The Divide by Elizabeth Kay

When Felix’s parents take to him to ‘The Divide’ -a spot in Costa Rica where the waters that run down to the Pacific and Atlantic oceans separate – Felix finds himself in a bizarre parallel world where mythical creatures and magic are a reality. There he meets Betony, a tangle child and herbalist who becomes his friend in this strange land. As Felix explores this new world, he discovers that it’s mythical beasts and fairy folk think Felix is a legendary creature who uses practical science instead of magic. Will Felix ever find his way .. and will he ever want to?

This is a great book. It is engaging and the characters are brilliant. I love the story and everything about it. I love the fact that science and magic are mixed. This is aimed at kids but it is entertaining. I really enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend it and  I hope you enjoy it. 

Links to book:

Dreamwalker by James Oswald

The dragons of Gleason are dying.  Persecuted for 2 millennia, they’re a shrunken echo of the proud creatures they once were. And yet in new life springs hope: Benfro, son of Morgan the Green, the 1st male kitling in a thousand years. Long ago dragons wrought a terrible wrong to the land, and now is the time for redemption. Every young boy in the Twin Kingdoms dreams of being chosen for one of the great orders, and Errol Ramsbottom is no different. He longs to be a Warrior Priest if the High Ffrydd, riding to glorious victory in between the Twin Kingdoms and the godless Llanwennogs to the north, but as King Diseverin descends ever further ever further into drunken madness, his ruthless daughter Beulah takes up the reins of power. A time of war looks set to descend upon Gelad, and it will surely draw everyone, man and dragon both, into its cruel game. 

This is such a good book. I love both Errol (I love his name, I mean seriously who comes with this) and Benfro. They are amazing characters. I also James Oswald style of writing. This book is really good. It has dragons and magic. What more could you want? I would definitely recommend it and I hope you enjoy it. 

Links to book:

http://www.bookdepository.com/Dreamwalker-JD-Oswald/9781405917650?ref=grid-view

City of Masks by Mary Hoffman

Lycian is seriously ill but his life is transformed when an old Italian notebook gives him the power to become a stravagante, a time traveler with access to 16th century Italy. He wakes up in Bellezza (Venice) during carnival time and meets Arianna, a girl his own age who is disguised as a boy in the hope of being selected as one of the Duchessa’s mandoliers. Arianna gives Lucien her boys clothing and he is selected as a mandolier himself, becoming a friend of fellow stravagante Rodolfo, the Duchessa’s lover, and saving the Duchessa’s life when she is threatened by an assassin hired by the powerful di Chimici family. For state occasions the Duchessa uses her maid Giuliana as a body double but Giuliana commits the fatal mistake of revealing the secret to her fiancé Enrico and a sequence of devastating consequences unravels. Meanwhile Lucien has met the original stravagante, the Elizabethan alchemist William Dethridge, and he begins to understand that he may be called to follow in his footsteps. 

I absolutely love this book. I love the mix of the historical and the modern. I also love the comparison between Belleza and Venice. Lucian and Ariana are brilliant characters and it is so well written. I just love everything about it. I would definitely recommend it and I hope you enjoy it. 

Links to the book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/s/ref=is_s_ss_i_1_11?k=city+of+masks+mary+hoffman&sprefix=city+of+mas

http://www.bookdepository.com/City-of-Masks-Mary-Hoffman/9780747595694?ref=grid-view

Craft Books

So I thought I would talk about craft books. A bit of a weird topic I know, but there you have it. 

Of course, it would depend on what you are interested in. Be it card making or knitting there is something for everyone. Books that I would always recommend would be ones by DK Eyewitness. They have books for beginners and those who have a bit more experience. 

Usbourne have some as well, but they would mostly be for children who may want to learn, say knitting for example. 

Getting these for the crafter in your life would be a good idea. 

Even if you wanted to learn a craft yourself, books are just one tool for you. Magazines and websites are great too. 

I hope these help. I know that there are hundreds of other books involved in learning various craft activities and hobbies. I hope this helps. If you have any suggestions let me know in the comments. I would love to hear them. 

Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan

Summer has arrived in the Cornish town of Mount Polbearne and Polly  Waterford couldn’t be happier. Because Polly is in love: she’s in love with the beautiful seaside town she calls home m, she’s in love with running the bakery on Beach Street, and she’s love in love with her boyfriend, Huckle. And yet there’s something unsettling about the gentle summer breeze that’s floating through town. Selina, recently widowed, hopes that moving to Mount Polbearne will ease her grief, but Polly has a secret that could destroy her friends fragile recovery. Responsibilities that Huckle thought he had left behind are back and Polly finds it to cope with his increasing long periods of absence. Polly sifts flour, kneads dough and bakes bread, but nothing can calm the storm she knows is coming: is Polly about to lose everything she loves?

I absolutely love this book. I love the fact that we get to know more about those in Mount Polbearne. It is written with Jenny Colgan’s usual wit and charm. My only complaint is that it seems that at the first time something bad happens in this book, it seems Polly crumbles in on herself. It does get a little annoying as she has overcome so much in coming to Mount Polbearne and she seems to forget that. Apart from that, an enjoyable book. I would definitely recommend it and I hope you enjoy it. 

The Survivors Club by Mary Balogh

These tell the stories of six men and one woman, all serverley wounded one way or another during the NapoleonicWars before ending up convalescing together at the home of the Duke of Standbrook. 

This is such a good series. I love each character and how they each find that special someone to help them overcome what happened to them. Mary Balogh is a great writer that creates characters that you can’t help but fall in love with. I would definitely recommend it and I hope you enjoy it. 

Maximum Ride by James Patterson

Six unforgettable kids – with no families, no homes – are running for their lives. Max Ride and her best friends have the ability to fly. And that’s just the beginning of their amazing powers. But they don’t know where they come from, who’s hunting them, why they are different from all other humans .. and if they are meant to save mankind- or destroy it. 

This is such a good book. It is fast pacing, with a good story and characters and engaging. I love Max and her friends. My only complaint is that the chapters are a bit too short. But could just be me nick picking. I would definitely recommend it and I hope you enjoy it. 

The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy

Local librarian Hanna Casey is wondering where it all went wrong.. driving her mobile library van through Fingarran’s farms and villages, she tried not to think of the sophisticated London life she abandoned when she left her cheating husband. Or that’s she’s now stuck in her crotchety mums spare bedroom. With her daughter Jazz travelling the world and her relationship with her mother growing increasingly fraught, Hanna decides to reclaim her independence. Then, when the threatened closure of her library puts her plans in jeopardy, she finds herself leading a battle to restore the heart and soul of Ger fragmented community. Will she also find the new life she’s been swarming for?

This is a really good book. It’s a bit of a gem in disguise. My only complaint is the way some of the characters speak. It’s very much ‘ah would you go away outa that’ kinda speak. It took me out of the story every time it did that. And Mary, Hanna’s mother is very negative. You really want to just shake her. She does get better towards the end, but you really want to tell her to shut up. Apart from that, I really enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend it and I hope you enjoy it. 

Potion book 1&2 by Amy Alward

This follows Samantha Kemi, an ordinary girl with an extraordinary talent. Sam’s family were the once the most respected alchemists in the kingdom but they’ve fallen on hard times. This tells how she is able gain the respect her family deserves and learn a few things about herself along the way. 

I really enjoyed these books. I am a little disappointed that I have to wait for the next book. My only complaint is that it take a little way for to get into them, but once I did I so enjoyed. Another complaint I had is that Sam and Zain seemed a bit too into each other, but that could just be young love. I would definitely recommend it and I hope you enjoy it. 

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them the Original Screenplay by J. K. Rowling

Explorer and Magizoologisr Newt Scamander has just completed a round the globe trip in search of the most rare and unusual magical creatures. Arriving in New York, he intends his stay to be just a brief stopover. However, when Newt’s case is misplaced and some of his fantastic beasts escape into the city, it spells trouble for everyone. 

This is so good. The book is also really pretty. I really like the script. I also saw the movie, and I really enjoyed it as well. Now I have to admit it’s a little dark in places, but it is totally worth watching and reading. I love the little twist in the end. I would definitely recommend it and I hope you enjoy it.