MALAMANDER

 

by Thomas Taylor;  

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Cat Princess©

 

 

Hello, and welcome to my Saturday Book Review featuring adventures in Middle-Grade Fiction!

 

 

This week we are decidedly pleased to bring you a decidely NOT eerie review of the first book in one of our favourite series. Malamander is the book's name, and it is quite different from anything we have reviewed before. This just goes to show how diverse Middle-Grade reads can be! 

 

But first, back by popular demand is....... 

 

 

The UMM VILLAGE NEWS. (Delivered hands-free online. This edition is kindly sponsored by Mrs Singh's Home Delivery Service called Jumbo Eats – Free lifesize banana and joyride on Jumbo with each kids meal!)

On the Frontpage. 

 

News that a new type of Corona shot was available in the village started circulating yesterday afternoon. By evening, the village hospital was besieged by crowds of drinkers from the Pied Sparrow Public House. It later turned out that they thought the free shot was of Corona Beer. The evening wasn't entirely wasted as the nursing staff managed to inoculate everyone for Flu, TB, MMR, Tetanus and Shingles!

 

In the Sports News. 

 

The UMM Ladies Darts team scored a decisive win against the ladies from Much Deeping-Hollow. The final score included five bulls (none of whom needed veterinary care), 107 doubles and 96.5 trebles (paid for by the losing team). Sundry other items including one foot, two knees, a pierced nose and the picture of the late Duke of East Lambtonshire, Ferdinand the Lesser!

In the Wanted Column. 

 

This week sees a request for items of bric-a-brac for the Scouts and Guides Winter Fair. It is very last minute as the various prizes donated by two passing gentlemen of the racoon persuasion were later removed as evidence by the police. 

 

The vicar has advised that he is still looking for small girls and boys to play rats in the Dick Whittington Pantomime his year. I had offered to supply the same, slightly dented, for a small consideration, but it seems like my offer met with some concern. Something about equity rights for the rats??? 

And finally. . . .

In Breaking NEWS: 

 

Racoon X and Racoon Y are now in custody! In their defence, they have asked for various other offences to be taken into consideration. These included the theft of the hairdryers and several hundred meters of hosepipe stollen from the local allotment gardens, which they sold to Mrs Singh to build her car wash. 

 

When asked to comment, Mrs Singh said that she had been well and truly fleeced by the two. In a big-hearted show of goodwill and to make amends, all customers of the hairdressers will now receive a complimentary Authentic Indian Cornish Pastie with their next appointment. As for the allotment owners, Mrs Singh has arranged for Jumbo to leave various packages for them to use to improve their soil.

 

 

OK, with the news and small ads sorted, let's get on with the review!

 

 

MALAMANDER, by THOMAS TAYLOR

 

Published by WALKER BOOKS LIMITED.

 

Cover artwork by GEORGE ERMOS 

Interior Illustrations by Thomas Taylor

 

Export Paperback ISBN: 978 - 1 - 4063 - 9302 - 6 

Trade paperback ISBN: 978 - 1 - 4063 - 8620 -8

Exclusive paperback ISBN: 978 - 1 - 4063 - 9303 - 3

Cover price for Paperback £7.99 (or cheaper)

Pages 302.

Age range: 8 and upwards

Any cats? YES, one, called Erwin, and he talks too!

The Plot: 

 

Our story this week is set in the seaside town of Eerie-on-Sea. It is the sort of small seaside resort that many of us will have visited. The kind of place we'd look around and forget once we have driven away from our week-long summer stay or one day visit. However, once winter comes and the tourists leave, the true Eerie emerges. The sailors take back their favourite pubs and haunts. Gone are the touristy tables and bunting, and in rolls the fog, gloom and mystery that goes with a damp cold seaside town.

The adventure features Herbert Lemon, Herbie to his pals. Five years ago, he was washed up on Eerie beach on a crate of lemons. With no knowledge of who he was or how he came to be as he was, he was given the name Herbert Lemon. And in Eerie-on-Sea he stayed. Now, five years on and aged twelve ish, he has the job of Lost and Founder at the Grand Nautilus Hotel. He has a cellar room to himself and manages all the Lost and Found items that get handed in. The hotel's ancient and reclusive owner, Lady Kraken, gave him the job of seeing something special in his eyes. However, the hotel's windbag of a manager, Mr Mollusc, really doesn't like anything that doesn't earn its keep or smooth the hotel's running. Herbie, of course, doesn't fall in either category, so he is at loggerheads with Mr Mollusc.

Now, all that intro aside, our adventure starts when a girl drops through the small pavement level window and into Herbie's life. Violet Parma is her name, and, like Herbie, she is an orphan. Well, not quite. It seems twelve years earlier, her parents vanished whilst staying in the same hotel. Their shoes were found on the harbour wall, and they had gone. Twelve years on, Violet has come to try and find out what has happened to her missing, presumed dead parents. 

That really is a can of worms she's opened. No sooner than she has arrived than a ghastly, sodden boathook handed sailor arrives at the hotel and tears apart the Lost and Found room in search of the girl. Herbie, naturally enough, is not sure about his new guest. But very soon, they are both on the hunt for clues as to Violets parents fate. Now, if that was all there was to it, well, I'd not be here telling you how good the story was. It seems that Eerie on Sea is packed to the brim with legends. One speaks of the Malamander, a half-human half-fish that stalks the beach in winter when the mists and fog are in. Wails can be heard, attributed to the beast. The locals won't use the beach at night in winter. But the sceptics say it is the wind whistling through the hulking remains of the Leviathan, a sunk battleship just out from Eerie and that can be walked to at low tide.

Stuff and nonsense, I hear a lady say from the cosiness of her fireside deep in the English countryside. But is it? When local Professional Beechcomeber and owner of the town's Flotsamporium gets attacked by some sharp-toothed sea-creature on the beech one evening, the tide of doubt shifts. The Malamander legend appears to be more than a fairytale to keep kids off the beach.

It soon transpires, a connection exists between Violet's father, Peter, and this beast. Worse, though, there is some sort of connection between Peter and the local (and smarmy) writer called Sebastian Eels. He really didn't get on with Peter, yet for some reason now he wants Peters manuscript.

The more Violet drags our unwilling Herbie into this investigation, the more dangerous it gets for them both, from land and sea!

Now, I have told you really as much as I can. Suffice to say, things go from bad to worse, and I do not mean the weather forecast! As the final chapters draw us into this wonderful adventure, the clues, people, and the monsters - myth or otherwise, converge for the grand finale!

Before I conclude, I need to add that Eerie-on-Sea has more unusual delights for the reader. There is a Mermonkey and a rather handsome cat called Erwin. Yes, he talks and can be pretty helpful too. But he is not like Oswin from the Willow Moss books we reviewed recently (Link to review of the third book HERE). He is more your contemplative cat who adds his advice when he feels. 

 

As an aside, an author once dismissed a character I wrote, saying something along the lines of 'Come on, a talking cat? Don't be silly!' Now I don't know about you, but the adventure makes a better read, and an entirely natural one too, with a talking cat or dog. A view that was shared by a publishing agent I spoke to. 

 

So, what did we think?

 

Basically, we both LOVED this story. The adventure captured both our imaginations and was so different from anything we had read to date. It is a first-person story told by the lead character, Herbert Lemon. We loved the mix of characters that the author has built around Herbert, be they the windbag of a hotel manager, Mr Mollusc, and the hotel's owner, the reclusive Lady Kraken. Equally as fun are the characters in the town, like Mrs Fossil, the beachcomber, and Dr Thalassi, the town's Doctor and museum keeper. 

 

They really do all work together so well, and quite naturally. As to the villains, well, they come in various shapes and sizes, and like the best of stories, not all is as it seems. I like that about this book. It unfolds as all the BEST books should, carrying the imagination and us along with it. Nothing about this was overpowering or underwhelming. It was exciting, slightly tongue in cheek, and wholly entertaining. And yes, just a bit eerie too!

Even better for us kids and cats is a website dedicated to the stories. This can be found via this LINK  OR by cutting and pasting this address https://eerie-on-sea.com/

 

I genuinely hope that I have been able to help you get a feel of what was going on. And, if you get a chance, you get to enjoy this read too.

 

So . . . . 

Crunch time. 

 

There really are NO downsides to this book. Whilst set in what I have come to think of as a quintessential old small-town British seaside resort, I think the setting and characters will relate to a global audience. The author did the inside artwork, which adds a little extra seasoning to the story. It is, just right, an essence of the sea and Eerie-on-Sea! 

 

So, an unreserved success in our book. I have books two and three by my side as I sleep . . . I meant, as I labour on this review, and will be reviewing book two next time. We will review book three as our first book of 2022, all being well.

 

 

Want to buy a copy?

 

This salty seaside adventure can be yours if you take a stroll down to your local independent bookshop. No flip-flops, suncream or sunhats are required. 

 

Thomas Taylor's web page can be found HERE. http://www.thomastaylor-author.com/

 

Walker Books web page can be found HERE. https://www.walker.co.uk/

 

If any authors, publishers or agents wish us to review their books, please do get in touch. Details are listed on our book review page.

 

 

Till laters!

 

ERin

AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS

 

by B. B. Alston;  

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Cat Princess©

 

Hello, and welcome to my Saturday Book Review featuring adventures in Middle-Grade Fiction!

This week we thought we'd delve into the world of the supernatural. 

 

Nope, Mrs H hasn't been at the Sanatogen XXX Strong Senior Citizens blend, cut with neat sherry. Instead, she bought home a rather glitzy covered new book for us called 'AMARI and the NIGHT BROTHERS'. 

 

But first, a big thank you to the global readers of our online news last week, who expressed concern at the mini crimewave hitting our dear and generally ordinary (ish) village of UMM (Upper Much-Mousing).

 

The latest news from PC Beatworn in The Pied Sparrow Inn, is that Sid Warrant of CSI Much Deeping-Hollow has passed the matter of the missing spectacles to East Lambtonshire Zoo. 

 

Why ever did they do that, I hear the First Lady ask? Well, following a lead from a hush-hush American Law Enforcement agency, who would neither confirm nor deny avidly reading the blog each week, the perps were identified. Apparently, and purely accidentally, the satellite had been drawn to the area in recent weeks due to the large amount of soap sudds emanating from Mrs Singh's sheep powered car wash being visible from space! They thought they had been monitoring some ecological disaster. Had they come to me first, I'd have happily pointed them to the remnants of the Great UMM Bake-Off contest, which, months later, remain undecomposed in the local cafe!

 

Anyways, the satellite team spotted two well know villains that had escaped the zoo whilst on a foreign exchange visit. The two, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are Racoon X and Racoon Y.

 

Residents of the village are asked to look out for two strangers with American accents and wearing horn-rim glasses! Seems a bit vague to me, but then, I'm just a cat!

OK, enough of the crime news, let's get on with the fun stuff! 

 

 

AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS, by B. B. ALSTON 

 

Published by VARIOUS IMPRINTS OF Harper Collins Publishers.

 

Cover artwork by Brittany Jackson

 

Pages: 375.

Age group: 8 - 12 and upwards! 

Any cats in the story? Sorry, none that I can recall. 

Paperback ISBN: 978 - 1 - 4052 - 9819 - 3 

Cover price for Paperback £7.99 (or cheaper)

 

 

 

The Plot: 

 

Amari Peters is an early teen girl who has won a scholarship to a great school. The trouble is, she is from the wrong side of the tracks. But she is following on in the footsteps of her elder brother, Quinton, who was brilliant and won the same scholarship and made good. He landed a fantastic job that took him away a lot travelling. Amari thought he was some sort of spy. Quinton would smirk and say, "Your wrong, but you're not totally wrong".

 

Amari had lived with her mother and brother since their father effectively disowned them and left. He even denied being Amari's father. That isn't an easy thing to deal with for a kid, especially when it is overheard coming straight from the dad's mouth. 

 

Things take a turn for the worse when Quinton vanishes. He said he had a job and was paid well, and always sent money home from wherever he was working. But the police can't find any record of him ever being employed or having paid any tax, anywhere. After some time, they call a halt to the investigation. What more can they do but suspect he had been into something terrible, mixed with the wrong kind and paid the price. After all, that's what happens to many kids, right? 

 

Wrong! Not Quinton, and Amari knows that. And she knows he's out there somewhere.

 

The kids at the new school only see Amari as a kid from a poor home, and they make life rough. Amari is tough, she had to be, but she gets suspended when she gets pushed too far and pushes another student over. The result is Amari loses her scholarship and any chance to get anywhere else......

 

But then, a suitcase from Quinton is delivered by a mysterious courier. Well, he'd already been into Amari's home and left it in Quinton's wardrobe but just wanted a signature. The case contains a "Broaden Your Horizons." kit. When the designated opening hour arrives, midnight after the last day of term, Amari opens the case. Donning the spectacles she finds within, she hears and sees Quinton. But her mother cant, which is rather handy as what happens next, takes Amari on a unique sailing ship that flies out over the ocean. Here her brother, who isn't really there but in what they call a waking dream, shows her the worlds and activity beneath the waves – the International Railways of Atlantis. It transpires Quinton worked for the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, and went on missions worldwide. He was one of their top two agents. That is until the two went missing. The case, it turns out, was to be passed on to Amari if he was declared missing . . . or dead. 

 

Also, in this case, is an invite for Amari to try out to be a Junior Agent at the Bureau. The thing is, can she stand the shame of wearing the horrendously weird suit of clothes that is in the case as she travels to the Bureau's secret headquarters in Atlanta, GA.

 

All of what I have just described is the warm-up to a rather fun new world that opens up when Amari steps in the Bureau's elevator and presses the Basement button 26 times . . . 

 

 

So, what did we think?

 

We finished this book quite quickly, under a week. It isn't short either, or large print. This is a great sign for us as it means two things. 1) we liked it a lot. It is different. If we didn't like it, we wouldn't be reviewing it as we'd have stopped reading. 2) The book's pace is good and engages us to read on and on.  We did however struggle with some of the dialogue, but I'm guessing this is just down to local dialect/lingo used for the characters. Mrs H isn't exactly hip and down with the kids, well, not unless she's playing marbles!

 

I would love to have seen more pictures in this. A brilliant cover but sparse chapter title images seem to be the way with these longer books. But don't let that put you off, as the reading was the thing in this case.

 

Think of this book as discovering that the sum of three flavours of ice cream/candy can create something as good, and in its own way, better than the individual parts. 

 

Mrs H and I both said that this adventure was reminiscent of elements of Men in Black (the first movie, which is our favourite), Nevermore (the brilliant book series of the adventures of Morrigan Crow), and Harry Potter. 

 

The flavour of this adventure is: the essence of sweet friendship found, the sourness of betrayal, a dark raspberry ripple of the evil magical villains and monsters (provided by the Night Brothers in the title), and the tongue tingle of sharpness is the battling the odds. 

 

All of which is a long, but I think justified, way of saying this was a refreshing feast of imaginative writing.

I shall say no more. There are a veritable plethora of things to enjoy as the adventure takes off, and descends, and to say more would spoil it. I will add, though, that this would make a great film, just like Men In Black. 

 

So . . . . 

Crunch time. 

 

Given the pros and cons, would we recommend Amari? I'd say yes. It is a safe and good buy for adults or younger readers. Indeed it works well for elderly housekeepers who may, or may not, have had too much sherry whilst making the Christmas pudding! 

The great news is, if you enjoy this book, and there is a lot to enjoy, there is another book in the series heading our way in hardback in April 2022. 

 

Unfortunately, for the paperback, we will have to wait until 5 January 2023. I do think nearly a year gap between the two is unnecessary. For those who are necessarily cost-conscious, including ourselves, this is a bit mean. It does, however, seem to be the way the industry works these days. But if someone sends us a copy, we will, of course, review it for you, then forward the copy to a local school.

 

 

Want to buy a copy?

 

To add some Supernatural Detection to your own briefcase, you don't need to take an elevator, just head to your local independent bookshop. 

 

B.B. Alston's web page can be found HERE. https://www.bbalston.com/

 

Harper Collins Chidrens web page can be found HERE. https://www.harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/b-b-alston

 

If any authors, publishers or agents, wish us to review their books, please get in touch. Details are listed on our book review page.

 

 

Till later!

 

ERin

 

STARFELL. Willow Moss and the Vanished Kingdom

 

by Dominique Valente;  

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Cat Princess©

 

 

Writing reviews is such hard work!

Hello, and welcome to my Saturday Book Review featuring adventures in Middle-Grade Fiction!

 

 

This week we are sparking with joy to share with you the third and latest book featuring Willow Moss and her iracund kobold monster in the green bag (sometimes under the bed and certainly NOT a cat) feline-like companion, Oswin.

 

But first, by popular request of the village paperboy, Eccles McKnees, so he can have a lay in this week, is....... 

 

 

The UMM VILLAGE NEWS. (Delivered hands-free online. This edition  is kindly sponsored by Mrs Singh's International Food Emporium – Authentic International Fast food, delivery by Jumbo the Elephant.)

In the Front page. Following on from PC Beatworn's request last week for info about twenty missing hair dryers, he issued a press release on Tuesday to confirm he is following up on some leads he's received. Alas, news in this morning from the saloon bar of the Pied Sparrow Public House, seems to indicate that there were no fingerprints on the 13Amp plugs attached to the leads. 

In the Sports News. Upper Much-Mousing's new seniors football team, The Wobbly Wanderers, have made it home from their first (and I suspect last) away match. Apparently, the week-long delay was caused by the driver, Paulo, getting stuck on a Midland's ring road whilst looking for the much-famed eatery called Spaghetti Junction. 

In the Wanted Column. The vicar has put out a call for villagers to play parts in this year's upcoming version of Richard Whittington. Apparently, I, as a cat, am excluded from applying as I am, seemingly, too much like a cat! That's the last time I water his begonias!

Also in the wanted column is a request from the WI for additional members for the WI's Inter-County Contact Yoga Team. If you are wondering what that is, just think of a rugby scrum crossed with some zen karma, lycra and panpipes.

And finally. . . .

In Breaking NEWS: Hot from the village's only FAX machine (discovered last week buried in my study) and slightly blurred by Mrs H's spilt coffee and a dollop of thick-cut marmalade, is news of two break-ins in the early hours of this morning. 

 

The first alarm went off at the village's new designer tea rooms, Bags2Brew2You. Nothing was taken though many items of crockery had been smashed. The next break-in occurred next door some ten minutes and much clattering later, at Mrs Hornrim's Opticians. Two pairs of glasses are missing and presumed stolen. 

 

Given the seriousness of the current crime spree, Detective Sergeant Sid Warrant from CSI Deeping-Mire has been in attendance and is looking studiously into the matter. Apparently, he made a good start by being fitted with a new pair of horn-rim diamante varifocals – guaranteed by Mrs Hornrim to read a car licence plate from 500 yards and read the warranty on Dicky Dans dodgy used goods – or your money back!

OK, with the news and small ads sorted, let's get on with the review!

 

 

STARFELL. Willow Moss and the Vanished Kingdom, by DOMINIQUE VOLENTE

 

Published by HarperCollins.

 

Cover artwork by Sarah Warburton

 

Hardback ISBN: 978 - 0 - 00 - 830847 - 6  

Paperback ISBN: 978 - 0 - 00 - 830848 - 3 

Trade paperback ISBN: 978 - 0 - 00 - 837715 - 1

Cover price for Hardback £12.99, Paperback £7.99 (or cheaper)

 

 

 

SPOILER ALERT

As ever, to review book three in this series, we need to reveal elements of the first two books. So, if you do want to read those first two, please do turn away. . . . NOW!

 

Or, if you turned away and turned back too soon, to see my reviews of books one and two, follow the links below.

 

Book 1 review LINK: STARFELL. Willow Moss on the Lost Day.

 

Book 2 review LINK: STARFELL. Willow Moss and the Forgotten Tale. 

 

The Plot: 

Willow is heading to school. Not just any school but one that now accepts magical children into its classes. Usually, this would all seem very inclusive. But Willow is suspicious. Up unto this point, the schools, which are controlled by the Brothers of Wol, have wanted nothing to do with magical folk. In fact, they have done everything to push magic as far out of the kingdom as possible.

 

But, the wizard, Silas, has managed through magic to get himself in charge of the brotherhood. Worse still, he has somehow managed to convince the magical folk of the Enchancil (the magic council) to send their kids to school. To Willow, this just doesn't seem possible, let alone credible. Her parents and the council seem to have forgotten the evil Silas and the brotherhood have done. 

 

To find out more, Willow heads to school. She instantly is considered dangerous and scares the kids and the teacher. Just when the teacher thinks things couldn't get worse than having a witch pupil, another arrives in the form of an elf child called Twist Howling. Twist, who controls the icy Northwind, comes in a literal mini tornado and creates more havoc as the classroom is turned upside down. Once the class settles, the teacher opens the new coursework sent by the Brothers of Wol. Suddenly, and most suspiciously, he is all confident.

 

Placing a chalk X on the classroom door, he instructs the pupils to open their new books. This reveals the Brother's plans — to teach the magical and non-magical kids alike that magic is evil and wrong. Worse still, the X on the door is magic and will cause all the kids to go home happy and content and help dissuade them from using magic again. Effectively it is brainwashing! 

 

Not only that, Willow and company discover that Silas is working on a way to strip the magic from all magical beings in Starfell! The kids are just the first stage in a monstrous plan which will elevate Silas to the status of a god. Well, in his eyes at least, and who would be left to oppose him if they are all subdued???

 

All Silas needs to complete his plan is the 'elf staff', a powerful magical staff that belonged to the queen of the vanished elf kingdom of Llandunia. The staff could give, or take away, the magic of anyone or thing. But the kingdom and staff disappeared at the end of the last magic war to save Starfell. Nobody living knows their whereabouts. That is no living human or elf. Silas has pinched an old elf manuscript that is supposed to reveal the whereabouts of the kingdom. 

 

So, knowing this, Willow, Twist, Oswin, and Peg – the only non-magical kid in the class who's not afraid of the magic – must set off to find what is lost and really doesn't want to be found. But can they escape the classroom and the enchanted handcuffs the school teacher is intent on shackling our heroes with?!

 

OK, I could easily give away so much here as the adventure does literally take off and becomes a classic race between good and evil. So that is where I must leave you to discover for yourselves what happens to our heroine and her companions.

 

 

So, what did we think?

 

Brilliant! Willow's adventures keep on getting better and better. This is the best story to date, and the first two were excellent, as I am sure you recall me saying. It really had Mrs H, and me hooked. I even got Mrs H up early to light the fires and make breakfast so she could come back to bed and read the closing chapters to me this morning.

 

It really ROCKS in more ways than one. And dear Oswin, the so very much like but not a cat Kobold, has a really great adventure too, and a not so welcome but funny reunion.

 

The best books do have an underlying theme, and I am sure you would agree on reading that the morals of this story are nicely woven into it. It is all too easy for adults to forget that we need to learn about the rights and wrongs of things. And understand the value of friendships and the smallest of gifts or talents that might not seem much, especially when compared to others.

Add to this the interior and cover artwork by the very talented Sarah Warburton, and you have an excellent all-around sense of everything that makes this series so worthwhile.

Inside front cover...

 

Inside front cover....

 

And inside back cover. 

 

And inside back cover.

 

So . . . . 

Crunch time. 

 

There is no crunch in this adventure unless you count the many trolls and fierce dragons. So, if you know someone who would like this in their stocking this year, and there is really no upper age limit to that, then do consider getting a copy. There you have it. There is nothing more to add, except that book four is due next year, so there is a lot to look forward to. We, all being well, will review this as soon as we can. 

 

Till then, please do come back for more Adventures in Middle-Grade reading. 

 

Hang on!

 

But why not experiment yourselves? Browsing through an actual book shop is so much fun, and some even have sofas and serve food and tea! You don't need an excuse to be there either, and the shop assistants are usually only too pleased to advise and steer you to the hot reads and new releases. If you find a book that you would recommend, then please share it with us. After all, the gifts of reading and sharing are as important and magical as the worlds of the authors in which we lose ourselves and meet the likes of Oswin and Willow.

 

 

Want to buy a copy?

 

To add some magic into the life of someone you know, then head to the real kingdom of literary magic, your local independent bookshop, before they, too, vanish. 

 

Dominique Volente's web page can be found HERE. 

 

Harper Collins Chidrens web page can be found HERE. 

 

If any authors, publishers or agents wish us to review their books, please do get in touch. Details are listed on our book review page.

 

 

Till laters!

 

ERin