The Book of Stolen Dreams: The Final Battle is the powerful and compelling conclusion to this epic fantasy trilogy that has held me utterly enthralled from start to finish.

Life finally feels good for 13-year-old Rachel Klein. She is enjoying simple pleasures such as spending time with her family, the companionship of her dog and going to the cinema, something that was banned under the dictatorship of tyrant Charles Malstain who has now been defeated.

When Rachel arrives at the cinema to see her father’s favourite actor, Emil Bonfleur, in his latest film, she discovers that the showing has been cancelled as Emil has gone missing in the Sahara Desert – and the worst is feared. Imagine everyone’s delight when the charismatic actor arrives back in Krasnia five days later, safe and well. Everyone except Rachel, who has an unsettling feeling that leads to a terrifying truth. Can Rachel’s fame as a hero of Krasnia help her in her battle to defeat a return to tyranny and reveal the truth, or will a populist leader take the reins of power and manipulate and control both truth and freedom?

I was absolutely gripped by this epic adventure as Rachel finds herself returning to the Hinterland to expose the truth of what is happening in Krasnia before it is too late to prevent a return to despotic rule. I was on the edge of my seat as danger intensified, as democracy was inexorably, and all too easily, stripped, and as a return to a cruel, and feared, autocracy seemed inevitable. But, there is also hope as there are those prepared to expose evil, to stand up for justice and to battle for the rights of decent people who are easily influenced and manipulated by those who will stop at nothing to have absolute power.

This may be an epic fantasy adventure but, like many great and lasting fantasy books which become classics of literature, there are powerful messages – and warnings – for our time. There is a line from the book that really struck me: People are good … But they can be so terribly misled. One of the most powerful messages I took from this is that democracy is fragile, and can all too easily be taken from people when one person can insidiously take control, seemingly for the good of the people but, ultimately, as a way to have total authority and power for their own gain.

As throughout this trilogy, I was in awe of the courage and resilience shown by both Rachel and her brother, Robert. They are prepared to fight for justice and truth and expose the evil of tyranny even when this leads them towards great danger and sacrifice for the sake of others.

Each chapter heading has a beautifully detailed illustration representing something from the chapter. There are also a few full-page illustrations which are absolutely stunning and complement the magic and adventure perfectly.

This is the perfect ending to a stunning, gripping and unforgettable adventure, a story of courage, family and friendship – and a must-read, powerful story for our times.

Thank you to Fritha Lindqvist and Usborne for sending me a copy of this fantastic book.  It was my decision to review this book and my review is my honest opinion.

What a month September has been! Back at school getting to know a new class, establishing routines and the endless list of jobs to complete – think I might be getting too old for this! As always, my reading time is reduced as teacher tiredness affects me! But I did read some fantastic books this month!

Books I’ve read:

I’ve read 12 books this month. My highlights were The King’s Witches (adult), The Poisoned King and The Book of Stolen Dreams: The Final Battle (both middle-grade) as well as Thirst (young adult).

NetGalley:

My feedback ratio is at 99%. I requested one book in September so now have two books to read.

Books sent by publishers:

I am grateful to have been sent 15 books by publishers this month.

Books Bought:

I have bought 9 books this month, including the gorgeous indie version of Dracula & Daughters and the Waterstones special edition of Impossible Creatures: The Poisoned King, both books I’ve read and loved.

How has your reading month been? Have you read any of these? Have you any of them on your TBR?

After reading The Shoe Creeper, I’ll never look at a stray shoe in the same way again! A superbly dark, spine-tingling horror adventure: a perfect spooky season treat!

Twelve-year-old Ethan Halston has grown up on stories of The Shoe Creeper shared with him by his beloved gran. Of course, he doesn’t believe the stories despite his gran’s assurances that they are true. After all, there’s no way stories of a terrifying monster, who catches his victims by sniffing out their malodorous shoes, before feasting on their fear and taking their toes, can be real – can they?

As Halloween nears, life is changing for Ethan. His gran is moving in as she is becoming increasingly confused due to her deteriorating memory; his parents’ arguments are increasing and worsening; and, his best friend, Sam, has a secret …

When the local news reports that there has been an attempted kidnapping of a child in Ethan’s year, gran is convinced that the shoe creeper has returned and is seeking another victim …

And so begins a deliciously dark, tension-filled and creepy adventure as Ethan finds himself in a battle to save Seaton from the monstrous machinations of a creature intent on leaving nothing behind but the shoe of his victim … Will Ethan and his friends be able to defeat this monster before it takes someone from the town? Could Ethan’s gran know more about why the shoe creeper has returned than she is willing to share with her grandson?

I really enjoyed this horror adventure which definitely brings spine-tingling, scary moments, but there’s also plenty of warmth and hope, that makes it perfect for its middle-grade audience – and beyond. I loved the cliffhanger chapter endings that make it a ‘just-one-more-chapter’ book as well as some unexpected twists and turns that were just perfect!

I really liked both Ethan and Sam who have a wonderfully, strong, supportive and caring friendship as they team up to attempt to defeat both bullies and the shoe creeper. Ethan is such a courageous young boy who fears what is happening to his gran more than facing the shoe creeper. Ethan has a lot of changes to cope with but shows real maturity and sensitivity when dealing with these and shows himself to be kind-hearted and empathetic towards others who are also facing change.

A chilling, creepy read, with family and friendship at its heart, perfect for spooky season and young readers of 9+.

Thank you to the author, Ian Hunter, for inviting me to be part of this Blog Tour and for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Do check out the other stops on the Blog Tour:

The Feathered Book introduces a new detective duo to rival Holmes and Watson in this utterly delightful mystery adventure which completely enchanted me.

The Feathered Book, rumoured to hold the secrets of alchemy, has been stolen from inside a locked room in an ancient oak tree library. How could this crime have been committed right under the noses of the librarians? And, will the curse placed on the book by its creator, Prendergast the Raven, strike again?

Meanwhile, Monty the Fox has decided on the perfect new career: a detective. After all, he’s read enough detective books to make him an expert! His best friend, Nettle the Rabbit, is not convinced that Monty will stick at this any longer than his many other short-lived careers. But when Monty hears about the missing Feathered Book, he is determined to solve the mystery. The question is: can this case hold his attention long enough to catch the thief before he gets bored and moves on to his next career?

And so begins a really rather brilliant and completely charming, cosy crime caper as Monty and Nettle set out across the Lake to solve a seemingly impossible crime. Whilst hunting for clues and trying to unravel how the crime could possibly have been committed, they face peril from pirates, booby traps and labyrinths.

This is such a clever mystery that has plenty of twists and turns, red herrings and a tantalising trail of clues. I loved following Monty and Nettle as they worked together to try to solve this puzzling mystery of how the Feathered Book could have disappeared from a locked room whilst finding themselves facing more and more danger. I really enjoyed the humour, the fantastic character names (Ticklepenny, Pecksniff and Rokeby to name a few) and that the story was told through anthropomorphic characters, something that I think will appeal greatly to young readers.

Monty and Nettle are firm friends and make a brilliant sleuthing duo, each with their own strengths to bring to solving the tricky case. Whilst Nettle prefers peace and quiet and would rather not be involved in crime-solving, Monty has a way of finding trouble, so Nettle feels she needs to go with him to look out for him when he chooses this new, and dangerous, career path. I loved Monty’s effusive enthusiasm, confidence and optimism even when things don’t quite go to plan. Coupled with Nettle’s tetchiness, sarcasm and sensible nature, there is plenty for the friends to squabble about but it is obvious that they care for each other deeply.

I love books with maps and this has a wonderfully detailed, illustrated map of the The Lake, an archipelago of wooded islands, again with brilliant names such as Spigglewick and Muzzleplash. This detail is continued in the absolutely stunning chapter borders and full-page illustrations which captures both the mystery and charm of this story perfectly.

An action-packed, thrilling mystery adventure, with oodles of humour and heart, danger and daring, perfect for young readers of 9+.

Thank you to Mikka at Everything With Words for providing me with a copy of The Feathered Book. My review is my honest opinion of this book.

Welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour for The Feathered Book. Today, I’m sharing a post from the author, Charlie Nutbrown, about the friendship between Monty the Fox and best friend Nettle the Rabbit.

MONTY AND NETTLE: A COMPLICATED FRIENDSHIP

The relationship between Monty the Fox and his best friend, Nettle the Rabbit, is central to my middle grade novel, The Feathered Book: a locked-room mystery set on a world known as the Lake. Monty, as the detective, is supposedly the protagonist. But just as Sherlock Holmes is lost without his Dr Watson, so Monty wouldn’t survive a day without his more worldly friend – and nor would the story. For as much as it is a mystery novel, as much as it is an adventure story, the book is also a study of this crimefighting duo’s loving yet complicated friendship.

When a cursed work of alchemy goes missing from a labyrinthine library beneath an oak tree, Monty decides on a new career as a detective. Inspired by his love of detective fiction, he is ready to throw himself into the role with gusto – and assumes that Nettle will come along for the ride. The problem is, Nettle has seen this all before. Time and again, Monty has found a new dream, which briefly consumes him. But, as quickly as these passions flare up, they are put aside and forgotten. For Monty, an easily distracted dilettante, always gives up the moment his hobby becomes difficult or boring.

In contrast to the childish and big-headed Monty, Nettle is sarcastic, irritable, and down- to-earth. She has no interest in adventure – she would much rather be enjoying a nice cup of tea in her cosy burrow. So, Monty is a dreamer, Nettle is sensible. He is changeable, she hates change. He gets carried away, she keeps her feet firmly on the ground.

Unsurprisingly then, when Monty drags an unwilling Nettle off on his investigation there are plenty of quarrels and squabbles. Monty, self-absorbed and cocky, is exasperating company, driving poor Nettle out of her wits. However, beneath the bickering, beneath the teasing and the name calling, there is warmth and love. For Nettle, despite her eyerolling and muttering, is fiercely loyal to her friend. She has the fox’s back even when he is dragging her into pirate ambushes and booby traps, book mazes and stinking swamps – in fact, she has his back especially when he is doing those things. And Monty, though he has an odd way of showing it, loves Nettle deeply, trusting her with his life. There is hopefully a touching, even inspiring, quality to their friendship.

Indeed, I’d like to think that there is something inspiring in the story in general – in Monty’s unembarrassed pursuit of his dreams, his refusal to get deflated, his childlike enthusiasm. For while the book has no message, I do think that curiosity is wonderful; that ambitions are essential; and above all, that if you throw yourself at a project with enough passion, enough determination, then your preposterous dream might just come true – just as mine did, with the publication of The Feathered Book.

Thank you so much to Charlie for providing me with this post and to Mikka at Everything with Words for inviting me to be part of the Blog Tour.

Do check out the other stops on the Blog Tour:

Welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour for The Brightest Star. Today, I’m excited to be sharing a Question & Answer post with the author, Meg Grehan alongside my review.

Q & A with Meg Grehan

1. Did you enjoy poetry when you were at school and, if so, who were the poets you enjoyed, or who influenced you, growing up – and as an adult?

I did, I loved it! I did speech and drama all through my childhood and teenage years and poetry was a huge part of that. I wrote and performed poetry competitively and it meant the world to me. Back then I was a huge fan of anthologies, I didn’t really have many favourite poets but did have a lot of favourite poems. As an adult I harbour a real obsession with Emily Dickinson and have a long list of poets who inspire, influence and motivate me. Heather Christle, K. Iver, Mary Oliver, Sylvia Plath, Ada Limon, Mary Jean Chan, Jack Underwood, Natalie Wee, Rosamund Taylor, Ocean Vuong… the list is endless.

2. This novel is written in free verse with Stevie and Andrew’s viewpoints aligned differently on the page. Is there a reason why you have chosen free verse to tell their stories?

Free verse is my favourite way to write! It feels so true to me, every word is so purposefully chosen and placed. It’s a wonderful way to write but also a wonderful way to read. It’s so helpful for reluctant readers and so much more accessible than it may seem at first. There’s a real beauty to verse, you get to use the whole page, even the white space. The possibilities are endless and I find that really fun. 

3. The Brightest Star is a perfect title for this story with its double meaning. Can you explain your thinking behind this title?

I really wanted something that would feel right next to The Deepest Breath and one day The Brightest Star just occurred to me and felt so perfect. This was strange because I am historically very bad at coming up with book titles! I love that it alludes to Stevie’s new interest as well as one of my personal favourite sections of the book, a small piece in which Stevie’s mum compares Stevie and Andy’s friendship to the sun. This friendship is at the core of the book so the title just worked in a really lovely way. I’m proud of it!

4. The Brightest Star is a gorgeously heart-warming, honest and uplifting story with so many positive messages. What do you want readers to take from this story?

I would love readers to know that they can take their time, that they don’t have to know everything or have everything completely figured out. It’s ok to keep learning and exploring for as long as you want or need to.

5. One of the main themes is identity. There is a real contrast between both Stevie and Chloe’s confident understanding of who they are and Andrew’s uncertainty. Why did you feel it is important to show both points of view in the story?

Because both are true. For some of us our identity is a source of comfort and confidence and for others it’s a source of confusion and anxiety. Neither is wrong. It’s a personal journey and there is no set route. I think it’s important for young readers to know that.

6. Stevie loves reading. Did you enjoy reading as a teenager and, if so, what kind of books did you enjoy reading?

I read constantly as a teenager! I read anything and everything I could get my hands on. I remember really loving Tim Bowler’s book and anything by Meg Cabot. I loved a book that could make me cry and I tried so, so hard to be a classics reader but I found them really tough!

7. Stevie has a deep interest in space, but wonders about the existence of aliens. Her friends have an interesting debate about their existence. Do you believe that aliens exist?

I do. It used to be a really scary concept to me but since becoming a much bigger sci-fi fan over the last few years I’m not so scared anymore!

8. Andrew enjoys baking, Stevie loves reading and learning and Chloe loves magic. What hobbies/activities do you enjoy when you are not writing?

I love yoga, visiting forests, watching really detailed budgeting videos on youtube (they are strangely addictive) and journalling.

9. Stevie is given a telescope for her thirteenth birthday. Can you remember a favourite birthday present which you were given – or one which you would love to receive?

My mum gave me a beautiful satchel one year. I’d always wanted one exactly like it, it’s a deep, warm brown and is monogrammed with my initials and a little crescent moon. When I was a teenager dreaming about being a writer I would visualise adult, author me and she would always have a bag just like it. It means a lot to me.

10. This story has much-needed representation of the LGBTQIA+ community through the central characters and the Rainbow Club within secondary school. Both The Deepest Breath and The Brightest Star sit perfectly within middle-grade. Why did you decide to write for this age group?

I think it’s a big time in someone’s life and a time when they might need a little comfort or a gentle push toward bravery. I think it’s an honour to get to write for this age-group, they see so much and are so open to new ideas and concepts, there’s this beautiful willingness and eagerness to learn and to connect to the world and I find it really inspiring. 

Thank you so much to Meg for answering my questions: I loved reading the responses.

Review

The Brightest Star is a wonderfully uplifting and gorgeously written verse novel which follows on from The Deepest Breath although it can be read as a standalone.

Turning thirteen, Stevie is starting secondary school with best friends, Chloe and Andrew. Feeling both nervous and excited about starting this new part of her life, she knows there will be changes, but also new opportunities. When she is not put into the same class as Chloe, she feels sad but is relieved that Andrew will be in her class.

Stevie and Chloe are excited to discover that their new school has an LGBTQIA+ Club, The Rainbow Club, which they are keen to join as they know they like each other. Whilst both girls are confident and secure in their identity, Andrew is struggling with his which causes him to feel insecure and distance himself from the friendship. Can these three friends find a way back to their strong friendship, one that will allow them to re-connect and move on together?

This is such a comforting, uplifting and honest story and is one that I absolutely loved. There are so many wonderful messages for children in this story including that it’s absolutely fine to give yourself space to learn who you are and get to know all aspects of your identity in your own time without feeling any pressure from yourself or others. It was wonderful to read a story where there are supportive networks in place, including from adults and friends, which will bring comfort to children who may be struggling whether with school, anxiety or friendships – and perhaps help them to find the courage to reach out for help if needed. I think this is an incredibly empathetic story which will encourage empathy in others.

A beautifully written, heart-warming and life-affirming story, perfect for readers of 9+.

Thank you to Antonia Wilkinson and Little Island Books for inviting me to be part of the Blog Tour and for providing me with a copy of The Brightest Star.

Do check out the other stops on the Blog Tour:

What a wonderful month August was! I had three fantastic, but very different short holidays: five days in Herefordshire, five days visiting family in Ireland and 4 days visiting Disneyland Paris. I enjoyed lots of reading, walking and relaxing – and now need to get back in to work mode!

Holiday photos

Books I’ve read:

I’ve read 18 books this month. My highlights were The Story Spinner (adult), Small Wonder and Gloam (both middle-grade).

NetGalley:

My feedback ratio is at 99%. Despite temptation, I have avoided requesting any books in August. I now have two books to read and review on my Netgalley shelf.

Books sent by publishers:

I am grateful to have been sent 6 books by publishers this month.

Books Bought:

I have bought 3 books this month, two whilst I was in Hay-on-Wye and another was a pre-order that has now arrived.

How has your reading month been? Have you read any of these? Have you any of them on your TBR?