Time travel stories always give me a headache. I normally end up pondering over the paradoxical nature of what would happen if… Time Riders by Alex Scarrow was no exception. However, the headache was worth it! The first book in this series gripped me quickly with its lightning fast chapters and its rapidly evolving story [...]
Archive > November 2011
Don’t Tangle with Tengu
Last weekend, while enjoying the generous hospitality of two new Japanese friends, I made a terrible mistake. We were talking about Tengu, and the festival in their honour held yearly in Shimokitazawa where I’m currently living. Having read something on this subject in the guidebook, I piped up brightly and said, ‘Tengu are yokai, aren’t [...]
Funk Death!
It’s a big week in France… Scream Street begins publishing in French. Scream Street – or Trouille-la-Mort as the series will be known (which, according to Google, translates as Funk Death) – has been translated by Anouk Journo-Durey, and gets exciting new covers. Check out the new look Luke, Resus and Cleo get for Fang [...]
I am Boj
Hello! Guest Blogger Laura here, bringing you another snippet of Monsterliciousness! My partner in crime Christian recently found this poetry book from his childhood: Apparently it used to completely horrify him. Quite right too! Honestly, it’s scaring me a little even now. This is down to terrifically terrifying writing from poets such as Ted Hughes, [...]
Warrior Number One by Andy Briggs
Warrior Number One is the third book I’ve read in Franklin Watts‘ fast and fun Edge series – and, to my mind, it’s the funniest thing Andy Briggs has written. Meet Carl – small, thin, geeky and obsessed with a computer game called Barbarianz. Carl is battling his way through the various levels to try [...]
How To End A Story, How To Rant On Facebook
Whatever desire or need drives the story is fulfilled or finally dashed at the end. If anyone is struggling with their ending, it’s usually because there isn’t a strong enough desire or need driving their story. This is a problem with their story, their character, their entire world and everything they’ve written.
Sweet / Scary
One thing I’m having to get used to seeing here in Tokyo (especially at this time of year) are the face masks. They’re worn out of consideration for other people, to protect them from your germs when you’ve got a cold. There’s nothing sinister about them at all. Except… Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival [...]
Freak of Fortune by Ali Sparkes
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – writing a book with a limited word count is a hard thing to do. Fitting a complete story with a beginning, middle and end, a setting that feels real from page one, and rounded, believable characters into such a small space is tough – and [...]