This pair of thought-provoking, discussion-building short novels by Tanya Landman are exactly what Upper Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 teachers have been looking for. Designed specifically for seriously struggling or reluctant teen readers, they are incredibly accessible but look really cool. There's definitely nothing embarrassing or babyish about these books. They can also… Continue reading Thrilling, Accessible Teen Fiction by Tanya Landman
Emma Carroll has done it again with an stunning gothic adventure for middle grade readers. The first in a new historical fantasy series, Dracula and Daughters is equal parts frightening, inspiring and intriguing. You will never look at vampires the same way again! Who can resist a story that begins with the sentence: “It’s November,… Continue reading Dracula and Daughters by Emma Carroll
I couldn't wait to be back in the delightfully gothic world of Matilda Lockett and her ghostly friend, Edgar Wilde. Brimming with questions, clues and plenty of peril, readers are whisked away to a richly atmospheric and brilliantly entertaining, supernatural Victorian mystery. As the features of this 19th century detective story unfold, we learn more… Continue reading Lockett & Wilde’s Dreadfully Haunting Mysteries: The Ghosts of London by Lucy Strange
Cuddle up under a blanket and keep the curtains closed! The queen of gothic tales, Lucy Strange, has done it again with a story that will send shivers down your spine. The Boy at the Window is a hauntingly gothic book inspired by dark stories of the 18th century. It will make a perfect addition… Continue reading The Boy at the Window by Lucy Strange & illustrated by Rohan Eason
Black Gables is everything you could hope for in a classically gothic story. Tension oozes off the page as readers are introduced to a town where the supernatural and mortals overlap in layers no one can unravel. Someone, something is watching and Rosella doesn't know where to turn. A strange school, even stranger pupils and… Continue reading Black Gables by Eibhlís Carcione ~ Blog Tour
Spooky, laugh-out-loud funny and incredibly touching, Malory Vayle and the Curse of Maggoty Skull is undoubtedly one of the best new books of 2024. Aimed perfectly at readers age 9+, it will draw them in with its magic. Fans of Jenni Spangler's charming gothic adventures won't be able to put it down. Right from the… Continue reading Malory Vayle and the Curse of Maggoty Skull by Martin Howard
The Island at the Edge of Night by Lucy Strange is stunning! A dark, gothic mystery set in the 1930s when science and magic collide, it pulled me under its spell. The power of nature, the strength of children and a call to courage sets it among the best books I've read. Located on a… Continue reading The Island at the Edge of Night by Lucy Strange
I loved Nicholas Bowling's Song of the Far Isles, a beautifully magical tale of the music that makes us who we are. I was thrilled to be offered the opportunity to read The Undying of Obedience Wellrest. With a gothic Regency setting, The Undying of Obedience Wellrest is a uniquely dark and compelling mystery. Surrounded… Continue reading The Undying of Obedience Wellrest by Nicholas Bowling ~ Blog Tour
This book comes just in time for my twins’ exploration of Gothic Literature in their Year 7 English lessons. Our house has been full of discussions about monsters and darkness, melancholy and death. Following Frankenstein gives a whole new perspective on a classic story. Maggie has always known the tale of the desperate creator and… Continue reading Following Frankenstein by Catherine Bruton
Thirteen-year-old Violet is the daughter of an undertaker: born in the mortuary, living her whole life among the dead. With a cemetery for a back garden, dealing with loss and those in mourning is nothing new for her. She can sense the dead and listens to their messages. Then, one day, a young man is… Continue reading A Case of Grave Danger (The Violet Veil Mysteries) by Sophie Cleverly
Scope for Imagination 