There are SO MANY books due for release in July which I am really looking forward to reading. I’ve taken the synopsis for each of these from the Waterstones website. 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. I have been lucky enough to get early copies of some of these and aim to post my reviews before publication date.

Release Date: 1st July

Ironhold is an orderly place where “industry brings prosperity”, and where nature is pushed aside for progress. But when Orin Crowfall, a lowly servant boy, learns that the island itself is in grave danger, that knowledge makes him a target of powerful forces. He narrowly escapes on a small boat, but then faces a fight for survival with his robot friend, Cody, in the stormy ocean, pursued by a terrifying sea monster. Can they make it to safety, somewhere beyond the horizon? And will Orin find a way back to save his family before everything is destroyed? To succeed, Orin will need to dig deep for courage, trust in new friends, and, ultimately, have faith in himself. This is fantasy adventure at its finest: riotous adventure, memorable characters, incredible world building, and a powerful, thought-provoking message about ecological balance.

When there’s a murder in the village and a hag is heard howling at the local inn, secret witch Raven Charming realizes she could have a rival – one who practises the worst kind of magic. With the help of amateur sleuth, Mortimer Scratch, and Nightshade, a talking cat with a feline sense of detection, she sets out to solve what’s been going on …

Calla’s mum has never been normal. She’s been known to go out in a lab coat and slippers and often forgets to perform basic tasks because she’s been thinking about ducks. When a job offer arrives to study her beloved birds in the Amazon rainforest, Calla knows her mum has to go. Nervously, she agrees to go to boarding school. She quickly learns that trouble is afoot in this odd convent school. A mean new headmistress is imposing horrible rules and making everyone eat Brussels sprout cake, and the students are itching to revolt. As Calla makes new friends and gets drawn into their rebellious plot, she keeps waiting for her mum to call. She will, won’t she? 

Where has Faith’s dad gone? Why has he left his family living in an old house perched on a crumbling cliff top? A crack has appeared in the cliff and Faith watches anxiously as it gets bigger and bigger each day… Her brother is obsessed with the sea ghosts he claims live in the basement, and when he disappears as well, Faith starts to believe in the ghosts too. Can she find her brother and bring her father back before everything she cares about falls into the pitiless sea below?

Ahoy there! The Nine Sails is casting off for Madagascar so all aboard for a treasure hunt you’ll never forget! Kintana has grown up listening to stories of life at sea from her pa, an ex-pirate turned pet shop owner. So when a tall ship – The Nine Sails – berths at Pirate Island she eagerly joins the motley crew as a cabin boy – even though her main duty will be to look after the pirate’s pets. But someone on board is determined to disrupt the voyage, could the dreaded captain’s curse be to blame? Or is it the lure of buried treasure that will draw the ship back? One thing is for sure, Kintana is about to discover that sometimes adventure is found closer to home.

Fifteen-year-old girl gamer Casey Henderson is obsessed with smash-hit game SkyWake – and she’s good at it, too. Little does she realize it’s actually an alien training tool created by an evil extra-terrestrial race. When the aliens swoop down on a national gaming tournament, Casey and her teammates discover they’re abducting the best gamers to fight in a distant alien war across the galaxy. And they’ve got her brother. Casey’s gaming skills are her best hope of stopping the aliens – but first she and her online teammates must learn to work together in real life…

Release Date: 8th July

Born with a serious heart condition, Dara has been waiting for his Big Operation forever, and this summer it’s finally going to happen. The moment his heart is fixed he’ll row out to the island in the bay all by himself just like he’s always dreamed. But when his op is postponed, Dara snaps. When will he get to live his real life? Maybe the adventures he dreams of are just silly fantasies. And then he finds a girl hiding in the boat shed. She wears animal skins. She has a real live pet wolf. She is, simply, impossible. Could Mothgirl really be from the Stone Age? And what is she seeking on Lathrin Island?

MAY, 1910 As the blazing Halley’s comet draws close to the earth, Nancy is uprooted to start a new life in Suffolk with a grandfather she has never met. With every curtain drawn shut, Nancy is forbidden from leaving her grandfather’s house: no one must know that her or her mother are there. Yet, when Nancy discovers the house’s secret observatory, she watches her mother and grandfather creep out every night… Where are they going? And why mustn’t any of them be seen? As the mysteries pile up, Nancy must bring dark secrets from the past to light – even if doing so will put her own life at risk. 

Billy’s mum isn’t like other mums. All she wants is to teach him the Rules of Survival – how to make fire, build shelter and find food. She likes to test Billy on the rules until one day she goes too far, and Billy is sent to live with a dad he barely knows. Then the world changes forever as people begin to be infected with a mysterious virus that turns their skin grey. As chaos breaks out, Billy has to flee the city. Suddenly he realises that this is what his mum was preparing him for – not just to save his family, but to save the whole world. 

In a near future where a series of environmental disasters has left much of the country underwater, Pearl lives on a floating oyster farm with her father and younger sister, Clover. Following her mum’s death several years earlier, Pearl refuses to set foot on land, believing her illness was caused by the poisons in the ground. Meanwhile, Clover dreams of school, friends and a normal life.
Then Nat comes to spend the summer at the sea farm while his scientist mum conducts some experiments. Leaving behind the mainland, with its strict rules and regulations, he brings with him a secret. But when the sisters promise to keep his secret safe, little do they realize that they may be risking everything… 

Kiki Kallira has always been a worrier. Did she lock the front door? Is there a terrible reason her mum is late? Recently her anxiety has been getting out of control, but one thing that has always soothed her is drawing. Kiki’s sketchbook is full of fantastical doodles of the Hindu myths and legends her mother has told her since she was tiny. One day, her sketchbook’s calming effect is broken when her mythological characters begin springing to life and Kiki is pulled into the mystical world she drew. There, she discovers the band of rebel kids who protect the kingdom, as well as an ancient, monstrous god bent on total destruction. Kiki must overcome her fear and anxiety to save both worlds – the real and the imagined – from his wrath. But how can a girl armed with only a pencil defeat something so powerful?

Welcome to the Land of Lost Things. Unlikely hero Whetstone and trainee Valkyrie Lotta are on an quest to find Whetstone’s long-lost father. But when Loki the trickster God sends his monstrous children after them, and Lotta loses her magic shield and along with it, her powers, things go from bad to worse. Can Lotta and Whetstone survive a sea-serpent attack, a gigantic wolf who likes his tummy tickled and a very lonely queen of the dead, to keep the quest on track?

Rose and Arthur are back in Roar, on a voyage that takes them further than they’ve ever been before: beyond The End. It’s an amazing adventure – full of secrets, surprises and fairies with fangs – but then a mysterious storm changes everything. Shipwrecked on a strange island, they make a shocking discovery … Could this be the end of Roar?

Young reporter-in-training Kate and her mouse-accomplice Rupert are on board a train, to visit Kate’s mum in the Arctic. But as soon as the train departs, mysterious things start happening. A packet of ginger nuts goes missing . . . A collection of gymnastics trophies are stolen . . . And some ancient scrolls disappear . . . Fellow passenger Madame Maude seems the most likely culprit, until a surprising – and delicious – twist turns the whole investigation on its head. 

Aleja and her fellow pirates are eager to embark on a new adventure to find the second piece of the missing magical map. But they soon find themselves panicking, bewildered by a series of confusing clues. And time is running out – fast. When she starts experiencing strange visions, Aleja realizes that someone is trying to tell her something. But can this new knowledge be trusted? And what will it cost her to find out?  With the crew’s loyalties tested and more secrets to unlock than ever, Aleja must find a way to beat the clock and prove herself truly worthy of her place on the ship’s crew . . .

This beautiful gift book, illustrated in full colour by Barry Falls, is divided into five sections: looking out of the window, venturing out into the garden, walking in the woods, investigating heathland and wandering on the river bank. Dara pauses to tell you about each habitat and provides fantastic facts about the native birds, animals and plants you will find there – including wrens, blackbirds, butterflies, tadpoles, bluebells, bees, hen harriers, otters, dandelions, oak trees and many more. Each section contains a discovery section where you will have a closer look at natural phenomenon such as metamorphoses and migration, learn about categorization in the animal kingdom or become an expert on the collective nouns for birds. Each section finishes with an activity to do when you get home: plant wild flowers, make a bird feeder, try pond dipping, make a journey stick and build a terrarium. Dara ends the book with advice for young conservationists.

Release Date: 22nd July

When eleven-year-old Edie Winter finds a mysterious box on the London Underground she’s amazed to discover that it’s home to a family of Flits – tiny winged people. But Impy, Speckle and Nid need Edie’s help. Not only do they need supplies (rice crispies, sugar sprinkles, digestive biscuits and raisins) and someone to look after them, but their brother Jot has run away and they need Edie’s help to find him.

In the quiet Scottish seaside village of Dunlyre, Finn is enduring a winter holiday with his annoying new stepmother, wishing things could go back to how they were, while Sage is enjoying her new home, wishing things would stay as they are. Finn has seen mysterious swimmers in the Firth late at night. Then, from the clifftop, first Sage, then Finn, hears an eerie song. Could the local legend of merfolk living amid the waves actually be true? When the new friends meet the magical sea-people, they are amazed and impressed, but the merfolk are hiding a secret. The two human children must put aside their own problems and help in the battle against the young merfolk’s ancient underwater enemy before the last of their kind are lost forever.

July is going to be another bumper month for book purchases! Do any of these pique your interest, or have you had an early read of any of them? If so, what did you think?

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!

The platform was a battlefield: seventy yards of carnage transplanted straight from the coasts of northern France. Smoke billowed; people clung to each other.

Any ideas?

Synopsis from Goodreads

Inspired by a true story. 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?

This is my next read and this opening has totally gripped me. I know what I’ll be doing with my weekend!

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 …

Favourite Sentence from Page 11:

Once again, Ray found herself tumbling to the ground … landing bottom first in a patch of sparkly silver flowers called Snowpogglian Dalooloos, which erupted with a flurry of little white-winged bugs.

This book in three words:

WEATHER-MAGIC, FRIENDSHIP, EXCITEMENT

Rainbow Grey is a wonderfully charming, magical and fun-filled adventure, an absolute joy that swept me into a cornucopia of delight:  marvellous world-building; excitement, twists and danger; fantastic friendships; and, an exploding cloud-cat!

Ray Grey lives in The Weatherlands which is home to Weatherlings who channel breath-taking weather magic.  However, Ray has no weather magic, but she does not let this stop her in her determination to be an Earth Explorer, just like her hero, La Blaze DeLight.  I love Ray’s curious nature and how she finds delight in the ordinary items her father brings back from Earth.

Whilst her friends attend lessons in weather magic at the Sky Academy School, Ray spends time reading and finds a book, ‘The Magic of Rainbows’, which contains clues to a secret treasure on Earth.  On the day of the Eclipse Festival, Ray is goaded into breaking the rules about travelling to Earth unaccompanied and, once there, makes an incredible discovery … a discovery that will change her life forever as her magical ability is released, transforming her into … RAINBOW GREY!

And so begins a dazzling adventure, brimming with excitement, danger and humour, as Rainbow discovers more about her new-found Rainbow magic; as she uncovers secrets and reveals truths; and, as she battles against the Rogue Weatherlings who are intent on causing destruction and chaos on Earth through violent storms, storms of – yes! – knickers!  A knicker-nado – just brilliant!  Luckily for Nim, she has help along the way from her trusty cloud-cat Nim and her friends Snowden and Droplett. 

Rainbow is the most wonderful young girl.  She is kind, determined, caring and, at times, impulsive.  Even when she finds some things difficult, she perseveres.  Rainbow has fantastic, loyal and supportive, friends in Snowden and Droplett who add a lot of fun to the story.  And then, of course, she has her exploding cloud-cat, Nim, who I absolutely adored.  What’s not to love about a farting, exploding cloud-cat who sometimes has his eyes stuck to his bottom?  I’ll never look at a cloud in the same way again!

The world-building is superb – a real feast for the imagination!  I was completely immersed in this captivating world of cloud homes with silver linings, in the different roles of Weatherlings and in the history of Rainbow Weatherlings and the Rogues which I found fascinating.  I loved the playfulness of the language, the perfection of the character names (I’m just mentioning Coo Lar Lar!), the naughty sense of humour and the brilliance of the magical system with the use of weather instruments, puddle-porting and travelling on cloud companions – and then, there’s the cakes! 

The partial and full-page illustrations are an absolute treat and really capture the magic, wonder and fun in this fantastic story.  I’m a huge fan of maps in books, and this story has a truly stunning one which I loved poring over.

This is an utterly joyous story, with some brilliant twists, that will capture and entrance young – and (ahem!) older readers.  A magical adventure with kindness, family and friendship at its heart.  I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

Thank you to Fritha and Farshore for a proof copy 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’m still listening to Pride & Prejudice which I’m loving. It definitely makes me want to read some more classics that I loved in my teens. Maybe I’ll have a nostalgic boost with either Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre. I’m just about to start reading The Cooking Club Detectives. I’ve loved all of Ewa’s previous books, so I’m really looking forward to this.

By Ash, Oak and Thorn wasn’t on my immediate radar but I couldn’t resist picking it up at the weekend, and I absolutely loved it. It was the most delightful wander through, and celebration of nature and the environment, and the need to appreciate and look after it. Three tiny, ancient beings – Moss, Burnet and Cumulus have to leave their home in the ash tree when it is destroyed and travel to find others like them, taking them through the countryside and into the city. This is a book I’d love to use with a class as I think there’s wonderfully rich opportunities for discussion and creativity. I’ve also finished The Race which totally captured me from start to finish. I’ve posted my review for this one today. I’m also very excited to be attending the virtual book launch for this tomorrow evening. Finally, I read one of my most anticipated books of this year, Skyborn and, oh my days, did it live up to all my expectations. I loved having had knowledge of Eye of the North when reading it, but can totally see how it could be read as a standalone. The world-building is incredible and really drew me into the circus life and the sense of family within it. It really is a dazzling, action-packed read with enough danger, revelations and twists that I couldn’t put it down. I just need to gather my thoughts into a coherent review in the next few days.

I’m hoping to read When the Sky Falls and Voyage of the Sparrowhawk next.

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

The Race is an incredibly inspirational and heart-warming dual narrative about racing, family and dedication which kept me completely engrossed throughout.  A stunning and important story of perseverance, self-awareness and inclusion.   

Twelve-year-old Lili is Chinese-British, having been adopted in China when she was 18 months old by her English/Scottish parents who have also adopted her sister, Alice from Kazakhstan.  Lili has a keen interest in, and talent for, racing competitively; however, she is faced with racism and prejudice from Tom, a boy in her class who constantly undermines and belittles her Chinese heritage. 

As part of her school’s anniversary celebrations, the Queen is coming to visit for Sports Day, but there will be no separate races for the boys and girls.  Lili is determined to train hard and remain disciplined in order to show Tom that she is the better runner, but he is determined to do everything in his power to put her off her pace.  Will she have the inner strength and determination to run the race of her life? 

Their teacher gives the children a project to find out about the person who the Chinese consider to be their first gold medallist Olympian, Eric Liddell and it is his incredible story that we follow in the past as Lili’s story unfolds in the present.  I must admit that I didn’t know anything about Eric Liddell whose 1924 Olympic success is portrayed in the film Chariots of Fire, but there is so much more to Liddell than his racing achievements.  When he found himself caught up in the Second Sino-Japanese War and then the Second World War, he became separated from his family and faced life in a prison camp in China, helping the imprisoned children. His story is truly exceptional:  a person of integrity who showed kindness and consideration for others in the most difficult and trying of circumstances.

I loved the connectedness across time between Eric and Lili, both of whose lives are thrown into chaos by events outside their control.  Both show great resilience, strength and self-belief in the face of challenges.  They both strongly believe in the importance of family, in looking out for others and in kindness.  I found both Lili and Eric to be genuinely wonderful, inspirational people. 

This is a remarkable and heartfelt story with history and fiction combined in such a brilliant and perfect way that I was completely swept into the narrative and found myself racing through it, and then stopping to take a breath as I focussed on these two incredible people, one an inspirational historical figure (who I am so glad to have found out more about) and the other, a young girl, written with such warmth and love that she captured my heart.  An absolute winner!

Thank you to Antonia Wilkinson and Cranachan Publishing for providing me with an early copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Three Impossibles is a perfectly intriguing mystery, with a deliciously dark fairytale feeling, that kept me enthralled and delighted from start to finish. 

Mim was born on the day her mother died and the royal family of Galena were cursed.  The town is separated from the Outside by a high wall built by the King in order to protect it from Mers and Wings, creatures of the ocean and sky.  Mim has not lived the typical lifestyle of a princess as her father has lost his wealth, and neither does she behave in a princess-like manner, preferring instead to spend time with her best friend, the smith, Samuel.  On her eleventh birthday, she is given a crown made of lead by her father, the King and a gold brooch by Samuel which she must keep hidden.

Mim has been forbidden to travel Outside and has grown increasingly frustrated by having her questions unanswered, and is determined to unravel the secrets surrounding the curse.  When she finds her governess leaving to go to the Outside, she doubles her efforts and seeks answers in the library where she discovers a book called ‘The Three Impossibles’, a book of alchemy which she is unable to open and read.   Will this be the catalyst needed to lift the curse?

When Mim’s father employs Madame Marionette to tutor Mim in court etiquette and transform her into the perfect princess, Mim finds a cold, cruel and vicious woman with her own secrets and agenda. Madame Marionette is a brilliantly written villain who pervades a sense of threat throughout, bringing with her a menagerie of stuffed animals, a living caged creature who she has captured, and her huge dog, Groucho who she uses to gain her own way. There were definitely times when she caused a shiver to run down my spine.

More determined than ever to find answers, Mim breaks the rules, and leaves the castle, venturing into the Outside where she finds herself on an incredible adventure, brimming with discoveries, dangers and twists.  Will she be able to use her determination and ingenuity to solve seemingly impossible problems?  Will she find happiness, and a place where she truly belongs before Madame Marionette becomes the puppet master, and the curse becomes unbreakable, bringing her chances of happiness to ruination?

This is a fast-paced, action-packed adventure with some fantastical creatures of sky and ocean.  A lot happens in this story which kept me intrigued throughout, especially when Mim travels to the lighthouse and makes some fascinating discoveries, discoveries that may well hold the key to lifting the curse. 

Mim is an incredibly likeable young girl:  courageous, kind-hearted and ever so curious, determined to uncover the secrets surrounding her family and lift the curse that has been placed on the castle.  She has a lot to contend with as she has a father who doesn’t offer her any affection and seems to be more interested in appearances and re-gaining his wealth than in spending time with his daughter.  There are definitely some unlikeable characters in this story who I don’t feel were fully redeemed by the end, but I did like that Mim formed some new relationships on her adventure.

This is an absolutely wonderful action-packed adventure with a superb twist-in-the-tail that is sure to delight readers of 9+.

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

How has it got to the end of May already! It has been a good reading month for me; I haven’t read all the books I’d intended, but I did read some that weren’t on my radar so it evens out. I did get some lovely new garden furniture today so I’ll be able to sit outside and read over half term. Just the small matter of report writing to sort! I’ve signed up to take part in the 20 Books of Summer Challenge, but I’ve been a little more realistic and signed by for 10 books as I haven’t been able to complete reviews for 20 books for the last two years.

Books I’ve read:

I’ve read 15 books this month: 10 physical copies, 2 e-books and 3 audiobooks.

NetGalley:

My Feedback Ratio is currently at 91%. I have only requested one book this month, The House on the Edge, although I am very tempted by Julia and the Shark by Kiran Millwood Hargrave and illustrated by Tom de Freston.

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 13 books this month, and have managed to read one so far!

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

This is my new 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 …

Favourite Sentence from Page 11:

So this sibling rivalry, fuelled by their parents, went on – through early childhood, nursery and
school – reaching a peak a few months ago when Fibber tricked Fox into flushing her homework down the loo, causing Fox to dangle her brother by his ankles from a fifth-floor window in Bickery Towers (to the cheers of their parents down below).

This book in three words:

FRIENDSHIP, ADVENTURE, MAGICAL

I watched Abi Elphinstone’s Hay Festival event with my class on Tuesday which was wonderful and so inspiring. She has such an adventurer’s spirit and is a magical storyteller. With The Crackledawn Dragon being released on 10th June, it made Jungledrop a perfect choice for MG Takes on Thursday.

Jungledrop is an exhilarating, magical adventure brimming with action, excitement and warmth which is set in a stunning glow-in-the-dark rainforest.  It is the second book in the Unmapped Chronicles series after the equally superb Rumblestar:  I was so pleased to be briefly reacquainted with one of the characters from it – just like meeting an old friend! I wonder if I’ll meet any old acquaintances in The Crackledawn Dragon?

The world-building is absolutely incredible, a symphony for the imagination, with a master conductor who immerses the reader in the wonders of a richly imagined world:  sights, sounds, flora and fauna all blend perfectly from the glow-in-the dark rainforest to the swiftwings, golden panthers and gobblequick trees. 

Jungledrop is an absolute must-read: a heart-warming magical fantasy that swept me into an incredible, action-packed adventure in a sumptuously rich world, and kept me enthralled throughout and left me, as always, in awe of Abi’s sheer story-telling brilliance!  Abi is an absolute must-buy author for me, and I cannot recommend this, and the rest of the books in this series, enough!

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 listening to Pride and Prejudice on audiobook which is my favourite Jane Austen book. It’s such a familiar read and is just perfect for me at the moment. I’m just about to start The Race which is one I heard about at the Cranachan Publishing event and, when I got the opportunity to be sent an early copy, I jumped at the chance as it sounds wonderful. This will be released on 3rd June.

I’ve finished reading Rainbow Grey which I absolutely loved – the characters, the humour, the concept – just wonderful. I will post my review in the next few days. I also finished listening to The Somerset Tsunami. Emma Carroll really , really knows how to write historical fiction! Fortune Sharpe is an incredible young girl who fights against accusations of witchcraft. The tension created and atmosphere is brilliantly portrayed and the scenes of the tsunami and its aftermath are astounding. This would make an amazing read aloud as there are some real heart-in-mouth moments, and plenty of opportunities for discussion. I also read The Three Impossibles which really enjoyed, especially the main character Mim. I have started my review! I also read two short Barrington Stoke books, Arctic Star and Featherlight which are both brilliant. Arctic Star tells the story of three friends who enlist in the Navy during WWII and take part in the Arctic Convoys, protecting ships bringing supplies to Russia to help in the war effort. This is a story of courage, danger and friendship – heart-breaking and uplifting. Featherlight is a beautiful story about a young girl, Deryn, who has to look after the lighthouse when her father and mother go to the mainland as her mother is having a baby. When disaster strikes and the light goes out with a boat in danger, she finds help from the most unexpected place. This is a magical, heart-warming read that I absolutely adored.

My next read was a very easy choice! I came home yesterday to find that I have been sent an early copy of one of my most anticipated books this year, Skyborn. I absolutely can’t wait to indulge in this one in one sitting!

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

Crater Lake Evolution is scarily exhilarating and utterly engrossing:  the perfect blend of sci-fi horror, suspense and humour that had me holding my breath one minute and laughing out loud the next as I was taken on an action-packed thrill-ride of an adventure. 

Five months have passed since Lance and his friends have returned from their Year 6 residential to Crater Lake where they fought, and won, against an alien invasion.  This story is told in the first book in this series, Crater Lake.  In that time, they have moved to high school and grown apart.  Lance has a new friend, Karim, who has moved to Straybridge with his parents. 

When there is an explosion at the University, the residents are informed that a test subject from a research project has escaped, and the town is locked down with a curfew put in place to protect the townspeople.   This all seems perfectly believable, but then, Lance’s Mum starts behaving strangely …

Could Lance’s nightmares have become a reality?  Could Straybridge’s Christmas traditions give an old enemy a chance to invade?  When I am scared in a movie, but desperate to still know what is going on, I cover my eyes with splayed fingers and glance through.  If it were possible to read a book in this way, then there were certainly moments I would have done this … The subtlety with which the creepiness and tension is built up is superbly conveyed and had my heart-pounding as Lance makes connections and fights against the pervading danger threatening Staybridge. 

Even though his friendships have been fractured following the transition to secondary school, Lance has no hesitation in seeking help from his old friends from Year 6, Katja, Chets, Mak and Ade as well as his new friend Karim.  He soon finds himself reunited with his friends who are all willing to help Lance fight for survival against an enemy out of their nightmares, and at the same time, resolve some of the issues that separate them.  Will they be able to save each other, and their town?  I loved that, despite them growing apart and having friendship difficulties in their transition to secondary school, they have a lasting bond from primary that immediately kicks in when Lance needs help.  I also really enjoyed the sparky, teasing and chatty interactions between the friends which is so superbly written.  The friends are brave, gutsy and determined and make a formidable team when faced with a threat to their town.

The horror elements are absolutely out-of-this-world:  thrilling, scary and exciting with knife-edge tension and a stifling, creepy, unnerving atmosphere.  I don’t want to say too much about the plot for fear of spoilers, but there are definitely moments in this book that sent a shiver down my spine, that made me gasp and left me in need of a manicure!  I am so glad that I had such a wonderful cast of characters to lead me through these moments with humour and courage.

Crater Lane Evolution is an absolute triumph of a story brimming with just the right amount of scariness, nail-biting suspense and humour that is sure to keep older children captivated, delighted and ever-so-slightly freaked-out.

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