Skulduggery Pleasant

Let me start by saying, I love to read!
I love getting so caught up in a story, falling in love with the characters, learning new words (and how to say them), letting my mind just drift into the writers world and then getting really annoyed if someone tries to pull me out of it.
Saying this, as much as I love reading new books there are some book series I could read a thousand times over, looking at my collection, you'd be able to tell straight away which ones.


The ones that look like they've gone everywhere, the spines are wrinkled with the amount of times they've been opened and shut, a few pages have a little crease here and there and the edges are a little worn. Some might even have shopping list page markers in them.


One such book series is Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy. I love love love love this book series with a passion. I could read these forever really. They're clever, witty, sad, happy, scary and whenever I start a book, that's it, I am with Valkyrie Cain and Skulduggery on one of their many mysteries. Helping solve, kick butt, making ridiculously clever (sarcastic/funny) remarks and learning something new a long the way.


I'll give you the basics. Stephanie is one of the main characters, a intelligent, funny, headstrong 12 year old who has always felt there was more to life than living in a small town. She was right, her uncle dies suddenly and she is plunged into an exciting world she never knew with skeleton detectives, bad guys and maaaaagic!


I actually don't think there is any way to describe it properly. You HAVE to read it. Basically. I happened upon the first book by chance really. Many years ago when a poundland first opened on the island, they always had books but they weren't ever really that good, I still got loads mostly because I will read anything once.
The front cover of Skulduggery Pleasant jumped out at me one day whilst being bored walking through poundland. Now, I think I mentioned in a previous post I use to be a goth. So stick a Skeleton on the front of a book and "HELLOOOOOO". So for the bargain price of £1, I bought it. I laughed so much at the characters, they're so.. Real. You can imagine that these conversations could actually happen. The descriptions of everything are so in-depth yet not over bearing. Its like you can see in your mind the buildings being built up, brick by brick.


Derek Landy is a genius and I don't think he would say otherwise either. I have read every Skulduggery book and I have to say, it's just fantastic. So go buy the first one, or better yet they have the first 2 printed in one book! You will not regret it! How could you regret adding another beautifully written book to your collection?
Get the book, get a cup of tea, some nibbles (watch out with chocolate... Don't get it on the pages... Like I have.. Several of the books in fact) and let your mind be immersed in the amazing, magical, ridiculous world of Skulduggery Pleasant.


Take it easy.


Ellie.