Kate on the Case - Hannah Peck

Book Summary

Young reporter-in-training Kate and her mouse-accomplice Rupert are on board a train, to visit Kate's mum in the Arctic.

But as soon as the train departs, mysterious things start happening.

A packet of ginger nuts goes missing . . .

A collection of gymnastics trophies are stolen . . .

And some ancient scrolls disappear . . .

Fellow passenger Madame Maude seems the most likely culprit, until a surprising - and delicious - twist turns the whole investigation on its head.

I loved the sound of this book but when it actually arrived it was so adorable I couldn't wait to read it. The illustrations at the start are charming, introducing all the characters and then mapping out the train, which even has a library! I would definitely love to travel on this train.

With the help of her Special Correspondent Manual and her pet mouse, no mystery is too big for Kate and she is committed to finding out who the thief on the train is. She definitely has her eye on the very suspicious looking Madame Maude, but sometimes appearances can be deceiving. Kate is a smart and determined main character and Roo is a lovely companion, very good at distractions! I don't know if this is going to be a series but I do hope so, I'd love more from Kate and Roo.

For any budding artists out there, follow this link for instructions on how to draw Roo the mouse. Here's my extremely impressive attempt!

I'm drinking a Blue Train cocktail which also happens to match the text of the book title perfectly!

Shake and strain the following with lots of ice: 1 shot gin, 1/2 shot each triple sec and lemon juice, 1/4 shot blue curacao.

 Edie and the Box of Flits - Kate Wilkinson

Illustrations - Joe Berger

Book Summary

When eleven-year-old Edie Winter finds a mysterious box on the London Underground she's amazed to discover that it's home to a family of Flits - tiny winged people. But Impy, Speckle and Nid need Edie's help. Not only do they need supplies (rice crispies, sugar sprinkles, digestive biscuits and raisins) and someone to look after them, but their brother Jot has run away and they need Edie's help to find him.

First of all, I love books about lost things. Lost property offices always sound fascinating, I'd love to rummage through the rooms of the London Underground office like Edie does. The Flits are marvellous, tiny little thumb sized people with wings, whose personalities are definitely not miniature! I loved reading how they forage and use everything in different ways. The start of the book is actually quite harrowing but the story is lovely, I really enjoyed reading it. Edie feels lonely since starting secondary school but she ends up with loads of friends. The cover is so gorgeous too, it made me want to read it right away.

To make a FlitBox cocktail*: first shake without ice, 1.5 shots gin, 1/2 shot triple sec, 1/2 shot lemon juice, dash of grenadine, dash of sugar syrup, 1/2 shot egg white. Then add ice and shake again. Strain into a cocktail glass.

*adapted from Boxcar cocktail

 Mix & Match 10

I've just restocked my bar with Chambord so this was the perfect excuse to make a French Martini! 2 shots vodka, 1/2 shot Chambord and 1.5 shots pineapple juice, shake with lots of ice and strain into a martini glass. Once your cocktail is ready, pick one of these great books to relax with.

Shadows of Winterspell - Amy Wilson

Winterspell is full of magic right from the start which I loved. Stella's grandmother who brought her up is a ghost and they have an imp guarding the house. There is a mystery of how Stella ended up living with her Nan and why the forest is full of shadows. The book was quite fast paced and I liked that there were actually some answers early on as well as so much mystery.

I must say that while the cover is really beautiful, it gave me a totally incorrect vision of the forest which actually sounds so dark, creepy and absolutely terrifying. I really enjoyed the book but did feel like the ending felt a bit unfinished, I wanted more. I read this with the Middle Grade Marvels book club and we all agreed we want a sequel!

Nightbooks - J.A. White

Alex is on his way to the basement of his building when he gets lured into a magic apartment and trapped by a witch. In order to keep her happy he must read her the scary stories he wrote, but what will happen if he runs out of ideas?

I really enjoyed all of Alex's own stories within the book, they were so deliciously creepy and it made me want to watch and read some more horror. There are quite a few intriguing mysteries running through the book, is the apartment alive, what are those creepy figurines and why exactly was Alex trying to destroy his books? I loved every page of the book and will be looking out for more by this author.

House of Hollow - Krystal Sutherland 

This book is so mysterious, with one mystery layered on another, each clue just adding to the confusion. It was intriguing and gripping, I really couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen.

The descriptions were so vivid, the sights and smells and feelings. Some details were really gory and disgusting, mixing beauty and darkness together. It was actually pretty disgusting in a lot of places and a bit too much for me sometimes.

I would have loved to get the other 2 sisters' points of view too. Are they as confident and sure of themselves as they first seem?

I really didn't see that twist coming, though in hindsight maybe I should have.

The Bewitching of Aveline Jones - Phil Hickes

In Aveline's second adventure, she and her mum are on holiday in a tiny quiet village. However, just at the end of the garden is an ancient stone circle. Perfect for investigation! The Witch Stones aren't all Aveline finds and she makes a new friend, a mysterious girl called Hazel who seems to have some kind of connection with the stones. Unexplained things start happening but luckily Harold is on his way with a huge pile of books covering all eventualities.

I really liked Alice, the village vicar, who reminded me a lot of Geraldine from The Vicar of Dibley. Though I thought she could possibly have been a little bit more helpful to Aveline.

This was every bit as good as the first book, just as scary and thrilling. I loved the suspense and eerieness. I'll definitely be buying myself a physical copy as soon as it is released and already I can't wait for the third book in the series.

The Crackle Dawn Dragon - Abi Elphinstone

The conclusion to the Unmapped Chronicles is superb, just as wonderful as the other books. Full of adventure, suspense, magical places and fantastic characters. 

The descriptions really brought the places to life and I loved all the whimsical names and creatures. I absolutely adored it just as much as the previous books, I've been trying to think of some more original emotions but I can't do any better! The narrator is delightful, giving it an amazing storytelling quality, like listening to a bedtime story.

My only criticism is that I'm sad it's over and I want more books in the Unmapped Kingdoms!