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!

Myra’s mum gave her hand a squeeze and smiled at her from beneath her bright-red clown nose. “Happy deathday, Myra,” she said.

Any ideas?

I loved Louie Stowell’s Dragon in the Library series for younger readers, so I was very excited to see she’d written a book for slightly older readers. I pre-ordered this one which came with a gorgeous pin badge – couldn’t resist!

Goodreads Synopsis:

Otherland is a dangerous magical underworld – a place where appearances can be deceiving and anything can happen. A world of gods, vampires, and fairies. It’s also… horrible. When life-long friends Myra and Rohan discover that Rohan’s baby sister Shilpa has been stolen and taken to Otherland, the only way to rescue her is by taking part in a deadly game – three impossible challenges set by the Fairy Queen of Otherland. Win the game, and Rohan and Myra can go home with Shilpa – but lose, and they’ll be trapped in Otherland forever…

Have you read this? What did you think?

This is my weekly meme celebrating amazing middle-grade books. I hope others will enjoy taking part in this too!

How to take part:

• Post a picture of the front cover of a middle-grade book which you have read and would recommend to others with details of the author, illustrator and publisher.
• Open the book to page 11 and share your favourite sentence. 
• Write three words to describe the book.
• Either share why you would recommend this book, or link to your review.

This week, I’m celebrating …

This book in three words:

HEART-WARMING, HILARIOUS, FRIENDSHIP

Favourite Sentence from Page 11:

Well, they like it more than the haircut Grams gave me with the pinking shears that left me with a crinkly fringe.

I recently read Jenny’s second book, The Incredible Record Smashers which I absolutely loved. Reading it reminded me of how brilliant her first book is too, so today I want to celebrate the brilliance that is Freddie Yates!

This is THE most wonderful, action-packed and exciting adventure:  heart-warming and hilarious with three adorable young boys who have such a gorgeous, genuine relationship.  I absolutely loved going on their laugh-out-loud adventure through Wales!  From the many moments of sheer comic genius to heartfelt revelations, this really is a brilliant story that captured me from the opening and left me sighing with contentment and smiling rather broadly – and just maybe ever so slightly tearful – in a good way!

This story has such a heartfelt warmth and respect for family life, handling difficult issues in a sensitive manner, and lifting moments of sadness with humour.  The true meaning and strength of family and friendship is celebrated throughout:  family are the people who are there for you, who love you, no matter what.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough:  it really is the perfect mix of warmth and humour; friendship and family; and is a superb story to help children who are dealing with their own difficult situations and to build empathy in others. 

You can read my full review here.

I’d love if anyone who wants to give this meme a go would comment in the comments box and include a link to your post so I can visit, comment and find some great middle-grade recommendations. If you do create a post and are on Twitter, and would like to share your post, please use the hashtag  #MGTakesOnThursday so I can find it, read it and share it!

I’m currently reading Harklights and am about three quarters of the way through. I’m liking it, but not as much as I thought I would. I’m listening to City of Ghosts and am really enjoying it.

I finished reading BigFoot Mountain and have managed to write and post my review. I enjoyed this one and especially liked the setting and the links to nature. In a strange way, it reminded me of my upbringing when I could wander a very rural and beautiful countryside in Ireland with mountains and forests. I think this gave me an opportunity to reflect which is part of the reason I enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed Crater Lake last year. I’ve been sent a proof of Crater Lake: Evolution so am aiming to read it next. I might fit in another one from my huge TBR, but I’ve no idea what yet – so much choice!

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

Thank you so much to Cranachan Publishing and to Antonia for inviting me to be part of the Blog Tour, and for providing me with an early copy of ‘The Chessmen Thief’ . I’m excited to be sharing a Guest Post from the author, Barbara Henderson, where she shares her five favourite Viking Books for Children. I will also be sharing my Review for this wonderful historical adventure.

Barbara’s five favourite Viking Books for Children:

• She-Wolf by Dan Smith. This recently published book captures a Viking world of vengeance and cunning, where Anglo-Saxons and Norsemen mingle and no-one can tell friend from foe. Following the murder of her mother in the strange land of Northumbria, Ylva vows to track down the three-fingered man who killed her, despite the snow and circling wolves. A story that truly captures the adventure of the chase in a harsh, hostile land.

• Viking Boy by Tony Bradman. Gunnar is the son of a Viking chieftain, minding his own business at his family steading, until everything changes: they are raided by Skuli and his murderous Wolf Men, and Gunnar has no choice but to run to save himself. A story brimming with drama, combat, revenge and myth, it culminates in a sea journey to the Land of Fire and Ice. Gunnar’s life has been foretold, and there is more to this saga than meets the eye.

• How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell. I love the humorous take on the Viking genre in Cressida Cowell’s series set on the fictional island of Berk. The characters and their quirky names are a joy to read aloud and I highly recommend the audiobooks, narrated by David Tennant. Humorous children’s fiction at its absolute best. Ignore the films, read the books!

• Thorfinn, the Nicest Viking by David MacPhail. This gorgeous, funny, illustrated, action-packed series for young readers who love Horrid Henry and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, is set in a Viking world where manners mean nothing and politeness is pointless. A lovely, quirky take on the Viking genre.

• The Saga of Erik the Viking by Terry Jones. This is my favourite, to be honest. It follows the structure of the sagas, with a hero, a couple of sidekicks and a series of episodic adventures on an overarching quest. On their search for the land where the sun goes at night, the friends battle a sea-dragon, a spell-hound and The Old Man of the Sea, among others. The illustrations by Michel Foreman lend the book its otherworldly quality. Simply stunning!

My Review

The Chessmen Thief is an utterly enthralling tale of one boy’s courage and determination to shape his own fate, a tale that completely captivated me as I was taken on an unforgettable and vivid adventure from Trondheim across the sea to the Scottish Isles. 

Twelve-year-old Kylan has not seen his mother in four years as they have been separated after being enslaved following a Viking raid where they were taken from their home on the Scottish Isle of Lewis.  Kylan is now a thrall in Trondheim, Norway where he works for craftsmen, but he longs for his freedom and to be reunited with his mother.  This hope seems like an impossible dream until an opportunity arises when the new Archbishop visits the workshop, commissioning gifts to be crafted for the leaders who he intends to visit on his mission to the Scottish Isles. 

Kylan finds himself hatching an escape plan, a plan that sees him helping to carve the exquisite Lewis Chessmen, and making a dangerous journey across the sea in the hope of returning to his homeland, a journey where he must face a dangerous enemy in merciless Viking, Sven Asleifsson, where he must use all his ingenuity if he is to survive, and where he finds friends in unexpected places …

This is a richly atmospheric, tension-filled and action-packed adventure, brimming with danger, secrets and treachery but, at its heart, it is the story of a boy who longs for freedom, a story that wholly captured me from start to finish.  Will Kylan escape from his Viking captors, and find his way back to his homeland and his mother?

Kylan is an incredibly sympathetic young boy who faces incredible challenges with courage, kindness and determination.  Astute, resourceful and resilient, Kylan fights for his freedom whilst remaining true to himself, even when he is faced with difficult choices and dangerous situations.  I thought the relationship between Kylan and Jarl Magnus, the Archbishop’s protector and advisor, was both powerful and beautifully written with each having their own burdens to bear and scars to heal.    

The story is inspired by the famous Lewis Chessmen (a set of 12th-century chess pieces most of which are carved from walrus ivory,which were discovered on the Isle of Lewis in 1831) and fascinatingly imagines how the hoard found its way from Trondheim to the Isle of Lewis. I loved the blending of real historical characters with imagined characters; the sagas and mythology within the story; and, the wonderful world-building which drew me into this richly realised period of history with tales of the old Gods intermingled with Christianity and the influence of the Crusades.

The Chessmen Thief is a perfect addition either for any school focussing on the Vikings as there is much to learn amidst the thrilling adventure, or for anyone who loves a brilliantly engrossing historical adventure.

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

BigFoot Mountain is a beautifully told, heart-warming tale of dealing with loss, oneness with nature and protecting the environment told through the dual narrative of Minnie, a young girl who has lost her mother and Kaayii, a young sasquatch who has lost his home. 

Minnie lives in one of a small group of cabins built by her mother and her stepfather, Dan at the foot of the mountain surrounded by pine forest and close to a bay.  There have been wildfires which have stopped any tourists from renting the cabins, so their only neighbours are Connie and her son, Billy who live in a nearby cabin.  Exploring with Billy and his dog Musto, they discover a mystery to solve … four large footprints on the mountain trail.  Could they have been made by the legendary BigFoot?  Whilst Minnie is willing to believe in the existence of these mighty creatures, Dan thinks they are a hoax.  Determined to prove him wrong, Minnie begins her research and her search for the truth behind the footprints …

Meanwhile, young Kaayii and his clan have been forced to leave their home in the mountain due to devastating forest fires and are in search of a new home.  They are guardians of the forest, keen to maintain natural balance and have a deeply held respect for their environment.  Kaayii has been warned to keep his distance from humans but he has a curious nature and a kind heart…

I loved the depiction of the magnificence of the forest and mountain landscape, the healing influence of the natural environment and the appreciation of the importance of balance within it. 

I really felt for Minnie who is struggling to deal with the recent death of her mother.  She shares her mother’s love of nature and exploration and finds solace, but also pain, in remembrance.   The only thing Minnie and Dan have in common is their love for her mother.  I thought that the awkwardness and tentativeness between them was tenderly portrayed as they strove to heal their relationship and find a closer bond.   

I really enjoyed the dual narrative perspective as it allowed both Minnie’s and Kaayii’s story to be told with their overlapping viewpoints on the same events within the story.  They share loss, affinity with nature and care for the environment and, through their empathetic natures, they find a way to help each other. 

This is a heartfelt and tender story of loss, healing and remembrance with a strong environmental message conveyed within a magnificent landscape that captured me wholeheartedly. 

Thank you to Fritha Lindqvist and Firefly Press for a proof copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Everyone knows magic and trouble go hand in hand –

and we don’t want any trouble here, do we?

BLURB:

A dangerous spell cast over an unsuspecting village.
An enchanted painting locked in a hidden room.
A desperate race against time to break the spell before it’s too late…

It should have been a fresh start for the Widdershins. Finally free from the misty gloom of Crowstone and beginning a new life. But all is not as it seems in their postcard-pretty village. Their neighbours are acting strangely, and why do they flinch at the mere mention of magic?

The Widdershins sisters have their own secret: a set of enchanted nesting dolls with the power to render their user invisible. The sisters must use their wits – and their magic – if they’re to break the dark hold over the village, and save one of their own . . . but have they met their match this time?

A Tangle of Spells is the third book in the A Pinch of Magic series and it is just as magical, exciting and full of adventure and daring as the first two. 

The Widdershins sisters have finally left behind The Poacher’s Pocket Inn with their father and Granny, to move to the village of Pendlewick on the mainland.  However, their new home, Blackbird Cottage, is not exactly what they are expecting being rather dilapidated and having had some rather superstitious items left behind.  It is not long before Fliss, Betty and Charlie are exploring the area and are warned away from the rather sinister sounding Hungry Tree and Tick Tock Forest by the local shopkeeper.

They soon discover that idyllic-seeming Pendlewick has its own enigmatic and dangerous secrets.  This is a deliciously dark, intriguing and tensely atmospheric read that kept me engrossed throughout as the sisters find themselves in a race against time to thwart some sinister villains, to break a curse, or risk losing someone very dear to them.  I loved the interweaving of the village’s history into the story, the use of diary extracts and the dark fairy tale vibes.

As with the first two books, I adored the bond of sisterhood between the girls who have very different personalities but who clearly love and support each other.  Charlie is the youngest and is gutsy, daring and curious with an adorable word-muddling tendency.  Betty, the middle sister, is protective, determined and reassuring.  Despite the dangers they face and their natural fear, all of them show great courage and resilience.

This incredible story weaved its magic over me and kept me enchanted throughout.  I’m so looking forward to the Widdershins sisters’ next adventure.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This has been a better month for reading, helped greatly by the two week Easter break, but I’m finding it very difficult to read in the evenings as I’m just too tired after a day at work! I’m hoping that May will be the first month since January that I don’t have to do online and class teaching simultaneously! Most of my reading and reviewing now happens at the weekends. I have really been enjoying some online reading events this month. I attended our school library Reading Cafe to chat about books, and also attended a couple of Book Launches, one for The Incredible Record Smashers by Jenny Pearson and the other for The Chessmen Thief by Barbara Henderson.

Books I’ve read:

I’ve read 15 books this month: 12 physical copies and 3 audiobooks. I posted reviews for The House of One Hundred Clocks, The Strangeworlds Travel Agency: The Edge of the Ocean, Dragon Legend and The Incredible Record Smashers.

NetGalley:

My Feedback Ratio is currently at 91%. I have only requested one book this month which I couldn’t resist as I absolutely loved The Wild Way Home and I think this one has a familiar character from that book, although now older.

Books sent by publishers:

I have been lucky enough to have been sent these books by publishers this month:

Books I’ve bought:

I have bought 9 books this month. I’m waiting for my pre-order of Otherland to arrive, but I’ve included it as I bought it in April!

How has your month been? Have you read any of these?

There are LOTS of books due for release in June which I am really looking forward to reading. I’ve taken the synopsis for each of these from the Waterstones website, (apart for Danny Chung does not do maths which is from Amazon) and hope that other fans of children’s books will be interested in reading some of these too. I have read and loved books by many of these authors, and have also included a few new-to-me and debut authors whose books have definitely caught my interest.

Release Date: 3rd June

Can a birdwatcher outwit an escaped convict? Twitch has three pet chickens, four pigeons, swallows nesting in his bedroom and a passion for birdwatching. On the first day of the summer holidays, he arrives at his secret hide to find police everywhere: a convicted robber has broken out of prison and is hiding in Aves Wood. Can Twitch use his talents for birdwatching to hunt for the dangerous prisoner and find the missing loot?

 A hilarious, swashbuckling adventure for siblings everywhere! George isn’t good at anything much. In fact, he’s pretty average. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have BIG ambitions, they are just harder to achieve when your big sister, Jess, is brilliant at everything! Then George inherits a mansion from dear old Mrs Smallbone. Except Hogweed Hall isn’t your average mansion. It’s BRILLIANT, and full of fascinating tenants like Boris the dog, an unusual pastry chef who lives in the basement, a mysterious scientist who works in the attic, and lots and lots of chickens! But Mrs Smallbone’s sisters aren’t at all happy about the situation, and invite themselves to stay. They’re after something, and don’t intend to leave without it. Can George stop them before it’s too late? 

It’s 1940, and Joseph has been packed off to stay with Mrs F, a gruff woman with no great fondness for children. To Joseph’s amazement, she owns the rundown city zoo where Joseph meets Adonis, a huge silverback gorilla. Adonis is ferociously strong and dangerous, but Joseph finds he has an affinity with the lonely beast. But when the bombs begin to fall, it is up to Joseph to guard Adonis’s cage should it be damaged by a blast. Will Joseph be ready to pull the trigger if it comes to it?

Mim grew up surrounded by secrets. On the day she was born, her mother died and a mysterious curse was cast on her family. Ever since, she’s been isolated in a walled castle, forbidden from venturing to the Outside. But Mim has never been able to stop asking questions – and when her father enlists the suspicious Madame Marionette to train her in the art of being a princess, her curiosity only gets more intense. Determined to understand, Mim sets out on an epic adventure in which she will break all the rules, encounter strange creatures and use all her cunning to solve impossible problems. But will it be enough to bring happiness back to the lonely castle on the rock?

When Isobel Petty is orphaned, she finds herself being taken away from her home in India and sent to live with a distant uncle in England. On board the S.S. Mariana, she witnesses a shocking act – somebody being thrown overboard in the middle in the night. But when the ship’s captain insists that nobody is missing, Isobel and her two new reluctant friends must solve two mysteries – the identities of both the murderer and the victim – before they reach England and the culprit has the chance to escape.

The funny, heart-warming sequel to the acclaimed We Won an Island.When Luna’s family won an island, their dreams came true – Luna opened a donkey sanctuary, her sister flew a plane, and her brother won a sheep pageant. But Luna’s new donkey has a mortal fear of beaches, her mum’s goat-yoga business is on the rocks, and her brother is weirder than ever! Luna’s got a brilliant plan to solve her family’s problems – it’s time to enter the movie-making business… 

Anna’s anxious when she’s picked to befriend the new girl in her class. For a start, Ellie is ill and can’t come to school herself. So Anna has to communicate with her through a new kind of robot. But Anna is also worried that her life’s too small and boring to be of interest to her new friend. Compared to the other girls, she doesn’t have anything exciting to talk about and so when Ellie asks her a question, a little white lie pops out. Then another and another. When Ellie finds out the truth, can their friendship survive …?

12-year-old Lili is determined to defeat her arch rival in front of the Queen during her school’s anniversary celebrations. Adopted from China as a baby, Lili also has personal challenges to overcome, but when her training is thrown into chaos by events outside her control, she realises that she must choose between family and the race of her life. Meanwhile in 1944, Eric Liddell, hero of the 1924 Olympics, finds himself in a war zone. Separated from his family, he is getting ready to run his final race in a prison camp in China when his lifelong principles are challenged by the imprisoned children he is trying to help…

In a remote Nigerian village, twelve-year-old Simi is desperate to uncover a family secret … City girl Simi is sent to stay with her long-lost grandmother in a remote Nigerian village. There’s no TV, internet or phone. Not a single human-made sound can be heard at night, just the noise of birds and animals rustling in the dark forest outside. Her witchlike grandmother dispenses advice and herbal medicine to the village, but she’s tight lipped about their family history. Something must have happened, but what? Determined to find out, Simi disobeys her grandmother and goes exploring. Caught in the sinking red quicksand of a forbidden lake, her fantastical journey begins …

Caroline Murphy is a Hurricane Child. Being born during a hurricane is unlucky, and 12-year-old Caroline has had her share of bad luck lately. She’s hated and bullied by everyone in her small school on St. Thomas of the US Virgin Islands, a spirit only she can see won’t stop following her, and – worst of all – Caroline’s mother left home one day and never came back. But when a new student named Kalinda arrives, Caroline’s luck begins to turn around. Kalinda, a solemn girl from Barbados with a special smile for everyone, becomes Caroline’s first and only friend — and the person for whom Caroline has begun to develop a crush. Now, Caroline must find the strength to confront her feelings for Kalinda, brave the spirit stalking her through the islands, and face the reason her mother abandoned her. Together, Caroline and Kalinda must set out in a hurricane to find Caroline’s missing mother — before Caroline loses her for ever.

Release Date: 10th June

The circus has seen better days, but for Bastjan it’s home. He will do anything he can to save it, even if it means participating in a death-defying new act. But when that fails to draw in the crowds, the ringmaster makes a deal with a mysterious man by the name of Dr Bauer.
In exchange for his help, Bauer wants a box that belonged to Bastjan’s mother and came from her birthplace – the faraway island of Melita. Bastjan is desperate to keep his only memento of his mother out of Bauer’s hands. And as he uncovers more about the strange objects contained within, he realizes it’s not only the circus that’s in terrible danger…

Where the map ends, the adventure begins . . . 11-year-old Zebedee Bolt is on the run. Again. Only this time it’s not the police who find him. It’s an evil harpy called Morg. And when she hauls him into Crackledawn, an Unmapped kingdom that conjures sunlight for our world, Zeb discovers running away only gets you so far. When magic’s involved, you’ve got to pick a side. And though Zeb vowed he wouldn’t trust anyone ever again, he didn’t expect to stumble aboard The Kerfuffle, an enchanted boat belonging to a girl called Oonie and her talking chameleon, Mrs Fickletint. Suddenly, Zeb finds himself on a voyage complete with silver whales, fire krakens and underwater palaces. Can he muster up enough trust in others, and in magic, to summon a dragon, find the Ember Scroll and defeat Morg once and for all?

Twins Jess and Jude Carter live a dream life sailing from one exotic destination to the next with their guardian, Gabriel. But after Gabe vanishes and a storm smashes up their lives, they’re left penniless and alone. When a wealthy, glamorous family offer them a home, everybody tells them they’re the luckiest children in the world. But the Blakeneys’ stately mansion is full of secrets – secrets that seem entangled with the twins’ own fate. As they race to uncover the truth, Jess and Jude must confront their deepest fears. How do you solve a mystery when that mystery is you?

Meet Myrtle Mathers and Sylvia Cartwright: two girls from different worlds bonded by a passion for fashion! They know that the perfect outfit can make dreams come true, and their dazzling designs are the talk of 1920s London… So when Agapantha Portland-Prince wants to escape her glamorous debutante ball for a life of adventure, it’s their magical talents she needs. But can the girls make all their secret dreams a reality, or will this be the most stylish scandal of the century? 

Meixing Lim and her family have arrived in the New Land to begin a New Life. Everything is scary and different. Their ever-changing house is confusing and she finds it hard to understand the other children at school. Yet in her magical glasshouse, with a strange black-and-white cat, Meixing finds a place to dream. But then Meixing’s life comes crashing down in unimaginable ways. Only her two new and unexpected friends can help. By being brave together, they will learn how to make the stars shine brighter. 

Eleven-year-old Danny Chung loves drawing more than anything – certainly more than maths, which, according to his dad and everyone else, is what he is ‘supposed’ to be good at. He also loves having his own room where he can draw in peace, so his life is turned upside down when a surprise that he’s been promised turns out to be his little, wrinkly, ex-maths-champion grandmother from China. What’s worse, Nai Nai has to share his room, AND she takes the top bunk! Nai Nai can’t speak a word of English, which doesn’t make things easy for Danny when he is charged with looking after her during his school holidays. Babysitting Nai Nai is NOT what he wants to be doing! Before long though it becomes clear to Danny that there is more to Nai Nai than meets the eye, and that they have more in common that he thought possible …

Meet Erin, her puppy Sausage and friends as they swap recipes and pots for clues and culprits and try to solve the mystery of why their cookery club is closing and save it for everyone. Skipton House Community Centre may look ramshackle, but it is soon at the heart of Erin’s life – especially the cooking club. When the building is suddenly threatened with closure, Erin and her new friends, Tanya, Frixos, and Sam, form The Cooking Club Detectives. Can they, and their four-legged assistant, Sausage, uncover who the mystery culprit is and save Skipton?

On the day Alex was born, crowds surrounded the hospital. On her first day of school, people spied from the gates. And recently, strangers came to watch her perform in her school play … as the llama. But why? Alex has always been a nobody. Then a mysterious boy named Jasper starts at school and he alone seems to know the answer. But before he can tell Alex, he disappears … into the year 2100. Can Alex brave traveling into the future to discover what’s happened to him and to unravel the secret of her own astonishing destiny … before time runs out?

June is going to be another bumper month for book purchases! Do any of these pique your interest?

This is my weekly meme celebrating amazing middle-grade books. I hope others will enjoy taking part in this too!

How to take part:

• Post a picture of the front cover of a middle-grade book which you have read and would recommend to others with details of the author, illustrator and publisher.
• Open the book to page 11 and share your favourite sentence. 
• Write three words to describe the book.
• Either share why you would recommend this book, or link to your review.

This week, I’m celebrating …

This book in three words:

EPIC ADVENTURE, DRAGONS, FRIENDSHIP

Favourite Sentence from Page 11:

[Spark’s hoard] contained living plants and fish, as well as stardust, which dragons believed all things were made of, making it more powerful than the other dragons’ hoards, as precious as they were to them.

Dragon Legend is the second book in the Dragon Realm series and follows on from the explosive ending of the first book, Dragon Mountain. This is a scintillating return to this world:  a gripping, fast-paced and exciting adventure that kept me captivated throughout. 

Billy Chan and his friends, Charlotte and Ling-Fei are determined to follow the terrifying, power-hungry Dragon of Death through time to the Dragon Realm in order to save their friend Dylan, who has been taken there after a betrayal by someone they thought they could trust.  They are also intent on defeating the fiendish Dragon of Death before she can unleash her reign of terror on the Human Realm.  Fortunately, they have their dragons with them with whom they have formed a unique and close bond.   After creating a portal that takes them to the same time period as Dylan and the Dragon of Death, they begin their epic quest …

And what an electrifying, action-packed adventure ensues, an adventure brimming with terrifying danger, incredible revelations and heart-pounding twists as the children and their dragons race to collect the eight magical pearls needed if they are to defeat the Dragon of Death and her followers.  Who will reach Dylan and his kidnapper first?  Can the Dragon of Death be stopped, or will her dark magic prove too powerful to be resisted, and impossible to defeat?

The world-building is fantastic as the children venture through the wonders and dangers of the Dragon Realm and the Human Realm, from the Frozen Wasteland where they meet terrifying giant worms to the imperial palaces of Ancient China.  The non-stop action, coupled with the tension, danger and sometimes scary moments, makes it compulsive reading that kept me on tenterhooks as I turned page after page.  THAT ENDING!  That’s all I’m saying except:  I NEED the next book now!

As with Dragon Mountain, I adored the heart bond between the dragons and the children.  They gain strength, comfort and courage through their friendship and bond.  The children and dragons form a formidable team as they resolve to use all their incredible talents and skills in their quest to defeat the Dragon of Death. The personalities of both dragons and children are wonderfully portrayed, and I especially liked the honesty that Billy shows as he battles with his conscience.

Dragon Legend is a perfect continuation of this exhilarating, action-packed adventure series.  Be prepared to be amazed, astounded and excitedly anticipating what happens next as this daring team attempt to save both Realms from a terrifying, relentless and powerful foe.  I REALLY can’t wait to read the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. 

I’d love if anyone who wants to give this meme a go would comment in the comments box and include a link to your post so I can visit, comment and find some great middle-grade recommendations. If you do create a post and are on Twitter, and would like to share your post, please use the hashtag  #MGTakesOnThursday so I can find it, read it and share it!

I’ve just started this one which is written from a dual narrative. I will have more to say next week!

I finished listening to Anne of Green Gables on Borrowbox and immediately downloaded and listened to Anne of Avonlea afterwards. I have absolutely loved these which have such a sense of community and living life with its ups and downs. I really, really like Anne who is the most wonderful character. I am now totally invested in following this series. I will probably pick up a paperback of the next one – there are quite a few books in the series. I also read The Chessmen Thief which is a wonderfully fast-paced historical adventure with an incredibly sympathetic main character in Kylan who is a thrall who is desperate to escape and return to his home on the Scottish Isles. I will be posting a review and a guest post from the author next week.

I think I’m going to read Harklights next and listen to the audiobook of City of Ghosts.

What have you read this week? Have you read any of these?