New Releases by Celia Rees

From the author of the bestselling and award-winning WITCH CHILD, comes another outstanding historical novel. Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution and its impact on British politics, this action-driven novel shows once again that Celia Rees is one of our very best writers for teenage readers. Wild and beautiful, spoilt and wilful, Sovay finds that her cosseted upbringing in rural England has not prepared her for life as a highway robber, for defending the honour of her family or for trying to save herself from corruption and evil. As Sovay becomes more and more embroiled in adventures she could never have imagined, a story of dark intrigue, thwarted passions and sinister intentions is revealed to her. Will she be able to survive, and if she does so, at what cost?

The thrilling adventure story based on the writings of the Brontë children, by the bestselling author of Witch Child When Tom is in a coma, his friend Milo decides that he can be a guinea pig for a new gaming device - a device that will take him to a troubled world where he meets the the warrior-like Augusta who is fighting to save her kingdom from takeover by her rival. With Tom at her side, she finds extra courage. Slowly but surely, Tom starts to leave his life in London behind as the two of them become ever more embroiled in a world of chaos and tension that encompasses the past, the present and the future. But life in London won''t let Tom go so easily. His friends and family gather around him to try and bring him back - as does a girl from school he barely knows, who comes each day to his bedside to read to him from her favourite book, Wuthering Heights. In this wonderful speculative fiction Celia Rees has created a meta-fictional world that will delight readers. This epic story, with Rees''s trademark strong female character and romance at its heart, is a compelling action-driven adventure with delightful twists and turns that thrill and surprise right up to the last page.

"A perfect summer read; gripping, original, well-drawn and compassionate"--Joanne Harris "Celia Rees is a superb writer, and this novel has one of the most irresistible and unique story hooks I''ve ever come across. This book deserves to be huge!"--Sophie Hannah A striking historical novel about an ordinary young British woman sent to uncover a network of spies and war criminals in post-war Germany that will appeal to fans of The Huntress and Transcription. World War II has just ended, and Britain has established the Control Commission for Germany, which oversees their zone of occupation. The Control Commission hires British civilians to work in Germany, rebuild the shattered nation and prosecute war crimes. Somewhat aimless, bored with her job as a provincial schoolteacher, and unwilling to live with her overbearing mother any longer, thirtysomething Edith Graham applies for a job with the Commission—but she is also recruited by her cousin, Leo, who is in the Secret Service. To them, Edith is perfect spy material...single, ordinary-looking, with a college degree in German. Cousin Leo went to Oxford with one of their most hunted war criminals, Count Kurt von Stavenow, who Edith remembers all too well from before the war. He wants her to find him. Intrigued by the challenge, Edith heads to Germany armed with a convincing cover story: she''s an unassuming Education Officer sent to help resurrect German schools. To send information back to her Secret Service handlers in London, Edith has crafted the perfect alter ego, cookbook author Stella Snelling, who writes a popular magazine cookery column. She embeds crucial intelligence within the recipes she collects. But occupied Germany is awash with other spies, collaborators, and opportunists, and as she''s pulled into their world, Edith soon discovers that no one is what they seem to be. The closer she gets to uncovering von Stavenow''s whereabouts--and the network of German civilians who still support him--the greater the danger. With a unique, compelling premise, Miss Graham''s Cold War Cookbook is a beautifully crafted and gripping novel about daring, betrayal, and female friendship.

Uncle Patrick died young. That''s all Josh knows. When Josh and his mother go to stay with his grandmother for the summer, he assumes it''s going to be the worst summer of his life. That is until he finds a hidden attic and a collection of strange drawings by his uncle, Patrick, who died suddenly in his teens. Patrick has no grave. His name is never spoken. As Josh explores his mother''s home town and follows Patrick''s footsteps he begins to uncover the dark truth his family has hidden for forty years ... With the truth hidden between two summers decades apart, Truth or Dare by Celia Rees is a page-turning story of shame, secrets and the unbreakable bond of family.

In the midsummer of his twelfth birthday, Davey, his twin cousins and his sister Kate, embark on a tour of the infamous underground city in Davey''s hometown. As the tour progresses, Davey finds himself separated from the others, and inside an eerie chamber. Here he is drawn to a large and hazy-glassed mirror. In a moment, Davey''s reflection blurs, and he finds himself back on the streets of the ancient city - but the residents are not of his time - they are ghosts, and some do not take kindly to those from ''the other side''. Davey encounters some friendly spirits, too - but they urge him to try to make it back to his own time, before an evil ghost crew discovers he is mortal. A frantic search for his own world begins, and Davey makes it just in time. But he senses there is unfinished business and, come Hallowe''en, the ghosts will be on the lookout for him - and this time they will be visiting his world . . .

A psychic storm rages and ghosthunters stalk the city where young Davey Williams lives, destroying good and evil alike. Davey risks his own life to save his friends, but will the ghosts be there when he needs them? And now the Lady has returned, brimming with malice and hungry for vengeance. Davey must escape her deadly clutches by Midsummer, or be in her thrall forever...

Davey is trying to forget the scary events of last midsummer, but an encounter with a face from the past brings memories flooding back-and some very bad news. Then an archaeological dig turns up more than just a few old bones and Davey, his sister and cousins are once again battling with evil forces from the underground city.

"Lena''s best friend Katy has dumped her and she''s feeling lost and alone on a school trip to the British Museum. But when Lena finds herself in a painted room at the heart of the Pomepii exhibition, she discovers a world which is about to meet a terrifying end"--Back cover.

Everyone says that Caro is bad . . . but Jamie can''t help himself. He thinks of her night and day and can''t believe that she wants to be his girlfriend. Gorgeous, impulsive and unconventional, she is totally different to all the other girls he knows. His sister, Martha, hates her. Jamie doesn''t know why, but there''s no way he''s going to take any notice of her warnings to stay away from Caro. But as Jamie falls deeper and deeper under her spell, he realises there is more to Caro - much more. There are the times when she disappears and doesn''t get in touch, the small scars on her wrists, her talk about revolutions and taking action, not to mention the rumours he hears about the other men in her life. And then always in the background there is Rob, Jamie''s older brother, back from Afghanistan and traumatised after having his leg smashed to bits there. Jamie wants to help him, but Rob seems to be living in a world of his own and is increasingly difficult to reach. With Caro, the summer should have been perfect . . . but that isn''t how things work out in real life, and Jamie is going to find out the hard way. This taut psychological drama is the brilliant new novel from acclaimed Celia Rees.

Violetta and Feste have come to London to rescue a holy relic taken from a church in Illyria by the evil Malvolio, and once there, they tell the story of their adventures to playwright William Shakespeare, who turns it into a play.

_______________ ''I will always put Celia and her books on the top rung of YA'' - BookWitch ''Celia Rees is one of Britain''s foremost writers for teenagers'' - Playdays and Runaways _______________ The outstanding sequel to critically acclaimed bestseller Witch Child As Witch Child ends so Sorceress begins. Alison Ellman is still searching for information about Mary Newbury; she has a diary and some scattered information about other people in Mary''s life, but Mary has disappeared into the forests and Alison has no way of following her. But when she meets Agnes Herne, Alison encounters the person who is going to tell her all about Mary''s life after she leaves Beulah. Agnes is a descendant of Mary''s and has a special skill which allows her to be in touch with Mary in the spirit world. And Mary has a story to tell. A story of love and friendship, sadness and loss. A story that takes her across the New World in an epic search for a home. We fell under the spell of Mary in Witch Child and now at last we find out what happened to her after her ill-fated time in Beulah. Just as Mary''s story has to be told to Agnes, it has to be read by us for it is passionate, compelling and utterly wonderful.

Londres, avril 1601. Le dramaturge William Shakespeare fait la connaissance de deux clowns ambulants, Peste et Violetta. Cette dernière, héritière du trône de l''Illyrie - petit pays de l''Adriatique -, en fut chassée par son propre oncle Sebastian et son complice Malvolio et, vendue comme esclave malgré l''opposition de Stephano, son fiancé et le fils de Sebastian. La jeune fille s''est juré de reprendre la relique fondatrice de l''Illyrie et de monter sur le trône. Elle demande son aide à Shakespeare qui se retrouve malgré lui impliqué dans les événements quand le Premier Ministre d''Angleterre le contraint à espionner Violetta et Feste...

Here is the remarkable adventures of Minerva Sharpe and Nancy Kington -- Declared Pirates, Traitors, Common Enemies and Robbers on the High Seas. Year of Our Lord, 1724. What drives two young women from such different backgrounds to take to the perilous life of piracy? What has befallen Nancy and Minerva that makes this existence better than the one they left behind? In this vivid, exciting, and completely gripping novel, read the remarkable adventures of two girls, one a merchant¿s daughter and the other a runaway slave, as they sail the high seas, fight for their lives and search for their loves. Juvenile audience. Illustrations.

Finn is haunted by terrifying dreams where a huge wave threatens to engulf her in watery darkness. They have been worse since she arrived at the Cornish cottage. Then she discovers the strange curse that was laid upon the cottage years ago, and she''s sure vengeful Griffiths has something to do with it. She''s seen him, endlessly tying and retying a length of rope, creating the knots that - superstition has it - can conjure storms. Finn knows that she''s in mortal danger if she can''t find a way to break the curse... A superbly spine-chilling teen thriller from the award-winning author of WITCH CHILD

In 1659, fourteen-year-old Mary Newbury keeps a journal of her voyage from England to the New World and her experiences living as a witch in a community of Puritans near Salem, Massachusetts.

The dark stuff sent to Fraser and Cassie''s student newspaper is disturbing. Old tales are being rewritten. Tales of plague graves, and forbidden woods where children vanish. Hidden steps leading to a decaying underworld. Old songs used to ensare the innocent. But they''re just horror stories - aren''t they? Then the first child is taken...

Epic fantasy from a best-selling writer at the height of her powers. The ancient Mayans predicted the world will end in 2012. Now the fate of humankind is in the hands of two children, destined from the beginning of time to fight the powers of overwhelming evil. ''A writer of Rees''s calibre goes right in at the deep end. Mayan apocalypses are just the beginning . . . the book also covers shamanism, suicide cults, pterosaurs, evil gods, busking on the tube and early 20th-century adventurers.'' The Guardian

"A top-notch look at first love, heartbreak, and the driving force of passion." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) It''s the start of summer vacation, and fifteen-year-old Richard has discovered that a family has taken up residence in the usually deserted Wish House. Richard is intrigued by both the house and the bohemian family now living there. The father, Jethro Dalton, is an internationally renowned painter; his seemingly licentious wife is fascinated by herbs and cures. But it''s their beautiful and vibrant daughter, Clio, the muse for Jethro’s paintings, who draws Richard utterly into the Daltons'' world. Soon Richard finds himself so captivated by Clio that he steals off to the woods to spend days and nights with her, meanwhile struggling to understand and fit in with her eccentric clan. How could he know that some mysteries are best left alone — and that some betrayals can never be forgiven?

In 1722, after arriving in Jamaica where she is to be married off, sixteen-year-old Nancy Kington escapes with her slave friend, Minerva Sharpe, and together they become pirates traveling the world in search of treasure.

Even if she doesn’t believe in the ghost of Michael Bailey, Alex Lewis is still haunted by the memory of the terrifying incident that took place two years ago, and by the fact that she too played the vicious game which led to it - the Bailey Game. And all it takes for the game to start again is the arrival of a new girl, Lauren Price, who doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of the class. Alex is suddenly confronted with some difficult decisions, but ultimately her friendship with Lauren and her memory of the unstoppable Bailey Game demand that this time she opts out of the game and faces the perils of being on the outside . . . ‘A very exciting and disturbing tale which will hold the reader’s interest right to the end. I highly recommend THE BAILEY GAME’ Michele Elliot, KIDSCAPE

Ten years of Point Horror-not for the faint-hearted. Horror at its hideous best... Trick or Treat by Richie Tankersley Cusick: The first time Martha sees the house she knows it''s evil. Somewhere so cold and sinister couldn''t be anything else. So she''s not surprised to find that someone was murdered in it. Not surprised, just scared out of her mind. She''s also sure someone''s watching her. Following her. Making creepy phone calls. Martha''s pretty certain that this Halloween is going to be the scariest of her life and possibly her last... April Fools by Richie Tankersley Cusick: Frank thinks he''s King of the Fools. This is his day. So when he and his friends get cut up by some hotshot driver...well, fair game. But the game goes wrong and suddenly things aren''t so funny any more... Two weeks later, the ''pranks'' start. Someone saw what happened that night, and wants to join in the fun. But April Fools'' Day is over and these jokes are for real... Blood Sinister by Celia Rees: The old, leather bound diary is just a diversion for Ellen at first. Sent to rest at her grandmother''s house, she begins reading to take her mind off her mysterious illness. For no one knows why she''s so pale, so bloodless...But the bizarre history that unfolds is so compelling, so strangely tangled up with her own life that Ellen begins to feel even more drained than before...could something be reaching across the centuries to claim her, bleeding her dry...?

Ellen Forrest cannot explain why she is so pale and weak until she starts to read the diary of her great-grandmother, another Ellen, and realizes that th two lives are so entangled that the evil the first Ellen faced may be coming after her.

New cover edition. A chilling supernatural tale of an adolescent boy''s pact with a deadly puppet master ...