Category: Upper KS2+

Bad Grains by Susanne Schmidt

On By @f33lthesunIn Upper KS2+1 Comment

Blurb

Eleven-year-old Jo loves Halloween and all things horror, but she doesn’t believe anything bad could ever happen in Fels, her small German hometown.

When Hektor, her annoying older brother, disappears on his way home from school, Jo assumes he is playing a prank on her. But then both her father and grandma forget Hektor’s name, and his stuff mysteriously disappears from his room.

With the adults of no help whatsoever, Jo starts an investigation of her own, uncovering an old legend that has haunted the children of Fels for centuries. A monster lives in the rye fields, and draws children into its world under the roots. With two days until the gate between their worlds closes, and only Hektor’s obnoxious best friend to help her, Jo must figure out a way to rescue her brother, or lose him forever.

Review

I did not read this as part of the BBYNA 2024 but if I had, I would definitely have scored it highly and it thoroughly deserved its place in the finals.

I have always loved fairy tales and grew up with the darker versions, so this book fed right into this. It is a superb modernisation of the darkness of fairy tales, although as Jo points out to Daniel, there must be some good things too…fairies, unicorns, true love!

The pacing was just right, as was the tension. The scenes in the field and cave were so well written that I got goosebumps. It is pitched perfectly at the target audience.

I was waiting for something else to happen as it was clear that the Rye Mother had unfinished business, so I am looking forward to reading the second book.

About BBYNA

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 16 finalists and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads. 

About the book

Length: 167 Pages

Genre: Horror, Fantasy

Age Category: Middle Grade

Date Published: October 1, 2024

Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/89nNmA9  (Canada) https://a.co/d/0a9g9LQ (USA) https://amzn.eu/d/ab1XLfZ (UK) 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/200334477-bad-grains 

StoryGraph : https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/d29b1104-4d4d-4e36-a676-e3d9f8a1e4ca

The Thief of Farrowfell by Ravena Guron

On By @f33lthesunIn Upper KS2+Leave a comment

Blurb

Welcome to a fantasy world where edible magic is the hottest commodity, traded between those who can pay or – in the case of Jude Ripon, the youngest thief in Farrowfell – those who can steal it!

Twelve-year-old Jude Ripon has never been taken seriously by her family of magic-stealing masterminds. To them, she’s just the youngest, only good for keeping watch while they carry out daring heists.

Desperate to prove her worth, Jude decides to steal valuable magic from the fanciest house in town . . .

But Jude’s stolen prize was protected by a curse which threatens to wreak havoc on the family business.

While attempting to untangle the mess she’s made (and wondering why anyone would want to curse an honest thief trying to earn a living), Jude discovers just how far her family will go to stay at the top of the criminal world.

Suddenly, her quest to become a true Ripon isn’t straightforward any more . . .

Review

What a magical, adventurous start to the Farrowfell trilogy.

Jude is fed up being ignored and is out to prove herself to her very demanding family, who run their own criminal enterprise, acquiring and selling illegal magic. She is very much a “go big or go home” girl, so she steals a piece of rare magic from a mansion heavily fortified by spells. She realises too late that the magic is cursed and she needs to lift the curse before bragging to her family.

So begins a sequence of events that very quickly get out of control.

Having overheard snippets of family meetings, Jude is convinced her family have no faith in her and see here as a mere inconvenience. But are they hiding something? Something big?

Just shows great determination to prove herself. However, she makes a lot of assumptions about those around her and their motives for their actions.

As the story unfolds, we discover information about the family and their criminal enterprise in bits, as Jude does. We also see Jude believing something to be true with no evidence except her emotions. She is being told things by people she trusts, not knowing the whole story so fitting what she knows and discovers into her experience and world view, believing she is responsible for some things because she is sure she did something wrong and feels guilty … but she does not know everything, so gets more wrong. She is only human!

A strong sense of selflessness versus selfishness permeates the whole story and that ultimately is what counts.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. The best bit is they are already out, so no waiting. Well, Book 3 is out on May 8th so time to read one and two!

Thanks to The Write Reads and Faber & Faber for a copy of the book to read and review for this blog tour. Please look out for the other blogs in the tour (see banner below).

About the Book

Genre: Fantasy

Age Category: Middle Grade

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Number of Pages: 320 Pages

Publication Date: May 2, 2023

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62018486-the-thief-of-farrowfell 

Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/05b998c4-6ac9-41a8-a423-f92f6ad48be6 

Amazon: https://a.co/d/akN8Evl (Canada) https://a.co/d/cBViD8E (USA) https://amzn.eu/d/eyqvgyQ (UK)

Or my preferred option – buy from your local independent bookshop.

The Thief of Farrowfell is Book 1 in the Thief of Farrowfell series. 

Book 2, The Beast of Farrowfell, and Book 3, The Battle of Farrowfell, are also available.

Star Quest Academy: Above and Beyond by Adrian Lynch

On By @f33lthesunIn Upper KS2+Leave a comment

Blurb

For centuries, trillions of life forms throughout space have allowed humanity to believe we’re alone in the Universe. Any alien who dared to befriend us has met an unfortunate end: eaten, squashed, sent to a zoo, or even planted in a garden pot. But our advances in space exploration now threaten every civilisation across the Cosmos.

Amelia, a savvy, street-smart orphan, is one of four exceptional children selected from around the globe to represent humanity in the Human Inclusion Programme at the intergalactic Star Quest Academy. Here, they’ll unravel the Universe’s wonders, explore strange new worlds, and encounter magical creatures. Earth’s safety from invasion hinges on their success as cadets, but if any of them fail, Earth will be invaded by ruthless warlords.

When a series of sinister incidents jeopardise their mission, it becomes clear that someone – or something – wants them to fail. To save their world, the cadets must overcome their differences and combine their unique skills.

Review

I am always happy to see more sci-fi for 9+ being written and published and Star Quest Academy doesn’t disappoint.

It is a fast paced adventure that starts off on Earth and ends up in space, with Earth being threatened with alien invasion because to all other species, humans are seen destructive. This is a #NotAllHumans moment.

Although the tempo and adventure are fast moving, we still get to know Amelia and her fellow human candidates well and their strengths, when pooled together, enable the team to meet their foes head on.

The themes of solitude, lost family, friendship, human behaviours and interconnectedness are handled well. There are also some gross moments (looking at you, vomit bubbles) that manage to temporarily take your mind off the tension that builds throughout the story.

The ending hints that this is the first of a series and I hope the next one is just as exciting.

About the Book

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Category: Middle-Grade 

Number of Pages: 280 Pages

Publication Date: February 13, 2025

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223726420-star-quest-academy 

Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/79fe4e6c-7911-4343-b8ed-c0290ed1cf8d 

Amazon: https://a.co/d/6jjdGea (Canada) https://a.co/d/fZhLPiZ (USA) https://amzn.eu/d/fQelUs8 (UK) 

Or purchase from your local independent bookshop.

Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs by Victoria Williamson

On By @f33lthesunIn Upper KS2+Leave a comment
Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs by Victoria Williamson
Cover by James Brown

Blurb

When the skies turn deadly, a young heroine must rise from the ashes…

Twelve-year-old Amberley Jain has faced incredible challenges since the crash that took her parents and paralysed her legs. Now, with her best friend Ricardo Lopez about to be sent away and a swarm of mutated insects closing in on the Skyfleet base, the stakes have never been higher. Something monstrous is driving the mutabugs north from the contaminated meteor site known as the Cauldron, and the only plane capable of stopping it – the Firehawk – lies in pieces in the hangar.

Determined to honour her parents’ legacy, Amberley hatches a daring plan. With Ricardo’s help, they stow away on a supply train, trading his most treasured possession for the parts needed to repair the Firehawk. After secret test flights, the legendary jet is ready for action. Now, Amberley and Ricardo must confront the deadly swarm and save their home, discovering their inner strength and the true meaning of friendship along the way.

Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs is a thrilling tale of adventure and resilience, perfect for middle-grade readers.

Review

Victoria Williamson has done it again. She has built a believable, futuristic, dystopian world where mutabugs are taking over, causing chaos and harm. Added to that, new giant mutabugs hatching from a crater caused by a meteor that are threatening all the villages and crops. Giant spiders, immune to the majority of weapons the bedraggled Skyfleet can throw at them, are snatching villagers and cocooning them.

The only craft with strong enough fire power is out of action and irreparable (according to the adults). However, Amberley and her best friend Ric know better. With a little help from renegade pilot Screwball (I couldn’t help thinking of Wacky Races whenever she and Bandit were involved) and her pet wombat, they collect the scraps needed to repair the Firehawk.

Showing determination and skill, they secretly rebuild and test the jet, but end up involved in more than they bargained for when they get caught up in a mutabug attack that could finish everyone off.

Themes of loss, disability, friendship, resilience and courage come through strongly in this adventurous sci-fi dystopian thriller. Highly recommended.

Thanks to @The_WriteReads and Tiny Tree (publisher) for the ARC to read and review for this blog tour.

Pax and the Forgotten Pincher by David Barker

On By @f33lthesunIn Upper KS2+Leave a comment
Cover by Bruno Oliveira Marini

This is the sequel to the excellent Pax and the Missing Head, which I read and reviewed here. I was happy to be asked by the publisher, Tiny Tree, to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb

Pax has made it through the trials of his first year at Scholastic Parliament, but any hopes of a quieter second year are quickly dashed when he makes a shocking discovery in the school’s basement. A new student joins the school, acting suspiciously and muscling in on Pax’s friendship with Samuel. At least being reigning champions in the Parliamentary Polls allows Pax and his friends to explore the city at weekends. But drone raids and cyber-attacks disrupt life in New London while a paranoid mayor cracks down hard on terrorism.

Unwittingly, Pax helps an innocent man get captured. Driven by guilt, he seeks out the Underground resistance movement and is given a mission to steal some codes from the mayor. In the process, Pax uncovers the shocking truth about a new factory that threatens the lives of millions of people. He is torn between stopping this latest sinister plot and focusing on schoolwork to keep alive his dream of becoming an engineer. To achieve both, he’ll need help. But who can he trust in a city full of falsehoods? What sacrifices will he need to make? Find out in the latest instalment in the London Falling series.

Review

In the first instalment of the London Falling series, we left Pax having completed his first year at Scholastic Parliament, having been guided by its AI to apply and follow his dream of becoming an engineer who fixes and invents technology.

Now, in his second year, having scuppered the Mayor’s fiendish plans, he stumbles across yet another discrepancy that he thinks points to the mayor being up to absolutely no good again. However he is reluctant to confide in his friends as he doesn’t trust the new boy and one of his close friends has also changed to another school house.

David Barker has continued to develop the superb Old London world building, bringing in more of London Town this time.

Filled with tension and worry, the action is almost non stop and Pax is back to planning escapades, using Roacher and Bee-Bop, his own robot creations, in order to uncover the Mayor’s dastardly schemes to control everyone. Again, themes of friendship, loyalty, betrayal, dictatorship and trust feature heavily.

This second book builds confidently on the first. The series is on an upward trajectory and I cannot wait for Pax’s third adventure.

Storm Child by Ele Fountain

On By @f33lthesunIn Upper KS2+Leave a comment

Blurb

Maya’s life is about to be upended. After her dad’s fishing boat is ravaged by a relentless storm, Maya’s parents make the decision to start over-by moving to a tropical island. But making a change doesn’t always make a difference.

Far from her friends and her quiet seaside home where she spent all her time surfing, Maya is swept away by a storm much larger than herself. As Maya begins to realise that paradise is not always what it seems, can she bring her family back home again?

Review

I am a huge fan of Ele’s previous books so jumped at the chance to review Storm Child.

Maya’s family own a stately home and have their own beach, where Maya and her friends meet to surf and roast marshmallows. However they are struggling financially, so when her father loses his fishing boat to a storm their income goes with it.

Her parents decide that moving to a tropical paradise, following in her uncle’s footsteps, is the answer. Maya is not happy as she will be leaving behind everything she loves.

It soon becomes clear that despite their enthusiasm, her parents do not have a proper plan to earn a living, they end up trying different things and Maya becomes frustrated. She struggles with not being able to surf, her parents are not there for her as they are working all hours. This adds to her emotional overload at having to make a new start and try to make friends.

Maya meets Kalani, a local girl who hates tourists, and becomes more aware of how the expansion of tourism is harming the environment and the impact it has on the indigenous people, as well as animal and marine life.

When her stubbornness and poor decision making puts herself and Kalani in danger, Maya has to make a decision that will affect everyone. Will her parents agree with her?

Once again Ele has written an engaging story that also carries a strong message about the environment and the negative impact humans have on it, whilst giving us hope that positive action can be taken to negate this.

Thanks to @PushkinChildren for the ARC in exchange for this blog review.

Secrets of the Snakestone by Piu DasGupta

On By @f33lthesunIn Upper KS2+Leave a comment
Cover art by Helen Crawford-White

Blurb

Meet Zélie Dutta. She has beaten her own father five times at chess (the last time he cheated). She has crushed the head of a poisonous cobra with her naked heel AND she can lick her elbow.

There’s nothing that she can’t handle… or at least that’s what she thinks. But when her father goes missing and a sinister secret society seems to be to blame, she’s forced to look for help in the most unlikely of places…

Swept up in a slew of crimes that stretch from the jungles of Calcutta to the sewers of Paris, Zélie and her new friend Jules begin a desperate hunt for the magical Snakestone at the heart of the conspiracy. Can they solve the ancient riddles and mysteries concealed in the miles of murky tunnels that twist beneath the ancient city above?

Review

It has a book map (said in the same voice as “It has pockets.”).

I thoroughly enjoyed joining Zélie and Jules on their adventures and derring do. Although Jules is more reluctant than Zélie to place himself in danger, he is a good friend and wants to help. He tries to warn her that not everyone should be taken at their word but she ignores his pleas, which puts her in mortal danger more than once. I particularly enjoyed the internal, motivational speeches Zélie gives herself when in need of a bit of extra bravery.

Set in the underbelly of Paris near the end of the 19th century and based on a colonial tale of a healing stone (with severe small print warnings), the story involves family separation and loss, subterfuge, circus acts, a secret society up to no good and a cast of diverse and often dastardly characters.

The main themes are friendship, trust, making the right choice, greed and power.

Thank you to the author for pointing out the absolute truth about pockets (severe lack of) in women’s clothes and the huge issue of back and front fastenings on clothing…how many items of men’s clothing need contortionist skills to fasten them? Exactly!

Thanks to NetGalley and Nosy Crow for the eARC in exchange for this review. The book will be published on March 14th 2024.

The Secret of the Moonshard by Struan Murray

On By @f33lthesunIn Fantasy, Upper KS2+Leave a comment
Cover and art by Vivienne To

Blurb

Domino is an eleven-year-old girl with a strange affliction: if she goes anywhere near magic, it will kill her.

All her life she’s been trapped in a floating laboratory, safe from magic but not from the cruel children and the crueler Science Barons who live there. Domino believes the Barons are trying to invent a cure for her magic allergy, but when a mysterious wizard arrives and unleashes total chaos, she discovers that everything she’s been told is a lie.

Domino escapes to the wondrous city of Abzalaymon, its streets filled with marvels she’s never seen, from automobiles to televisions to hulking thunder lizards. But the Science Barons are on her trail, and Domino must brave a hidden realm of magic if she is to defeat their sinister plot, and uncover a secret that might just save the world: the Secret of the Moonshard.

Review

Struan Murray has done it again. A superbly crafted story in a fantastically created world. The Scientarium floats above the city, tormenting Domino, who dreams of visiting it one day, who has known nothing else but the bullying / prankster revenge and testing cycles her life consists of, thanks to the Science Barons who raise her there “to protect her from magic”. Does she really need protecting?

Once again, following the highly original and exciting Orphans of the Tide trilogy, the author has delivered with a variety of well defined characters, twists and turns, magic and mayhem, chases that have you on the edge your seat and even some dinosaurs.

Creating characters with depth and believability is a special skill and Murray has this down to a fine art. The ones that I’m particularly drawn to are those who bring indecision to my mind…which side will these characters fall on when push comes to shove? Abzalaymon, the spirit, is a deliciously contrasting character, which puts you, as the reader, on edge. Will they help Domino, Calvin and Raphael…or eat them?

A book map is always a bonus.

Thanks to NetGalley and Puffin for the eARC in exchange for this review. The book will be published on March 7th 2024

Pax and the Missing Head by David Barker

On By @f33lthesunIn #Dystopian, #SciFi, Upper KS2+1 Comment

Blurb

In a country beset by civil war, New London defends itself behind a giant wall. Inside the city, children are forced to work from am early age, except for the lucky few who train to be leaders in the re-purposed Palace of Westminster. 12-year-old orphaned Pax is brilliant at recycling old tech. He enjoys working on the verti-farms and just wants a bit of peace and quiet. But when that is taken away from him, his only hope is to pass a near impossible exam and join the other students in Scholastic Parliament. There he’ll make new friends and new enemies. He’ll get tested like never before. And he’ll discover that not everything is quite what it seems under the mayor’s harsh leadership.

Review

David Barker has created a dystopian future of walled cities where the young, poor live, either working or, for a select few who pass an exam, being educated to be future leaders. Outside those walls are the Countryside Alliance, where all the rich, older residents live. The two groups are at war and will stop at nothing to win.

Pax is a seedling, created as a worker, so has no parents. Alderman, the AI overseer, spots his intelligence and potential, especially in engineering and encourages him to apply for the school exam. Pax has no family to ground him or build up his self belief which means he constantly questions his own abilities.

How will he get on when a powerful someone does not want him to pass? If he does pass, will he make friends and fulfil his dream of becoming an engineer who fixes things to make life easier for others?

There are themes of friendship, bullying, war, dictatorship and doing the right thing.

I really enjoyed this book. There are a few red herrings, a couple of which I fell for, unusually for me, and there was the right amount of tension building. I liked the way Pax went about problem solving, using his skills in building robotic creatures from tech scraps to help him and his friends.

This is David Barker’s first MG book, although he has written for adults previously, and I look forward to his next one.

Thank you to @TinyTreeBooks and @The_WriteReads for the ARC.