Havenfall

A safe haven between four realms. The girl sworn to protect it--at any cost.

Hidden deep in the mountains of Colorado lies the Inn at Havenfall, a sanctuary that connects ancient worlds--each with their own magic--together. For generations, the inn has protected all who seek refuge within its walls, and any who disrupt the peace can never return. {Goodreads summary}

Havenfall was an exciting, magical adventure that I didn't want to end. Here are three things I loved about it. 

1) The world building was detailed and amazing. I loved the magic system, the different worlds and the history. I also thought the way characters' prejudices and misconceptions were slowly overturned was cleverly done. 

2) It has a bi main character, with the potential for male and female love interests. It's great to see more representation in fantasy. There are a few awesome bi-fantasy novels coming out this year (Dangerous Remedy being another amazing one) which is fantastic. 

3) Maddie was a great protagonist. She was complex, with a backstory that clearly shaped her decisions and emotions, so that all the actions she took felt right (even when, as a reader, you realise she's making a mistake). 

I really enjoyed Havenfall and can't wait to return to this world in book two. 

I was provided with a copy of Havenfall to review via Netgalley.

Picture This: Extraordinary

Dream big with this story about extraordinary wishes, and seeing the wonderful in the everyday world around us. Extraordinary encourages children to look for the beauty that surrounds them, from blazing stars and booming fireworks, to tiny puddles and the magic of time spent with family.

The writing in this story is so beautiful and it is a joy you read aloud. This is a cosy, snuggle on the sofa story, with plenty to look at in the illustrations and lots to talk about after you've finished. 

Extraordinary will be a firm family favourite that you will read again and again, noticing different details every time.

Thank you New Frontier Publishing for providing me with a copy to review.

Extraordinary is written by Penny Harrison and illustrated by Katie Wilson

Picture This: Sarah's Heavy Heart

Sarah's heart is too heavy for her to carry. It's awkward to fit on the bus and impossible to sleep with. When Sarah meets a boy who's heart is so light that he's blown through the air whenever the wind is too strong, they work together to share the load. 

This was a very sweet story about love and friendship. My five year old particularly likes it and we've read it a lot as a result. Carnavas' artwork is lovely - there are so many little details to delight in on every page, and the words will make you smile. This would be a particularly good picture book for nurseries and reception classes, to help children think about their emotions.

Thank you New Frontier Publishing for my review copy.

Sarah's Heavy Heart is written and illustrated by Peter Carnavas

Sky Song

In the snowy kingdom of Erkenwald, whales glide between icebergs, wolves hunt on the tundra and polar bears roam the glaciers. But the people of this land aren’t so easy to find. Because Erkenwald is ruled by a cruel Ice Queen and you must stay hidden or risk becoming another of her prisoners.  

Join Eska, a girl who breaks free from a cursed music box, and Flint, a boy whose inventions could change the fate of Erkenwald forever, as they journey together in search of an ancient, almost forgotten, song with the power to force the Ice Queen back.

This is a story about an eagle huntress, an inventor and an organ made of icicles. But it is also a story about belonging, even at the very edges of our world... {goodreads summary}

This MG adventure story was beautiful. This is the first of Elphinstone's novels that I've read (although I love the Snow Dragon) and it definitely won't be the last. Her writing is wonderful, her stories magic. Here are three things I really loved about Sky Song:

1) Sky Song was packed with action. Something exciting happens in every chapter. I read Sky Song while studying for my MA and there's so much to learn from Elphinstone's story craft. She packs magic and adventure onto every page, so young readers will never lose interest. 

2) It had wonderful characters. Eska, Flint and Blu were superb characters I was rooting for from the beginning to the end. Children will love them and want them to succeed. 

3) This story has so much heart. It has lovely messages about hope, courage and being yourself which I think lots of readers will enjoy and relate to. 

Picture This: Blue Whale Blues

I was very lucky to be invited to New Frontier Publishing's first blogger event this week and came home with a collection of wonderful new picture books. They are all brilliant, but this is the one my children have requested the most (and walked around the house singing about) so I'm going to start my reviews with it. 

Blue Whale has the Blue Whale Blues. His bike is wet, he's not sure how to wear his helmet, and he's going nowhere fast. His friend, Penguin, helps him to solve most of his problems, but some things can't be fixed - they need to be laughed about instead. 

The artwork in this picture book was really distinctive and different. My children loved the inclusion of Blue Whale's song, which they are now singing on repeat and they loved laughing at Blue Whale's mistakes. Ultimately, this is a funny, uplifting story about what to do when things go wrong.

My daughter liked this story so much she read it out loud to her little brother. The text was large and clear, making it easy for my little reader to sound out. 

Blue Whale Blues is written and illustrated by Peter Carnavas

Orphans of the Tide

When a mysterious boy washes in with the tide, the citizens believe he's the Enemy - the god who drowned the world - come again to cause untold chaos.

Only Ellie, a fearless young inventor living in a workshop crammed with curiosities, believes he's innocent.

But the Enemy can take possession of any human body and the ruthless Inquisition are determined to destroy it forever.

To save the boy, Ellie must prove who he really is - even if that means revealing her own dangerous secret {goodreads summary}

Orphans of the Tide is a wonderful adventure story full of twists and turns. It gripped me from the opening chapter, where a whale is stranded at The City's sea wall and a boy emerges from its carcass, and the excitement continued to build throughout.

I LOVED the characters. Ellie, Anna and Seth were all so well defined. I adored Anna's sass and funny quips. She burst from the page and made me laugh out loud repeatedly. Ellie is a superb protagonist and young children will delight in her inventiveness, and hopefully feel inspired to embark on some creating of their own. This is also a story with a lot of heart. It talks about loss, identity and guilt in a way that makes you feel deeply for the characters. 

The interaction between Ellie and Finn was also fantastic. There was lots of mystery, intrigue, and funny dialogue in their early interactions and I was excited every time he appeared on the page.  

The world Murray creates is amazing, different and immersive, with beautiful descriptions of submerged cities and dangerous gods. Manuel Samberac's illustrations are a brilliant addition and I can't wait to see them properly in the printed version. Vocabulary stretches but is always well explained, introducing complicated terms like parasites in a way that is clear to understand. 

I adored this story and can't wait to see what Murray writes next. Thank you Puffin for providing me with a review copy via Netgalley.

Agent Zaiba Investigates

Today is my stop on the Agent Zaiba blog tour! Thank you so much Little Tiger for sending me a copy to review. This fun, fast paced detective story will delight middle grade mystery fans everywhere.

Zaiba is attending her cousin's Mehndi party when a search for a secretive celebrity uncovers a much larger mystery, one which only Zaiba and her friends have the clues to solve. Hindered by adults and a meddling cousin at every turn, Zaiba, Poppy and Ali need all of their detectives skills to solve a crime before Zaiba's cousin's Mehndi party is ruined beyond repair.

Here are three reasons I think everyone will love this story:

1) Zaiba, Ali and Poppy were brilliant characters from the beginning. I loved their enthusiasm and their bravery, as well as the dynamic between them. Zaiba was cool under pressure and considerate towards her friends on every page. 

2) There were plenty of suspects, and twists and turns to keep readers guessing about what was going on. I really liked the suspect breakdowns from the three main characters, as they showed how any one could look guilty based on circumstantial evidence. 

3) I loved the inclusion of the Eden Lockett stories, which grounded the children's behaviour and also provided a touching link to Zaiba's Ammi, who had left annotations in the story. 

Daniela Sosa's illustrations are beautiful and we're a fantastic addition to the story. I liked all the little page decorations included too. 

Agent Zaiba Investigates is one of Authorfy's spring books, and I think students will LOVE using this as the inspiration for their own mystery masterpieces. This is a fantastic story and I can't wait to see what Zaiba, Poppy and Ali do next.

Of Curses and Kisses

Will the princess save the beast?

For Princess Jaya Rao, nothing is more important than family. When the loathsome Emerson clan steps up their centuries-old feud to target Jaya’s little sister, nothing will keep Jaya from exacting her revenge. Then Jaya finds out she’ll be attending the same elite boarding school as Grey Emerson, and it feels like the opportunity of a lifetime. She knows what she must do: Make Grey fall in love with her and break his heart. But much to Jaya’s annoyance, Grey’s brooding demeanor and lupine blue eyes have drawn her in. There’s simply no way she and her sworn enemy could find their fairy-tale ending…right? {goodreads summary}

I was sold at Sandhya Menon, but Menon and a Beauty and the Beast retelling? I knew this was a story for me! I read Of Curses and Kisses in two days (and would happily have sat and read it in one if I could have gotten away with it!) Here are three reasons I love, love, loved this book (and why it's the perfect book for Valentine's Day)

1. Of Curses and Kisses made me smile so much. The romantic storyline is very much at its heart and while the outcome always feels certain (given its fairytale origins) that doesn't mean that Jaya and Grey's relationship is predictable or dull; there are still plenty of twists and turns and lots of drama. It was great to have the story told from both character's perspectives, and I really liked watching them misunderstand each other and misinterpret the other's motives. 

2. I loved how well developed all of the side-characters storylines were (and really hope we see a few of them again in future books!) Menon puts a really interesting twist on the stereotypical mean girl, and it was great to see the female characters coming together to help each other, rather than trying to tear each other down. 

3. There was A LOT of glamour in this story - lots of money, plenty of designer labels, and some really great parties. It was really fun to read about a boarding school for the elite, famous and titled. Throw in mountains and snow, and you have a pretty perfect location. St Rosetta's is definitely a setting I would like to return to, so I'm looking forward to the future books in this series!

I received an eARC of this story via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Picture This: Bake a Rainbow Cake

Bake a cake with your little ones with this wonderful interactive board book from Amirah Kassem, the founder of the Flour Shop. 

Every page has tabs to pull or spin, allowing young readers to pour, colour and cut as they go through the stages of creating a sprinkle-filled rainbow cake. 

The artwork is bright and sweet, and the words simple enough that my five year old can confidently read this to her younger brother. 

The interactive elements make this story lots of fun and the artwork is so bold and cheerful that you can't help but smile as you read. We really love this story and have read it so many times already. It's been popular with everyone I've shown it to so far and it will definitely be my top gift for little readers this year. 

Thank you so much to Abrams and Chronicle Books for sending me a copy of this story to review. 

Picture This: Claude All at Sea

This was the first Claude story we've read, although we read another book by this author last year. 

When Claude gets messy painting, he decides to run a bath. But he's so busy getting his bath toys that he forgets to turn off the water! With a whoosh, Claude, Sir Bobblysock and the bathtub are whisked out to sea, where they have an amazing bath time adventure.

Claude All at Sea was colourful, silly and lots of fun.  I loved the artwork and the detail that had gone into each page. It was a crazy, exciting story that kept both my three and five year olds engaged from beginning to end. 

Picture This: Game of Stones

I picked Game of Stones from the library based on the title. How could I not? Game of Stones is about two brothers, Pod and Hinge. Pod keeps inventing new games to keep Hinge busy, but his games (all made from stones) have a habit of breaking everything in sight. But Pod has a plan for something even better, something epic. 

I had so much fun reading this book. I'm not sure how many of the jokes will have made sense to my toddler, but I really enjoyed them, and he must have liked the story as he's asked for it quite a few times, as has my five year old.  

Game of Stones is written by Rebecca Lisle and illustrated by Richard Watson

The Mercies

After a storm has killed off all the island's men, two women in a 1600s Norwegian coastal village struggle to survive against both natural forces and the men who have been sent to rid the community of alleged witchcraft. Inspired by the real events of the Vardø storm and the 1620 witch trials, THE MERCIES is a feminist story of love, evil, and obsession, set at the edge of civilization. {goodreads summary}

I'm not even sure where to start with this review. The Mercies was so incredible that I'm struggling to translate my thoughts on it into words. I've been recommending it to everyone I've spoken to since finishing.

The Mercies was beautifully written, dark and intense. It was one of those stories that becomes ingrained in your mind, and I found my thoughts lingering on the characters and Vardø whenever I put my kindle down. It was reminiscent of The Miniaturist - it gave me the same, unsettled feeling that the ending wouldn't be entirely happy - and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed The Miniaturist without hesitation. 

Millwood Hargrave's language is lyrical and beautiful. This was the first novel I have read by her and I now can't wait to read her MG stories. A Girl of Ink and Stars is on my course list for next year, but I checked it out of the library a few days after finishing The Mercies because I couldn't wait to start reading.

My favourite thing about the Mercies was the setting. Vardø is so well depicted that I could imagine every location, and almost feel as though I've been there. I enjoyed the contrast between the cool midnight sun of summer and the bitter, unending darkness of winter. And no matter the season, the setting came alive with scents and sounds. 

I was endlessly intrigued by the division between the men and women's worlds, the gaping hole their deaths leave in the women of Vardø's lives, and the frustrating lack of opportunities available to women willing to do the work to fill those holes. 

The Mercies was a great representation of society as a microcosm. It was interesting the way petty grievances morphed, to became monstrous and deadly. Clear lines formed between the women very early in the story based on friendship groups, and these lines become trenches over the course of the novel, battle grounds over which the desire for control becomes a fight for survival.

Marin and Ursa were superb protagonists, who I could sympathise with and felt for immediately, making the events of the novel even more tense and heart wrenching.

The Mercies deserves to be huge this year, and I can't wait to see all of the success that's sure to come its way.

I was provided with an advanced copy of The Mercies via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Picture This: Little Red Reading Hood

Red sets out through the woods to return an overdue library book. But the librarian's eyes look bigger than normal, and she seems a bit hairier too..  

Little Red Reading Hood is a great twist on a classic tale. It explores the wonder of books and the magic of creating your own stories, changing endings if they're not the ones you want. The artwork is beautiful and this is lots of fun to read aloud. This is a really wonderful story and I wouldn't hesitate to buy it as a gift. 

Little Red Reading Hood is written by Lucy Rowland and illustrated by Ben Mantle

Where the World Turns Wild

Juniper Greene lives in a walled city from which nature has been banished, following the outbreak of a deadly man-made disease many years earlier. While most people seem content to live in such a cage, she and her little brother Bear have always known about their resistance to the disease, and dream of escaping into the wild. To the one place humans have survived outside of cities. To where their mother is.

When scientists discover that the siblings provide the key to fighting the disease, the pair must flee for their lives. As they cross the barren Buffer Zone and journey into the unknown, Juniper and Bear can only guess at the dangers that lie ahead. Nature can be cruel as well as kind... Will they ever find the home they’ve been searching for? {goodreads summary}

I adored Where the World Turns Wild. It's necessary and important, but also extremely well written, with wonderful characters and a gripping plot. I will be buying it for all the middle grade readers I know. Here are three reasons why:

1) The relationship between Juniper and Bear was really special. I loved their interactions and the fierce love they felt for each other. My own daughter is five, and it was emotional to imagine her undertaking Bear's journey. 

2) Children's stories about the environment, and particularly the aftermath of ecological disaster, is topical and important. Where the World Turns Wild is a stark imagining of the climate crisis, and the colossal human loss that could come from ignoring it. There are a lot of dark aspects to this story and it leaves you with plenty to think about. I haven't been able to stop worrying about Juniper and Bear's world since I finished. This is a novel that will touch the hearts of young readers and encourage them to fight for their future. 

3) I loved Ghost, who stays with Juniper and Bear throughout their journey and is a constant source of hope and comfort. She also symbolises the amazing relationship between humanity and the wild, how we need and rely on each other and the ways we can work together if we're paying attention. 

I also really enjoyed how Penfold introduced more complex vocabulary, both through Juniper and Bear's clever word game (which I'm determined to start playing with my daughter) and Juniper's memory of the old dictionary she read. 

Penfold is a debut author to watch - I'll definitely be reading whatever she writes next. Thank you Stripes Publishing for allowing me to read and review Where the World Turns Wild via Netgalley. 

Diary of a Confused Feminist

I've posted this review before, but for reasons I can't work out, it won't display properly anymore, so - in celebration of the book coming out next week - I'm going to post it again!

Kat wants to do GOOD FEMINISM, although she's not always sure what that means. She also wants to be a writer, get together with Hot Josh (is this a feminist ambition?), win at her coursework and not make a TOTAL EMBARRASSMENT of herself at all times.

But the path to true feminism is filled with mortifying incidents and when everything at school starts to get a bit too much, Kat knows she's lost her way, and the only way forward is to ask for help . . . {goodreads summary}

I cried with laughter, I cried with sorrow. If I had a time machine, I'd definitely send a copy of this back to my teenage self. Here are three reasons I loved Diary of a Confused Feminist (and think everyone should pre-order it now!)

1) It's laugh out loud funny. I made the mistake of reading it while sitting by my toddler, waiting for him to fall asleep, and had to stop because I was in danger of waking him up even more; I just couldn't stop giggling!

2) It portrays mental health in a very realistic way. I wish I could have read this book as a teenager, because I know how much I would have related to Kat's internal monologue (and I still did in so many ways). This is a brilliant book for teenagers who have ever experienced anxiety, or even ones who haven't and want an insight into what it is like. The coping strategies in the book are ones readers can take on board and I liked the realistic approach to treatment - NHS therapy has a huge waiting list and I know plenty of teenagers who have never managed to start CBT because of waiting times.

3) I loved the way friendship was presented in this story. Kat, Millie and Sam are a brilliant, hilarious trio who felt like real teenagers. I really enjoyed their chat names and would love to be part of their group.

I've got to three points without even mentioning the brilliant feminist messages in this story, or the tips for being a good feminist at the end. At a time when teenage girls are still often wary to refer to themselves as feminists (2 years ago, I listened to a five minute GCSE speaking exam about women's equality where the word wasn't used once!) I think this novel is important and necessary.