And last, but by no means least, we finish off our summary of the main books talked about at this year's festival, with our guide to the Young Adult and Children's books that our talented authors have introduced.
Young Adult books
Folked Up (14-18 years) Charlotte Byrne
When musicians Matty and Sandy crack open a dusty old book of folk songs, they hope to escape into the whimsical stylings of the past. They don't expect to actually be taken there.
Yet just a few notes sung from its cursed pages whisks them away to the world of Old England and all its hey-nonny-nonnies, myths and magic. In a dire twist of fate, Sandy is taken prisoner by the heartbroken Lord Donald who seeks to sacrifice her in the hope of resurrecting his lost love.
Knowing he must find Sandy and stop the murderous Lord before May Day, Matty needs allies now more than ever. Can a lustful witch and a plucky swordswoman guide him through the musically-induced mayhem of this strange - yet oddly familiar - world? Or is Sandy well and truly folked?
Air Fay (13-18 years) Rosa Carr
Aria woke up in a forest that defies imagination, unsure of who she was or how she got there. Guided by a runaway stranger, she delves into the mystical plane where fairies are real and magic exists.
But in this enchanting land of beauty, darkness slithers all around…
When the shadows invade her life, Aria’s only hope of making it out alive is to channel a strength within her she never knew existed. Finding herself thrust into the middle of a siege that could destroy the realm, Aria is faced with the choice to retreat back to the life she once knew or stand and fight with her newfound friends.
Happy State (16-18 years) Samantha Fitzgibbons
In the midst of martial law, a new government announces a Happy State; a state that promises to focus on the wellbeing of its populace.
Raffela Crowe discovers that her father is suffering from dementia, and will stop at nothing to protect him.
When she learns of a deeper truth surrounding the Happy State, that the government seeks to eradicate mental illness in order to create a pure and perfect race, the urgency to protect her father becomes paramount.
The resistance group Freedom has an agenda of its own.
The Gamer (12-18 years) Colin R Parsons
Drake Banks is a 12-year-old boy who is used to moving from one army camp to another. After the death of his father, Drake and his mother have to get used to living a normal life in the town where she grew up. This proves challenging for Drake as he misses the army life. Drake finds an old arcade in his new town. He loves video games! One day, after arriving at the arcade, Drake discovers a new game called Death Trap. He did not know how his life was about to drastically change. After pressing Start, Drake is sucked into the video game.
These Young Adult titles are all published by Crystal Peake.
Children's books
How to Stop The End of the World (9-12 years) Tom Mitchell
Colin Coleridge is facing a long, boring summer holiday with NOTHING to do. But when he notices some weird markings outside his house, and some strangers acting VERY suspiciously in his neighbour’s garden, he decides to investigate.
And before too long, Colin and his new friend Lucy have found themselves caught up in a mission involving an ancient sword, a mysterious curse, and a plan to SAVE THE WORLD…
Tom also spoke about his 2 other books When Things Went Wild and How To Rob A Bank.
Check out our Bookshop.org page where both Medway River Lit and our chosen indie bookshop will receive a small percent of the cover price.
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