Locked Out Lily is a beautifully atmospheric, dark and tense tale of family and friendship. A story of facing up to your fears, and having the courage to accept changes even when these are difficult and painful.
Lily’s life has changed due to a chronic illness which means she needs regular hospital treatments. She resents that further change will be brought into her life by the arrival of a new baby, feeling that she is being replaced. When her Mum goes into hospital to have the baby, she asks Lily’s Granny to look after her. However, Lily does not want to stay at her Granny’s house and sneaks out at night …
She returns to her home only to find that there are strangers there – strangers who look exactly like her parents, but with coal-black eyes, and they have a new baby. Lily finds herself an outcast in her own home, but is determined to evict her replacement parents, and bring her real parents back. Luckily, Lily finds help from the most unlikely of friends: a mouse, a crow, a mole and a snake …
Will these new friends be able to help Lily face up to her fears, and accept the changes that have happened in her life? Will she have the strength and courage to defeat the insidious intruders and regain her home?
I adored the blending of deliciously dark, creepy folk tales with a modern reality. The replacement family is perfectly portrayed: menacing, detached and ever so chilling – definite shivers down my spine! The other fantastical element within this magical realism adventure is the animals that Lily needs to help her overcome The Replacements. I really enjoyed how Lily’s friendship with these animals develops, each being able to offer her help and giving her the courage to believe in herself, to find courage, strength and acceptance in her reality.
The illustrations are simply stunning and complement the evocative story-telling perfectly.
Locked Out Lily is a stunning, heart-warming tale, woven with a blend of fantasy, realism and allegory: enthralling, tense and utterly brilliant!
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
It is currently Irish Book Week, so I thought I’d do a quick post to share some books by some of my favourite Irish Children’s book authors.
Sinéad O’Hart
I have read and loved all of Sinead’s books, and give her credit for reigniting my love of children’s books when I read Eye of the North. I am currently reading this to my Year 6 class who are loving it, making it the third time I’ve read it which is something of a record for me!
Celine Kiernan
I absolutely love The Wild Magic Trilogy. The writing is lyrical and magical, and really swept me into Mup’s enthralling adventure in Witches Borough.
Sophie Kirtley
I have really enjoyed both of Sophie’s time-travelling adventures, linked to present day and Stone Age settings inspired by Mandel Forest and Rathlin Island on the North Coast of Ireland.
Catherine Doyle
I have absolutely loved reading this magical and powerful trilogy set on Arranmore Island with its folklore, memories held in candles and brilliant characters.
Pádraig Kenny
I’ve now read all of Pádraig’s books and they just keep getting better and better. I started with Pog which was the first book I reviewed on my Blog (so it is a very special book for me), and have recently read The Shadows of Rookhaven: dark, powerful and thought-provoking.
Eve McDonnell
I really enjoyed Eve’s debut time-slip story inspired by the real-life Great Flood of London in 1928 with its references mudlarking, hagstones and needlework. Such a clever, heart-warming story which has now got me fascinated by hagstones. I’ve even managed to find a few of my own!
Have you read books by any of these Irish authors? What other books by Irish authors would you recommend?
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!
Stoneaxe is watching. Hidden behind a stunted, twisted tree that clings to the mountainside, she peeps out from between the branches. Her cloak covers her mouth, so nobody can see her best spear as she tries to decide whether to throw it or not.
Any ideas?
I have absolutely loved this series as have lots of children in the classes I’ve taught.
Goodreads Synopsis:
After capturing Charice, there is only one spirit left for Uki to find: Mortix, the most dangerous of all. With his friends Jori, Cole and Kree, Uki heads to Eisenfell – the greatest city in Hulstland – only to find that Mortix has taken control of Emperor Ash and is plotting to conquer the whole Five Realms with her terrifying army. Uki must dodge the Endwatch, the Shrikes, Clan Septys and the guards and find a way to complete his quest before all is lost.
Have you read any of this series? What did you think?
Today, I’m sharing the children’s middle-grade books I’m most looking forward to picking up in November, or being treated to as its my birthday in November too! I’ve taken the synopsis for each of these books from the Waterstones website except for Time School which I’ve taken from the author’s website. I’ve loved previous books for nine of these authors, and there is also a debut author whose book I am very excited to read!
Release Date: 1st November
Ash Mundair is sick of his dad telling him how lucky he is and how grateful he should be to go to a good school and get an education. Despite how hard Ash works, it seems it’s never enough for his dad, and Ash begins to wonder why he should bother at all. He doesn’t feel he will ever understand what it was like for his dad to have to leave his home in Uganda to come and live in England during the 1970s. That is until a trip back to that time unveils the difficulties that people like Ash’s dad faced and what it was like to be an ethnic minority at such a tense time.
Release Date: 4th November
When an evil faerie steals Yanni’s baby sister and swaps her for a changeling, Yanni is swept into a dangerous race against time to get her back. For faeries delight in tricks and rescuing her won’t be easy. With the help of his cousin, Amy, and the reluctant changeling, Yanni must travel to goblin palaces and battle-swept oceans, discovering ancient treasures and secrets along the way. Yanni will need every drop of courage and even a few tricks of his own, if he’s to outwit the faerie and save his sister...
On a poor farm surrounded by marshlands, six sisters – Grace, Willa, Freya, and triplets Deedee, Darcy, and Dolly – live in fear of their father. Their beloved grandmother tries to protect them, but the future seems bleak. When the Full Moon Fayre makes a rare visit to Hollow-in-the-Marsh, the girls slip out to see the famous Shadow Man, an enigmatic puppeteer. Afterwards, oldest sister Grace is missing. Can Willa save her sister from one fate, and yet outrun her own?
After a series of misfortunes, Minnie O’Sullivan is whisked away to Haddington Hall: a nightmarish home for wayward girls. Bad becomes worse when the hall’s ruthless founder, Mrs Haddington, takes an instant dislike to brave, determined Minnie, and she’s in danger of losing everything… But Minnie has never backed down from a fight in her life, and she’s not about to start now!
In their fifth thrilling adventure, the explorers journey deep into the Bubble Ocean on their quest to stop the evil Collector, but time is running out . . . The Poison Tentacle Sea was home to the powerful Bone Current. As they had feared, it gave a sudden surge and pulled them in. Half-mermaid Ursula Jellyfin has always longed for adventure, and this time the stakes are higher than ever. The Collector is holding a group of children prisoner on Pirate Island, and it’s up to Ursula and her friends Jai, Max and Genie to set them free. Armed with a magical mermaid trident, and with new recruit Zara the pirate fairy on board, their mission is filled with danger. The explorers must face zombie skeletons, make a daring rescue from a whirlpool and travel through a dinosaur graveyard. But even if they do make it to Pirate Island, can they fool the Collector and get in to an impenetrable fort? Fast-paced, magical storytelling in a breathtaking underwater world.
A dark, gothic adventure set deep in a Bavarian forest, with angels and owls and magic and a boy who isn’t all that he seems to be… A cherub is blown into Cassie Engel’s bedroom during a thunderstorm, triggering a series of terrifying events. Cassie must discover if its arrival was an accident or part of something more sinister. With a self-obsessed opera singer for a mother, a strange taxidermist father, and a best friend who isn’t quite what he seems, Cassie is forced to unearth the secrets of her family’s past. As the dark forces gather around them, can Cassie protect all that she holds dear?
Meet Stuntboy. He’s the newest superhero in town. Or at least in his own head. He’ll save you from baddies like Herbert Singletary The Worst and the Frets. Or at least he’ll TRY to. And maybe someone will end up saving him too… From two superheroes, 2021 CILIP Carnegie Medal winning author Jason Reynolds and super illustrator Raul the Third, comes a never-before-seen tale featuring acts of daring and courage… and one mysterious cat.
Be enthralled by the world of Arthurian legend in this lavishly illustrated, masterful retelling. From King Arthur’s childhood to his final battle, the timeless tales of the sword in the stone, the quests of the Knights of the Round Table and the wizardry of Merlin are woven together into a breathtaking feat of storytelling.
Release Date: 11th November
It’s Christmas-time, and when Maya’s Grandmother encourages her to go searching for magic, she didn’t bet on being transported back three-hundred years to the banks of the frozen river Thames. Meeting a boy called Eddie, he shows Maya the bustle of the glittering Frost Fair, filled with music, sweet stalls, warm fires and thrilling rides. But their connection is stronger than she knew, and when the Frost Fair fades, Maya discovers that her dream may have been real after all…
Olive’s best friend is a four-hundred-year-old oak tree, and it is in danger. As she tumbles into its magic world, she makes it a promise. From deep roots to high branches, a Persian garden to an underwater forest, from tulip trees to wild apple to vengeful box, she listens to the trees telling stories for all time. And she keeps her promise.
November is going to be a another wonderful month for middle-grade releases! Do any of these pique your interest?
This is my weekly meme celebrating amazing middle-grade books, now with a re-vamped banner!
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 …
Written by Pádraig Kenny Illustrated by Edward Bettison Published by MacMillan Children’s Books
Favourite Sentence from Page 11:
Billy sat back and smiled at the screen, and just for a few moments he pretended the three of them were there together and that they were a family.
This book in three words:
FAMILY, FRIENDSHIP, SECRETS
I have now read and loved every middle-grade book written by Pádraig Kenny: Pog, Tin, The Monsters of Rookhaven and now The Shadows of Rookhaven.
The Shadows of Rookhavenreturns to the sanctuary of Rookhaven years after the events that took place in The Monsters of Rookhaven. The Rookhaven Family are hosting The Great Configuration, which is held every 100 years, and Family from other sanctuaries are gathering there, many being brought through portals created by Odd who can travel to different places and time periods through his portals.
A young boy, Billy Catchpole, arrives at Rookhaven, and is invited in by Mirabelle; however, he may not be there solely to celebrate the Great Configuration, and may well be intending harm on a member of the Family …
This is an absolutely stunning story told from different viewpoints in short atmospheric chapters: tantalising and intriguing; heart-warming and heart-breaking; a story that oscillates with secrets and revelations, and a delicious darkness and tension that makes it an excruciating delight to read.
Each of the characters is brilliantly portrayed, struggling with choices and emotions and hidden depths that become clear as the story unfolds. They struggle with some of the biggest questions: what lengths will we go to in order to save those we love? What happens when we cannot accept the inevitably of death? How can we forgive those who have betrayed us?
I really enjoyed the relationship that develops between Mirabelle and Billy as they share a connection that leads to a slow building of friendship. Mirabelle is courageous, empathetic and kind and recognises pain, grief and anger in others whilst feeling these emotions herself. Both are Misbegotten, half-monster and half-human, and face the prejudice of others for being different.
I also really loved finding out more about Piglet, one of the most fascinating characters in middle-grade fiction. He is an ancient, feared, shape-shifting entity who is endlessly curious about others and can enter their minds with ease to experience their emotions and experiences.
The black and white illustrations by Edward Bettison are stunning and cover both partial and full-page spreads. I love that the people portrayed are in shadow throughout, complementing the story perfectly.
I cannot recommend this dark, powerful, thought-provoking masterpiece enough: utterly brilliant!
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 haven’t actually started this yet, but I will be later this evening!
I’ve finished listening to the audiobook of Cream Buns and Crime which I really enjoyed. I especially enjoyed the case files written by different members of the Detective Society and the Junior Pinkertons. It definitely makes me want to listen to the next one in this series. I finished The Shadows of Rookhaven which I absolutely loved. It was wonderful being back with the Rookhaven Family and meeting Billy Catchpole. I will post my review this week. I then decided I would read a book which I had on NetGalley, Locked Out Lily and I’m so glad I read it at the weekend. It is a wonderful story of a young girl coming to accept her illness, and coming to terms with change. Definitely had magical realism vibes, and I loved the writing style.
I’m hoping to read Hag Storm next, and to listen to Gullstruck Island.
Written by Rachel Pierce with a foreword by Dara Ó Briain Cover Illustration by Conor Nolan Published by Scholastic on 2nd September
First, confession time: I’m very proudly Irish and grew up on an isolated farm just over the Irish border in rural County Donegal. I grew up listening to and reading Irish myths and legends, spending my days outside exploring the mountains and boglands, and enjoying many a ceilidh. We have a lone hawthorn standing in the middle of one of our fields which my father would never allow to be cut down as he thought it belonged to the Sidhe or fairies, and it would bring bad luck if it was cut down. It still stands today.
The fairy tree on my home farm
I was, therefore, very excited to be sent a copy of Ireland: The People, the Places, the Stories. This is a beautifully illustrated hardback written by Rachel Pierce with a playful foreword by wonderfully witty Irish comedian, Dara Ó Briain which celebrates what makes the Emerald Isle such a special place.
The introduction gives a flavour of what to expect from the rest of the book: fascinating facts, gorgeous illustrations, and an incredibly engaging writing style that immediately whets your appetite for finding out more …
Each of the ten main chapters is introduced by a fully illustrated page which, with my teacher’s hat on, would be great for inference and prediction work. Each chapter page is then followed by a detailed map with images and facts. I loved poring over these maps, and I can definitely see them capturing children’s attention, and drawing them into finding out more from the main chapters. If there’s one thing I know about the Irish is that we love to spin a yarn and, oh my goodness, these maps lend themselves to a tale or two …
Illustration by Lydia Hughes
Each of the chapters focusses on an aspect of Ireland’s varied and rich culture, history, landscape and people: The Island of Ireland, Early Ireland, Warring Ireland, Haunted Ireland, Magical Ireland, The Living Landscape, The Human Landscape, Underground Ireland, The Culture of Ireland and Fun Things to Do in Ireland.
I can, hand on heart, say that I was completely, utterly and entirely immersed in, and fascinated by, this amazing book which offers a wealth of knowledge, sure to appeal to younger and older readers alike.
I’m going to include a brief synopsis of each chapter with my favourite fact taken directly from each:
1. The Island of Ireland: this chapter includes information about Ireland’s geology; lighthouses; offshore islands; and, smugglers, pirates and shipwrecks.
My favourite fact: The strangest lighthouse must be the Spire of Lloyd in Kells, County Meath. It looks like a lighthouse and is tall and sturdy with a glazed lantern, but it’s nowhere near the sea.
2. Early Ireland: this chapter focusses on the early human history of Ireland including sections on hunting and gathering; the Céide fields, thought to be the oldest field systems in the world; burials; hill forts; and, bog bodies.
My favourite fact: Newgrange [tomb] itself is aligned with the rising sun at the winter solstice (21 December), which is the shortest day of the year.
3. Warring Ireland: this chapter includes details of Ireland’s war-filled history including: feature of castles; invaders; famous castles; and famous battles.
My favourite fact: A truly chilling feature of some castles was an oubliette, a ‘forgotten place’. This was a dungeon room that had one way in and no way out.
4. Haunted Ireland: this section focusses on the Otherworld and its beings; superstitions; Samhain night; and, famous haunted castles.
My favourite fact: In later times, people made turnip lanterns – terrifying faces carved into a hollowed-out turnip, which was then lit from inside with a lump of coal or a candle.
5. Magical Ireland: this chapter includes details of Ireland’s supernatural beliefs; seasonal festivals; fairy changelings; and, magical figures and sites.
My favourite fact: Station Island in Lough Derg is an ancient site of Christian pilgrimage, said to be an entrance to purgatory. This gateway was closed by Papal Order in 1632 and remains firmly shut and locked to this day, …
6. The Living Landscape: this section includes sections on Ireland’s trees; flora and fauna; weather; volcanoes; and, sinkholes.
My favourite fact: The si gaoithe, of ‘fairy wind’, is a mini whirlwind that whips up suddenly causing mayhem for the minutes it lasts.
7. The Human Landscape: this chapter focusses on Ireland’s human-built landscape including possibly Ireland’s earliest built landscape in Mount Sandel; the use of lime kilns; cooking pits; the Poulaphuca Resevoir; Kylemore Abbey; canals; and, Eire signs.
My favourite fact: On some high points of the Irish coastline are huge letters, made of white-washed rocks, spelling ‘EIRE’, the Irish name for Ireland. These rock markers date back to the Second World War …
8. Underground Ireland: this section gives details of what lies beneath Ireland’s landscape including: caves; souterrains; tunnels; buried bodies; and, buried treasure.
My favourite fact: The most exciting finds at Aillwee were the bones of two brown bears, which have been dated to 10,000 years ago.
9. The Culture of Ireland: this chapter shares a little of what it means to be Irish from the tradition and superstition to the language and place names to sport, music and dance.
My favourite fact: There are also lost languages. In medieval Wexford there was a dialect called Yola that has since been lost.
10. Fun Things to do in Ireland: this final chapter directs the reader to a selection of things to see and do in Ireland such as visiting Tayto Park theme park and zoo. When I go home to Ireland, I always indulge in Irish-bought Tayto cheese & onion crisps which are my favourite crisps ever and not to be mixed with Tayto crisps bought elsewhere! Some wonderful historical sites are also recommended such as Kylemore Abbey and Gardens. I have visited this wonderful site in County Galway and can definitely recommend a visit. Ireland really does have some spectacular places to visit and some of my favourites are mentioned here, including the North Antrim Coast, the Slieve League cliffs in my home county of Donegal, and Glenariff Forest Park in County Antrim with its spectacular waterfalls.
Each of the first nine chapters ends with a ‘Would you Believe it?’ section which is a cornucopia of fascinating, intriguing and entertaining facts that engrossed me completely.
I can’t finish my review without mentioning the brilliant illustrations which complement the beauty and charm of this book perfectly. Each of the ten chapters is illustrated by an Irish illustrator: Linda Fahrlin, Diarmuid Ó Catháin, Alan Dunne, Lydia Hughes, Brian Fitzgerald, Ashling Lindsay, Graham Corcoran, Jennifer Farley, Conor Nolan, Donough O’Malley.
Illustration by Brian Fitzgerald
This is a book that should be in every library to introduce children to this stunning country in the most wonderful way. I can’t wait to share it with my class as I have no doubt they will be just as captivated by its words, illustrations and style as I am.
Thank you to Harriet Dunlea and Scholastic for my copy.
This is my weekly meme celebrating amazing middle-grade books, now with a re-vamped banner!
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 …
Written by Christopher Edge Cover Illustration by Matt Saunders Published by Nosy Crow
Favourite Sentence from Page 11:
In it [Scouting for Boys], there’s this story about how some soldiers left secret messages near landmarks like trees to keep them hidden from the enemy.
This book in three words:
MYSTERY, SPINE-TINGLING, TIME
I’ve started seeing proofs arrive for the next Christopher Edge book, Escape Room, on Twitter, and it made me think about what a fantastic writer he is. The first book I read by him was The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day which absolutely blew me away. However, the book I am recommending today is The Longest Night of Charlie Noon. There is so much packed into a short story.
MY REVIEW
If you are brave enough to enter these woods … you will be utterly mesmerised as you are taken on the most intriguing journey full of twists, puzzles and incredible mind-blowing discoveries! This is a book that is perfect for a one-sitting read and epitomises the phrase ‘page-turner’.
With two references to time in the title, I feel the story offers a fascinating exploration of concepts in time which made me think of the Mobius Time Loop. When and where in time are the three children? There is so much to explore, but I don’t want to give anything away – suffice to say, nothing is ever as it seems!
One afternoon, three children get lost in the woods … and find a seemingly endless night! Johnny is the bully; Charlie is the new kid in town; and Dizzy, a polio survivor, is Charlie’s only friend.
Curiosity leads two of the friends into the woods … and Johnny follows. Dizzy has seen sticks arranged into a secret code the previous day and wants his friend to help solve the mystery! Johnny tells them Old Crony lives in the woods and he is someone to be feared. The children’s heightened anticipation of Old Crony, together with the inspired use of sights and sounds, creates a real sense of foreboding with palpable fear building, leading to frantic and desperate actions as the children try desperately to run from their fear and their fate …
I found the woods both horrifying and fascinating, almost like a living entity, driven with an inexorable purpose for the children, a purpose that once realised left me stunned and in awe of the story-telling.
Incredible heart-stopping moments, spine-tingling twists, and seeming impossibilities made me desperate to keep reading. For me, the use of cliff hangers at the end of most of the chapters makes it the perfect classroom read!
This is a perfect spine-tingler of a story which took me on the most incredible journey of exploration and discovery!
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!
It’s been a while since I read Mistletoe and Murder so though I’d listen to Cream Buns and Crime which is a collection of mini-mysteries which I’m really enjoying. I’ll definitely be picking up the next one. I’m also reading The Shadows of Rookhaven and, my goodness, is it good! The opening is amazing – so much tension and emotion. I can’t wait to see where this one goes.
I’ve finished The Book of Stolen Dreams which I really enjoyed. It is a powerful story of a City under the dictatorship of a paranoid, cruel President, Charles Malstain who is determined to get his hands on a special book, no matter the cost. It is up to two children, Robert and Rachel Klein to keep it out of his hands. I’ve posted my review for this one. I also listened to the audiobook of The Puffin Portal by the wonderful Vashti Hardy which was a brilliant story aimed at younger readers. Grace is now helping her mother and brother in dealing with crime across Moreland. Grace finds herself investigating a series of petty thefts and makes an incredible discovery. This is a wonderful story of family, friendship and kindness. I also read Skeleton Keys: The Wild Imaginings of Stanley Strange which is the fifth book in the Skeleton Keys series. I absolutely adore ‘Ol Skeleton Keys, but I think Daisy is my favourite character. Talk about speaking your mind, insulting others, but deep, deep down she has a heart of gold! I’ll be writing my review for this one this weekend.
I’m hoping to read Hag Storm and The Burglar’s Ball next. They’re both being published towards the end of October.
The Book of Stolen Dreams is an exceptionally powerful fantasy adventure that immediately drew me into the magic of the story with the intriguing introduction, and kept me gripped throughout. A story of love, courage and sacrifice in the face of hatred, cruelty and fear: a story that reverberates the past and the present with the hope of a better future.
The story opens with twelve-year-old Rachel Klein escaping from the City of Brava in Krasnia, under the despotic rule of tyrant, President Charles Malstain, whose paranoia and hunger for absolute control has dulled a once vibrant City. She is travelling by airship to Port Clement to find her brother, Robert. She is alone: her mother is dead and her father is in prison. She is on a mission, but so is the person who befriends her …
What an intriguing start to this incredible adventure! I was completely captured as I devoured the details that led to Rachel’s escape from Brava, as I learned more about the cruel rule of Malstain and as I learned about a magical Book at the centre of the story, The Book of Stolen Dreams.
On Rachel’s eleventh birthday, she and her brother are taken to the North Brava Public Lending Library by their librarian father who entrusts them with the Book, a theft that leads to his imprisonment and separation from his children. A year later, Rachel and Robert find themselves alone, waiting to be taken to an orphanage, but they open the Book and their lives change forever …
Let the true dreamer awake …
Can they uncover the secrets hidden within the Book? Will they be able to find the missing page that will allow them to reveal the magic of the Book? But, most important of all, will they be able to stop the Book falling into the hands of Malstain who will stop at nothing to possess its power?
This is an incredible, tense and exciting adventure, intricate and powerful, that kept me on the edge of my seat, utterly enthralled, as I followed both children’s journeys, through a parallel narrative, as they are relentlessly hunted by Malstain, desperately hoping that they will find each other before Malstain finds them.
Robert and Rachel are incredibly strong, determined and courageous children. Born during a cruel dictatorship, and living in fear, their father shows them what it is to dream, to love, to play and to imagine. They must learn who to trust, what to reveal and how to make sacrifices. Rachel, in particular, has a strength of character that engenders trust, kindness and loyalty in others. Both are determined to see a new Krasnia, free of the chains thrown around it by Malstain, and take perilous risks in the hope of ensuring that freedom.
This is a scintillating adventure that swept me into a richly imagined world of daring and danger, a world of loss and hope, and a world of hatred and love. An unmissable, unforgettable adventure!
Thank you to Fritha Lindqvist and Usborne for a proof copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Book Craic 