Written by Tamsin Mori
An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Literary Cat©, International Book Reviewer.
Hello, and welcome to my latest Book Review featuring this week an amazing adventure in Middle Grade Fiction.
Without further ado, and with my trusty housekeeper, Mrs H, busy checking for dangerous ornamental masonry on the roof, lets get this book review on the the road to Gargoyle's Rest . . .
AUTHOR: Tamsin Mori (Click to link to their site.)
Illustrations by: David Dean (Click to link to their site.)
Published by: Fox & Ink Books (formerly UCLan Publishing) (Click to link to their site.)
Publication date Paperback: 4 April 2024
Paperback 13 digit ISBN: 978 - 191 5235 909
UK Cover price for Paperback: £8.99
Amazon KINDLE price: £7.85
Pages: 303
Age range: 9 - 12 and upwards
SPOILER ALERT
Some as to plot direction and characters.
Thank you to...
We are exceedingly grateful to publicist Graeme Williams, and UCLan Publishing for offering us a chance to Read & Review this story.
As ever, our views are our own, and we only share reviews of books we have bought, received as gifts, or received in exchange for an impartial review.
First and foremost, the books we review are those we select to read, like, and feel our global readers deserve to know about and that we hope they, their family, friends and students will enjoy.
The plot
So, what did we think?
We have lived in a large, old creaking house, with rambling wild garden and a stream running through. I often dreamed that there was far more lurking within and without than just stray mice and creepy crawlies in the damp vegetation and the river's sometimes placid sometimes fast waters. Sadly we had no gargoyles, only long since dead and stuffed jewel eyed creatures, and let me assure you that they are scary enough. But if we'd had gargoyles I bet they would have talked and been just like those in this adventure. This is exactly the kind of fun I would love to have had, but likely would have not been as brave as Callan.
What I love is that the journey Callan goes on involves his parents, particularly his dad. We get a real sense of the angst of friendship building for the kids, and a real dilemma for the parents as key elements of their lives, past and present, create problems tensions for them all, amplified by the evil that seeps into the house.
The story eases us gently into characters, location and situation, steadily enough to allow for the ensuing series to have fresh reveals along the way. There is plenty of action once we start uncovering the secrets of the mansion and the family past and present. The plot is original, and we can recall only one other gargoyle in a middle grade book series, though they weren't as central to the story as Zariel is. More grumpy gargoyles more often I say!
There is an admirable mix of the fantasy elements and human interaction without the reader feeling lost or overwhelmed by a new new world. How this changes with the new book remains to be seen. I have every confidence that the head of steam built up will continue to delight and draw younger readers in.
Finally but not least, is the cover. It is colourful and shiny, and so very ably brings together every part of the adventure, characters and place and shows them off to best catch the eye. It did us, and I am so glad we chose it for review.
So, Crunch time.
And now for my Sunday Selfie . . . .
Was the cat outside looking at me, or the cat food Mrs H brought from Amazon? One thing for sure is that all the cats in this neck of the woods like the pate and biscuits Amazon sell. A good pricec and quality. Have any of you tried it also?
We are joining the Sunday Selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America. CLICK THIS LINK to visit their site and to get the code to add to your own blog . . .
I hope you enjoyed that adventure.
Till laters!
ERin
A lovely selfie, as always, ERin. The book sounds good too.
ReplyDeleteNot to worry, ERin (well purr-haps you should), we suspect they were eyeing your food ... best tuck it away in the pantry ... aahh: the book review, "oh to be a kid again and better enjoy these adventures"!
ReplyDeletePrincess ERin, if you have enough food to share that's purrfect. And we do not have gargoyles on our house thank goodness. Bad enough a herd of deer in the yard!
ReplyDeleteERin my Princess friend...what a lovely profile you have. Keep one eye on anyone near your food.
ReplyDeleteEven Mrs. H. Angel Madi always thought she needed to guard hers from me.
Hugs cecilia
ERin....why dinna mizzuz H order mice creem and cakez for everee one frum amazon ? ☺☺♥♥ bee cauz her .....COULD !!! stay gorgeouz and heerz two a grate week a head !! ♥
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like an exciting read. I think you need one of those gargoyles to help protect your food.
ReplyDeleteErin, what a lovely. Selfie. Do you have your eye on one of those tasty biscuits?
ReplyDeleteWoos - Misty and Timber
That does sound good and the cover is really cool. Your selfie is very pretty sweet Princess!
ReplyDeleteAdorable selfie! I haven't tried Amazon brand cat food but now I'm curious!
ReplyDeleteKeep your eye o that food ERin! You don't know where it might disappear too!!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a very clever book, ERin. So many of the books you read have such imaginative plots (and this one is no exception), and we'r always grateful for your very thoughtful and thorough reviews. We like our pretty selfie! We suspect those cats were doing a little of both -- eyeing you up, for sure, but also seeing what those biscuits and pate are about. They certainly sound yummy. Hugs to you and Mrs. H!
ReplyDeleteThe selfie is beautiful and the review sounds like just the sort of adventure I enjoy.
ReplyDeleteLovely selfie, Erin!
ReplyDeleteA beautiful contemplative selfie, Erin. We hope your food is safe from any outsiders! Maybe you should snag a gargoyle from some ancient structure and use it to help keep your foodables safe.
ReplyDelete