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Alex Neptune: Zombie Fighter by David Owen – Blog Tour Book Review
About the Book
When a creepy fog rolls into Haven Bay, Alex, Zoey and Anil are ambushed by terrifying crab-riding zombies, controlled by the evil spirit of Brineblood the pirate.
The only weapon that can stop Brineblood’s zombie army is a powerful trident – but it’s been broken into three pieces. Alex, Zoey and Anil must enter three deadly worlds that have been magically trapped in bottles to retrieve the hidden pieces, all before the zombies can catch them. But with some penguins, an octopus and a frozen dragon on their side, how can they go wrong?
About the Author
Having worked as a freelance games journalist and taught on a BA Creative Writing course for three years, David Owen’s debut novel, Panther, was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal, and was followed by three further highly acclaimed YA novels. Alex Neptune is his first series for younger readers, born of his love for nail-biting heists, fantastical monsters and heartfelt friendships.
Instagram – https://instagram.com/davidowenauthor
What I Thought
Book 1 Review – Alex Neptune: Dragon Thief – https://kirstyes.co.uk/2022/08/03/alex-neptune-dragon-thief-by-david-owen-blog-tour-book-review/
Book 2 Review – Alex Neptune: Pirate Hunter – Alex Neptune: Pirate Hunter by David Owen – Blog Tour Author Interview and Book Review
Book 3 Review – Alex Neptune: Monster Avenger
Monster Avenger is my favourite book of the series to date. In it a parasite is infecting all the ocean creatures starting with Loaf the seal and there’s evidence that the Water Dragon is losing its battle with the infection and the results of that would be catastrophic.
Alex, Zoey and Anil get a distress call from new friend Meri and go in search of them, the missing baby dragon and a cure for the infection.
Then we take a very Inner Space like journey into the belly of the dragon, and its heart, lungs etc in order to administer the cure. As well as deadly stomach acid there are more foes lurking inside to keep them from their goal. There was also a highly entertaining Tarzan of the Jungle type scene featuring mucus vines!! (Spoilers for this book will feature in the book 4 review below).
Book 4 Review – Alex Neptune: Zombie Fighter
With Zoey and Anil having been gifted water magic Alex is no longer alone but instead finds himself in the role of teacher, while he is still coming to terms with the power himself.
But there is not much time for lessons when a mysterious fog and the mysterious clicking noise it contains rolls over Haven Bay and the safety of the town is once again threatened.
The zombie crabs are after Brineblood’s skull and after previously deciding that Argosy was not trustworthy enough to hold onto the skull his house is a last refuge to keep it from a greater evil.
Faced with a frozen water dragon it is up to the three fledgling magic holders to locate three trident prongs that when reunited would have the power to save them all.
What follows is a portal adventure and treasure hunt featuring volcanos, floods, penguins, monsters and some people who may not be what they seem.
The loss of the water dragon to icecubeness in this one drives Alex, Zoey and Anil to work together and learn from each other to achieve their goals.
As with the other books I really enjoy how the kids aren’t completely on their own with this and benefit from ongoing help from family and a variety of sea creatures. Alex’s Grandpa and sister Bridget are also excellent human characters to have along for the ride.
This is such an enjoyable series. Fast paced and action packed with an undercurrent of climate change/protect our oceans messaging that weaves into the plot smoothly.
Book 5 Review – Alex Neptune: Dragon Champion
Zombie Fighter’s ending has set – 2025 release Dragon Champion – up to be an epic concluding battle to a very fun series and is a book I will definitely be on my anticipated reads list for next year.
Huge thanks to Bee at Kaleidoscopic Tours and the publisher Usborne for the gifted copy for the purposes of an honest review. Do go check out the rest of the tour stops too.
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The Secret of the Blood Red Key by David Farr – Blog Tour: Extract and a Giveaway
About the Book
The dazzling follow-up to the phenomenal The Book of Stolen Dreams from master storyteller David Farr, perfect for fans of Katherine Rundell and Philip Pullman.
Step inside the pages of an immortal adventure…
Rachel and Robert have defeated the tyrant Malstain and become the heroes of Krasnia, but all is not how it should be. Robert is swept away with his new friends, leaving Rachel alone to take care of her ailing father, who’s lost without their beloved mother.
From nowhere, a boy appears knowing the secrets of the hidden blood-red key. For the key is a way into the Hinterland – and Rachel must promise that, as a new key keeper, she will answer when it calls. When a young girl, Elsa Spiegel, is illegally smuggled into the Hinterland, Rachel has no choice but to use her key to save Elsa. But her fate is linked to Krasnia, and Rachel must battle to save her home as she knows it.
About the Author
David Farr is one of the UK’s leading screenwriters and directors for film, TV and theatre. In 2009, he was appointed Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, where his productions of The Winter’s Tale, King Lear and The Homecoming all opened to critical acclaim. David is known for his work on Spooks and his 2016 BBC adaptation of The Night Manager, starring Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston. He completed his first feature film, Hanna, in 2009, and has since adapted it into a hugely successful series for Amazon Prime, and has recently adapted The Midwich Cuckoos for Sky. The Book of Stolen Dreams is his first novel.
Extract
Here is a short extract of Chapter 13 The Lock which also demonstrates the wonderful illustration in the book. PDF version of the extract for download below.
Giveaway
The publisher sent me an extra copy of book one so I’m hosting a giveaway. To enter comment below where you would want the key to open to (U.K. addresses only).
What I Thought
To come… unfortunately I have been unwell again so have been unable to read this one. I will reshare this blog post with my review later in the month when I’m feeling better.
Do check out what everyone else on the blog tour thought – follow along on social media using #TheSecretToTheBloodRedKey and #TheStolenDreamsAdventures
Thanks to Bee at Kaleidoscopic Tours and the Publisher Usborne for the copy for review. The blog tour poster is below for reference.
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The Boy Who Made Monsters by Jenny Pearson – Blog Tour Book Review
About the Book
There are a lot of different types of monster. Some live at the bottom of lochs, some are found far out at sea and some swim about in the depths of your mind and these can be the scariest monsters of all – if you let them.
Benji McLaughlin is a visionary. He believes in things that other people think are impossible, like that he and his brother Stanley will be happy in their new home in Scotland, and that the Loch Lochy monster exists, and that his parents will come home safely one day, even though they’ve been missing for months.
When he finds out that his Uncle Hamish’s Loch Lochy tourist business is struggling, and it looks like Benji and Stanley might lose another home, Benji’s not worried. He has a plan. If he can show everyone that the Loch Lochy monster exists, people will flock to come and see it, and the business will flourish again.
Together with his new friend Murdy and Mr Dog, the best dog in the world, Benji sets off to capture evidence of the monster, even if he has to get a little creative. But Benji might end up confronting more monsters than he expects.
About the Author
Jenny Pearson has been awarded six mugs, one fridge magnet, one wall plaque and numerous cards for her role as Best Teacher in the World. When she is not busy being inspirational in the classroom, she would like nothing more than to relax with her two young boys, but she can’t as they view her as a human climbing frame. Her debut novel, The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates, was shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award and selected as a Waterstones Book of the Month.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/J_C_Pearson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/J_C_Pearson/
What I Thought
The Boy Who Made Monsters follows Benji and his brother Stanley up to a Scottish Loch to live with their uncle after their parents go missing. The story is told from eleven year old Benji’s perspective and as such I would say this is on the younger end of middle grade.
Benji is an entertaining narrator who despite all the upheaval in his life is willing to go all in to help his uncle’s ailing business and he takes us along for the ride with a lot of humour. I can’t help thinking that this is also a note to us all to look out for the people we think as coping well when something difficult happens. Under the surface all may not be well and their flippers may be paddling wildly.
The topic of grief is approached with sensitivity and we get to see a few different ways that individuals cope with it. The relationship between Benji and his brother Stanley was well developed, from standard sibling fights to fighting for your sibling.
Benji’s new friend Murdy McGurdy was a delight although I have to admit that I think Mr Dog was my favourite character, there is one illustration included in the book that made me want to give him the biggest boop.
There is a good mix of adventure and emotion in this story and I think it’s one that you would get even more from reading for a second time.
This is the third book by Jenny that I have read and enjoyed and she really is a master at mixing humour with the more serious experiences children may have to face.
See also my review of Freddie Yates here.
Thanks to Bee at Kaleidoscopic Tours and the publisher Usborne for the gifted copy. Opinions are all mine. Follow the tour by using the hashtag #TheBoyWhoMadeMonsters
kirstyes 