Hidden by Marianne Curley

Reproduced with kind permission of Bloomsbury
Reproduced with kind permission of Bloomsbury

It sometimes seems that the trend for paranormal romance will never reach its end… In fact it’s quite easy to get cynical about the narrow range of fiction pushed at a young adult audience. So I was surprised that I enjoyed this new offering to the genre, and now feel that perhaps there’s life in it yet!

This is the story of Ebony, who’s never been beyond the valley in which she lives with her parents. And Jordan, who’s life she is about to save. The concept of guardian angels is given a new twist, as beings from another dimension do battle over Ebony’s soul, and Jordan must compete with an angel called Thane for her heart. The characters are well-depicted and I especially liked Jordan, who is very sympathetic and as the human love interest, ably counterbalances his all-too-perfect angelic rivals. The action-packed plot is constructed with enough surprises to make it stand above the glut of predictable paranormal romances, and leaves the door open for an interesting sequel. It’s refreshing to delve into angel lore as opposed to vampire mythology, and Curley has created a believable universe for her characters to inhabit. Even if you’ve become tired of the genre, this is an enjoyable novel and well worth a read. 13+, rating:***

Bloomsbury, 2013, ISBN 9781408822623

Copy provided by the publisher for review

Tales from Lovecraft Middle School by Charles Gilman

Reproduced with kind permission of Quirk Books
Reproduced with kind permission of Quirk Books

This is a new series for young readers of 8+, which is great fun. Any child who has fantasised about their school having a secret magical gateway from which monsters may emerge to cause chaos (I know I was one of those daydreamers!) will really enjoy these tales based around Lovecraft Middle School. There are definite echoes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and lots of humour to balance the action and the really rather scary moments. When shy Robert Arthur starts at his new school, he’s only worried about the school bully, but soon discovers that the school harbours scarier creatures than his tormentor Glenn Torkells. It’s really a gateway to the alternaverse, where an evil genius plots to take over the world, starting with his classmates. Can he outwit the hamster-gobbling Professor Goyle, and beat the snake-like Sarah Price to become school president? The fate of the school hangs in Robert’s hands, aided by his unlikely ally Glenn, ghost Karina, a two-headed rat and the mysterious school librarian… Lots of nods to the adult horror genre which made me smile, but the fast-paced action will keep kids enthralled, and Robert is a good hero. The hologrammatic covers are great too, and will catch kids’ attention. The third in the series, Teacher’s Pest, is out in May. Rating: ***

Professor Gargoyle, Quirk Books, 2012, ISBN 9781594745911

The Slither Sisters, Quirk Books, 2013, ISBN 9781594745935

Copies of the books were provided for review by the publisher.