A New Darkness audiobook

I NEED that book RIGHT NOW!!Really want to know how the story continues...give it to me joseph delaney!!!!!!!!!o.O

Initial Thoughts: This was a really fun book to read and I was not aware that this is a spinoff from the author's Spooks series. (By the way, there is a movie coming out in January 2015, so read them now, the movie looks like an action packed adventure!) Anyhow, back to the book - I had no idea what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised. Tom is the seventh son of a seventh son and because of this, he has some abilities. He is now the Chippenden spook and he is on his own. He guards his country against ghosts, ghasts, boggarts, witches, and other things that go bump in the night. The story is told from two points of view - Tom and his apprentice Jenny. The story is captivating and I almost read it in one sitting. It's a lot of fun and should appeal to young adult readers and up. The Review:I'm always on the lookout for books that would appeal to that male reluctant reader. I find that when I get excited about a book, there is a very big chance that my youngest who is now 15 may actually pick up that book and read it. A New Darkness by Joseph Delaney should appeal to those kinds of readers, especially those that enjoy spooky ghost stories.A New Darkness focuses on Tom Ward, the Chippenden Spook and a seventh son of a seventh son. Tom deals with all sorts of things that go bump in the night. He even has a servant that would just as easily eat you if you disturb its routine. Tom is awfully busy and he takes on Jenny as his apprentice - a first since no other girl has ever been a Spook prior to this. Together they fight some very scary (and deadly) creatures. The story is told from both Tom and Jenny's point of view so we really get to be inside their heads and learn each character's motivations. I enjoyed the story telling style and I had a lot of fun reading this book. Tom is confident in his abilities but he is quite modest. I found that he seemed much more mature than his 17 years. Tom takes the time to research and learn about his opponents - a good life preservation skill. Jenny is quite indepedent. She has some useful gifts - influence, empathy, among others and she wants to make a good impression. The two are well suited for each other.Warning! This book does have a bit of a cliffhanger ending. I really can't wait for the next installment in the series. A New Darkness is a solid start to The Starblade Chronicles. Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper Collins for a review copy of this book.

A New Darkness is the continuation of the Spook's Apprentice series of books (The Wardstone Chronicles). It marks the beginning of a new trilogy, following the rise of a new enemy - the Kobalos - and their god.The book itself is full of the wonder that Delaney has delivered in the past, however I am starting to gain a sense of 'diminishing return' from this Spook's world. This book, of all his books, felt more rushed and a little patchier in places - I was tempted to give it three stars for this reason, but allowed myself to consider that the story itself worked out okay. It added in a new mystery and a female apprentice character - in fact female characters played a dominant role in this book, which is something I always like.If you were a fan of the old Spook's books, then you'll find what you are looking for in this. If not...well, I doubt you will find anything that is new or out of the ordinary.

"I remembered how a dark mage had once conjured up in my mind a vision of a possible future. I'd walked up to my bedroom, and there it was on the wall, where all the apprentices, including me, had scrawled their names, was a new addition: JENNY. It suggested a girl apprentice had once been based there. It seemed very odd-as far as I knew, there had never been any female spook's apprentices.Joseph Delaney has a gorgeous writing and a gripping plot. A New Darkness begins a little while after the last Wardstone Chronicles book, Thomas Ward is now the Chipenden's spook and he's handling the job pretty well for his young age. But when a girl named Jenny shows up wanting to be his apprentice the calmness that had settled since the death of his master is over. The threat of the the strange and powerful creatures named Kobalos is imminent and Thomas is considering helping his ally the witch assassin Grimalkin for she has made her mission to destroy the Kobalos.

This book was a vast improvement over the last book in the Last Apprentice series. Tom Ward is now the Spook of Chipenden since his mentor John Gregory's demise, and is generally thought to be young and inexperienced. In reality, he is depressed and lonely. A girl named Jenny comes and wants to be his apprentice. Tom eventually capitulates when she is by a Kobalan mage, and he sees evidence of her gifts as the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter. Jenny, Tom, and the witch assassin, Grimalkin, head north to gather intelligence about the growing Kobalan menace. Tom is railroaded into a fight to the death duel with a Kobalan champion, and the unthinkable happens. Please hurry along with the next book.

This is the first of a new series for Tom Ward which follows on from The Spook's Revenge (beware, this review has spoilers for that book) . I was a little skeptical that Delaney was just publishing more books because he could and Revenge felt worryingly like that was what was happening. Thankfully though I thought this was the best Spook's book so far. So Tom Ward is no longer an apprentice and has taken over from John Gregory to protect the County from the dark. His tenor as Spook has been fairly easy so far, with the dark quieter than ever. But when young girls are being killed it is his duty to face whatever terrible creature is behind it. He soon realises that this is only the beginning and a huge army is approaching...Introduced here is Jenny, a fifteen year-old seventh daughter of a seventh daughter who becomes Tom Ward's first apprentice. She's an intriguing character- although there are strong female characters in the series, this is the first time we've seen one who has no link to the dark. She makes a different apprentice than Tom does, a more questioning one and for short periods of the book the narration comes from her so she is an important part of this new trilogy. I think what I liked best about this book is that it told the story of a major threat but also had some traditional Spook's work in it, something which was lacking in many of the later books of The Wardstone Chronicles. Delaney's world is excellent and it is always great when he properly shows it to us. Things really go bonkers towards the end of this book and it feels darker than the series has really gone before. There's also a massive twist at the end which I didn't see coming and I think long-term readers of the series will also be surprised by it.The book is both a continuation of Tom Ward's story and the beginning of something new and it is really rather good. Quite where the next two books in the trilogy are going to go I haven't the faintest! A must-read for fans of the Spook's books which brings us more drama than ever!

WARNING, THIS REVIEW DOES NOT REVEAL ANY SPOILERS ALTHOUGH IT HINTS AT THINGS AND IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK THE PLEASE DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU DON'T MIND TEASERS...... I think this made the " the spooks revenge better as it opened bits that we felt weren't happy with like the betrayal of a certain someone which is also shown in tom's new anger, I also like the fact that it shows a lot of remembering to someone who dies in the last book a bit hastily. Now about the new book I think it is really good and brought the standard up more, yes the fighting was quick and it felt over quickly but it all comes down to that gut retching twist and cliff hanger. I for one will be pleased by the fact that it was a cliff hanger if a certain someone comes back in the next or I shall be bitterly disappointed, however I would continue either way. I also feel that they have to come back especially after you now who was spying and maybe jealous of jenny or tom (if you have read the book then you'll know which of the two).It was a great book and I'm hoping it doesn't conclude in three books and hope that he takes more time in writing the books to make an ending which will blow our minds. P.S.As for anyone who says this is a spin-off then shame on you....

Love this dark, supernatural young adult series. Definitely creepy, but not too scary for me.

Tom Ward is the new Spook of Chipenden. His apprenticeship was cut short, but he's trained enough to continue on as a Spook for the County. And things have been relatively quiet as of late. Until girls start dying.Then Tom meets Jenny who says she knows what is killing the girls and can show him. But she will only show him if Tom will take her on as his apprentice.I was sad with the end of The Last Apprentice series. It is one of my all time favorite series and I have grown so attached to the characters. The final book was amazing as always, but sad.I was excited to learn there would be a continuation of the series with Tom Ward. I missed John Gregory and teared up a little each time he was mentioned.But, there is a new character in this book named Jenny. She's 15, a seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, and wants to become Tom's apprentice. I like Jenny and I like that she was introduced. I think a female spook is definitely interesting. Joseph Delaney writes strong female characters, which is only one of the reasons I love The Last Apprentice and now this new series.As for this book, I liked it just as much as the books in The Last Apprentice series. It has that same feel from when I read The Last Apprentice books, but it has something new, too. Things have changed a little and that is felt. But I think that's normal. The story in The Last Apprentice series is finished. Some of the characters are gone and while this new series still follows Tom Ward, there is a new story. They no longer have to worry about the Fiend, but something else. I thought this book was great and I was happy to be back in the County. But, this one is sad too. And wow, what a cliffhanger! I hope it won't be too long before the next book comes out. I really want to know what happens next.

what a surprise! just as I thought I've known everything about Mr. Delaney's world. none that I could ever imagine :-) I love the plot, the new characters, the conflict and the major changes of events, I would mention that its sometimes moving away from the genre but who cares? its not the ward stone chronicles anymore, the author is trying to create something new and fresh away from the first series while trying to maintain the connection from its foundation and it was done very well, what can I say? the tom ward here is bolder, he can decide on his own, choose his battle and think for himself. I like the way Alice was dispatch, I was expecting her to be back here but I guess not too soon :-) you should have seen my face, the moment I realized that I was actually on the last page and yet I still kept on scrolling down. wtf. =-O

This story picks up about a year after the last installment of the last apprentice series. I don't really know what to say about the book. It follows the same path as the last apprentice series except instead of the darkness, Tom has a new enemy to fight the Kabalos. Even though Tom is new to being a spook and really did not complete his training he is training an apprentice himself. This one a girl! The seventh daughter of a seventh daughter with similar powers as a seventh son of a seventh son. I suppose it had to be done, a spooks life is a lonely isolated life and I have yet to read interesting stories where the main character does not interact with anyone. The fact that the new apprentice is a girl makes it easier. I do not believe a male spook apprentice would give Tom as much respect as he is on 17 years old himself. All in all I like the books and all the twists

** spoiler alert ** Another great book from Mr Delaney continuing from where book 13 finished. Very happy to see the return of my favourite character too. Oh and the cliffhanger ending! Looking forward to the next book.

What a YA cliff-hanger ending. Sheesh. Glad I love/have read all of his other stuff...otherwise I would have hated this ending/I still kind of do hate the ending. Sheeeeesh!

Good start to the new series! I will keep reading these creepy teen books. It is my guilty pleasure. I just wish they came out faster so I didn't have to wait.

Easy to follow and interesting continuation on the spooks apprentice series. Things don't end up as expected.

What a fun beginning to a new chapter in Tom Ward's life! ***SPOILER FREE REVIEW***Tom is now working solo as the spook in Chippenden. But soon, a young girl by the name of Jenny shows up and asks him to take her on as his new apprentice. Girls have never been apprentices before but with new threats on the horizon, maybe it is time for things to change.This was such a fantastic story and I really enjoyed the dynamic between Tom and Jenny! However, my favorite part of this entire narrative was Grimalkin! The witch assassin is back and she makes any story so much better! She's so tough and unstoppable and she does NOT take no for an answer! I will say that it is apparent Jenny has her reservations about working with Grimalkin. She doesn't trust witches and certainly didn't seem to trust this one. This made for a very interesting dynamic and I am curious as to how that will ultimately play out down the road. Some really intense situations occurred in this novel and I got quite emotional at one particular point but the major cliffhanger at the end left me feeling really optimistic so I cannot wait to read the second book and see what happens next! If you enjoy darker, spookier YA fantasy reads, this is definitely a series to look into!