No catches, no fine print just unconditional book loving for your children with their favourites saved to their own digital bookshelf.
New members get entered into our monthly draw to win £100 to spend in your local bookshop plus lots lots more...
Find out moreJustin Somper is the award-winning author of eight novels for young people, all with a focus on high-octane fantasy adventure, driven by strong, complex characters.
Justin’s Vampirates sequence comprises, to date, six main novels and has been published in 35 countries and 25 languages. The first title, Demons of the Ocean, has sold over 100,000 copies in the UK and Ireland alone, whilst the sequence as a whole has sold over a million worldwide. World Book Day title Vampirates: Dead Deep debuted in the Top Ten Bestsellers list. The Ultimate Book Guide says, “Vampirates are the perfect adventure stories, rollicking, romantic and utterly page-turningly breathtaking.”
Justin is also the author of Allies and Assassins and its sequel A Conspiracy of Princes. The two books, published globally, are set in the fantasy kingdom of Archenfield, where Prince Anders has been assassinated and his brother Jared, aged just sixteen, has taken the throne. Publishers Weekly noted, “Somper breathes life into the inner workings of his fantasy kingdom, which feels like a lost European territory,” whilst Booktrust acclaimed “this clever blend of Game of Thrones-style fantasy with a classic murder mystery plot.”
Justin combines his writing career with a highly respected consultancy business offering PR, marketing and branding strategy for major authors and literary brands including Roald Dahl and Harry Potter. He trains fellow authors in the business side of publishing through AuthorProfile.
Set in a distant future on the romantic sounding Crescent Moon Bay in Australia, Somper’s story exuberantly and swashbucklingly combines two fiction favourites – pirates and vampires, and challenges our views of both. Twins Connor and Grace are left alone in the world when their lighthouse keeper father dies. They take his boat and head out to sea, only to run into a storm. Both are plucked from the ocean – Connor by pirates, Grace by the crew of a strange vessel – vampires! The action alternates between the two as secrets emerge, before the twins are reunited, but set for more adventure. With a wonderful cast of characters, some fabulous set scenes, and clever plotting, this is a hugely entertaining read and highly recommended, whether you’re team Pirates of the Caribbean or team Twilight!
Pirates and vampires on the high seas – it’s action and adventure at its best. Avid readers as well as more reluctant ones will devour it in a sitting, as will those who enjoyed the film series, Pirates of the Caribbean.
This is a fast-paced, blood-curdling read with short chapters perfect for fans of Pirates of the Caribbean.
Another thrilling swashbuckling adventure as the young pirate prodigy Connor Tempest sets sail to see off the deadly Vampirates. Serving under the newly appointed pirate Captain Cheng Li, Conner joins the expedition to free the seas of the new ship of vampirates. And, while he’s away, his twin sister Grace takes a trip back into the past with their mother. As the twins’ stories unfold, it soon becomes clear that they have a daunting and uncertain future ahead of them. To view other Vampirates titles just click here. Or click here to read 'The story so far'
This is a fast-paced, blood-curdling read with short chapters that will get the reader hooked into the story really quickly. To view other Vampirates titles just click here. Or click here to read 'The story so far'
Pirates and vampires on the high seas – it’s action and adventure at its best. Avid readers as well as more reluctant ones will devour it in a sitting, as will those who enjoyed the film Pirates of the Caribbean. To view other Vampirates titles just click here. Or click here to read 'The story so far'
A swaggering tale of excitement and adventure that thrills from the very first sentence... CRESSIDA COWELL Everything is about to change... Sidorio and Lola return from their icy honeymoon with plans to accelerate their reign of terror. Grace and Connor each receive an invitation to spend time with their true father and self-styled wicked stepmother. The twins find themselves drawn into an exotic new realm, filled with temptations as it is fraught with danger. With the Vampirate Captain still ailing, his guru Mosh Zu enlists the help of Darcy Flotsam and Lorcan Furey in an unprecedented mission... to forge an alliance with the Pirate Federation against the renegade Vampirates. As the first shots are fired in the war to control the oceans, key lives are lost and longstanding allegiances called into question.
Did you ever read that book you wish you'd written? Vampirates is that book for me. EOIN COLFER Grace and Connor Tempest discover the shocking truth of their true identity. What they learn creates a deep rift between the twins and casts a dark shadow over their future. Rebel Vampirate Sidorio is intent on expanding his empire but finds himself distracted by the bewitching Lady Lola Lockwood, aka Black Heart. With her love of blood baths, a shipboard 'winery' and a boundless ambition, will the merciless Lady Lola prove the perfect ally or a deadly rival? Responding to a devastating attack at the very heart of Pirate Academy, the Pirate Federation commissions its first dedicated ship of Vampirate assassins and places its newest captain, Wu Cheng Li, in command. The oceans have never been as seductive, nor as dangerous...
Totally original... I wish I'd had this idea! ANTHONY HOROWITZ It's time to take a side... A bloody war ravages the oceans. Already, many on both sides have given their lives. Many more will do so before the final ceasefire. Grace Tempest proves her healing powers, working alongside Mosh Zu and Darcy at Sanctuary. She discovers an ancient book, foretelling a shattering prophesy. One twin must die... Oblivious, her brother Connor takes his place at the heart of the Alliance mission to reclaim The Diablo. He is reunited with a former - forever changed - comrade. As the decisive battle looms, each side races to recruit new allies and one twin embarks on a perilous journey to enlist warriors, who long ago relinquished their swords, to join the ultimate fight.
Set in a distant future on the romantic sounding Crescent Moon Bay in Australia, Somper’s story exuberantly and swashbucklingly combines two fiction favourites – pirates and vampires, and challenges our views of both. Twins Connor and Grace are left alone in the world when their lighthouse keeper father dies. They take his boat and head out to sea, only to run into a storm. Both are plucked from the ocean – Connor by pirates, Grace by the crew of a strange vessel – vampires! The action alternates between the two as secrets emerge, before the twins are reunited, but set for more adventure. With a wonderful cast of characters, some fabulous set scenes, and clever plotting, this is a hugely entertaining read and highly recommended, whether you’re team Pirates of the Caribbean or team Twilight!
Pirates and vampires on the high seas – it’s action and adventure at its best. Avid readers as well as more reluctant ones will devour it in a sitting, as will those who enjoyed the film series, Pirates of the Caribbean.
This is a fast-paced, blood-curdling read with short chapters perfect for fans of Pirates of the Caribbean.
In the epic second book in the ALLIES & ASSASSINS sequence, Prince Jared is under attack from enemies on all sides... In seven days, the princedom of Archenfield will be invaded by its deadly rival - Paddenburg. Prince Jared determines to cross the borders and, in a race against time, recruit what strategic alliances he can. As the Prince and his team rides out, his cousin Axel Blaxland launches his own bid for the throne. Each member of the Council of Twelve falls prey to persuasion and manipulation as dangerous secrets and rivalries begin to emerge. Asta Peck, newest member of the Twelve, finds herself plunged into the dark heart of court politics and conspiracy. Identifying her own allies, she resolves to fight on Prince Jared's behalf until he is able to return home to defend himself. In a game of power, only the strongest will survive. Welcome back to Archenfield. Trust no-one.
Sixteen-year-old Jared is the newly crowned Prince of All Archenfield, ascending the throne after his older brother's mysterious death. But Jared feels reluctant and unprepared to rule the Princedom and its dangerous and powerful court. Like each Prince of All Archenfield before him, Jared must rely on the Council of Twelve to advise him. But he knows he can just as easily be at their mercy--especially when it appears that one of the Twelve might have orchestrated his brother's untimely death. Propelled by his rage over the loss of his brother and wary of all his advisors, Jared can trust only Asta: a clever, strong-willed girl from the settlements, currently serving as the Physician's apprentice. Asta and Jared take it upon themselves to hunt down his brother's assassin--though the assassin may be hunting them, as well. Murder, betrayal, and intrigue abound in Justin Somper's thrilling YA series debut. Exploring the political machinations of the medieval-esque court and the lives that hang in the balance, Allies & Assassins is a gripping tale of a teen torn between duty and revenge.