The Thief of Farrowfell Hall by Ravena Guron & Illustrated by Alessia Trunfio - #bookreview #blogtour

 

Jude Ripon loved stealing.

Not just magic, or money, or diamonds and gold, though they were all fun things to pinch. She liked the quiet moment when she snuck through mansions of the rich... stolen seconds of living someone else's life...

***

The Blurb

Welcome to a fantasy world where edible magic is the hottest commodity, traded between those who can pay or - in the case of Jude Ripon, the youngest thief in Farrowfell - those who can steal it!

Twelve-year-old Jude Ripon has never been taken seriously by her family of magic-stealing masterminds. To them, she's just the youngest, only good for keeping watch while they carry out daring heists.

Desperate to prove her worth, Jude decides to steal valuable magic from the fanciest house in town . . .

But Jude's stolen prize was protected by a curse which threatens to wreak havoc on the family business.

While attempting to untangle the mess she's made (and wondering why anyone would want to curse an honest thief trying to earn a living), Jude discovers just how far her family will go to stay at the top of the criminal world.

Suddenly, her quest to become a true Ripon isn't straightforward any more . . .

My Review

This book will be a delight to middle grade readers who enjoy fantasy.

It is a fast paced fantasy adventure story with lots happening on every page. I'm not certain I have ever come across the concept of magic being edible and I appreciated its uniqueness.

The main character, Jude Ripon lives amongst her family of thieves at Ripon Headquarters. They steal magic and keep it for themselves. Jude is the youngest of the family and when she attempts to prove herself as a true Ripon, she finds herself in a lot of trouble and unleashes a curse. The story is then taken up by how she can lift this curse before anyone in the family finds out.

I really loved Jude's character. Her bravery is admirable and she is a determined young girl. In fact, all of the characters in this book are interesting. The family are lead by Granleader and the dynamics within the family are well portrayed. Jude's sister, Moorley is the most popular in the family and Jude resents this very much. I loved the way the sisters relationship develops through the book.

The author develops both character and plot extremely well and has created a world and society which is well-imagined and also believable. Although there are themes of addiction in the story, it is portrayed in a way that is suitable for middle grade readers.

The book is the first in a series. The second book, The Beast of Farrowfell is  already available, and the third, The Battle of Farrowfell is being published on the 8th of May and can be pre-ordered.

Book Details 

ISBN:  978 0571371174

Publisher:  Faber

Formats: e-book, audio and paperback

No. of Pages:  320 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

Blackwell's

About the Author

A born and bred Londoner, Ravena writes MG and YA, usually featuring antiheroines or snarky narrators. She is a lawyer with a degree in biochemistry, and hopes to use the knowledge gained from her experiences to plot her books, whether that's wild MG fantasy adventures, or twisty YA murder mysteries.

Why not check out some of the other fabulous bloggers on this tour.

(book and media courtesy of The Write Reads)

(all opinions are my own)

(bookshop.org affiliated)

Reading Roundup for March 2021

 

I have been taking a short break from blogging. I find it necessary every once in a while just to keep my writing and reviewing fresh and to focus my mind.

However, I am back now and raring to go. Although I have not been reviewing I have been doing plenty of reading and I thought you might be interested in seeing what I have read during this month. There are no review links for these book but keep an eye out from the first of April when I will be reviewing again.

I make no apology for the photo of the cute little bunny rabbits above (courtesy of istockphoto.com). I know there must be a bookish link somewhere but the truth is, I just could not resist posting this picture. I hope it makes you smile as much as it has me.

Books I Have Read This Month

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart - this was my favourite book for March. A worthy winner of the 2020 Booker Prize.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig - another excellent book from Matt Haig and it came a very close second as my favourite read of the month. I have previously read his book How to Stop Time and you can read my review by clicking on the title.

The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths - This is number 13 in the Ruth Galloway series and it remains my favourite series of the moment. I have read the previous 12 books and have reviewed The Janus Stone (#2), Ruth's First Christmas (#4.5 a novella), Dying Fall (#5) and The Woman in Blue (#8). Just click on the title to read my reviews. 

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead - Another excellent book from the pen of the Booker Prize winning author of The Underground Railroad.

The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher - This is the first novel I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it.

Not in America: Book 1 in a Jewish Family Saga by Roberta Kagan - I enjoyed this book. It is the first in a four part series and I have already have the second book, They Never Saw it Coming, on my kindle. All four books are available for free if you have kindle unlimited.

The King's Witch by Tracy Borman - This is the first in a trilogy by the amazingly talented Tracy Borman. I am definitely planning on reading the second book in the series, The Devil's Slave.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris - I really disliked this book. I know it was hugely popular and many people like it but it was not for me.

Books I Did Not Finish

Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff - This was the book chosen for my physical (yet virtual) book group. I really did not like it. It read more like a text book than a biography. Only one person in the group managed to finish it. I shall say no more!

Big Girl, Small Town by Michelle Gallen - I was just not in the mood for this book once I started it. I have heard many good things about it. It was shortlisted for several awards so I may well give it another try at some point.

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara - #BookReview

When four classmates from a small Massachusetts college move to New York to make their way, they're broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. There is kind, handsome Willem, an aspiring actor; JB, a quick-witted, sometimes cruel painter pursuing fame in the art world; Malcolm, a frustrated architect at a prominent firm; and withdrawn, brilliant, enigmatic Jude, who serves as their centre of gravity.

Over the decades, their relationships deepen and darken, tinged by addiction, success and pride. Yet their greatest challenge, each comes to realize, is Jude himself, by midlife a terrifyingly talented lawyer yet an increasingly broken man, his mind and body scarred by an unspeakable childhood, and haunted by a degree of trauma that he fears he will not only be unable to overcome - but that will define his life forever.

In a novel of extraordinary intelligence and heart, Yanagihara has fashioned a masterful depiction of heartbreak, and a dark and haunting examination of the tyranny of experience and memory.

Some people are put off reading long books. Personally, I quite like them as I see it as a book that I can really get my teeth into. That said, by the time I am drawing towards the denouement I am usually looking forward to getting on with something new. Which is why I was surprised that when I came to the end of this totally engrossing book I was sad that it had come to an end. In fact, it would be more accurate to say that I feel slightly bereft that this cast of characters are now out of my life.

Within the unassuming cover of this book lies a novel of exquisite intensity. Bearing in mind that I finished reading this a couple of weeks ago and that I have read a couple of other books since, the fact that I am still mulling this book over in my mind speaks volumes concerning what a fantastic novel it actually is.

Each of the characters are flawed but are written with such absolute honesty that they are very easy to engage with. Although this book is about the four college classmates it focuses on Jude, whose previous life is a mystery to his friends and everyone that he knows. His life is gradually explained to the reader and the author presents us with some extremely difficult themes. However, she deals with Jude with such sensitivity and compassion that, as readers, we are able to bear these revelations.

This is an intelligent character driven novel which looks at the true meaning of love and friendship. Written with tenderness, care and compassion, the author has ensured that this a book I will never forget reading.

As always, there are not any spoilers within this review. What I will say, is that I cannot decide whether I think that the conclusion of this book was the perfect one or whether I really hated it. Have you read this? What are your thoughts?

ISBN:  978 1447294832

Publisher: Picador

About the Author:

A Little Life is Hanya Yanagihara's second book and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2015 and was a finalist for the National Book Award in the same year.

She is an American novelist, editor and travel writer. She grew up in Hawaii and now lives in New York.