I’m currently reading MagicBorn which I’m really enjoying, especially the fairy link. I’m listening to The Ice Whisperers which has a brilliant premise as sisters meet out of time. There’s plenty of peril and an awful villain – a wonderful read.

I really enjoyed this brilliant read. Utterly is a wonderful character who has made such a huge decision in this story – definitely looking forward to reading the final part of this trilogy.

I had such a busy week that I didn’t get a chance to get to this one, so I’m hoping to pick it up over the weekend.

What are you reading? Have you read any of these?

The Kingdom of Broken Magic is a spectacularly surreal and brilliantly bizarre adventure that completely captured me in its unique magic.  I was swept into a highly imaginative, wonderfully strange world where nothing is ever as it seems – and I absolutely loved it! 

Maggie and Josh live in a dreadful place:  Scribbens’ Home for Very Wayward Children.  Left there as babies, they have become inseparable, the only family each has.  Whilst Josh works in the Home, Maggie has proved herself a master pickpocket, so is sent out to increase the cruel and unscrupulous Miss Scribbens’ wealth.  Both children long to escape from the clutches of Miss Scribbens and her loyal spy, the crow, Carry-On; however, all their attempts have proven unsuccessful, and they are caught and returned to face punishment.

That is, until the day Maggie almost gets caught stealing, and finds herself pulled to safety by Madam Lulu, a trapeze artiste in Mrs Gumbo’s Flying Circus.  Although Maggie wants to return for Josh, she makes do with sending him a letter, and begins a new life in the circus …

She soon discovers that her new life may not quite be the sanctuary she had hoped for.  Whilst forming bonds with the strange and wonderful animal and human performers, she discovers that some have gone missing in strange circumstances.  Could she be in danger of disappearing too?  Maggie is determined to solve the mystery, and begins her investigations …

Meanwhile, Josh is not prepared to lose his best friend and only family, and sets out to find Maggie.  But, will he find her before the evil mastermind behind the world’s broken magic strikes yet again? Will these two daring children be reunited in their efforts to defeat a power-hungry villain?  Can they fix the world’s broken magic, and return those who have disappeared?

Oh my goodness!  This is just brilliant, and like nothing I’ve ever read before!  I loved the peculiar circus with its vegetarian, party-loving tigers and keen-knitter elephant not to mention the wonderful Madam Lulu who takes Maggie into her care, believes in her, and helps her discover a dazzling talent.  I loved the twists and turns, the danger and intrigue and the unexpected revelations as I got closer and closer to discovering the villain.  There is both darkness and light, humour and sadness and moments of surrealness that make this an exceptional read.  I don’t want to say too much about the Kingdom of Broken Magic itself except that it is a dark, strangely curious, imaginative feast with surprises galore – superb! 

A truly magical, mesmerising adventure:  a story of finding family, friendship and a place to belong whilst fighting against the darkness brought by those whose greed and thirst for power corrupts and seeks to control.

The partial-and-full-page illustrations are just stunning – dark, intricate, expressive wonder-pieces that capture the atmosphere of the story perfectly. 

An unmissable read to captivate young readers of 9+ as they join a curious circus and meet its strange and wonderful performers.

Thank you to Mikka at Everything with Words for inviting me to be part of the Blog Tour, and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Please do check out the other stops on the Blog Tour:

I’m really enjoying Twice we Make Magic although I haven’t had the chance to read it as much as I would have liked to this week. I’m listening to the audiobook of Utterly Dark and the Heart of the Wild which is just as wonderful as the first. Such wonderful connections with old magic and nature – gorgeous writing.

I’ve finished reading And Away … a really open and honest account which was a wonderful read. I also finished listening to the audiobook of The Colour of Hope which was utterly brilliant. I loved the premise of the return of colour to the world and, oh my goodness, the twists were fantastic – this will be a book of the year for me. I also read Stitch by one of my favourite authors and it was just brilliant – I will post my review shortly. Scariest.Book.Ever was a quick, enjoyable read – and my first Goosebumps story. I have posted my review.

I have so many books to read that I’m not completely sure what to pick up next. I think it might be The Glorious Race of Magical Beasts.

What are you reading? Have you read any of these?

Get ready for shivers, thrills and twists galore:  House of Shivers is the start of a new Goosebumps series.  Scariest.Book.Ever is a brilliant start to the series which I have no doubt will be extremely popular with young fans of scary, action-packed reads.

Twelve-year-old twins, Billy and Betty, are being sent to stay with their Uncle Wendell, who is a stranger to them, whilst their parents take a business trip for two weeks. Arriving at his old house in Wayward Forest, their Uncle quickly tells them that he needs their help.  He is the custodian of a book which has been stolen – a dangerous book that, if opened, will unleash evil into the world – and he needs the twins help to find it and keep the world safe. 

The twins soon find themselves following their Uncle into the forest to find the book thief where they come face-to-face with some dangerous creatures – can they escape manbats, cannibal crows, flying tree bears and other horrifying creatures – and escape the forest with their lives?  Is their uncle telling them the truth about the most dangerous book in the world, or is there more to his story of theft than he is sharing?

This is an action-packed, fast-paced rollercoaster read with twists and turns galore, short chapters with plenty of cliffhanger endings that demand ‘just one more chapter’ …  The balance between horror and humour is perfect for younger readers.  I know lots of my class are always asking for scary stories, and I think this one will definitely delight them.  

The tension is perfectly orchestrated as the reader is taken on a terrifically topsy-turvy journey of discovery as the plot unfolds to uncover unexpected truths and surprises aplenty.  It’s no wonder I just had to keep reading until I got to the brilliant ending where every child will ponder:  what would I do?  A perfect opportunity for some creative writing in class!

An exciting start to a spine-tinglingly scary new series for younger readers of 8+. 

Thank you to Scholastic for a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I’m still reading Bob Mortimer’s autobiography when I get a chance in the evenings. Its such a fascinating read and just goes to show that we can never predict what will happen in life. I’m slo really enjoying Twice we Make Magic which re-joins sisters Spel and Egg who are now in a coven with their school friends. I’m listening to the audiobook of The Colour of Hope which is incredible. Hope is a wonderfully strong, courageous character who has had to face a lot of difficult times and danger in her young life.. She lives in a world which has been robbed of colour by a cruel necromancer and her nephew, the Emperor. I can’t wait to see where this one takes me.

I’ve finished The Ice Children, a wonderful wintry read, that I will now be passing on to my niece.

I didn’t get to Scrap last week, so I’m hoping to enjoy it this weekend.

What are you reading? Have you read any of these?

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

• Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
• Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
• Finally… reveal the book!

A man fell out of the sky . He wore a long black coat and its tails streamed and flapped behind him in the wind. He fell very fast but his limbs flailed slowly, like the limbs of a man in a dream. But this man was not in a dream, he was in the real world – our world – and he was hurtling towards the ground.

An ideas?

Synopsis:

In the kingdom of Balthasar some children have the power to use dreams to change reality- an activity fraught with danger. Changing the world can have lethal consequences. Meddling with nature can lead to ecological disasters spinning irrevocably out of control. Crown Princess Tamurlaine, about to be crowned queen of Balthasar wants to control dreams and dreamers, but a conspiracy led by power hungry Malladain, a family foe aims to kill her on the day of her coronation. Can her trusted friend Toby from our world save her? Toby, Tamurlaine and their staunchest allies, Anon a half-angel, Burston a school friend and Jinky, an orphan and refugee, must battle against the superior forces of those utterly corrupted by power in a land where no one can be trusted …

Finding Treasure Island is not only a wonderfully captivating, action-packed adventure story, but is also a heart-warming story of family and friendship and of connection through storytelling. 

In the summer of 1881, young Sam Osborne leaves behind the boarding school he hates so much, in order to spend time in the village of Braemar in the Highlands with his mother, step-father, grandfather and grandmother.  His stepfather just so happens to be Robert Louis Stevenson who he affectionately calls Luly.

He soon meets Jen Hawkins, who works at the nearby Inn, and it is not long before the two become firm friends, united in their battle against the local bullies.  As trust develops between the pair, Jen shares a secret with Sam:  she is determined to find lost treasure which she believes has lain hidden in the woods for centuries.

When he tells Luly about the treasure, he sketches a detailed map for Sam, a treasure map which starts him writing a story – Treasure Island! Whilst Luly is writing and sharing his great adventure story with his family, Sam is taking part in a great adventure of his own … will he and Jen discover their own treasure?

This is a brilliantly layered story set in the stunning, wild Scottish Highlands with its rivers and glens, forests and wildlife.  I really enjoyed the mystical elements, the use of flashbacks, the links to past historical events, the connections made through storytelling and the strong bonds of family and friendship.

Both Sam and Jen are incredibly likeable characters. They have oodles of determination, courage and a sense of fairness, even if this can cause friction in their friendship.  Jen is feisty and strong-hearted, not letting the social norms of the time stop her from doing what she believes is fair, and always ready to stand up for herself and for her friend. I also adored Sam’s relationship with his stepfather which thrives on their shared joy in stories, adventure-making and playfulness.  Luly brings Treasure Island to life for Sam through sharing his storytelling which brings them closer together, especially as Luly is writing his story for Sam.  I really liked the authenticity of Sam’s relationships with others in this story.

I love the structure of this story from the foreword and afterword to the main adventure (the missing memoir of Sam Osborne), other information, photographs and author’s note – fascinating, intriguing and thought-provoking – and I couldn’t resist going on my own treasure hunt to find out more.

This is stunning story of the adventures to be had in seeking lost treasure, of the heart-warming bonds of family and friendship, and of the joy to be gained from the magic of storytelling.

Thank you so much to Anne at Cranachan Published for inviting me to be part of the Blog Tour for this wonderful book, and for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Do check out the other stops on the Blog Tour:

I’ve now got my physical copy of Bob Mortimer’s autobiography and am really enjoying it. I’m also reading The Ice Children which is a gorgeous wintry read.

I’ve finished Orla and the Magpie’s Kiss which is a wonderfully dark, witchy read. Dave the dog is just brilliant! I’ve also finished listening to Amari and the Great Game which I absolutely loved. I’m so looking forward to book three! I also read Finding Treasure Island which is a great two-fold adventure which shows the inspiration behind Treasure Island and a search for hidden gold in the Highlands. I will be posting my review on Thursday as part of the Blog Tour.

I’m hoping to read Scrap next.

What are you reading? Have you read any of these?

What an incredible, impossibly amazing adventure!  I was absolutely gripped by Impossible Creatures from the opening lines until the final page.  A powerful, stunning epic fantasy that swept me into a magical world that I didn’t want to leave.  This is a story that melts into your heart and leaves an indelible mark – utterly breath-taking! 

Christopher has been sent to spend his holidays with his grandfather in a remote part of Scotland.  When he witnesses creatures who should not exist racing down a hill, he discovers that his grandfather is a guardian of a way in to a magical world, the Archipelago, a group of islands that is home to creatures which humans believe only exist in myth.  Christopher finds himself providing shelter to a baby griffin who is soon reunited with its protector, Mal, when she comes through the gateway to Christopher’s world, escaping from someone who is intent on killing her.

Together, these two incredible children, return to the Archipelago which is in danger of losing its magic and the creatures that live there to begin a quest that sees them venturing on an incredible journey.   A journey where love and friendship flourish, where danger and hope balance on a knife-edge and where encounters change lives in the most extraordinary ways.  Can Christopher and Mal discover what is happening to the islands’ magic?  What lengths will they go to in order to save both their worlds?

This is a quest adventure that transported me wholeheartedly into a richly imagined world where sphinxes impart knowledge, where centaurs hold a key to renewal and where a baby griffin brings joy and comfort.  It is a story that took me on a real rollercoaster of emotions, from heartache to joy, from despair to hope – and the ending was just perfect, making me desperate for the next book in this trilogy.

There is no doubt that this is an epic fantasy adventure that will rightly earn its place as a classic.  I cannot recommend this highly enough – a definite book of the year!

Man-Man and the Tree of Memories is a vibrant celebration, through words and illustrations, of the magic evoked through the music and dance of carnival, and a story of connections with the past through myth and ancestral history. 

Man-man is caught up in the excitement of the preparations for the Notting Hill Carnival, practising his dancing and deciding on a costume for its theme:  Let Freedom Rain.   But Man-man is also worried about his mum’s illness which has led to his Nan coming from Jamaica to help look after her daughter.

On the day of the carnival, his mum is able to watch the floats from the balcony of his Aunty Flo’s flat.  As the procession starts, Man-man is caught up in the joyousness and vibrancy of the dance and, in his determination to heal his mum, he calls upon the Queen of Revels to make his mum better.  And she answers his call … 

Man-man, his sister, Pan and best friend, Kareem find themselves swept into the past where Man-man must learn about his family’s heritage to have a chance of changing his mum’s future. The children are taken to the Tree of Memories on the coast of West Africa, a sacred tree which holds the heartache and dreams of his ancestors, opening a window into the past. The tree reveals the pain and anguish of those taken captive by slavers and they watch as an ancestor’s memory unfolds … Man-man understands how the weight of his family’s past pain is making his mum unwell, but can this new understanding of the past help him to change her future?

I loved the blend of a contemporary setting during the Notting Hill Carnival, and a magical adventure to connect with the past.  I could really feel the joy and love that Man-man has for dance leaping from the pages in both words and illustrations.  I really enjoyed the myth of the Queen of Revels and Shango as well as the symbolism of the iroko tree and the egret.

As a teacher, I feel it is so important and beneficial to have a diverse range of books in the classroom so that all children can see themselves in books and empathise with the experiences of others.  This story gives an insight into both African and Caribbean culture, and opens a window to introduce difficult subjects such as the history of slavery to younger children. 

This is a stunning hardback edition where the author’s heartfelt, powerful storytelling is complemented perfectly with dazzling full-colour illustrations that leap from the page in a celebration of dance, magic and freedom. 

A magical and mesmerising adventure celebrating the captivation of carnival, the importance of memories and the love of family and friends.  Perfect for readers of 8+.

Thank you to Laura Smythe PR and Zephyr Books for inviting me to be part of the Blog Tour and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Do check out the other stops on the Blog Tour: