Evenfall: The Tempest Stone - Alexander Armstrong

 

Following the events at the end of Evenfall: The Golden Linnet, Sam is still getting used to his new role as the leader of the Order of The Evening.  But when they discover that Georgie is abut to unleash a deadly virus on the world, he and his friends need to step up before it's too late.

The Golden Linnet was Alexander Armstrong's brilliant debut novel (you can read my review here) and one that blew me away when I read an early copy.  It was also an absolute pleasure to have hosted Xander at school for his very fist author visit and it felt very special to hear him read an extract to a packed hall of students and teachers.  Having chatted to him before the talk, I knew that the second book was already well underway, so it's been a rather impatient wait to see what was in store next for Sam, Ish and Goz.

There really is no let-up for Sam and his friends in this book as the action begins right from the start (by the way, I love that the prologue gives you a reminder of book 1).  He needs to come to terms with his new-found powers and the fact that the order is there to quietly protect the world from evil.  And evil isn't far away in the form of Georgie who, quite frankly, is a terrifying madman, intent on wrecking havoc on the world.  With the ability to travel through time, he is incredibly tricky to track down, yet Sam and his friends have no choice but to do that if they are to save Sam's uncle and the rest of the world.

I loved that The Golden Linnet was largely set in and around Durham so I could picture where the action was taking place.  And The Tempest Stone was no different; as well as Durham and Northumberland, I was thrilled to discover Lagrasse and the surrounding area in south-west France appearing (somewhere I can highly recommend a wander round if you're ever in the Occitania region of France).  Armstrong uses the setting wonderfully to convey vivid pictures of events as they unfold; whether that's present day Durham or historic France, readers will delight in the imagery created.  

Armstrong once again, weaves magic, folklore and fantasy in a thrilling battle between good and evil.  The rich and intricate plot is a heart-stopping adventure with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat right to the very last page!   

A Girl's Guide To Spying - Holly Webb

It's 1914 and Annie is determined she wants to join the Girl Guides and drags her sister, Phyl, along with her. Phyl discovers she actually enjoys it but couldn't have believed it would lead to an adventure that would change her life. Her Guide captain, Miss Lynley, recognises how clever she is and recommends her as a messenger at MO5. Phyl jumps at the chance and is excited at the prospect, but there are some in the offices who believe girls shouldn't be working there, and make Phyl's life tricky. But when one of them goes missing, Phyl is convinced foul play is at the heart of it and sets out to discover the truth.

I'd heard so many good things about A Girl's Guide To Spying from bookish friends on social media and it was a book definitely on my purchase wish list. Then a girl in my class came in with it, told me it was brilliant and handed it to me to read, I took it as a sign and it became my first read of the Easter holiday.

Firstly, my class clearly know me well and I absolutely did love it! A world War adventure with strong female characters and a mystery to solve - it's as though the book were calling out to me!

I really liked Phyl as a character: she's someone who doesn't really realise how quick and clever she is; she has a strength she doesn't realise and doubts herself when she has no need to. She's a good friend and is determined to do the right thing.  She and her friends are definitely characters readers will enjoy getting to know.

The book brilliantly highlights how much the role of girls was changing at this time. With boys and men fighting in France, women are beginning to step up and Phyl and her sister are keen to play their part. The suffragette movement is deftly woven into the plot as well, and the extracts at the top of each chapter also highlight what life was like for girls at the time. I know that readers will be shocked by some of what they read but it will definitely make good discussion points. 

A Girl's Guide To Spying is everything I hoped it would be and more, and I gobbled it up in a day. A host of brilliant characters, a twisty plot so readers will have to guess who the culprit is; a fast-paced plot... I could go on! Jo Clarke has got it spot on when she said that it's a must read for fans of Robin Stevens! I'm already excited for book 2!

We Are Dragon - Alastair Chisholm

 

'Reika's world is on fire.

She's lived her whole life aboard Constructs - giant mechanical creatures that battle for territory.  Now a new enemy has swept across the land - Dragon.  And even with all the survivors united against it, Dragon is winning.

Technically brilliant, Reika believes that she alone can turn the war.  But her choices are dangerous, both for her and her friends/  And there is a truth about herself she must face...

If she doesn't, she could destroy everything she's trying to save.'

Alastair Chisholm is a master when it comes to writing sci-fi and this has been evident since his first book Orion Lost.  We Are Dragon is the culmination of the I Am Wolf trilogy, (you can read my reviews of the previous two books here: I Am Wolf and I Am Raven) and it is one readers have been anticipating. 

Once again, the world-building within the book is wonderful and readers are transported to the world of Constructs, feeling every inch of the action as it unfolds.  The book builds to an almighty crescendo that will have readers on the edge of their seats and unable to predict how things will end. 

Reika is at the heart of this book and is far from perfect.  She learns so much about herself as the lot unfolds and readers will appreciate her faults and the journey she goes through, both physically as well as personally as a person.

With themes of power and belonging, We Are Dragon is the perfect ending to what has been a brilliant trilogy and is guaranteed to be in demand when it publishes on the 9th April.

The Library Of Lost Stories - Eloise Williams

 

It's Christmas and Noni and her father are struggling to make ends meet.  Since the death of her mother, her father has struggled with day to day life, so Noni is the one who keeps things going; but now the bailiffs are banging on the door, threatening to evict them if they don't settle their debts.  When her father tells Noni about how he met her mother on the mobile library, she sees sparks of her old dad, and this inspires her to renovate the library van to see if it will bring back the father she used to know.  There's only one problem: the van has lain idle for years on Mrs Williams' drive, and Mrs Williams is known to all children in the area as the local witch.  So how is Noni going to succeed in her mission without being hexed?

Set in Wales in 1976, The Library Of Lost Stories is set in a small Welsh town where ten years earlier a coal mining accident killed over one hundred children and almost 30 adults.  The town is still healing and the van hasn't run since that day.  Things are tough for lots of the town's residents and the bailiffs are known to more than just Noni and her father.  But it's the death of Noni's mum that has affected her father and, although it is never expressly stated in the book, he is clearly suffering from depression.  It's evidently hard for both Noni and her father: he is crippled by grief and she is left picking up the pieces.  Small things like not having enough fuel to watch a full television programme; she's the one making meals and doing the cleaning; she's trying to do his repair work for him; she's no longer going to school ... she simply accepts it's what she has to do but life is tough.

At this point, I need to give my age away as the book was a rather nostalgic walk down memory lane in many respects: as a child of the 70s, there were so many subtle references that took me back in time and really made me smile (not least of which was the mention of raspberry ruffles which always remind me of my grandad!).  Life was different then and children would go off for the day without parents worrying.  I suppose it is this that allows Noni, usually a loaner, to befriend Rebecca, Claire, Gareth and Jones the stray dog, and to begin to do up the van.  Of course, they have to get past Mrs Williams and this will be the biggest problem of all.

Like Eloise, I have fond memories of hours spent at my local library as a girl (I can still visualise the place now).  As a reader it was a safe haven and a place that provided me with endless opportunities to escape into stories, so the thought if Noni and her friends restoring the van to help her father (and the community) filled my heart.  To this day, I think having access to books is essential for children (and adults, to be fair) and The Library of Lost Stories is a perfect example of why.

Publishing on the 3rd September, The Library Of Lost Stories is a poignant story about hope and faith and bringing people together; it's about justice and people being able to tell their own stories.  It's a book that will fill your heart with joy will restore your faith in humanity.  

The Galileo Heist - Sam Sedgman

Isaac and Hattie are back and this time they are spending the summer with Isaac's grandfather, Ferdinand, in Florence. The plan is for lazy days around the pool, but no sooner have they stepped off the plane than this changes. With his grandfather being chased, they head to Ferdinand's friend's apartment in the city centre, where the police quickly arrive and arrest him, for it turns out that Ferdinand is also the Tarantula, a notorious thief. Under house arrest for stealing jewels from Cosimo de Luca's estate, Ferdinand reveals that Cosimo actually stole from him and has a necklace that belonged to Isaac's mother - although it is not worth much, there is great sentimental value attached to it. Determined to get it back and prove Ferdinand's innocence, Isaac and Hattie set out to steal the necklace back during the solar eclipse. But such a huge job requires a team of people and, as the team assembles, Isaac begins to wonder who he can trust.

Isaac Turner Investigates is a series I absolutely adore, not least for the visualization of the cities he visits and The Galileo Heist is no exception (you can read my reviews for the previous books in the series here: The Clockwork Conspiracy; The Forbidden Atlas).  Having been to Florence a few years ago, I loved being able to picture the scenes unfolding in my head. The warmth of the summer sun, the piazzas and the famous landmarks of such a wonderful place which is steeped in history. I can understand why Sedgman chose it for the book: it really brings the plot to life - do make time to read the author's note at the end to enlighten you about Galileo and the museums of Florence.

For Isaac and Hattie, this is their third adventure together and their friendship continues to grow, but there are strains and I think it is good for readers to understand that friendships take work and commitment.  Hattie remains a strong, independent t character,  whilst we see Isaac grappling with the idea of loyalty and discovering things about his family he previously hadn't known ... his desire to regain the necklace... is it worth it?  Who can he really trust?

Once again, the action builds as the plot unfolds and readers are drawn into a twisting tale that will keep them guessing. The high action finish is unputdownable and will sweep you through the streets of Florence in a whirlwind of action.

With breadcrumbs dropped at the end of the book, readers are teased with what is to come and I'm already excited for book for which is due for publication in February 2027.

Witch Light - Zohra Nabi

Having survived the drama in London in Deep Dark, Cassia has been taken to live at Blackhurst by her uncle.  Her arrival isn't quite what she expected as her aunt and cousin Emma are rather distant. When things don't settle, her uncle decides the best thing to do is to send Cassia away to boarding school in a remote and bleak area on the moors of Lancashire; annoyed that she feels she is being left out, Emma insists on going too. The idea is a wonderful one to Cassia as she feels it's her chance to get a proper education. But things aren't what they seem and from the very start it is clear to Cassia that something issue wrong at the school, including Emma's stark change in behaviour; she just can't quite put her finger on what it is. 

Cassia has already been through a lot (if you haven't read Deep Dark you really should - you can read my review here) and this is supposed to be a new start for her, but it is clear that the school is not going to be the experience she expected. Things are incredibly strict and the older girls behave in the mist unusual way. Cassia had to draw upon every ounce of her resilience to get to the bottom of things.

Life is very isolating for Cassia now she is away from her London friends and everyone seems intent on assuming she is something she really isn't.  She is torn between fitting in with the other girls whilst bowing to the rules of the school and befriending Martha who seems to constantly get into trouble and has been deemed a 'bad influence' by the staff.  Under the surface, the book cleverly covers the idea of stereotyping, being yourself and prejudices - it would definitely create some very interesting discussions as a class read.  Cassia's strength of character and determination once again come to the fore in this book and her loyalty to those she is closest to shines through.  She is clearly missing Felix and Tao and, as with her move from India to London, this move to Lancashire is incredibly tough for her - she just wants to find somewhere to call home. 

As with Deep Dark, it is clear that something evil is lurking and the wild and remote setting makes the perfect backdrop for dark and mysterious events to unfold.  With talk of witches, magpies that can't be trusted and unexplained creatures roaming the moorland, Witch Light is a book readers won't be able to put down; with a setting to rival Wuther Heights and The Hound of the Baskervilles, the second book in the Cassia Thorne Mystery series is a gothic novel that readers are guaranteed to love. 

Witch Light publishes on the 9th April.

Questers Academy: The Box Of Locks - Sam Hay

 

Tom is a super-recogniser, which means he only needs to see somebody for a couple of seconds and he will remember every detail of their faces.  When friends don't turn up for a day at the Natural History Museum, he meets Leesha whose aunt works at the museum.  Just after they meet, they hear of the disappearance of a mythical firebird and Tom is able to immediately identify the culprit, having earlier bumped into him as he left the underground.  After that, Leesha persuades Tom to spend the day with her at the museum.  Before long, the pair are embroiled in a race against time to find the final key that will open a Box of Locks, unleashing a doom stone on London causing catastrophic damage.  

Tom has only recently moved back to London with his family from Wales and is still finding his feet.  When old friends can't meet him at the museum he begins to worry, but Leesha is quick to swoop in and befriends him.  Her confidence and knowledge of the museum give Tom a bit of a boost and, before he knows it, he's messaging his mum to say he's happy to stay for the day.  It's shortly after that that Leesha reveals that she is part of Questers Academy a summer school of extraordinary children with key skills who are charged with protecting rare artefacts.  The mythical firebird going missing is the first of these things, and when the Box of Locks goes missing, and her aunt reveals that 29 of the 30 keys that protect the device have been found; Leesha is determined that she and Tom will be the one to crack the case but this leads to a wealth of danger and a day of adventure and danger that Tom will never forget.

I loved Leesha's confidence and determination; it balanced Tom's uncertainty wonderfully.  Until now, his skill of being a super-recogniser has been one that has been nothing more than a novelty to his siblings, but now his unique talent is exactly what is needed to help Leesha.

Set in the heart of London, The Box of Locks is a book that will set hearts racing and will get readers thinking.  With plenty of clues to keep you on your toes, and short chapters, this is a definitely a 'just one more chapter' sort of book that you won't be able to put down!  

Publishing on the 4th June, and with the promise of more to come, Questers Academy: The Box of Locks is a book that will make the perfect read this summer, especially if you're planning a trip to London!