As usual, what starts out as an innocent-sounding trip to find an original mince pie recipe takes Max, Markham et al to the 1600s and the site of the As usual, what starts out as an innocent-sounding trip to find an original mince pie recipe takes Max, Markham et al to the 1600s and the site of the London Stone where they're only supposed to be getting some original pies to trump the WI's efforts.
Of course this is St Mary's and before long they're dodging Time Police, baddies and there's even another encounter with two of my favourite characters - Smallhope and Pennyroyal.
Just sit back and enjoy the Christmas mayhem....more
I would put this story firmly in the YA camp. The story is part romance/part myth/part coming of age/LGBTQIA. It sounds like a lot to mix up but 3.5/4
I would put this story firmly in the YA camp. The story is part romance/part myth/part coming of age/LGBTQIA. It sounds like a lot to mix up but the story itself is well told and kept my interest throughout.
Gisela is a rusalki (a water nymph) who cannot recall how she became one - water nymphs are the spirits of dead girls who don't or can't move on to the next world. She lives with other water spirits in the Water Goblin's palace. She is desperate to return to her life and thinks she has found a way to become human again - she just needs a human boy to kiss her.
Kazik is the exorcist of Leśna Woda, taking over after his grandmother Kasia's death. He has spent a year tussling with Gisela, trying to get her to stop tormenting the humans of the town.
Aleksey is the boy they both fall in love with. But will he prefer Kazik or Gisela? And what is the secret he is hiding from everyone?
The story follows this love triangle with a difference as both Gisela and Kazik try to catch Aleksey's eye.
I called it a romance but it's not sloppy and covers gender and sexual fluidity very carefully. It is a well thought out story but there's humour and drama too.
I'd recommend it to anyone who likes myth based books or anyone who enjoys a non-soppy romance.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Holiday House for the advance review copy....more
I need to leave longer between episodes of this series because I tend to find they get a bit silly. Or else I'm expected to believe that the historianI need to leave longer between episodes of this series because I tend to find they get a bit silly. Or else I'm expected to believe that the historians at St Mary's are phenomenally crap at their jobs. What I mean is, I could forgive one or two lapses of judgement but every single time this crowd step outside their time zone they get into trouble- and not just any trouble, it's always history-altering, life-threatening, sanity-defying trouble.
Added to all this is the end of this novel which completely befuddled me. I get that with the idea of time travel there's got to be a healthy dose of suspending your disbelief but this means I need to leave it a month before I try reading another after Max and co. have mucked up trips to see Newton, then Troy then Agincourt.
Seeker is the first book in a new series following the adventures of Shay Bluefaltlow, an orphan originally sold to the surgeon Ridley but ev3.5 stars
Seeker is the first book in a new series following the adventures of Shay Bluefaltlow, an orphan originally sold to the surgeon Ridley but eventually becoming the assistant to archivist Penelope Etherington. Here Shay learns what her role will be concerning the return of the Sentinels - ancient guardians of the world .
There's a lot to unpack with this book and I'm sure that a lot of the storylines and character development will become clear in following novels in the series.
My only problems with this book is its extreme wordiness and the use of more complex language that, I presume, is meant to set it apart from English but ends up detracting from the plot. I confess to getting a bit lost several times trying to work out exactly what the author was trying to convey.
This is a purely personal point of view though and I'm aware that other readers will love the style.
Otherwise the plot is reasonably easy to follow and the start bodes well for future novels. I'm in two minds as to whether would read the rest of the series but I am intrigued as to what will happen to Shay next. I guarantee that fans of more historical series will enjoy it, despite it not being set in our history.
Thanks to Netgalley and Panthe Press for the advance review copy....more