This holiday season we’re taking a look at our favourite books which make fantastic gifts for friends and family and of course treats for yourself!

Every day for the first twelve days of December we’re doing a blog on each of the 12 best books in our collection, the most-loved titles by all our staff for 12 Days of Blogmas!

Here’s why you should pick them up.

 

Day 5: Banshee Rising

 

Caitlyn never asked to see floating nuns, dark highwaymen and phantom warriors. She did not ask to have different-coloured eyes or be attracted to haunted ‘Magic Man’ Danny from school. But her gift is undeniable, forcing Caitlyn to share her life with a host of quirky spirits as she tries to navigate a ‘normal’ day of bullies, boys and Gran’s bad cooking.

And then Professor Sackimum Brody steps into her life and nothing will be the same again. Mortal yet mysterious, the Professor seems to know far more about Caitlyn and her lost parents than he reveals, even as he guides her to understanding the secret of her gift. When at last he offers a glimpse into a deeper realm, one where an ancient evil is stirring, Caitlyn is plunged towards an impossible truth and a threat to her worlds.

To defeat what is rising from Ireland’s haunted heart, Caitlyn McCabe must face an adventure that is, literally, life and death.

A fascinating story you cannot miss. Have you ever found yourself in a position you didn’t ask for, one that was making you feel very uncomfortable? The answer is pretty obviously yes, because we all somehow go through these feelings at least once in our lifetimes. These emotions are often experienced in adolescence, when we have the feeling of being different from those around us and also for this very reason, feeling insecure. However, sometimes you only need to change your perspective and realize that diversity is what makes all the difference in the world and that your life has even more reason to be lived.

Riley Cain, author of Banshee Rising with simple but captivating language, tells the story of Caitlyn as she navigates her way through her teenage years and grapples with the oddities stalking her. The character of Catilyn excellently manages to define an emotional picture of the character so as to allow the reader to identify with the protagonist and live the narrative in a unique and exciting way.

One of the key points of the story is definitely the meeting between Caitlin McCabe, called freak by schoolmates, and Professor Sackimum Brody who has the abilities as Caitlin and knew her father. Soon after in the book the author will reveal that Caitlin will find herself fighting an ancient enemy and a force that threatens the safety of the world she is living in.

 

 

Here’s the moment of first contact between Caitlyn McCabe and Professor Sackimum Brody:

“ ‘Professor Brody’; she said, her voice fallen to a whisper.

‘Caitlyn McCabe’, he replied. With a flick of his book, he guided her attention back to the shimmering display. ‘Well, do you know what it is?’

Transfixed by the Professor’s intense stare, Caitlyn struggled to turn once more to the object of his inquiry. The red gleam illuminated the memories she held of her father and his books.

[…]

‘Precisely’, the delighted Brody confirmed, and then, almost too casually, he added with a twinkle, ‘it is one of a kind’.

‘One of a pair; Caitlyn corrected him automatically […]. Abruptly aware she was being tested, Caitlyn faced the Professor.

“So like your father; he beamed.

“You knew my Dad; she prompted him and drew closer to the desk. ”

As you can easily see from these few lines, the greatness of Banshee Rising lies in the writing abilities of the author, that it in fact manages to combine drama with humour and fear with excitement. Moreover, by reading this book you have the opportunity to confront yourself with the darker aspects of Irish folklore that is now becoming more in vogue thanks to the imaginative adventure that Riley Cain has managed to build. The chapters create a cinematic view of Caitlyn’s story and her perception of Dublin too!

Banshee Rising by Riley Cain is available here and in all good bookshops.