Darling Downs Book Review E-group

If you go into your book store and cant seem to find the book that your after it might help if you jot down the books ISBN and take it with you. If you have searched and asked for assistance on your search and come up empty-handed, then as the assistant if you would be able to get the book ordered in, give them the ISBN and hopefully they will be able to get the book in for you. If not, there is always a direct link to Harper Collins and order it through them.

The Penultimate Peril
Lemony Snicket
ISBN: 0064410153
ARP: $19.95
19 October 2005 Release

Just in time for Christmas, the latest book from Lemony Snicket, The
Penultimate Peril.

For those of you who know the story so far or have seen the movie,
will know that it is a series of unfortunate events in the life of
the Baudelaire orphans as they they to be noble and fight against
villians and evils.

This story sees some of the questions that they were asking answered
and some new ones arise. But it also is a big stepping stone for the
children as they are no longer seen as children but as young adults
with worldly experiences, some far more then their adult friends and
enemies.

They must go undercover to help the VFD and gather clues to who is
evil and who is noble. But it isnt as easy as that. Death, confusion
and trust play a big role in this story.

As never having read any of the other books in this series of even
seeing the movie, I found that it was easy to catch onto and follow
the journey of the Baudelaire children.

Lemony Snicket has written wonderfully, and at times it appears that
he is able to reach his audience by the use of dictionary type
writing, in which meaning to words or phrases are simplified so that
they are understood by the child reader.

A book well written and well developed for young minds. I highly
recommend the book to all readers.

Darkhouse
Alex Barclay
Book Format: Paperback
No. of Pages: 400 pages
ISBN: 0007195397
Price (Aust RRP): $29.95
Publication Date: 29 June 2005

If youfre looking for a great thriller suspense story, then go no
further then Darkhouse by Alex Barclay.

Set in both New York and in Ireland, this story follows the life of
a teenage boy, growing up in a small backwater town, and his friends
and his relationship with his mother. It also follows the lives of
the Lucchesi family, where the father is a NYPD detective, the wife
an interior designer and a normal 16 year old son.

Their lives all come together in Ireland and in the most tragic, and
unpredictable way. When the sons girlfriend goes missing and ends up
murdered, all eyes are on the family but, there is more to this
story then just a murder.

In a battle of life and death, revenge and loyalty, Darkhouse
provides a gripping tale that will hold your attention to the very
end.

This is the first novel from Alex Barclay and well worth the read.

My Uncle Wal the Werewolf
Author: Jackie French
Book Format: B Format Paperback
Pages: 115pp
ISBN: 0207200130
Price (Aust RRP): $11.95
Publication Date: 1 June 2005

If your after a childrens story that is full of wit, humour, and
adventure. Then this book could be for you. Jackie French, has
created memoriable characters in her latest installment for the
Wacky Families series.

It follows the adventures of Buster, a young werewolf, who is
searching for his missing mother and father. He cant do it alone, so
he hires a detective to help him locate his family.

Uncle Wal, now becomes leader of the pack, and everyone in the
family are not happy with this, as Uncle Wal wants them to be human
all the time and not in their wolf forms.

Through a series of events, rule breaking and threats of having a
bath, Buster sets off to find his parents.

French, uses simple words that encourge a childs imagination to grow
and for them to create their own imagery of the adventure told. Easy
reading and humour makes this book a great read.