book-recommendations

*Written by Georgia Channon*
*Cover Illustration by Richard Johnson*
*Published by Pushkin Press*

The Curse of the Silvan Oaks is an enchanting fantasy adventure that completely captured me as I stepped through a portal into a magical world which has been cursed …

When exploring the castle, eleven-year-old Prince Cory of the Kingdom of Silvanland, great grandson of Queen Titania, discovers hidden steps behind a fireplace. Stinging from the memory of his older brother calling him a coward, he goes down the steps, determined to show the courage he has been accused of lacking …

Meanwhile, Oli Gill has gone to Foxley Hall with her mother and has discovered a secret opening in a bookcase. When she climbs inside, she looks through a window into a forest where she sees a young boy being kidnapped …

Prince Cory has been taken by cruel Queen Hellebore’s soldiers and thrown into the castle dungeons. Whilst the Prince is a descendant of Queen Titania, Queen Hellebore is a descendant of King Oberon, intent on continuing the feud that has brought a terrible war and wreaked havoc on Silvanland’s sacred woods with its great oak trees cursed, their spirits dying.

But when hope seems lost, fate intervenes, bringing a young girl through a portal from the mortal world and into Silvanland, a young girl who has a connection to this world and to an ancient prophecy that she has no knowledge of. When these two children, Cory and Oli, come together, they form a firm friendship and show real courage in the face of overwhelming danger. Can they save Silvanland and break the curse over its forest? Can they escape the cruel clutches of a Queen who will stop at nothing to obtain a precious stone capable of giving her the power to rule Silvanland? And, can they bring to an end an age old feud that started with a quarrel over a child, a child who was lost to another world?

This is a wonderfully intricate, richly imaginative and action-packed adventure, brimming with danger, tension and daring, and is one that I really enjoyed. I loved the association with A Midsummer Night’s Dream, one of my favourite Shakespearean plays. The adventure involves the descendants of many of the main characters in that play including Oberon, Titania, Puck, Cobweb and the Indian Boy. And it was wonderful to see their connections. I also really enjoyed the mystical element of the story, the tree spirits and talking animals including shapeshifters as well as the message about the importance of nature and man’s selfishness in exploiting the natural world.

A magical, mesmerising adventure into a feuding realm where those with courageous hearts form firm friendships and fight to break a cruel curse on the land. Perfect for young adventurers of 9+.

Thank you to Pushkin Press for sending me a copy of this book. It was my decision to review it and my review is my honest opinion.

Happy St Patrick’s Day! I thought today would be the perfect opportunity to share books by some of my favourite Irish middle-grade authors. I have included a link to my review for each of my book recommendations.

The Eye of the North is a brilliantly fast-paced, thrilling adventure that truly deserves the plaudit of ‘unputdownable’. It opens with the best line ever:

For as long as she could remember, Emmeline Widget had been sure her parents were trying to kill her.

and transported me into the most gripping adventure, brimming with twists and turns, with danger and daring, and with breath-taking revelations.

The Time Tider is a ferociously fast-paced, thrilling and intriguing contemporary fantasy that transported me into an enthralling adventure where the phrase ‘just one more chapter’ has never been so apt. An exhilarating, irresistible page-turner: a heart-warming, intricate story of family and friendship woven into the most brilliant time-twisty plot that is guaranteed to bring hours of reading delight!

The Silver Road is the MOST incredible, action-packed quest adventure, brimming with magic, with danger, with discoveries … I was swept into a modern world interwoven with the old magic and mythology of Ireland and was completely and utterly spellbound. I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoilers, but be prepared to meet witches, giants, wolves, ancient gods and warriors in a gripping adventure that is guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat as the peril reaches a fierce crescendo. Epically brilliant!

Elsetime is an exhilarating time-slip story which completely captivated me as it took me on a fascinating journey where past, present and future meet in ‘elsetime’, a time where intrigue, danger and revelations swirl amidst friendships, courage and hope. Inspired by the real-life Great Flood of London in 1928, this is a stunningly spectacular read with a beautifully heart-warming ending.

The Chestnut Roaster is an unforgettable, mesmerising historical fantasy which swept me into late 19^th century Paris and into a gripping, dangerous and exciting adventure that completely captivated me. A breath-taking, magical adventure: a story of loss, survival, and the strength of friendship, family and self-belief.

The Shadows of Rookhaven 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.

Stitch is an absolutely stunning, incredibly powerful and thought-provoking story that completely gripped me from start to finish. The action, brimming with peril, discoveries and secrets, kept me turning pages as I was desperate to find out how the three friends would survive in a world where their differences make them more likely to be hated or feared than accepted.

The Lost Girl King is a truly spellbinding adventure that swept me into the mythical land of youth and into an action-packed, unforgettable quest brimming with daring, courage and wit. This is a magical, joyous and exciting adventure brimming with family and friendship, with danger, delight and hope … an absolute must-read!

Pirates of Darksea is stardust-sprinkled, swashbuckling adventure with great peril, incredible courage and the bonds of brotherhood and friendship at its heart. I absolutely loved this action-packed, gripping quest which is brimming with peril, magic and the most brilliant and unexpected twists and turns. I genuinely gasped at some of the revelations which kept me turning page after page as I was completely swept into the magic and power of the story-telling.

Sally in the City of Dreams is a wonderfully charming and exciting historical adventure with friendship and family at its heart. I have no doubt that young readers will enjoy getting to know Sally and her friends as they travel from early 1900s Ireland to New York, the City of Dreams, to start a new life. A heart-warming, exciting historical adventure with strong friendships, sure to be adored by young readers of 9+.

The Spirit Snatcher is a spine-tinglingly thrilling, spooky story that completely captivated me: an adventure brimming with friendship, humour, danger and a brilliant cast of supernatural creatures.

Search for the Black Mirror is the second in The Light Thieves trilogy: a thrilling, gripping rollercoaster of an eco-adventure that kept me utterly entranced throughout. This is a brilliantly inventive, unputdownable eco-adventure that is guaranteed to captivate readers of 9+.

The Wild Way Home is an absolute treasure trove of adventure, excitement and danger set in a wild and natural environment whilst, at its heart, it resonates with the importance of family, friendship and acceptance. This is a truly breath-taking story – both painful and heart-warming – that completely captured me as I was transported back in time for an action-packed adventure with Charlie and Harby who prove that being born millennia apart is no barrier to friendship.

The Way to Impossible Island is a stunning, action-packed timeslip adventure linking the past to the present in such an exciting and mesmerising way. It wholeheartedly captured me from the peril in the opening chapter to the wonderfully uplifting ending, transporting me into a richly evocative landscape with the most wonderful characters. This is an exhilarating and heartfelt adventure where the ancient past and present day meet through the hopes and fears of the most remarkable young characters who find each other at just the right time … an unforgettable story of friendship, family and acceptance.