Category: Fantasy

Deltora Quest: The Lake of Tears by Emily Rodda

lake of tears.jpgTitle: Deltora Quest: The Lake of Tears

Author: Emily Rodda

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Scholastic Australia

Published: 1st April 2001

Format: Paperback

Pages: 120

Price: $14.99

Synopsis: Lief, Barda and their unruly new companion Jasmine are on a perilous quest to find the seven gems stolen from the magic Belt of Deltora.

The golden topaz has already been found. But only when all the gems have been restored to the Belt can their land be freed from the dark power of the evil Shadow Lord. To find the second stone, the three heroes must travel through territory ruled by the monster-sorceress Thaegan.

Their journey is filled with treachery, trickery and danger, and at its end they must face the hideous guardian of the enchanted Lake of Tears.

~*~

Picking up soon after they have found the first stone for the Belt of Deltora, Lief, Barda and Jasmine are on their way to the Lake of Tears to discover the second one, and where they will meet the first of Thaegan’s children, Nij and Doj, who speak a strange, haunting backwards language that gives a false sense of security to the travellers, following a broken sign that is very misleading. This is just one more dangerous step on the adventure to reunite the stones of the Belt of Deltora. This time, Lief and his companions seek the ruby – and from there, the next five to complete the belt and restore unity to Del.

I’m zipping through these books rather quickly and am trying to review each one individually before writing a wrap up post for the whole omnibus series edition I have next to me so I can move onto the second and third sets in the series. Again, this is a fast-moving book, where Lief and Barda must quickly adapt to trusting Jasmine and her ability to help them navigate the land of Del to find the stones.

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Lief, Jasmine and Barda take charge from this book onwards, and we still haven’t met the future ruler of Del, presumably still in hiding with Endon and his wife, where those who tried to kill them sixteen years before cannot find them – I will be keen to see how this is uncovered later on in the series and where the next two Deltora Quest sets take us. The perils that Lief and his companions face are heart-stopping as they work to escape being eaten by Nij and Doj (or Jin and Jod as it turns out, once they realise the two are speaking backwards), and must then face the prospect of the rest of Thaegan’s children in later books.

This is a fun series, and filled with adventure, friendship and wonder. It is one that has been loved for over a decade, and will hopefully continue to be loved and read for many years to come, if my conversations with fellow readers are anything to go by, as well as the constant lack of it being out of the library when I was much younger. So I am experiencing it now for the first time, and the magic is having as big an impact on me as it would have done had I read it as a teenager or young adult. This is what makes a good book, in my opinion. One that can transcend age and time for all readers, and that will engage on many levels and entertain many.

I’m heading into book three, The City of Rats, and hope to have that review up soon.

The Forests of Silence (Deltora Quest #1) by Emily Rodda

Title: The Forests of Silence (Deltora Quest #1)

Author: Emily Rodda

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Scholastic Australia

Published: 2000

Format: Paperback

Pages: 120

Price: $14.99

Synopsis: Deltora is a land of monsters and magic …

The evil Shadow Lord is plotting to invade Deltora and enslave its people. All that stands against him is the magic Belt of Deltora, with its seven gems of great and mysterious power. When the gems are stolen and hidden in dark, terrible places throughout the kingdom, the Shadow Lord triumphs and Deltora is lost.

In secrecy, with only a hand-drawn map to guide them, two unlikely companions set out on a perilous quest. Determined to find the lost gems and rid their land of the tyrant, they struggle towards their first goal — the sinister Forests of Silence.

~*~

Opening with the death of a king, and the ascension of his son to the throne, Deltora Quest opens with a bang, introducing Jarred and Endon – as friends first. Yet when Endon is made king in light of his father’s death, Jarred learns that there is more to the removal of the Belt of Deltora than the history books tell. When he tries to warn his friend, Jarred is forced to run, and it will be seven years before they meet again and uncover a nefarious plot to take over the kingdom.

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Fast forward sixteen years, and Lief, Jarred’s son, heads off on a quest with a former palace guard, Barda, to find the stones of the Belt of Deltora that have been flung throughout the land. Whilst seeking the first stone, a topaz, they meet Jasmine, Kree and Filli, who join them on their quest. But will Lief and his companions succeed?

The start of a promising series for children aged eight to twelve, I have come to this several years after it was published, having recently stumbled across the omnibus editions in the bookstores. For me, it was a quick read, but enjoyable all the same. Each character has strengths and weaknesses that enable the plot to move forward, and it is the start of an epic adventure series that will have readers of all ages enthralled.

Introducing readers to Jarred and Endon first leads into the quest that Lief goes on, and gives a much needed, brief yet important background to the story that is to come. Of course, the main story is about Lief and his quest across the next seven books, which I am looking forward to exploring as I read the rest of the series. A friendship forms between Lief, Jasmine and Barda as they venture through the Forests of Silence in search of the first gem. But whilst Lief and Barda know they need Jasmine’s help, with the state the kingdom has been in for over twenty years, they do not know who they can trust, apart from each other.

As they traverse the forests to uncover what they seek, and then had off towards The Lake of Tears and more dangers and uncertainty that lie ahead, the troupe will no doubt encounter more challenges, and become closer as they head off on a quest to save the kingdom and restore the rightful monarch to the throne of Del.

I’m looking forward to reading the rest of these books and will review each novel on its own, and finally, a wrap up post for the entire omnibus once I have done this. Look for more exciting Deltora reviews from me!

Book Bingo Eight – Double Bingo: A Book Set in an exotic location and a book by an author you’ve never read before 

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Hello, and welcome to week eight of book bingo with Amanda and Theresa. This week, I’m taking on another double bingo, and ticking off a book set in an exotic location, and a book by an author I have never read before. In all honesty, both books could fit into the second category, and one could also fit into the science fiction category, but it’s still only April, and I still have many books to read, review and that will hopefully fit into what I have left on my card. Next fortnight, I will be posting another double bingo about a book with a place in the title, and a book set on the Australian coast after both the posts have gone live for the blog tour that it they are part of.

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Here are the rows in the card this week’s choices come from:

Across

Row Four:

Book with a place in the title: The French Photographer by Natasha Lester -AWW2019

Book set in the Australian Outback:

Book set on the Australian Coast: The House of Second Chances by Esther Campion – AWW2019

Book set in the Australian Mountains: The Orchardist’s Daughter by Karen Viggers – AWW2019

Book set in an exotic location: Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte – #AWW2019

Row Five:

Written by an Australian Man:

Written by an Australian Woman:Zelda Stitch Term Two: Too Much Witch by Nicki Greenberg – AWW2019

Written by an author under the age of 35:

Written by an author over the age of 65:

Written by an author you’ve never read: The Dog Runner by Bren MacDibble – #AWW2019

Down:

Row Five:

Prize winning book:

Book written by an Australian woman more than ten years ago:

Themes of fantasy: Vardaesia by Lynette Noni – AWW2019

Book set in an exotic location: Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte – #AWW2019

Written by an author you’ve never read: The Dog Runner by Bren MacDibble – #AWW2019

Comedy: Best Foot Forward by Adam Hills

Square One: Book set in an exotic location: Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte – #AWW2019

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Okay, so I may have cheated a tad here, but to me, an exotic location is anything – real or imagined – that is either not my every day or that I have never experienced, something that is new to me and has a sense of the unusual, or the unknown but to be revealed and learned about. Quadara to me fits this, the setting for Four Dead Queens, because each Quadrant is different and therefore, not only exotic to the reader, but also to the characters, who never really venture into each other’s quadrants or meet each other but rely on information and supplies passed to them through those involved in trade. This is also a debut author, and like many books this year, would have fitted into the author I’ve never read before as well, and also had touches of science fiction mixed in with the fantasy, but I am hoping for a different title for that book.

Square Two: Written by an author you’ve never read: The Dog Runner by Bren MacDibble – #AWW2019

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Bren MacDibble is another new author to me, and I had plenty to choose from for this category. It was one that didn’t fit into many others, which is why it has found its home here. Looking at an Australia devastated by a germ that wipes out many of the food sources, a brother and sister – who have different mothers but the same father, set out to find Emery’s Indigenous family for help. It brings diversity together in many ways – race, and personality types and the way people unite in times of difficulty or turn on each other. Coming to Bren’s writing for the first time, this one held my attention completely and is one I recommend to people to read.

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I’m planning another double book bingo for next fortnight, and that should hopefully knock off all the squares I have ticked off so far, or be getting close to that stage. See you then!

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Archibald the Naughtiest Elf in the World Causes Trouble with The Easter Bunny by Skye Davidson, Illustrated by Ágnes Rokiczky

NJ1886-ETP-Archibald-Easter-cover-300x240.jpgTitle: Archibald the Naughtiest Elf in the World Causes Trouble with The Easter Bunny

Author: Skye Davidson, Illustrated by Ágnes Rokiczky

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Elephant Tree Publishing

Published: 8th April 2019

Format: Paperback

Pages:32

Price: $20

Synopsis: Archibald is the naughtiest elf in the whole wide world, who loves nothing more than doing extremely mischievous things, all with very good intentions. Let him help you discover new worlds and ideas, as you follow him on one of his many exciting adventures.

This time, Archibald is called to help the Easter Bunny prepare for Easter in Bland Land. The poor Easter Bunny is running behind schedule, and hasn’t finished making the eggs. So Archibald helps creating havoc at first. But will the havoc Archibald causes result in something good?

~*~

It is always a delightful day when an Elephant Tree Publishing parcel arrives with a copy of a book I have published, and also, every now and then, a new Archibald story. This time, Archibald is taking on Easter with his good friend the Easter Bunny, to bring chocolate and fun to Bland Land where they all live.

Archibald is naughty – but it is always with good intentions, and sometimes this gets him in trouble, but there are times when his naughtiness isn’t as bad as it might seem, like when he helps the Easter Bunny save Easter. For Archibald, working out when to be naughty isn’t as easy as it may seem, though he always knows when it needs to be done.

One thing I love about this series is that each story builds on the others, and each time, something new is revealed about Archibald, and the characters he knows, and how he does what he does. Like any good series, these facts are revealed slowly and at the right time in the right story and fit in perfectly together.

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In this story, the Easter Bunny is not quite the perfect bunny we think he is, but flawed and anxious – and real. These stories are fun, and I like that their length is such that an early reader can read them alone, with someone or have it read to them, making it an experience that anyone can enjoy, regardless of their age.

When Basil, the Easter Bunny. says he is behind schedule, it is Archibald who steps up to help him save Easter, using all his cheeky skills to enlist help from friends – a flying pig and Charlie the pixie, who will help Basil make this the best Easter ever.

Before I give too much more away, I’ll start to wrap up and say this is a wonderful gift to get kids for Easter, and will be a story that will be loved for years and hopefully, read every Easter from now on in many households. I look forward to future adventures from Archibald and his friends.

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March Round Up 2019

I read twelve books in March, and like previous months, some reviews are yet to go up, whilst others were just work books or books I did not review. Below is my progress for each challenge:

Overall/Dymocks 52 Challenge

#Dymocks52Challenge

27. The Incredible Hulk by Alex Irvine

  1. Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte
  2. The Wolf and the Watchman by Niklas Natt och Dag
  3. The Deep: Selkie Warrior by Finn Black
  4. Zebra and Other Stories by Debra Adelaide
  5. Captain Marvel: Higher, Faster, Further by Kelly Sue DeConnick
  6. Free Rein: The Steeplechase Secret by Jeanette Lane
  7. Esther by Jessica North
  8. Mermaid Holidays: The Talent Show by Delphine Davis and Adele K. Thomas
  9. Cuddles by Ellen Miles
  10. The True Story of Maddie Bright by Mary-Rose MacColl
  11. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Jane Austen Challenge

Jane Austen Reading Challenge 2019

First book read for this challenge – Northanger Abbey

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Book Bingo

Book set in an exotic location: Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte – #AWW2019

Literary: Zebra and Other Stories by Debra Adelaide – AWW2019

Romance: Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

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Australian Women Writers

  1. Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte – Reviewed
  2. Zebra and Other Stories by Debra Adelaide – Reviewed
  3. Esther by Jessica North – Reviewed
  4. Mermaid Holidays: The Talent Show by Delphine Davis and Adele K. Thomas – Reviewed
  5. The True Story of Maddie Bright by Mary-Rose MacColl – Reviewed

 

Maddie Bright
Four Dead Queens
Zebra
Wolf and Watchman
Esther
The Talent Show
Northanger Abbey

 

March Round-Up

 

Book Author Challenges
The Incredible Hulk Alex Irvine #Dymocks52Challenge, General
Four Dead Queens Astrid Scholte general, #AWW2019, #Dymocks52Challenge, PopSugar, Book Bingo
The Wolf and the Watchman Niklas Natt och Dag general,

#Dymocks52Challenge, PopSugar

 
The Deep: Selkie Warrior Finn Black general,

#Dymocks52Challenge
Zebra and Other Stories Debra Adelaide general,

#Dymocks52Challenge, #AWW2019, Book Bingo
Captain Marvel: Higher, Faster, Further

 

 Kelly Sue DeConnick general,

#Dymocks52Challenge,
 Free Rein: The Steeplechase Secret Jeanette Lane general,

#Dymocks52Challenge
Esther Jessica North general, #Dymocks52Challenge, #AWW2019
Mermaid Holidays: The Talent Show Delphine Davis and Adele K. Thomas general, #Dymocks52Challenge, #AWW2019, PopSugar
Cuddles Ellen Miles general, #Dymocks52Challenge.
The True Story of Maddie Bright Mary-Rose MacColl general, #Dymocks52Challenge, #AWW2019, PopSugar
Northanger Abbey Jane Austen General, book bingo, #Dymocks52Challenge

BLOOMSBURY ANNOUNCE EMILY GRAVETT FOR COLOUR ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF J.K. ROWLING’S QUIDDITCH THROUGH THE AGES

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Bloomsbury Children’s Books today announce Emily Gravett as the artist who will create stunning images for an illustrated edition of J.K. Rowling’s Quidditch Through the Ages, sold in aid of Comic Relief and the author’s international children’s charity, Lumos. Publishing on 1stOctober 2020, this classic from the Hogwarts Library will be gloriously reimagined in a large, colour gift edition by the innovative and award-winning Gravett. She will use mixed media to capture the wit and spirit of J.K. Rowling’s wonderful text, using a deft combination of her signature pencil style, colour illustration, handmade realia and ingenious digital techniques.

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Emily Gravett: Illustrator

Emily Gravett is a bestselling author/illustrator and has won the Kate Greenaway Medal twice. On being commissioned for this project, Emily said, ‘I am over the moon to be illustrating Quidditch Through the Ages. I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would ever be asked to illustrate anything from the Potter world, but from the minute I sat down at my desk and started jotting down ideas I realised I may have landed myself my dream job. I am waking up each day excited to get to work. ’

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HolyheadHarpies: Player Trading Card
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Holyhead Harpies Robes
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Holyhead Harpies Emblem

Mandy Archer, Harry Potter Editorial Director and Head of Brand, said of Emily’s selection, ‘When we began our search to find an illustrator forQuidditch Through the Ages, Emily was always at the very top of our wishlist. She is a true original. Emily has the courage to take form and content into exciting and unexpected directions, infusing her work with an infectious sense of playfulness and fun. We cannot wait to see where she is going to take this brand new illustrated edition. ’

 

Emily Gravett was born in Brighton, UK. After leaving school with few qualifications, she spent eight years living on the road before taking the BA Illustration course at Brighton University. She won the Macmillan Prize for Illustration with her first book, Wolves, which went on to win the Kate Greenaway Medal and the Boston Globe Horn Book Honor Award for Illustration and marked the beginning of an international career creating extraordinary and innovative books for children: Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears won the Kate Greenaway Medal for her a second time. Her own picture books are published in more than 20 languages and she has also collaborated with some of the most creative writers working today including Julia Donaldson, A.F. Harrold, and Matt Haig.

Gravett joins fellow Greenaway winners Chris Riddell and Jim Kay, and fine artist Olivia Lomenech Gill in a world-class team of illustration talent chosen to create colour illustrated editions of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and Hogwarts Library books.

Quidditch Through the Ages was first published in 2001 and is arguably the most famous sports book in the wizarding world.  The book contains all you will ever need to know about the history, the rules – and the breaking of the rules – of the noble sport of Quidditch. Packed with fascinating facts, this definitive guide charts the game’s history from its early origins through to the modern-day sport loved by so many wizard and Muggle families around the world. With comprehensive coverage of famous Quidditch teams, the commonest fouls, the development of racing brooms, and much more, this is a must-have sporting tome for all Harry Potter fans, Quidditch lovers and players. Quidditch Through the Ages is published in aid of Comic Relief and Lumos.

Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling, illustrated by Emily Gravett

Published in hardback October 2020. Deluxe edition will also be available.

Mermaid Holidays: The Talent Show by Delphine Davis and Adele K Thomas (illustrator)

the talent show.jpgTitle: Mermaid Holidays: The Talent Show

Author: Delphine Davis and Adele K Thomas (illustrator)

Genre: Children’s Fantasy

Publisher: Puffin

Published: 2nd April 2019

Format: Paperback

Pages:120

Price: $9.99

Synopsis: Sophia, Willow, Chloe and Olivia have been best friends since they were merbies. Even though they don’t go to school together, whenever they come home to Turtleville for the holidays, they are inseparable.

This holidays, something super exciting is happening – Turtleville’s first Talent Show! Sophia can’t wait. She was born to perform! The besties enter as a group, but will Sophia’s love of the spotlight ruin everything?

Whatever happens, the show must go on!

~*~

The start of a new series – for any age group – is always an exciting thing as a book reviewer, and getting to review the very first book is something I love doing, especially when it captures the imagination and proves itself to be magical and exciting, and hopefully, have a very wide appeal to younger readers. This month sees the release of the first title in a new series about four best friends who are mermaids – aimed at younger girls but anyone can read it if they want to.

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Mermaid Holidays: The Talent Show is the first in the new series by Delphine Davis and illustrated by Adele K Thomas. It looks as though each mermaid is going to be given a different colour, which is highlighted for that mermaid in the colour of the book, pages and the illustrations. In this case, pink for Sophia Seashell, who takes a starring role in the first book as she convinces her friends to participate with her in the local talent show during their school holidays – but when Sophia decides it will be a mess to showcase all their talents, and not just singing, they might never make it to the show at all. Can Sophia and her companion seahorse, Smedley, find a way to make it work for everyone, so they have a chance at the prize?

This was a fun read that younger readers will enjoy reading with a family member, or by themselves for the first time as they explore friendship, and the ups and downs of having friends, ultimately showing that having fun is more important than winning. And that sometimes, doing things you’re unsure about can be as much fun as doing the things you are familiar with. The most important thing is to have fun with your friends – and this is a good message to send to kids of all ages and genders, to teach them to appreciate people.

Adults can also learn from children’s books like this, and might learn the same lessons, and might have ideas reinforced or be reminded of what being a child is like. Overall though, it was a fun read and one I hope other people enjoy when it comes out.

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