Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts

Sunday, 1 December 2024

The DECEMBER Witches

Written by  Jennifer Claessen

                            

A Christmassy cover of matt red with the three main Merlyn witches standing with backs to us. Centrally on the cover, in white text, is the title and author name. The girls are dressed in long scarves and bobble hats that match their hooded coats. From left to right, the colours are mauve, red & yellow. The decorations on the cover include a Christmas tree, an owl, a robin, leaves, snow, a wooden spoon and a recipe book. There are loads of stars that feature prominently in the story.
                                                        

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Literary Cat©, International Book Reviewer.



Hello, and welcome to my latest book review. This week we are featuring a magical Adventure in Middle-Grade Fiction. A topical one at that, as it begins in December, and features two very special witches' covens, the Merlyns and the Morgans.

This is the third of the trilogy, and even though we never got to read the first two stories, I feel we can quite ably guide you through this grand finale, which really does sew up all the loose ends, all rather neatly. That pun I shall let you discover for yourselves.

Without further ado, and with my trusty housekeeper, Mrs H, toiling over a bubbling saucepan of homemade soup (she assures me there is nothing even remotely like eye of newt or leg of toad), let's get on with the show!


A Christmassy cover of matt red with the three main Merlyn witches standing with backs to us. Centrally on the cover, in white text, is the title and author name. The girls are dressed in long scarves and bobble hats that match their hooded coats. From left to right, the colours are mauve, red & yellow. The decorations on the cover include a Christmas tree, an owl, a robin, leaves, snow, a wooden spoon and a recipe book. There are loads of stars that feature prominently in the story.


AUTHOR:  Jennifer Claessen

 

Cover Illustrations by: Heidi Olivia Cannon 

 

Published by:  UCLAN Publishing

 

Publication date Paperback: 7 November 2024

 

Paperback 13 digit ISBN:  978 1916 747 166

UK Cover price for Paperback:  £8.99


Amazon KINDLE price:  £8.99

 

Pages: 330 (plus bonus short story)

 

Age range: 9 to 12


Any dogs or cats? Witchy birds, and a rather spry donkey have important parts to play.

 

 



SPOILER ALERT

YES, as to plot direction and characters from all three books in the series.



Thank you to...


We are exceedingly grateful to Graeme Williams Marketing and UCLan Publishers 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.



A plot summary of books one and two:

In book one, called The October Witches, we get introduced to our lead protagonist, Clementine/Clemency/Clem and her relations that form the Merlyn witches. We are introduced to the other coven called the Morgans. Both, as I am sure you will know from Arthurian legend, don't really get on.

It is the month of October, and 12-year-old Clem's magic descends from the stars for the very first time. Witches in the covens get their magic only for one month a year. Year-round magic would be too much for their bodies. But Clem can't really use hers. She discovers that her mother and two aunts have cooked up a plan to make their magic last beyond their allotted month by storing it in a pumpkin. But this goes awry when the Morgans take the pumpkin and the three elder witches.

The young Merlyn 'hags' as they are called, Clem and Mirabelle, join up with hags Kerra and Senara from the Morgan side and restore an ancient 12-panel tapestry. This shows the ancient history of both families, from a time when the witches discovered that the magic was too strong and needed to be rationed from the stars.

In the grand finale, the Merlyn coven elders are saved in a big battle at the Morgan castle. And, with the destruction of the pumpkin, all the witches' magic is returned to the stars, just in time to celebrate Halloween.

In book two, The November Witches, Clem decides the best way to atone to her elders for all the chaos of October and the loss of their magic is to repair the tapestry by stitching the parts back together. This goes against the advice of Kerra. Despite there being no magic in their home, knights start arriving at their door. So, to evade them, the young hags return to the Morgans castle. There are problems for the Morgans, with wild magic on the loose, fires springing up everywhere, not to mention a forest starts to cover everything.

It dawns on them, on Clem, that the November chaos and twisted magic come directly from the now-restitched tapestry!

In a twist, young Kerra Morgan, fed up of being ever ignored, proclaims herself Queen of the Knights so she can seize the tapestry.


In the finale of the tale, Clem leads the witches to victory over the knights and forces the dark and twisted back into the tapestry. But in the chaos, whilst Clem finds her voice, she losses Kerra, who is literally drawn into the fabric of the weave.

So, on to book three.

It is finally December, which means Clem turns 13 and gets her first proper month of magic. There is joy in their house as cakes are made and gifts are given. But there is also ill health amongst the family of witches. Especially Aunt Connie, who has a terrible, worrying cough. Then with a bang, Clem is filled to overflowing with magical stars, the carriers of the magic. Things start to explode, and not just the occasional lightbulb.

She has way more than she should have. In fact, she has more than any witch could ever bear and runs the risk of exploding as her body tries to contain the ever-increasing burden and volume.

Someone, it seems, has chosen her to be the One True Witch! And that someone the hags, especially Clem, will come to know as the Stitch Witch', the embodiment of thousands of years worth of magic being stuck in the tapestry, stewing away. And what the Stitch Witch wants is to release all the energy into a witch they can easily control, and then create Avalon, a witch's home. This comes with a huge price tag, for the earth, witches and all of life as we know it.

It becomes a race to not only try to rescue Clem before she dies but to get rid of the malignant power before its new world of Avalon supplants all the Merlyns and Morgans know and hold dear. And let's not forget Kerra, who is still held captive within the tapestry threads.

So, what did we think?

Wow. End of review.

OK, so we need to fill that in a bit. Whether you like witch stories or not, this, like the twelve months of the year and the twelve panels of the tapestry, is so very much more.

The relationship between the young hags of both covens and between their elders is captivating, at times fun, and rings so true of many diverse multi-generational families.

A coming-of-age adventure, finding oneself and family, this book most certainly is, and it does it well. The facts, sadness and joy of gaining and then losing family is very well portrayed, heartfelt and brings true strength to the story that hangs about Clem's shoulders like the tapestry. It would be hard for us not to conclude the tapestry in this story is an analogy for life. Yes, that may seem obvious, as tapestries are often snapshots of a moment in time. But this one is more so. It depicts in layers the past, present and what may come if one is consumed by things; the risk of repeating destructive patterns.

As the conclusion to a trilogy, it is wholly satisfying. It brings delightful humour, and unexpected additions to the cast who all play a critical role, though both we and they may not realise it at first sight.


So . . . .

Crunch time.



A skilled, at times deeply heartfelt, but always compelling and fun adventure that is as worthy of telling and retelling as befits a modern re-imaging of the Arthurian legend and witchcraft shenanigans.

Would I watch this as a movie? Absolutely. Should you buy this? Again, absolutely, a perfect set to get the young or older 'hags' in your life.


A Christmassy cover of matt red with the three main Merlyn witches standing with backs to us. Centrally on the cover, in white text, is the title and author name. The girls are dressed in long scarves and bobble hats that match their hooded coats. From left to right, the colours are mauve, red & yellow. The decorations on the cover include a Christmas tree, an owl, a robin, leaves, snow, a wooden spoon and a recipe book. There are loads of stars that feature prominently in the story.


Want to buy a copy?

To get a copy, steering clear of evil tapestries, please magic yourselves by whatever means to your local independent bookshop. Or order on-line. There are plenty out outlets out there, and each store is just waiting to brew you up whatever kind of mystery, fun and adventure you desire.


Jennifer Claessen's web page can be found HERE or type this: https://www.jenniferclaessen.com/

UCLan Publishing's web page can be found HERE or type this: https://uclanpublishing.com/

Heidi Olivia Cannon's web page is being updated https://heidioliviaillustration.com/ But she can also be found on the site formerly known as Twitter under: @HeidiOliviaArt



I hope you enjoyed that adventure and review. 

I shall leave you with a Selfie of ME!






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 sentence to visit Janet Blue's site.

Small image. The Cat on My Head Sunday Selfies Blog Hop badge. Features a yellow-haired lady with a tuxedo cat on her head.

🙂 🙂

Till laters!

ERin


Sunday, 17 November 2024

A HISTORY OF MY WEIRD

Written by Chloë Heuch  


Small book cover image. This depicts the old asylum building and grounds in muted reds, yellows, and mauves. In front and centre, and demonstrating her gymnastic beam skills, the protagonist, Mo, is walking along a branch. To the right and behind, standing watching, is Carys, also known as Onyx. The title appears along the top of the cover, over a yellowing sky in bold lettering. Weird is in big purply red letters.
                                                       

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Literary Cat©, International Book Reviewer.

Hello, and welcome to my weekend Book Review featuring this week an Adventure in Middle Grade Fiction.
 

When we were contacted and asked if we would like to review this, we took one look at the publicity details and said YES. Mrs H is autistic, and we love to see and support literature, especially for kids, that shines a positive and inclusive light on all aspects of autism.

Let me tell you, we have not been disappointed. So, without further ado, let's dive into this extraordinary story.  

Large book cover image. This depicts the old asylum building and grounds in muted reds, yellows, and mauves. In front and centre, and demonstrating her gymnastic beam skills, the protagonist, Mo, is walking along a branch. To the right and behind, standing watching, is Carys, also known as Onyx. The title appears along the top of the cover, over a yellowing sky in bold lettering. Weird is in big purply red letters.


AUTHOR:  CHLOË HEUCH

 

Cover art by:  VERONICA CARRATELLO

Cover design:  BECKA MOOR

 

Published by:  FIREFLY PRESS

 

Publication date Paperback:  4 JULY 24, so OUT NOW

 

Paperback ISBN:  978-191 5444 639

UK Cover price for Paperback:  £7.99


KINDLE price: £3.99

 

Pages: 250

 

Age range:  9+ 


Any dogs or cats? No, but some piranhas make an appearance! 


 

 

SPOILER ALERT


Some as to plot direction and characters.

 

 

Thank you to... 


We are exceedingly grateful to Graeme and Firefly Press Publishers for asking if we would review this. Given the subject matter, how could we say no?


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


This story unfolds from the start of the new school year in September and runs through in dated chapters until the end of term in December. New year 7 student, Mo, a talented young gymnast, has arrived at her new secondary school. Her junior school friends are now seemingly under pressure to be trendy. So much so that Mo is no longer acceptable, a freak; her little necessary actions, her stimming, and her need to correct her teacher are now embarrassing. It leaves her isolated and at the mercy of other kids and, surprisingly, teachers. Her factual nature, truthfulness, and following of the rules soon land her in detention for correcting a statement made by her teacher. Worse, when jostled by a onetime friend, who then stumbles, Mo gets blamed and is labelled a problem child and taken off the gymnastics team. 


Mo's time at home is split between her divorced parents and their respective partners. It is an arrangement that, whilst a bit chaotic, works. But finding a way to express herself is difficult. Issues with a new maths teacher, tantamount to bullying, discrimination and segregation, go unspoken and unnoticed. 


One saving grace is a quiet girl called Carys, the only supportive classmate when Mo is sent out of class. But can Carys, considered an emo/goth by the other kids and thus also a freak, be a friend? She strangely wants to be called Onyx in private. It is another mystery that Mo's autistic mind needs to fathom. 


When the Mo and Carys decide to go to the drama club, a tentative bond is formed. These things build, and Mo is invited back to eat with Carys' family. But Mo finds a change in Carys and her mum, tiptoeing around their father, a stickler for girls looking and acting the prim and subservient female stereotypes.

When Mo naturally gives a truthful reply, the father leaves the table and asks for Mo to be taken home after eating. Again, alone, Mo is confused as to what she has done. Could Carys/Onyx's silence and absence from school have something to do with her?


This becomes a turning point in the book. Carys' father drives a huge wedge in their friendship, to the point that the two mustn't even talk to each other at school. The penalty for Mo's continued 'bad' influence will be Carys' removal to a church school.  


But where there is a will, there is a way. During history lessons, the class has been looking at Victorian asylums and who would be put in them. Sometimes, it was women who had the wrong lover or those with depression, grief, or learning disabilities such as autism. 


With her special and consuming interest in gymnastics taken from her and lessons at school fraught, MoMo finds a new passion in researching their local asylum, in which she soon discovers her great uncle was incarcerated.


Now, between pursuing a forbidden friendship, being persuaded to audition for a role in the school play, and venturing to look at and then go into the old asylum, we have a recipe for everything else that happens; the good and the very bad.

A lot plays out from here on, so to avoid any significant spoilers, I feel it best to stop the review here. Suffice it to say, things come to a dramatic and painful head.



So, what did we think?


This is a very compelling and sincere read from a skilled writer.


Even as recently as 2020, you'd be very hard-pressed to find secondary autistic and differently-abled characters in books for kids. Indeed, finding a lead character who also happened to be autistic was exceptionally rare. I can only think of one as I type. 


That all changed in the mainstream press in June 2020 with the publication of A Kind of Spark, by Elle McNicoll. See our review HERE.


Kids who are also autistic finally had a chance to see another autistic child in print being just themselves, capable, energetic, loveable and loving, and as mischievous as any other child—just slightly different but not less. 


The struggles they and their parents face—be it from other kids or from those who were there to teach but saw the one child as needy or a nuisance they didn't have time for—are laid bare for all to see. In so doing, things can be talked about, and action can be taken.


What makes this book so different and readable is that the author chose to have her lead character look at the way patients were treated in asylums of old, like Bethlem. Mo's great-uncle was committed to one in the town she lives in. The once elegant facade of Victorian society's reluctance to face anything or anyone even remotely divergent from the norm and a burgeoning medical regimen bordering on barbarism is reduced by vandalism and arson to a burnt-out, brooding skeleton of some ghastly behemoth. 


The secrets and tortures committed inside its walls in the name of medicine and family convenience have long since been lost to all. Only haunting images in sepia-stained photographs and fading entries in admittance logs remain. The relevance and connection to herself is not lost on Mo. 


This theme steers much of the story, both in and out of school, and leads to a catalytic and calamitous life-changing event towards the end. But it isn't everything. 


Running deftly alongside, we see our protagonist trying to gain and understand friendship. Onetime friends are now taunting enemies. Then there's the mystery of Carys? What drives this elusive young goth ally, who vanishes from school and would rather have a secret name? Is she actually a friend? There is also Mo dealing with puberty and other physical changes that are harder for those with sensory issues. 


It is also good to see that the story doesn't avoid adult issues and split families. Reality does bite and it is good to see a reflection of life, tempered for Middle Grade readers.



So, in conclusion. 


As important a book for youngsters on the autistic spectrum (and their family and teachers) as 'A Kind of Spark', by Elle McNicoll, was when published.


Truly inspired writing with a satisfyingly different theme covering more than just the now well-written-about aspects of and problems facing autistic children and families. Diverse and inclusive - writing at its very BEST. We started Friday morning and finished in the evening as we just had to know how it ended. We didn't once feel that the messages within were diluted or laboured.


All in all, there is something for everyone and enough of everything to make this a wholly satisfying and captivating read. A classroom must-read.



Want to buy a copy?


To get a copy, please avoid derelict buildings and head straight to your local independent bookshop. Or, order online. Most booksellers, large or small, will gladly get this for you.

 


 

Firefly Press web page can be found HERE or type this: https://fireflypress.co.uk/ 

Chloë Heuch's web page can be found HERE or type this:  https://www.chloeheuch.co.uk/ 

Veronica Carratello's web page can be found HERE or type this: https://www.veronicacarratello.com/ 


I shall leave you with a Selfie of ME!


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 sentence to visit Janet Blue's site.

Small image. The Cat on My Head Sunday Selfies Blog Hop badge. Features a yellow-haired lady with a tuxedo cat on her head.

🙂 🙂

Till laters!

ERin