flight of the Earls.

Again we'll have two sessions, one at 10am, one at 11.30am.

Author a Month: Marilyn Taylor

Our Author a Month program got off to a great start this morning, as Marilyn Taylor met with two groups of children from local schools. Marilyn discussed her two historical novels, Faraway Home and 17 Martin Street. The groups had an opportunity to ask questions, and Marilyn signed several copies of each book for our stock.


We'd like to thank Marilyn for travelling from Dublin to visit us today.

Event: Author Visit

Tuesday 14th Spetember, Marilyn Taylor will be visiting the store. There'll be two sessions, one at 10, one at 11.30. Come along and meet her.

Customer Review: The Secret Seven, by Enid Blyton

I love the Enid Blyton books of the Secret Seven. The books are about a group of seven children that solve mysteries. Go Ahead Secret Seven is my favourite because it is very exciting. My favourite character is Scamper because he's a bit funny.


Saidhbh Farrell age 7

Review: The Chosen One, by Carol Lynch Williams

One of the reviews on Amazon said that this book is unlikely to do very well in the UK or Ireland, as we don't have the same connection to religious cults as the USA. I disagree; we may not have the same background, but the story is just as gripping.

Thirteen year old Kyra has grown up in a polygamous cult called The Chosen Ones. When she was younger life wasn't so bad. But when the Prophet died his son took his place and things have gotten very bad. Only Kyra's two secrets — the books she sneaks out of the local bookmobile, and the boy she meets when no one is watching — make her life bearable. But then the Prophet ordains that she must marry her uncle, a man fifty years her elder. Kyra's desperate search for freedom will mean endangering everyone she cares about and leaving everything she's ever known...

It's not a long book, just over 200 pages, but it's fast paced and gripping. This is a book you'll read in one sitting and find yourself thinking about for weeks afterwards.


When I look at Laura, she's crying. "Don't go," she says, but she kisses me goodbye. Again and again.

"I love you," she says.

"I love you, too," I say.

She stands on the porch and watches me go.

Quick Guide: Shannon Hale

Shannon Hale is one of those oddities that crops up every so often in the book world. She's not well known. In fact, almost no one has heard of her. But those who have read her are almost unanimous in their praise. Have a look on Amazon; it's very unusual for her books to receive less than four stars.

Broadly speaking, Shannon writes fairy tales. But these aren't twinkly stories with happy ever afters at the end. These are Teen novels with life, love, loss, death and happiness inside.

The Books of Bayern began with The Goose Girl, loosely based on the fairy story of the same name. Anidora, Crown Princess of Kildendree, is sent with Selia, her lady's maid, and a company of guards to marry the prince of neighbouring Bayern. Along the way Selia uses her powers of compulsion to overthrow Ani and persuade the guards to join her. Ani flees through the forest and when she finally reaches Bayern, she learns that Selia has been recognised as the prince's fiancee. With the help of the servants, Ani must fight for her rightful place and for the safety of her country.

In Enna Burning trouble has come to Ani's court. Neighbouring Tira is marching to war, and rumours of a fire starter in the court are adding to the unease. Ani's powers of wind-speaking are needed to quench the blaze.

After the war with Tira, peace envoys are sent from Ani's court in River Secrets. At first all seems well, but the canals of Tira hold many secrets and the envoy may be in over their heads.

In the most recent title, Forest Born, the young sister of Ani's guard flees her forest home when she begins to feel as though she no longer belongs there. At the same time, warriors from Kel strike into Bayern, burning villages to the ground. Ani and her friends must leave their home ground to find the source of these seemingly aimless attacks.



Standalone title Book of a Thousand Days is loosely based on Maid Maleen by the Grimm brothers. In the tale, a young princess refuses to marry her father's choice of husband, and she and her maid are locked in a tower for seven years for her disobedience. The maid Dashti is our hero here, relating the time spent in the tower and their adventures out of it. There are many obstacles to overcome before they finally find a safe home.



In Princess Academy, another standalone, Miri's tiny stone cutting village is astounded when auguries show that the prince's next bride will be found there. All the girls are hustled into royal training in preparation for his visit. Only Miri has any suspicions, and it will fall to her to save them all...



Shannon has a beautiful, lyrical style and it's really a shame more people aren't aware of her. Give one of her books a try. You won't be sorry.

Review: The Forbidden Game Trilogy, by L J Smith

LJane Smith is currently recieving a lot of publicity for her Vampire Diaries, which was recently made into a TV series. Forbidden Game is similar in a lot of ways to that series; young, semi-naive heroine, a 'bad guy' determined to drag her to his side, and a 'good guy' trying to save her.

Jenny is shoping for a new game for her boyfriend Tom's birthday. Ducking into a store she's never seen before, she meets a strange, blue-eyed boy who sells her something simply called The Game.

Jenny senses something off about The Game, but her friends are eager to start. Until they're sucked into the world of The Game, forced to face their worst nightmares in a world where anything is possible.

Jenny's being hunted by Julian, beautiful blue-eyed Julian the Shadow Man. He's loved Jenny for years because she is everything he isn't; light to his darkness, compassion to his cruelty. Now he's hunting her, hunting her friends, to force her to say yes to him.

All I refuse, and thee I chuse...

Jenny has some hard decisions to make. Can she say goodbye to the human world for ever-changing Julian? Can she hold onto her humanity in the face of his Game? In the end she'll have to choose, darkness or light...

Customer Review: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, Stephanie Meyer

Sorry peoples but the word I use for “The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner” by Stephanie Meyer has to be disappointing. Actually I do love the name, I think it it clever and if you hadn’t read or heard about – I’d go as far as to say impossible – the Twilight series, I think the mere name of this book would catch your interest enough to pick it up and read the back anyway!

This book tells the story of one of the vampires turned by Victoria to join the army she is creating to destroy the Cullens. I think the premise is excellent and it could have been great but she forgets – in my opinion – that Bree is now a vampire and leaves her still with human feelings and no bloodthirstyness, facts all explained away in the book but factors which made me feel she was just cashing in on an already huge franchise. Much has been made of the fact that she released the story on free down-load so she isn’t making money but there is no such thing as bad publicity is there???

All that said, I think there are a million girls, boys and wanna-be vampires out there who will love this book and indeed, bar staff of pubs in Ireland (I met one about two weeks ago!!) who will love this book and will have paid for the book because they couldn’t wait for the free download date and I hope the book for them was all they hoped for and more. Me? A little bit too much pandering to the “fans” in my opinion and not enough staying true to her original premise…



Maeve works for the local County Council.

Books of the Month: June, 2010

Hi.

Adult Book of the Month is The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill. Kidnapped from her village at age eleven and sold into slavery, Aminata spends sixty years trying to return home.

Irish Fiction Book of the Month is Truth or Fiction by Jennifer Johnston. Caroline was expecting a simple, boring magazine assignment. But Desmond Fitzmaurice is anything but dull...

Mind, Body, Spirit Book of the Month is Change your Brain, Change your Life by Dr Daniel G Amen. This is a new programme using drug free methods to fight problems like depression and obsessive worrying.

Minority Interest Book of the Month is You are Here by Christopher Potter. It's a simply presented history of the universe to date, explaining stellar phenomena without resorting to scientific jargon.

The Manager's Choice Book is Never Say Die by Melanie Davies and Lynne Barrett Lee. Thirty years ago Melanie was paralysed in a car accident. This book gives us the ups and downs of an extraordinary life.

Fiction Book of the Month is The Seven Secrets of Happiness by Sharon Owens. Ruby's life is shattered just after Christmas, but through the following year she learns seven secrets that help her keep going...

History Book of the Month is The Resistance by Matthew Cobb. This is the personal story of some of the many ordinary French men and women who risked their lives aiding the French Resistance against the Nazi invaders during WWII.

Cookery Book of the Month is Shrewd Food by Elizabeth Carty. It contains over 120 recipes that can be cooked on a budget as well as preparation and storage tips to help save you time, money and effort.

Sports Book of the Month is Screaming at the Sky by Tony Griffin. Tony was a hurling star when he took a year off to cycle across Canada in memory of his father. This book chronicles the highs and lows of his momentous journey.

SCi Fi/Fantasy Book of the Month is The Edge of the World by Kevin J Anderson. Two great nations have come to war, and a single ship has slipped their grip. Their journey will take them off the map and into uncharted waters...


Children's Book of the Month is The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland. All the bear wants to do is sleep. But it's raining out, and Lion, Moose, Zebra and Sheep have nowhere to go.

Children's Half Price Book of the Month is Unhooking the Moon by Gregory Hughes. The Rat has always been a little...different. When her father dies, she decides to run away to see Grandma. What's a long suffering older brother to do?

Quick Guide: Chronicles of Narnia

The Chronicles of Narnia are one of the most famous series of children's books, but not many people can name all seven or put then in the right order. It doesn't help, of course, that they were published out of what's now considered reading order; they're mostly published now in chronological order, but that's not how they were originally written.

The Chronicles are about the magical land of Narnia and the humans who find their way there. Only eleven humans ever visit Narnia. Narnian time runs much faster than ours so the series begins with its' creation and ends with its' destruction, all happening within one human lifetime.



In The Magician's Nephew, young Digory and his neighbour, Polly, stumble upon magical rings created by Digory's uncle. The rings take them on several adventures, culminating in a land that isn't really there yet. Polly, Digory and his uncle are witnesses as Aslan, the Lion god and son of the Emperor–over–the–Sea, calls the land of Narnia and all its' peoples into being.

Several decades later Digory, now an accomplished Professor, welcomes the four Penvensie children into his home, refugees from the London Blitz. Lucy, the youngest, is the first to find the way into Narnia; Peter, Susan and Edmund follow her and are caught up in a battle for Narnia's freedom. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the best known of the series.

In the last years of Narnia's Golden Age Shasta, a boy raised in Calormen, meets a Narnian horse and they decide to flee North to Narnia together. They are joined by a young Calormene girl and her horse, fleeing from an arranged marriage. Together with their new companions, The Horse and His Boy struggle towards freedom and the discovery of Shasta's true identity.

A year after their return to England, the Pevensie children are brought to Narnia once more. Here they learn that thirteen hundred years have passed since their last visit. Narnia has fallen to the brutal Telemarines and the wondrous Talking Animals and magical beings are in hiding. Only the true heir to the throne, Prince Caspian, can bring Narnia back to it's roots.

A year after their adventure with Prince Caspian, Lucy and Edmund are staying with their cousin Eustace. They are called to Narnia to aid the now King Caspian on the Voyage of the Dawn Treader, a journey to find seven banished Narnian Lords and return them home. The Dawn Treader takes them far beyond the boundaries of Narnia, almost to Aslan's country itself...

Eustace, far nicer for his Narnian adventure, is on the run from bullies with a schoolfriend, Jill, when both are transported to Narnia. Given a mission by Aslan himself, at first it seems hopeless. With time running out they'll have to use everything they've learned to solve the mystery of The Silver Chair.

In The Last Battle, Narnia's days are drawing to a close. Torn by treachery on all sides, the last King, Tirian, calls on the great kings and queens of the past to help him in this last, great battle for the souls of Narnia's people.

The BBC filmed four of the books between 1988 and 1990; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and The Silver Chair. They are available from Amazon.co.uk as a box set.





More recently a series of films have been made. The Lion, the Witch and Wardrobe was released in 2005; Prince Caspian followed in 2008. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader will be released this Christmas, 2010.








The Chronicles are classic children's books and every child should have the chance to read them.

Reading order:

The Magician's Nephew
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Horse and His Boy
Prince Caspian
Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair
The Last Battle

The Horse and His Boy is often numbered out of sequence as it takes place in Calormen rather than Narnia and is only peripheral to the main story.

Quick Guide: The Last Survivors

The Last Survivors is a trilogy by Susan Pfeffer. Set in the current day, the series details the effects on the world when the moon is knocked out of orbit, closer to earth.

Life as we Knew it, the first volume, is written in diary format by a teenage girl, Miranda. She lives in rural Pennsylvania with her mother and younger brother, Jonny. Older brother Matt is away at college, and her father's new wife has just announced her pregnancy.

The diary starts up a week before the expected meteor strike on the moon. At first it's a typical teenage diary; Miranda talks about friends and school, about her imminent step‐sibling and the tiny dramas that make up life. On the day of the meteor hit, though, everything changes.

The immediate effect is tsunamis. The tide happens to be in along the east coast of America, leading to reports of major cities being devastated. And when those waves finally die down they start up on the west coast as the tide moves around. Tsunamis are only the beginning, however; the changed gravitational pull leads to earthquakes and, a little later on, volcanoes erupting fiercely enough to throw a blanket of ash into the air, cutting the sunlight and destroying any chance they had of growing a crop.

Miranda faithfully chronicles all of these changes in her world, including all her reactions and everything she and her family discuss.



the dead and the gone, the second title, follows a teenage boy, Alex, in New York during the same time period. Alex finds himself the head of the household when his father, mother and older brother are all, in different ways, lost to him. He struggles to keep his sisters alive in a city that seems more than half dead.



This World we Live In brings the two story lines together, as Alex and his sister are brought to Miranda's home. Each is a survivor in their own way, but they teach other to be strong and to face whatever happens.


For a review of Life as we Knew it, go here.

For a review of the dead and the gone, go here.

For a review of This World we Live In, go here.


Incidentally, the author is very friendly and loves hearing from fans from around the world. Visit her blog and tell her Aoife sent you.

Review: This World we Live In, by Susan Pfeffer

Who will live and who will die?

The third volume of the Last Survivors brings us full circle as Miranda's father returns home, bringing with him his wife, their son, and three strangers; a man called Charlie and two siblings, Alex and Julie. Adding all these people stretches already strained resources to breaking point, and Miranda finds that their strange half‐life can't last forever...


This World brings together Miranda and her family and Alex and his. It starts on April 25th, more than a month since we've last seen Miranda and four months since Alex and Julie left New York. They've all grown in the interim; Alex and Julie are much more of a team, and Miranda has grown out of her teenage all‐about‐me stage. It's back to diary format, too, which makes it interesting; Miranda can only judge Alex and Julie on what she hears and sees, while we know more about them.

While a lot of the book is taken up with the scramble for resources we're familiar with from the first two, there are some huge set‐pieces towards the end, and some painful decisions are forced on Miranda. She copes admirably, in a way she couldn't have in Life as we Knew it or even at the start of This World, proving how much she's grown and matured through her experiences.

It's interesting, too, to watch Alex‐who's kept his faith through everything‐talk with Miranda, who gave only lip service to religion even before anything happened. Their individual points of view are very well represented without either side coming across as too preachy.

I could happily read another twenty books set in this world, but if this is the end, it's a perfect place to stop. Things have gone wrong, but Miranda has learned to look for the good in everything and as long as she has people she loves, she'll survive.


'You have to believe in the future,' Alex said. 'Otherwise there's no point in being alive.'
'That's easy for you to say!' I cried. 'You have your faith, your Church. But I don't believe like that. Maybe I used to but I don't anymore.'
I thought Alex would get angry at me then, but he didn't.
'You don't have to believe in the church,' he said. 'Or even in God. Believe that people can change things.'
'No,' I said. 'I don't know that anymore.' My mind flashed back to the dead man with his dog lying beside him. 'We're all helpless,' I said. 'There's nothing we can do. There's nothing left to trust in.'
'Trust in tomorrow,' Alex said. 'Every day of your life, there's been a tomorrow. I promise you, there'll be a tomorrow.'

Review: the dead and the gone, by Susan Pfeffer

Only the unlucky survive...

Alex Morales lives in New York city. He has no interest in the meteor that's supposed to hit the moon; he has work and school to keep up with, and with his older brother in the Marines and his father away at a funeral he's the man of the house. Not that his sisters seem to pay much attention to him.

When he gets home on the evening of the 18th May, he discovers his mother has been called into work unexpectedly, leaving him with his sisters. In the days that follow, as he realises his parents aren't coming home and life has changed forever, he struggles to keep them together and fed. But worse is yet to come...


Life as we Knew it was set in rural Pennsylvania. Miranda and her family were short of food and heat and water, but their isolation protected them from some of the problems Alex and his sisters face. New York is devastated by the tidal waves, and each time the tide comes in a little more of the city is lost. With government breaking down waste removal ceases, which doesn't seem like a problem until you realise how many people are dying. And with only emergency food supplies making it into the stricken city, it becomes harder and harder for Alex to keep his family alive.

Alex has to make some very difficult decisions during the course of this book. Both his sisters are offered places out of the city, forcing him to weigh their chances of survival against their hatred for being split up. At one point the only way to get food is to trade clothes and belongings looted from dead bodies.

Miranda and her family weren't particularly religious, but Alex and his sisters are devout Catholics and their occasional prayers add a ring of truth to the story. Similarly, while the government was mostly incompetent in LAWKI, here you get the sense that they're genuinely trying to help as many people as possible, particularly in a harrowing scene in Yankee Stadium early in the book.

The book ends on the 29th December, meaning the whole book takes place within LAWKI. And luckily, it escapes the middle—book—in—a—trilogy curse; it's just as strong as the other two.


'It's not Thanksgiving without football,' one of the guys said.
'Touch football,' another said. 'No helmets, no hits.'
'No Cowboys, either,' the first said. 'Jets versus Giants.'
'We need another guy on our team!' another man yelled. 'Come on, kid. You're a Giant.'
And for one glorious moment, that was just how Alex felt.