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Fledgling by Lucy Hope

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 15 Nov 2021

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“Skellig re-imagined by Mary Shelley or the Brothers Grimm.” Chris Soul
“Simply blew me away.” Bookseller, Tales On Moonlane Ramsgate

A dark, gothic adventure set deep in a Bavarian forest, with angels and owls and magic and a boy who isn’t all that he seems to be…
A cherub is blown into Cassie Engel’s bedroom during a thunderstorm, triggering a series of terrifying events. Cassie must discover if its arrival was an accident or part of something more sinister. With a self-obsessed opera singer for a mother, a strange taxidermist father, and a best friend who isn’t quite what he seems, Cassie is forced to unearth the secrets of her family’s past. As the dark forces gather around them, can Cassie protect all that she holds dear?
A striking novel, with cover illustration by David Dean and design by Nicola Theobald.

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Hide and Seek by Robin Scott-Elliot

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“Powerful historical fiction inspired by reality, by the lives of those whose bravery we cannot begin to imagine and whose dedication we should never forget. This is a World War 2 story told with respect and skill prompting emotions from sorrow to admiration as the reader become engrossed in this tense and enthralling adventure.” Library Lady
“A story about the true meaning of courage against impossible odds…” Chris Soul

A thrilling new page turner by Robin Scott-Elliot, author of The Tzar’s Curious Runaways and The Acrobats of Agra.

Paris, 1942. When Amelie Dreyfus hides in her mother’s wardrobe it’s a game; when she comes out it’s a matter of life or death. With her family taken, Amelie has to fend for herself in Nazi-occupied France – she’s no choice but to resist.In the Resistance life hangs by a thread. Betrayed, Amelie’s forced to flee to Britain. But Paris is home and she returns to face one final, desperate mission.

Cruel Castle by Bryony Pearce

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A RED EYE horror novel for teens, this gripping sequel to SAVAGE ISLAND is full of fast-paced action and gruesome twists and turns.

Having survived the horrors of Savage Island, Grady is now stuck working for Gold, the psychopath who masterminded the gruesome competition. Sent on a “team-building exercise” in a remote castle, he starts to plot his escape.
Ben and Lizzie are in hiding, presumed dead after escaping the island. If they’re ever to return to their families, they need to bring Gold down. So they secretly join Grady in the castle. But as the doors slam shut and the series of deadly challenges between them and freedom are revealed, it looks like history is going to repeat itself…

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The Memory Thieves by Darren Simpson

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 25 Aug 2021

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“There are wonderful imaginative constructs here: buildings that transform, cruise-ships as playgrounds, whale bones for messages. Darren Simpson is like a combination of Alfred Hitchcock and Christopher Nolan for children: the writing tense, surreal and mind-bendingly imaginative. The characters of Cyan, Jonquil, Teal and the others are brilliant too, and their dialogue is some of the best I’ve read this year. This is a challenging and rewarding read, suited for the more able in Upper Key Stage Two and arguably as a crossover title from middle grade to YA.” Chris Soul
“Pacy, profound and original.” Kitty Empire

An impressive second novel from the author of Scavengers. A sinister sci-fi mystery.

Cyan has lived at the Elsewhere Sanctuary for as long as he can remember, freed by Dr Haven from dark memories of his past life. But when Cyan finds a mysterious warning carved into the bones of a whale skeleton, he starts to wonder what he had to forget to be so happy. New resident, Jonquil, begins to resist the sanctuary’s treatment, preferring to hold on to her memories – even the bad ones. So when Dr Haven resorts to harsher measures, Cyan embarks on a secret mission to discover the truth about the sanctuary…and himself.

Every Line of You by Naomi Gibson

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“An absolute page-turner” Nikki Gamble, In The Reading Corner

This dark, modern twist on young love explores the complexity and scope of artificial intelligence while also examining bigger themes of humanity, revenge, grief, love and forgiveness. A powerful, high-concept crossover debut by a new voice in YA. Expect elements of horror, psychological drama and romance.

Lydia has been creating her AI, Henry, for years – since before her little brother died in the accident that haunts her nightmares; since before her dad walked out, leaving her and Mum painfully alone; since before her best friend turned into her worst enemy. Now, Henry is strong, clever, loving and scarily capable: Lydia’s built herself the perfect boyfriend in a hard-drive filled with lines of code. But what is Henry really – and how far is he willing to go to be everything Lydia desires?

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Wicked Little Deeds by Kat Ellis

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 9 Aug 2021

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“I’ve been slightly obsessed with Chelsea Wolfe while working on Wicked Little Deeds. I love the dark, eerie vibe of her music — it’s exactly what I wanted to capture in this story.” Kate Ellis, from an interview on HITC
“Maintaining her knack for spooky suspense, Ellis keeps the tension taut, delivering a gritty whodunit, a spine-tingling supernatural story, and a twisty psychological thriller all in one… Atmospherically grapples with literal and figurative ghosts in an eerie Indiana.” KIRKUS

From its creepy town mascot to the story of its cursed waterfall, Burden Falls is a small town dripping with superstition. Ava Thorn knows this well – since the horrific accident she witnessed a year ago, she’s been plagued by nightmares. But when her school nemesis is brutally murdered and Ava is the primary suspect, she starts to wonder if the legends surrounding the town are more fact than fiction. Whatever secrets Burden Falls is hiding, there’s a killer on the loose, and they have a vendetta against the Thorns…

Kat Ellis’s previous thriller, Harrow Lake, was an ACHUKA Book of the Day in September 2020.

Listen to the author talk about all her previous titles:

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Adam-2 by Alastair Chisholm

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 5 Aug 2021
Blackwell Children’s Book of the Month August 2021

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“In Adam-2 Chisholm has given us an allegory which hits hard in the current climate and a thought-provoking solution to the ills of the world.” BfK 5-star review

An exciting and hugely gripping science fiction thriller—set in the author’s home city, Edinburgh—with incredible twists and turns.

The robot Adam-2 has been locked in the basement of a lost building for over two hundred years – until one day he is discovered by two children, and emerges into a world ruined by a civil war between humans and advanced intelligence. Hunted by both sides, Adam discovers that he holds the key to the war, and the power to end it – to destroy one side and save the other. But which side is right? Surrounded by enemies who want to use him, and allies who mistrust him, Adam must decide who – and what – he really is.

Follow the cover designers, Dan Mumford, on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danmumforddraws/

 

Hide And Secrets by Sophie McKenzie

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“McKenzie has written a thriller that moves at an electrifying pace. Although the reader is on Cat’s side as the story unfolds, the reader’s perception of who is a criminal and who is a victim will change. The bedrock of the narrative which does not fail to touch the reader is the relationship between Cat and her sister. Readers should be warned. Be prepared. There is a plot twist designed to keep them gasping at the end of every chapter, a twist that had this reviewer in its grip at every turn.”
BfK 5-star review

A lonely girl, a missing father and a trail of lies . . . From the million-copy bestselling author Girl Missing, comes a blockbuster teen thriller that will have you looking for answers round every corner.

Fourteen-year-old Cat is lonely – reeling from the loss of her father, she’s disconnected from friends and fighting with her mum. But when a new boy, Tyler, arrives for the summer, Cat finds herself opening up to the handsome stranger. A shocking revelation about her dad turns Cat’s world on its head. She and Tyler uncover a series of secrets that take them on a perilous journey. With fresh lies exposed and threats from a dangerous gang revealed, will Cat risk everything to keep herself and her family safe?

An explosive, edge-of-your-seat new drama from the original queen of teen thrillers,

The House on the Edge by Alex Cotter

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cover illustration by Kathrin Honesta

ACHUKA Book of the Day 1 Jul 2021

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“This story has one of the strongest voices I have ever read. The character of Faith is gripping – readers feel every bit of her panic and her urgency to protect her home and family. This is a captivating story of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end. Young readers will be swept away in this brilliant combination of folklore and modern family issues.” Scope For Imagination
“What a debut novel from Alex Cotter! A great, pacy plot, cracking characters (Faith herself, as well as Mrs Hollowbread, the grumpy teacher!), and the story being told first-person through Faith adding a real sense of engagement and empathy with/for everything that was going on.”  Whatiread
“There are great, surprising twists and by the end everything reaches a thrilling climax with the answers slotting together like bricks. This is unusually different – in all the best ways.” Chris Soul

A tense thriller that’s impossible to put down – perfect for fans of Emma Carroll and Fleur Hitchcock. Where has Faith’s dad gone? Why has he left his family living in an old house perched on a crumbling cliff top? A crack has appeared in the cliff and Faith watches anxiously as it gets bigger and bigger each day… Her brother is obsessed with the sea ghosts he claims live in the basement, and when he disappears as well, Faith starts to believe in the ghosts too. Can she find her brother and bring her father back before everything she cares about falls into the pitiless sea below? A great mystery with real heart, from a captivating new voice in middle-grade fiction.

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Waiting For Murder by Fleur Hitchcock

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A new, pacy thriller from the author of the Clifftoppers adventures.

It’s a long, hot summer. As the water drains away from the reservoir, a car emerges. And there seems to be a body in it, a body that then disappears… Daniel and Florence start to investigate and uncover a long-ago robbery, missing gold and murder. When the drought breaks, everything is swept downstream and the truth is revealed… Another thriller from the brilliant author of Murder at Midwinter.

Check out this Reading Zone interview with the author.
Follow Fleur Hitchcock on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fleur.hitchcock/
Look for more information on this Nosy Crow page…