There are only a handful of series I love so much that I’ll count down the days until the release of a new title, and the Wardstone Chronicles by Joseph Delaney is one of them. For those who have been following the series, you’ll know that times in The Spook’s Destiny are dark. Tom, his master the Spook and his witch friend Alice are refugees from the County, on the run from the invaders who have taken over and burned down their Chippenden home, including the Spook’s beloved library.

Now the trio have arrived in Ireland, and the bad luck seems to have followed them there. On the boat ride over, Tom spots a pair of mismatched eyes watching him from the sky and recognises them straight away as a malevolent force. While exorcising some spirits of the dead, Tom is visited by the owner of the eyes – a Celtic witch who claims she has come for revenge. To make matters worse, the power of the blood jar Tom keeps in his pocket which ensures the Fiend cannot get him is starting to wane. Can Tom and his Master bind the devil himself with the help of the witch assassin Grimalkin, or will his power be too much for even their combined strength?

I can’t recommend this series highly enough! The Wardstone Chronicles really has it all – brilliant characters and white-knuckle suspense with plenty of chilling scenes thrown in for those who like their reads on the scary side. Starting with Spook’s Apprentice, Joseph Delaney has created one of the most addictive fantasy worlds out there, and once you’ve read one you’ll just want to keep going.

This is perfect fare for confident readers who are fans of Garth Nix and Darren Shan, or those looking to graduate from Percy Jackson onto something that will keep them hooked. This is also the latest series to be made into a film (due out 2013) so make sure you read the series before you see it on the big screen!