From the blurb: History, magic, and adventure collide in this riveting middle-grade fantasy novel about an unusual boy who unlocks an ancient relic—and with it, a forgotten world. Befriended by a band of young witches, Archibald Finch must quickly adapt to survive in Lemurea, where a battle born in the Middle Ages is still unfolding . . . Archibald is a risk-averse boy with quirks that earn him plenty of eye-rolls, especially from his older sister, Hailee. Things get worse when his parents move the family from London to his grandmother’s creepy manor in the English countryside. Now he has to deal with hairless dolls in the library, weird stone creatures on the roof, and a spooky forest at the edge of the backyard. But these turn out to be the least of Archibald's problems . . . One day, as he's exploring the cavernous house, he finds a curious globe that whisks him away to a secret world, hidden for 500 years. Archibald finds himself on a thrilling adventure full of medieval magic, mysterious symbols, and the strangest beasts, while Hailee—who witnessed her brother’s disappearance—embarks on a daring quest to find him. 9-12 y.o. My thoughts:
I loved this magical adventure so much that after listening to an advanced copy, I went on to buy my own copy. This proved to be an excellent decision because the illustrations are absolutely marvellous and add so much to this already fascinating story. After the funaral of a much loved grandmother Celestine, eleven-year-old Archibald and his family. move into a mansion in a small town half an hour away from London. Archibald is a nerdy, but confident and adventurous kid and he starts exploring his new home straightaway. This is how he finds an odd object that looks like an antique globe which transports him into a new magical world populated by strange looking ferocious beasts and ... kind and resourceful tween and teenage girls who turn out to be witches. At this point the story splits into two, as Archibald's thirteen-year-old sister Hailee launches her own investigation, helped by an antique dealer's son Oliver, and together they will do everything possible to save the world from mysterious villains and bring Archie back home. Archibald is thrown into his adventure and has to hit the ground running. Luckily for him, he is a strong and I daresay opinionated character. I loved the supporting characters of witches, especially down-to-earth Faeryday, but the second plotline was even better as you can see Hailee go through so much development- she stole the show for me. I liked the world building and the magic system of using stone golems as ingredients for potentially limitless spells. Steve Hendrickson does a wonderful job as the narrator. He had me hooked on the story from the word go until the last minute. A perfect audioversion for a gripping story! Can't wait to read and listen to the sequel! Thank you to the publisher for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion. ![]() The Cassandra Curse
-- EXCERPT: Light from a dangled candy cane overhead flashed red in Hector’s eyes. “Did your former director ever happen to mention a handbell player named Cassandra?” Bella jolted back and knocked over a folder stand on the table behind her. She clutched at her chest with a fist. “No, can’t say that I have.” Her voice shot up to a high-bell octave. She weaved her gloved fingers into her hair, but the cloth caught on a curl. Abandoning ship, she left the glove in a tangle and polished the bells on the table with a black cloth. “Come on!” Paris slammed his hands on the table. But because the players had covered the surface in a foam pad, the sound muffled. “We got evidence at the library that she played with this group thirteen years ago. You joined a year after. You had to have heard something. And if my brother is going to show up in public in that ridiculous Red Riding Hood cloak, then you better make it worth it.” Wowza, Paris standing up to the man. Well, wo-man. Not being under the scrutiny of Danae’s glare had its wonders and benefits. Unfazed, Bella started to shove bells into a case. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Hector pulled out his tablet-- Where on earth had he been keeping that? —and the screen illuminated a scary-eager grin. “Oh yeah, well take a look at—” his voice dropped, cracked, “this?” Charity took two steps back and hoisted herself on her tiptoes to glance at the screen. The file had disappeared and a red “Error” replaced its slot. Had her touch back in the car eradicated the newspaper from the device? Bella waved her hand at some invisible bug near her sharp nose. “Sorry, kids, but I don’t have time for this. We need to pack up in the next five minutes before the ‘Looking Sharp Jazz Choir’ gets here.” She jerked her chin over her shoulder at her other band members who hoisted suitcases full of bells onto rolling carts. They needed to act, now. When Bella turned to shove some mallets covered in yellow yarn into a black felt bag, Charity tore both gloves with her teeth, spat them on the floor, and gripped the handle of a bell the size of a baby doll’s head. Her arm swung down a few inches under its weight. “What are you—” Bella stiffened. She sweetened her voice. “Now, put that thing down on the table. Nice and easy.” With a knee crack, Bella lunged forward for the bell. But Paris and Hector stepped in front of Charity to form a barricade. Blanched, Bella whirled around to call for the aid of her bell-mates, but they were busy grunting and heaving the carts toward the door. Now, for the bad cop sans good cop routine Charity’d practiced with her stuffed animals. This would, in no way, make Bella’s world a better place today. But she needed to do this for Io. “I hate to do this, Bella, and I never envisioned myself being a CIA interrogator. That was twenty-seventh on my list of possible occupations for me in the future, next to skydiving instructor and corgi herder. But you’ve left me with no choice.” “Listen, do you want money?” She dug a leather wallet out of her black slacks, opened it, and waved a neon-orange business card. “I have a coupon for two dollars off a pint of ice cream at The Scoop. You want?” Oooh, ice cream. Memories of sweet pralines of butter pecan mixed with cotton candy swirled over her tongue. Her favorite combo. No, focus. “Ma’am, if you do not tell us what you know about Cassandra, I’m afraid I’ll have to . . . have to,” she made a claw with her fingers. Digits wriggled like spider legs, “have to touch this bell with my bare hands.” Bella slapped both palms against her over-blushed cheeks. She gasped. Charity’s fingers squirmed so much, aches formed in her palms. She’d never threatened anyone before. Hoped she wouldn’t have to again. But for Io . . . she’d even get a fingerprint on this bell. “Think of the oils from my skin.” She slithered each s like a snake. “The tarnish on this beauty. Bet it will take forever to wipe off. What is this?” Her thumb budged down an inch to reveal the label on the black handle. “A middle C.” “Yes.” Bella’s voice tremored. She even crunched two crooked teeth down onto her pink lipsticked bottom lip. “That’s an important note, isn’t it?” “Some would argue that it’s the bread and butter that holds the music together.” “Pity if I touched it . . . or even worse. Dropped it.” Her fingers wriggled closer, closer . . . a centimeter away . . . . “Wait!” ![]()
GIVEAWAY! Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for The New Land, the first book The Tales of Avalon fantasy series by Daisy Bourne. The New Land, Book 1 in the Tales of Avalon series What happened to Arthur, King of the Britons, after he was allegedly killed on the battlefield? Legend has it that Merlin, the mighty sorcerer, put the king’s body in a boat and set it sail for a mysterious place called Avalon. However, many Britons refuse to accept that Arthur was really dead. Instead they believe that Merlin had taken the king to a place of safety. There have been many theories as to the whereabouts of Avalon, but none proven to be accurate. The New Land is the first book in the Tales of Avalon series. It tells the story of how Arthur, magical beings, and other Britons, fearing for their lives, seek refuge in a far-off land. They hope their new home will be a place where magical beings and humans can live together in peace and harmony. Will the travelers find the new life they so desire? The Avalonians soon find that they have to form new and unusual alliances in order to protect themselves against an unexpected enemy. If you like stories about witches, wizards, fairies, elves, giants, and unicorns, you will enjoy this book. DAISY BOURNE www.TalesOfAvalon.co.uk THE TALES OF AVALON - BOOK 1 9 781999 902902 The New Land is a magical tale readers will love. Bourne describes the fictional land so vividly, readers will think the setting is real. The descriptions of the lush greenery and mountains are expertly paired with a map of Avalon at the beginning of the novel. The New Land would be best for fans of fantasy novels like Harry Potter and other novels about magical powers. The Merlin and King Arthur references in the novel would also appeal to fans of medieval fantasy. The book would be great for readers of The Lord of the Rings trilogy or other Tolkien-esque novels about journeys. Though the novel may appeal most to young adult readers, The New Land can appeal to readers of all ages. Daisy Bourne has written a book that will have readers clamoring [SIC] for more. The New Land will have readers eager to return to Avalon --Pacific Book Review ‘The New Land’ was chosen as one of Pacific Book Review’s five Books of the Month in January 2017. Tales of King Arthur and Merlin will probably always be told and re-told for new generations, but it’s up to the author to keep the stories fresh. This particular presentation does just that for the younger audience. Bourne does an admirable job of building this into a believable new world and populating it with an assortment of interesting characters. --US Review of Books Purchase Links UK / US My thoughts: I'm a big fan of Arthurian legends in any format and so is my niece. I think she'll love this series dealing with King Arthur's life after his faithful Merlin put him on a boat and let the boat float towards the mysterious land of Avalon. Of course, he survived and was nurtured to health by the magical folk. In the New Land we find out about the great migration of humans, witches and elves from Briton, destroyed by human greed and aggression, to the new peaceful world and how this new life works out. It's a mix of a story about magical beings (yes, giants and unicorns are included) and a story of a new settlement with all the excitement of discovery and survival. Apart from the canonic characters, there are some sweet, new ones, including young Edward, son of King Arthur and his new wife Glenda, and Edward's half-sister Rosalie. There are new neighbours- some peaceful, but weary of humans, others- just waiting to attack. Fortunately, the inhabitants of Merlport are ready to rally together and defend their new home. I think this book is better listened to, perhaps read to a child at bedtime. It is fairly short, but it's clear this is just the beginning of the whole world of new fascinating adventures and original characters. Can't wait to read the neext book in the series. Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources, the publisher and the author for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion. Author Bio – About the Author Daisy Bourne was born in England, in 1917. Nothing much is known about her real parents, except that their lives were changed dramatically by the First World War. At the age of six, Daisy was unofficially adopted by a farmer and his wife. They changed her name and took her to Canada. There are several similarities between the real Daisy Bourne and her namesake in this book. To a small child, Canada, with its heavy snowfalls, huge forests, and grizzly bears, must indeed have seemed like some kind of new world. Although Daisy loved Canada and the farm on which she lived, she was not happy and ran away. She returned to England at the age of 16. In later life, she took up farming again. She also enjoyed her garden and preserving much of its produce. This is where the similarities between the real Daisy and the character in this book end. I am proud to use my mother’s birth name as a pseudonym when writing the Tales of Avalon series. My ambition is to one day write the story of the real Daisy Bourne. In the meantime, I shall work to complete the other seven books in the Tales of Avalon series Social Media Links – http://www.talesofavalon.co.uk/ (20+) Daisy Bourne | Facebook https://twitter.com/RoseGriffin14 Thank you for reading the post! Have a wonderful Monday!
Today I'm delighted to participate in the book birthday blitz for Tessa Buckley's Middle Grade mystery Haunted, the second instalment in The Eye Spy Series. Haunted Alex doesn’t believe in ghosts, but he is about to have his beliefs challenged… When Jimmy Devlin asks the twins to investigate the strange things that have been happening at The Priory, Alex seizes the opportunity to prove to his sister that there is no such thing as ghosts. However, it soon becomes clear that unquiet spirits are not the only problem facing the Devlin family. Are the family servants hiding secrets? Has a valuable ring been stolen, or just mislaid? And what has happened to Jimmy’s missing elder brother, Harry? As the twins and Jimmy try to solve the many mysteries of The Priory, they discover they are dealing with a very dangerous enemy… Purchase Link UK / US Troubador My thoughts: Happy Re-Release Day to the second instalment in Tessa Buckley's award-winning middle grade series of mysteries! First of all, I'd like to say that I love the new cover art which captures the essence of the book and is more age appropriate. The book can definitely be read as a standaone, although there are references to the case solved by the main characters in Book 1. The protagonists of the series are twins Donna and Alex and the author manages to capture a typical sibling relationship really well- they argue, compete, try to outsmart each other, but, ultimately, they know they can always rely on their sibling. This time the case is ....almost paranormal. A boy comes back to their school after a long perieod of absence. It turns out Jimmy Devlin's parents won a lottery and bought an enormous house with plenty of history. Jimmy thinks it might be haunted. Well, Alex doesn'tbelieve in ghosts- there's got tobe a rational explanation! Donna is more open to the idea, but would like to investigate the issue. Off they go to solve their new case! The book is well-structured with short snappy chapters. It is very easy to read this mystery and follow the events. The characters are interesting and have their own unique personality. There is a cast of secondary characters, because managing this large medieval house, which used to be a Priory, requires employing a housekeeper, a chauffer and several other servants. The setting is also very appropriate for a fascinating mystery! I really enjoyed the spirit of adventure that permeates this book and would definitely recommend it to my 10-11 year old students! Author Bio – Tessa Buckley was an inveterate scribbler as a child, and spent much of her time writing and illustrating stories. After studying Interior Design, she spent fifteen years working for architects and designers. She took up writing again after her young daughter complained that she couldn’t find enough adventure stories to read. This led, in 2016, to the publication of Eye Spy, the first in a series of detective stories for 9-12 year olds, designed to encourage reluctant readers. The second book in the series, Haunted, was a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2017. Tessa lives with her husband and a large white cat called Pippa. in a town on the Thames estuary, which inspired the seaside setting for the novels. She also writes about health and nutrition, and family history, which has been her passion for many years. Social Media Links – Thank you for reading the post! Have a wonderful Wednesday!
Description When his mother goes missing, Max Daybreaker’s world is turned upside down. Luckily, a crew of Spice Pirates, led by the mysterious Captain Cinn, help Max on his dangerous mission across the three seas. Along the way, an unlikely alliance aids in his search—a teenage warrior queen, a three-eyed seer, and an assassin spy. Their journey takes them through treacherous lands while facing shapeshifting bears, an ancient witch, harpies, and the nightmarish Djinn, who will stop at nothing to enslave the world. With every new challenge, Max unlocks the secrets of his unsettling past. Powers awaken within, forcing him to question everything he knows. Is Max who he thinks he is? Only time and destiny will tell… My thoughts:
Max and the Spice Thieves is an extremely imaginative book, full of unique characters, adventures, twists and turns, magic, friendship and love. MaxDaybreaker is just a regular twelve (almost thirteen) year old boy. He does have a medical condition- he can't stand cold which makes his skin break out in a bad rash. When his father goes missing in the sea, Max keeps hoping sooner or later his father will be back. Max's mother Bettina tells him they are going on a journey on a pirate ship, but then on the day when they were supposed to leave, Bettina disappears. The captain of the pirate ship saves Max from criminals and takes him aboard. He promises to do everything possible to help Max find his kidnapped mother. And here begin Max's adventures that will take him across this original world. On his mission to save his family Max makes friends, shows his courage, loyalty and honesty, and learns that he might not be just a regular boy after all. What I liked the most about this book: adventures! Max never has a quiet moment in this action-packed fascinating journey. Just the sheer variety of places Max and his friends have to visit in order to glean some information about Max's family! The world Max lives in is incredibly diverse and so are the magical beings that inhabit it. Max is still quite young and has a lot to learn, but he is aided by other fascinating characters, including my favourite Captain Cinn. I'm not sure the love triangle was entirely necessary. It might become more important in the following books. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I'll be looking forward to the next book in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. Cassie Rodrigues has always been close to her Mom who had a larger than life personality and adventurous spirit. Their trips to the beach were marvellous. Kim was a strong swimmer who was in love with the ocean and really enjoyed ice-cream and flying kites. She wanted to swim across the Channel one day and whatever this wonderful woman set her mind on was not impossible. Until she started forgetting things and feeling disoriented. She couldn't follow a conversation or drive safely. Something was seriously wrong. Cassie's Mom got diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's and everything in Cassie's life has changed. Cassie's Mom's doctor tried to explain the illness like this: 'Let's say you're trying to connect two pieces of paper together with glue. The pieces of paper are brain cells. On the spot where you need to attach them, there are patches of sand and dirt. And when you try to glue the papers, they don't stick.' Gradually, Kim is losing her memory and Cassie knows she is running out of time. The author did a wonderful job showing how difficult it was for Cassie to accept and keep accepting the changes every day. She is sad, and angry at the illness, not her Mom, who cannot take care of her the way other parents do. Cassie is an artistic child, but she seems unable to create, because everything is dwarfed by the enormity of what is happening to her mother. Cassie has always liked maths, numbers and patterns that help her make the sense of the world. Now she has to live with dark, scary, and unpredictable, like the fact that her Mom doesn't remember her name anymore. Cassie tries to use her art to help her Mom's brain find a way to her memories, which are still there, but are locked and inaccessible. Cassie is finding it difficult to explain her Mom's illness and the changes her family is going through to other people, even her best friend Bailey, so she is pushing everyone away, until people stop trying to talk to her and she is left alone. Cassie didn't mean to hurt Bailey's feelings, but the way back to rebuilding their friendship and opening up isn't easy. Bringing Bailey home to work on a school project helps Cassie immensely. Bailey helps her see her Mom as a whole person again. When Cassie's Dad says it is time to move Kim to a specialised facility, Cassie begs him to give her mother one last adventure, something that was on her bucket list. When he refuses even to consider it, Cassie decides to organise it herself (with a little help of Bailey and her older sister). This short middle-grade book is both powerful and poignant. It is about family, art, friendship, and dealing with changes. It is difficult for a child to see their parent slip away, and it is difficult for the spouse to have to make all the choices and take all responsibility that used to be shared. Sandy Stark-McGinnis wrote an incredibly beautiful and heart-breaking book about things that make us what we are. Thank you to Edelweiss and Bloomsbury for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. |
Archives
February 2024
Categories |