Tag Archives: Magical

Magic Keepers: Crystal Chaos

by Stephen | Leave a comment

Linda Chapman, Hoang Giang. Little Tiger. (160p) ISBN 9781788954402

Magic Keepers: Crystal ChaosThe first in a new series from Linda Chapman, and filled with really cute illustrations from Hoang Giang.

This sets up a new magical world based in Curio House, where Ava’s Great-Aunt Enid used to live and collected all sorts of interesting curios from around the world.

In her will Enid insists that all the curios have to be kept together and this is where Ava and her mum come in as they go to live in the house after Enid’s death.

With her dog Pepper and her new friends Lily and Sarah Ava falls into a world where they discover magic is real and that crystals do hold their own potential and energy.

They all have to learn how to use these powers rather SNAPPY as they accidentally let loose a scaled terror on the local fish population.

It is also a wonderful story of friendship and how everyone is different and have their own strengths and weaknesses but together they are better.

Fun and with a nice easy read I got through this in an evening and looking forward to seeing how the story develops.

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Mountainfell

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Katharine Orton. Walker Books. (320p) ISBN 9781529503296

Mountainfell

Mountainfell

This was such a brilliant book I finished it in a day, not even eating until I’d found out what happened to everyone.

It has everything! Dragons, adventure, family, friendship, discovered magic, dastardly villains, ecological crisis, and much more.

At it’s heart there is a tale of Erskin searching for her sister who has been taken by the cloud dragon after an earthquake disturbs the equilibrium between the village and the monsters beyond the wall.

But as we and Erskin find out there is far more to the story than that simple sentence.

In the end Erskine and her friends not only find her sister but find out a lot more secrets about the world they inhabit and the peril that they all face.

Written with a pace that pulls you through this gripping adventure whilst also describing the wonder in enough detail that you are amazed by the animals and scenery that you travel through, this is a book I really couldn’t put down.

There is also a deep story of what people can do to nature in the name of profit and progress and the ruin it can cause.

I really didn’t want this story to end and would love to see a return to this world in the future.

I especially loved the fish…

If you want to help and support this blog you could become a Patreon which would help pay for my hosting, domain names, streaming services, and the occasional bag of popcorn to eat while watching films.

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The Promise Witch

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Celine Kiernan. Walker Books. (224p) ISBN 9781406373936

The Promise Witch

The Promise Witch

I’d been waiting on The Promise Witch forever, or that’s how it felt as the first two in the trilogy were soooo good.

From the start I realised that I was really going to enjoy this adventure with Mup and Crow, we see old enemies return and new friends step up.

There were some solid bits of humour throughout the book and there was one spot with the Grey Girl (from book two) which had me splurting my coffee as it reminded me so much of the Ghost of Christmas Present from Scrooged. This didn’t detract from the adventure and peril though, it just highlighted it.

The old Queen is still exerting her influence over Witches Burrough, playing with the weather and environment once more, but Mam is working really hard at getting the people to work together and realise their strength.

During this Magda, Crow’s mum returns and things take a massive turn for the worse, she is trying to return to the old queen, and everything gets caught up in this.

A story about love, sacrifice, loss and acceptance, where people have to help each other and trust each other to finally overcome.

If you want to help and support this blog you could become a Patreon which would help pay for my hosting, domain names, streaming services, and the occasional bag of popcorn to eat while watching films.

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The Way Past Winter

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Kiran Millwood Hargrave. Chicken House. (256p) ISBN 9781912626076

The Way Past Winter

The Way Past Winter

In an everlasting winter, sisters Mila and Pipa set out in search for their brother Oskar. Mila is certain that he didn’t accompany the stranger of his own accord, that he didn’t leave like their father did. Her other sister, Sanna feels that he has abandoned them as their father did.

I loved The Way Past Winter from the start where the beginning of winter is described, the relationships between the siblings clearly set out in chapter 2, the bleakness of the landscape, and the magical feel throughout.

There is a smattering of Norse-flavour throughout, but not the Vikings of the north but the people who lived there and their daily lives.

The story is tight and well-written, as we’ve come to expect from Kiran Millwood Hargrave, and travels at a good pace, not over-fast but keeping you on the edge of your seat making it impossible to put the book down (had to do it once to make dinner – adulting is so boring) until you’ve reached the conclusion.

The illustrations and cover art by Helen Crawford-White make a beautiful enhancement to an already beautiful book, really looking forward to the finished product.

This is such a treat and will be another winter classic along the lines of Snow Spider, The Snow Queen, and Sky Song.

If you want to help and support this blog you could become a Patreon which would help pay for my hosting, domain names, streaming services, and the occasional bag of popcorn to eat while watching films.

If you can’t support with a monthly subscription a tip at my Ko-Fi is always appreciated, as is buying things from my Ko-Fi Shop.

You can always email me on contact@bigbeardedbookseller.com with any suggestions.