Wranglestone

Product Information

Shortlisted for the YA Book Prize 2021 | Shortlisted for the Costa Children's Book Award 2020 | February 2020 Debut of the Month A bucolic, intimate twist on the zombie/post-apocalyptic story... It's impressive how Darren has combined the pace, thrills, and gore you expect from zombie fiction with a genuinely tender romance.' - David Owen, author of GRIEF ANGELS Darren lives in London with his partner and works in the voluntary sector for a homeless organisation. His lifetime obsessions with the National Parks of America, horror, film music and 80s kids movies have all worked their way into his writing.

Wrangler x Yellowstone Wrangler x Yellowstone

When the community comes under serious threat during their annual First Fall party, Peter winds up as zombie bait with his at-one-with-the-wilds boyfriend Connor responsible for wrangling the Restless Ones like a post-apocalyptic cowboy. On the mainland, the young lovers uncover an earth-shattering secret and it’s not long before Connor’s situation is seriously comprised, leading to Peter stepping-up and standing tall. Buy from our bookstore and 25% of the cover price will be given to a school of your choice to buy more books. *15% of eBooks. Home > That came last minute, just before it went to print for proof copies. So, no, for someone who’s desperate to convey nature, I hate to say it but that stuff doesn’t always come easily at all. They’re the jewels I pray for. Wranglestone is a tense YA coming-of-age queer romance zombie horror survival adventure thriller. The world building is excellent. It's isolated, post-apocalyptic National Park setting is beautifully atmospheric, creating an aura of both bucolic serenity and claustrophobic threat. The nature of their world is slowly revealed throughout the novel. The characters all felt real and - especially the main two protagonists - had believable and satisfying development arcs. LoveReading4Kids exists because books change lives, and buying books through LoveReading4Kids means you get to change the lives of future generations, with 25% of the cover price donated to schools in need. Join our community to get personalised book suggestions, extracts straight to your inbox, 10% off RRPs, and to change children’s lives.It’s wonderful to see the relationship between Peter and Cooper develop throughout the story as they fall in love. I was saddened to read that there has been ‘a spate of attempts around the world to remove titles depicting gay or transgender characters from library shelves’ (The Guardian, January 2019). Why do you think YA books that explore the lives of gay and transgender characters and present a variety of relationships are still so important? A bucolic, intimate twist on the zombie/post-apocalyptic story… It’s impressive how Darren has combined the pace, thrills, and gore you expect from zombie fiction with a genuinely tender romance.’ – David Owen, author of GRIEF ANGELS I did like this book but I was expecting to love it. I think the pacing was a bit strange and I would have preferred a slower build to the romance. However, I did enjoy the storyline and will probably read the sequel when I can.

Wranglestone by Darren Charlton | Waterstones

Night Mayor Franklefink has vanished from the Transylvanian Express - and it's up to you to solve the case! Part of the Solve Your Own Mystery seri... Then homebody Peter puts the camp in danger by naively allowing a stranger to come ashore and he’s forced to leave the community of Wranglestone. Now he must help rancher Cooper, the boy he’s always watched from afar, herd the Dead from their shores before the lake freezes over.Darren lives in London with his partner, Shaun, and works in the voluntary sector for a homeless organisation. His lifetime obsessions with the National Parks of America, horror, film music and 80s ki… SIMILAR BOOKS YOU MIGHT LIKE

Wranglestone | Darren Charlton | 9781788951210 | NetGalley Wranglestone | Darren Charlton | 9781788951210 | NetGalley

Thrilling zombie epic meets gorgeous gay love story. The world-building is deft, the writing poetic … this is very special! Properly scary and properly heart-warming.’ – William Hussey, author of HIDEOUS BEAUTY Gripping and graphically gory, this dynamic debut is dystopian horror with a difference, for it pulsates not only with terror and visceral violence, but also with love, affection and emotional atmosphere. Chilling, atmospheric, and beautifully written, Wranglestone is a thrilling apocalyptic tale with a tender love story at its heart.' -- Gabriel Dylan, author of Whiteout The central romance of the story was lovely and I really appreciated the way their relationship was accepted by the community, that their queerness was not a big deal. It did take me a little while to get into the book - at the start, there were parts that were unclear, and I didn't know if that was due to bad writing, me missing something, or just needing to be patient until things fell in to place (it was the last one). With the COVID-19 outbreak, Wranglestone now feels exceptionally timely and prescient, dealing as it does with a viral outbreak that changed the way people lived. I would recommend it to mature KS3 readers and older, and it will appeal to a broad range of readers - dystopian and apocalyptic fans, horror fiends, romance lovers and thriller seekers.

Format

There’s a lot in the story about fear of outsiders and the demonisation of other people who are different and I wondered if this was a reflection of, or commentary on, the state of our society today? Winter was the only season every Lake-Lander feared... In a post-apocalyptic America, a community survives in a national park, surrounded by water that keeps the Dead at bay. But when winter comes, there's nothing to stop them from crossing the ice. Then homebody Peter puts the camp in danger by naively allowing a stranger to come ashore and he's forced to leave the community of Wranglestone. Now he must help rancher Cooper, the boy he's always watched from afar, herd the Dead from their shores before the lake freezes over. The setting very much reminded me of my honeymoon to Canada and the beautiful, icy, mountainous scenery I saw. What was your inspiration for the setting? Winter was the only season every Lake-Lander feared... In a post-apocalyptic America, a community survives in a national park, surrounded by water that keeps the Dead at bay. But when winter comes, there's nothing to stop them from crossing the ice. There’s some stunning, lyrical language in the story, especially when you describe the frost and snow, and there’s a wonderful line that’s stayed with me too –‘The cabin was as quiet as a box of secrets’. Do these striking images come to you naturally or do you have to spend a lot of time working on your sentence construction?

Darren Charlton | Waterstones

Hello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing - There were some hints of social commentary which I liked. For example, one of the characters expresses how he’s better off than he used to be, or at least that’s what he believes. He used to work a dead end job, trying to make ends meet, but now feels like he has a purpose, keeping people safe and fighting against the zombies that have taken over. It makes you question modern day capitalism and working class struggles. A bucolic, intimate twist on the zombie/post-apocalyptic story... It's impressive how Darren has combined the pace, thrills, and gore you expect from zombie fiction with a genuinely tender romance.' -- David Owen, author of Grief AngelsBut as love blossoms, a dark discovery reveals the sanctuary's secret past. One that forces the pair to question everything they've ever known. But as love blossoms, a dark discovery reveals the sanctuary’s secret past. One that forces the pair to question everything they’ve ever known. Armistice Day: A Collection of Remembrance - Spark Interest and Educate Children about Historical Moments Well, first of all I must credit the book’s designer Pip Johnson for the cover concept. But yes, Jana’s done such a beautiful job. It was really important to me that the cover play against any expectations a ‘zombie novel’ may carry because really, they’re a gateway into another story which has a mystery and a romance and then has a bit of a sci-fi as social allegory thing going on. So, what Jana’s done cleverly serves both the book it starts out as being and the one it becomes. I just love covers you can keep returning to. The book also looks like my style feels, I think. And, to answer your question, yes, seeing the cover on the physical book in particular was wonderful. The way the painting is matte finish just looked so smart and special. It looks like it was made with love, and across all departments, it really was. I’m very fortunate. Thrilling zombie epic meets gorgeous gay love story. The world-building is deft, the writing poetic ... this is very special! Properly scary and properly heart-warming.' - William Hussey, author of HIDEOUS BEAUTY