The City Beyond The Stars - Zohra Nabi

Yara longs to return to the Kingodm of Zehaira and free her mother from the clutches of the alchemist.  But when her mother sends Yara a cryptic message, it sets her on a different path.  Yara must find a secret magic, one so powerful that it could defeat the alchemists once and for all.  But power is dangerous in the wrong hands, and the wicked alchemist Omair Firaaz will stop at nothing to get hold of it...

I first met Zohra last year at a Simon and Schuster event where she talked about her debut novel, The Kingdom Over The Sea, and I was immediately intrigued and desperate to read it (you can read my review here).  The book has been a huge hit in school and is rarely on my shelf, and both myself and my class have been waiting (im)patiently for the sequel and conclusion to this duology.  When I returned to school after the Easter holidays one of my class was reading it and was desperate to be able to talk to me about it, so I dived straight in.

Zohra's writing is, once again, rich and alive with details that make reading the book a feast for the senses that transports you on the journey with Yara in the most vivid way.  The magic that weaves its way between the pages, both in terms of the writing and that used by the characters, is enchanting and we are introduced to a new kind of magic with the potential to do immense good or immense harm, depending on whose hands it is in, and this leads to some very thought-provoking questions about history - it certainly made me think.

There is such a strength within Yara, which is what drives her through this journey - that and the love she has for those she now knows as her family, which shines brighter than ever.  She has some tough choices to make but her loyalty and her desire to do what's right is always at the forefront of her mind. 

The City Beyond The Stars is a wonderful conclusion to Yara's story and one that will take your breath away. It's a compelling read with twists that will leave you shocked and certainly left me with a tear in my eye (ok, I sobbed!).  I know that there will be much discussion when I get to school with the child who is also reading this, and that my copy will undoubtedly not make it to my shelf before it is whisked away.  This has been a truly special duology, and one that I won't forget in a hurry.  If this is how Zohra writes her first two novels, then I can't wait to see what's next. 

How To Be Free - Daisy May Johnson

 

It's the start of a new term at the School of the Good Sisters and Hannah, Edie and Calla are ready to enjoy everything their extraordinary school has to offer.  But they soon realise that Something Is Most Definitely Up when their beloved Headmistress Good Sister June disappears - and nobody knows where she's gone.

It's time for Hannah and her friends to set out on an adventure to bring Good Sister June home.  As they travel across the country following a trail of clues, they will learn about the power of family, friendship and a well-timed slice of Victoria Sponge...

It's no secret that I adore this series of books and you can read my previous reviews here: How To Be Brave; How To Be True.  So it will come as no surprise that the arrival of How To Be Free was met with squeals of delight, and a race to get the supplies of emergency biscuits before diving straight in.

The start of term is hectic but it quickly becomes apparent that Good Sister June has disappeared, and it takes no time at all for Hannah, Edie and Calla to get on the case.  Employing the help of the other girls, they devise a plan to escape and follow the clues to find Good Sister June.  What ensues is the most delightful race across the country, filled with peril and pastries ... and kale paste!  There is more to Good Sister June's disappearance than first meets the eye and the girls are determined to get to the bottom of things, both on the road and also at school, where the promise of a kale paste shop near the school is in danger of ruining the lives of all of the girls.  

The School of the Good Sisters is the sort of place I can imagine so many readers wanting to attend, but who wouldn't? With lessons in camouflage, emergency supplies of biscuits always on hand, cakes a plenty and a set of wonderfully surprising nuns to lead the way - if I were young enough, I'd sign up myself! 

For Good Sister June, this book is a journey of finding herself and rediscovering what she has pushed from her mind for so long.  It helps the reader fully understand the lady who has narrated the series and gives us a deeper understanding of the life she has led ... and I love her even more now!

This is a series that just gets better with every book.  Is it the traditional style of the writing that lulls you into a feeling of safety even when the most perilous of adventures are taking place?  Perhaps it the use of footnotes to provide the reader with vital extra information; or is it the frequent references to cakes, pastries and biscuits?  In all honesty, I think it's a combination of all that and more, for reading How To Be Free was like being embraced in a warm hug; the writing makes you feel like you are returning home to old friends and fills you with a sense that all will be well with the world.  

How To Be Free, like the rest of the series, is a must-read.  But, a word of warning: you definitely need to have emergency biscuits to hand ... and I can highly recommend a supply of cakes too!  

How To Be Free publishes on the 2nd May.

Storm Child - Ele Fountain

Maya is clearly happy with her life.  Although her family are struggling to make ends meet, she has a good group of friends and loves Penrose Bay. However, after her dad is involved in a fishing accident, her parents decide that things are just getting too much and decide to close up the house and move to the other end of the world. They have plans to make a new start in paradise but will everything workout as they expected it to?

Everything changes for Maya and the upheaval must be incredibly difficult for her, especially after her dad's accident. As well as getting used to a new home on the other side of the world, she has to get used to home schooling and not having friends around her, and she misses surfing, the thing she enjoys most.  She can't even call her friends back home because of the time difference. Meeting Kalani gives her a life-line but they are two very different people with different lives. 

Ele is always good at weaving environmental messages into her books, and Storm Girl is no exception. The descriptions of the island sound idyllic at first: wonderful sunshine, outside living, beautiful scenery, living on fresh fruit and fish... it sounds wonderful; however, as you move through the book, you learn that this isn't the case. .. readers will understand the impact that waste can have and how far rubbish can travel. Ele writes this deftly into the plot but in a way that will impact the reader. 

Storm Girl is another brilliant book from Ele. Family, friendship and finding your way weave together perfectly with environmental messages in a book that will make a perfect summer read when it publishes on the 4th July.

Spy In The Jam Factory -Chrissie Sains

Scooter and Fizzbee are back and the adorable alien and her best friend are continuing to create their unusual jams, a wonderful mix of alien invention and human imagination.  However, some of the new jams have created some problems for the villagers (children floating away, vegetables growing to huge proportions...) and Fizzbee's popularity is taking a hit.  Scooter is determined to show the village how wonderful she is, however Agent Fleur De Vious of the Alien Intelligence Agency has other ideas and is determined to make Earth an alien-free place.  

I was very excited when Spy In The Jam Factory arrived, along with my very own Fizzbee (who will have pride of place in my office next week!) and the book zoomed to the top of my reading pile.  I adore Scooter and Fizzbee's inventions and jamtastic creations and the mishaps had me chuckling.  The book is full of humour and warmth, adventure and jammy antics that readers will love.  

Both Scooter and Fizzbee have been firm favourites for me since book 1.  Scooter has always been a proud advocate for cerebral palsy and I love that there is information in the back of the book about the condition to educate readers. His inventions and ways of getting around are brilliant (especially RALPH). And I love that the message about being proud to be different shines through.

Fizzbee remains adorably cute but she is missing her family. She has always been a character in have loved and her sense of right and her desire to always do the right thing is adorable but really shines in this book.

I have to mention Fleur who makes quite the villain and her ruthless determination made for a page-turner of an adventure.

Once again, Jenny Taylor's illustrations make a visual feast and really help to add to the story in the best way.

Spy In The Jam Factory is a fitting end for Scooter and Fizzbee and I have adored this series.

Sister Spirit - Efua Traoré

Sixteen-year-old adopted Tara has questions - about who she is, where she belongs, why she has dreams...

When her nightmares darken, fear swarms like a flock of ravens and she traces her visions to the ancient Olumo Rock in Nigeria.  It is a sacred place, full of magic, myth, and where whispers of the past linger.

Travelling from England and enrolling in a boarding school at the foot of Olumo, Tara begins a journey to seek the truth of her roots and the spirits that pursue her. 

Tara's nightmares are fundamental to the story and what drive her on. Terrifying and compelling in equal measure, the dreams are described in their own chapters throughout the book and allow readers to piece together alongside Tara what is happening.  She is driven by her desire to understand her dreams and their hidden meaning and that is what leads her to Nigeria; at first with her adoptive father and then, after that, at the boarding school.

As the dreams become more frequent, Tara begins to question herself and I know she feels helpless at times, but there is a huge strength within her and her determination is clearly evident. 

The relationship between Tara and the girls she meets at the boarding school is well explored, not only the friendship she quickly forms with Bisi, but also the relationship with Lola.   Although life at the school sounds strict, the descriptions will allow readers to feel as though they are alongside Tara at all times.   

African myth and legend combine with friendship and romance in this YA thriller with a ghostly twist.  With rich descriptions of Nigeria and a journey of self-discovery, Sister Spirit is a book that shows us not to judge people, that friendship is important and that finding yourself can be the key to unlocking your freedom. 

Sister Spirit publishes on the 11th April.

Fablehouse: Heart Of Fire - E L Norry

 

Heather and her friends in care at Fablehouse hope they've found their forever home, alongside courageous knight Pal.  The children's magical powers are growing - but Heather is struggling to control the fire at her fingertips.  The suspicious attitude of the local community only fans her flames.  And her friendship with Arlene is tested by the arrival of newcomer Rose.  As the threats ranged against Fablehouse increase, can Heather control the fire raging within her to protect the friends who've become her family?

Having loved Fablehouse when I read it last year (you can read my review here), I was thrilled to be heading back to see how Heather and her friends at were getting on.

At first, things seem to be going well: Pal is settled into his new role at the home and Heather and the others are enjoying the outdoor space that Fablehouse affords them; however, the unexpected arrival of an inspector and the continued negative opinions of the locals towards the occupants of Fablehouse soon unsettle things, and Miss Isolde is visibly shaken by the idea that the home may have to close.  Amongst all of this, Heather is desperately trying to control her new-found magic.  Whilst the others seem to be managing their skills without any trouble, Heather's ability to create fire in her hands is causing all sorts of problems and is infuriating Heather (which in itself causes problems).   When Rose arrives, Arlene instantly feels a bond with her, but is she everything Arlene feels she is?

With Pal convinced that the Questing Beast has arrived from King Arthur's England to trouble everyone, magic and myth are once again interwoven into the book and provide intrigue and excitement.  With the book being based on historical facts, the injustice of 1950s post-war racism is explored in a way that readers will understand which is important. 

With characters that show courage in the face of adversity, and a plot that will intrigue and entice, Fablehouse: Heart of Fire is a wonderful read and reminds us that family is what you make it to be. 

Fablehouse: Heart Of Fire publishes on the 25th April. 

Shipwrecked - Jenny Pearson

Sebastian and his two best friends (Étienne and Lina) are spending the summer at a Climate Avengers Summer Camp in Tonga.  However, when an evening of beach games turns competitive, it's Sebastian who dares three of the other camp mates (Lukas, Benedict and Francesca) to a boat race... a boat race that goes terribly wrong and lands Sebastian, Étienne and Lina stranded on a desert island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  Once the shock (and anger in Lina's case) wears off, the trio need to work out how they are going to survive and figure out how on Earth they are going to get themselves rescued.

I'm a big fan of Jenny's books and anybody who reads my blog regularly will know that I love the way she is able to make readers laugh (you may also remember that my son nearly disowned me on a train in Italy due to my uncontrollable laughter at Operation Nativity (you can read the review here) so when the arrival of Shipwrecked coincided with the Easter holidays, clearly I abandoned everything in favour of curling up with the book.

I can categorically tell you now that Shipwrecked is a wonderful story full of hope, love and determination with a host of brilliant characters, both human and animal.  Jenny's ability to weave humour with serious messages is, once again, brilliantly done, and I already know that there is going to be a fight for this book on the first day of next term: my class will be VERY excited when they see it!

Sebastian is a great character who is clearly very competitive (it's what got him and his friends into this mess!).  With his mother living on the other side of the world, it's just him and his father, and he feels the need to prove himself to his father, to ensure that his father is impressed with what he is doing.  Unfortunately, it never seems to end well (case in point: ending up stranded on a desert island!).  He makes me laugh throughout the book with his competitive nature and the things he does to prove himself, but I also wanted to give him a big hug so many times.  Lina, on the other hand is a very focussed and determined person whose strength and determination are to be admired.  Her leadership skills, I'm sure, saved them several times, but it was her desire to learn lessons from Lord Of The Flies that I loved the most about her: it's a book I remember reading on holiday before we studied it in school (thankfully, I had no need to use it as part of my survival!).  However, it was Étienne who stole my heart.  He is kind and gentle and so very determined to just be himself and I adored that about him.  His love of nature and his determination to continue to be a Climate Avenger was admirable but it was his constant naming of animals they encountered that really made me smile!  Giuseppe was a joy to get to know and Tarquin was gorgeous (just please don't tell him I thought of him as I ate my turtle shaped emergency sweets!).

With coconut trees causing friction burns and jellyfish stinging bottoms, Shipwrecked is a hilarious set of instructions on what to do if you ever end up Shipwrecked.  With each chapter named as a survival tip, the book is guaranteed to make sure you have everything you could possibly need to survive Sunrise Island.  Add in baby turtles, pirates and and the world's greatest goat, and you have a recipe for the perfect summer read.

My proof copy doesn't have the illustrations yet but I'm desperate to see what they will be, especially knowing where they will be positioned (coconut trees versus bottoms and post-jellyfish recovery both spring to mind!).

Publishing on the 1st August, Shipwrecked is an utter joy of a read.  Full of laughs and mishaps, it's a story that will fill your heart with joy and even make you shed a tear (Jenny is very good at making me laugh and cry simultaneously!) and absolutely needs to be pre-ordered.