Heartstone by Clemency Crow (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

Heartstone

by

Clemency Crow

 

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GENRE:  Middle Grade Fantasy Adventure

 

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BLURB:

 

Jeremy isn't surprised his grandfather died. He's surprised he had one.

When the family travel to Cumbria for the funeral arrangements, he realises his grandfather had an important job to complete. Jeremy's grandfather was part of the Order of the Magi, who trapped an evil spirit away from our world, using the power contained within heartstones, and hidden in special places around the county.

But the heartstones need recharging every hundred years, so Jeremy and his strange new friend must find each stone, and complete dangerous tasks to prove they are worthy, before the power of the stones runs out and evil has control over the world.

 

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EXCERPT

 

“Good morning, sleepy!” Ben grinned as he spoke. He looked no worse for wear after his ordeal from yesterday. That is, until Jeremy saw the grey arm resting above the cover. Ben followed his gaze and his grin widened. This boy would make a funny situation out of anything, no matter how grim.

“Do you think you convinced your mum?” he asked.

Jeremy shook his head, as the conversation of last night came back to him.

Ben looked at him, his grin melting away. “What do you mean?”

“She said she knows what’s going on, and that her dad was a mage.” Jeremy screwed up his eyes as he tried to remembered the details of the conversation, but all he could concentrate on was the argument blazing downstairs. The more he listened, the more he wanted to hear. “I’m going to get done in the bathroom,” he mumbled, getting out of bed.

“Report back,” Ben said, completely unfooled by his excuse.

As Jeremy wandered along the landing, closer to the stairs, the voices became clearer.

“I’m not staying here long enough to lose my son,” Jeremy heard Dad’s voice snap. He stopped in his tracks in surprise.

“He’s my son, too, David,” Mum replied, equally harshly. “And he’s got no choice in the matter. If Dad chose him, then the damage is already done.”

“No!” Dad shouted. “I will not have him throw away what is going to be a fantastic life.”

“Right,” came the scoffing reply. “And a fantastic life by your standard is a good wage and a respected job. He will get both of these things in this job. When he’s ready to take it.”

“We… are… leaving.”

There was a pause.

“You may be, David,” Mum said, quietly so Jeremy had to concentrate to hear. “But I’m staying.”

 

Free to read on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Clemency is a primary school teacher, children’s author, and illustrator, based in rural Caithness with her family and two needy spaniels. In fact, Clemency is typing this one handed, because Jess cries if she isn’t stroked for five seconds.

 

When she isn’t writing, Clemency loves designing new parts of her garden, trying to find plants that will withstand the 70mph winds that are likely to batter them. She is oftentimes to be found tearing her hair out at the prevalence of ground elder in the flower borders, while cultivated species struggle to survive.

 

Clemency’s favourite genre to write, and read, is fantasy adventure. This gives her ample opportunity to put her long suffering characters in perilous situations.

 

Book Trailer for Heartstone

 

Website (currently in process of switching to Wordpress, but I’ll keep you updated if it changes)

BlueSky - Social Media 

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GIVEAWAY

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My review

4 stars

 

 

Heartstone by Clemency Crow follows the adventure of young Jeremy, who accompanies his parents to Church Brough, Cumbria in England, to deal with the final affairs of a grandfather Jeremy has never heard about. An irrepressible boy named Ben and Ben’s grandfather guide Jeremy on an unexpected adventure that will change his life forever.

 

This middle-grade fantasy adventure story is inventive and exciting, with lots of fun elements. There are realistic touches, such as when Jeremy witnesses tension between his parents, and mystical aspects as he discovers powers that he never dreamed of and fights against evil. I enjoyed the whimsical nature of the quest as fantastical creatures and startling repercussions evolve, even as Jeremy discovers the importance of friendship and faces the unpleasant specter of betrayal by someone he should be able to trust. This is an entertaining story that is also thought provoking, which will be enjoyed by fantasy lovers of all ages.

 

A copy of this title was provided for review

Great Big Ocean Sky by Kelly Byrd (VBT, guest post, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

 

I'm delighted to share a guest post by Kelly Byrd, who explains about...

Writing With a Child’s Heart

by

Kelly Byrd 

Writing is such a part of my personality, history, and persona I honestly don’t know what I would do without it. Stories and characters have crawled around my mind since I was young. My mother, with the best of intentions, asked the pediatrician if my army of imaginary friends was normal or not. He told her that I was a child with a vivid imagination. Which, as all three hundred of my imaginary friends could tell you, was very true.

 

When I was young, I had binders full of scribbled stories shoved under my bed. Stories about my American Girl dolls, stuffed teddy bears, my little brother’s obsession with hot dogs, soccer practice, and everything else that was important to me at the time. I don’t think I knew then that I wanted to write books for a living. Far from it—my preferred careers ranged from teacher to microbiologist to country music star. (All of those things fell through.)

 

I’m telling you all of this, dear reader, because I truly believe that we have to make an effort to hold on to the passions that we were drawn to as children. We so often see expression, art, dance—whatever you choose—as child’s play. As we get older, we forget that creative part of ourselves because life is busy and full of demands, and something has to go. We put down our passions in search of success or family or whatever the case may be, and I think this is a tragic loss.

 

My Far From Home series, including City of Lights and Great Big Ocean Sky, pursues this idea. The heroes are on a quest to help save the Everything, a magical force that originates by people living and creating together. The adults are often blind to the kids' trials, as grown-ups often can be, so it’s up to the  kids to restore the magical land of LeeChee to its full glory. They take on the task with excitement, grit, and a fair bit of nerve. Whether or not they complete the task is locked in the pages of the books. Enter into the tale at your own peril.

 

Whether or not you decide to pick up a Far From Home book is wholly up to you, but what I encourage you to do is to go out and make something today. It doesn’t matter what. Write a paragraph about something (or nothing), try a new recipe, draw a picture, or create a scrapbook page. Whatever the muses speak to you, let it out. Get messy! Help the Everything grow! 

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Great Big Ocean Sky

by 

Kelly Byrd

 

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GENRE:   Mid-grade Fantasy

 

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BLURB:

 

Book Two of the Far from Home Trilogy

Catch up with Mary Jingo as she trains with her friends in the Great Big Ocean Sky-side city of Festdelm. She may have survived the danger in Luminos, the City of Lights, but new challenges await as she, Teeny, Van Clare, Corb, Mikeala, and WindRunner continue their fight to save the Everything. When a new Shadowlander comes to LeeChee, will Mary be able to trust him—even if he is one of her closest friends?

Join Mary Jingo and her motley crew as they travel to the far ends of the world on their quest to save the Everything.

As more of LeeChee falls under Thrall, Mary must choose wisely. Whom will she trust? What bonds will endure? And... how did a Yorkshire Terrier end up as a part of this crazy experience?

The answers, dear reader, await inside as we set sail on the Great Big Ocean Sky.

 

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EXCERPT

 

WindRunner shot into the air, following the great ‘Dragon through the sky. Peregrina’s wake was strong and fast, and WindRunner put himself in the center of her air stream. Mary looked around, sensing for the other Thoughtdragons that had attacked the Garnet Revenge, but did not feel them. 

It doesn’t mean they aren’t nearby, WindRunner said. 

Really?

Do not become overconfident with this power, Mary Jingo. The Thoughtdragons are dangerous. Older even than my Kin. While I face the same temptation as you—I am drawn to her great power—remember that Peregrina wanted to be found. Otherwise, we would not have been able to follow her.

That couldn’t be possible, Mary puzzled to herself. She had known where Peregrina was. Mary had made this decision to follow Peregrina, hadn’t she? A stab of doubt hit Mary in the chest. Had they walked into a trap?

Peace, Warrior, WindRunner said soothingly. Peregrina wanted us to follow her. I don’t think she will harm you. I think she wishes to speak with you. Or, that is what Mikeala said to me before we left the boat.

You had a private Mindspan with Mikeala?

Yes. She told me I should take you if you wished to go.

Private Mindspans are rude when they are about someone else. The Father says so. 

WindRunner laughed in her mind.

Suddenly, Peregrina stopped in midair and whipped around. WindRunner dove to keep from running straight into her serpentine length, ending their conversation. Peregrina beat her wings softly to stay stationary, and WindRunner flew around until he was face to face with the great Thoughtdragon.

Mary’s stomach sank. The last time she had been face to face in the air with someone like this, it had been the evil Mellie. She had won that battle, but only barely. She was not certain she could win a battle like that again. Peregrina was even more terrifying than Mellie. Her head was twice the size of WindRunner. The Thoughtdragon only needed to barely open her mouth to swallow them both whole. 

WindRunner sent courage through their bond, but Mary felt his unease. He was being strong for her, just like she wanted to be strong for him. Peregrina spoke then to them both, her voice rich, gravelly, and musical, like a bass note dropped beneath a perfect melody.

“Well, you followed me out here, Shadowlander. What is it that you want?” She slithered her great head to the side as she said this, and Mary felt and smelled the Thoughtdragon’s untamed power. It blotted out her fear.

“I need your scales. Three of them. We need them in LeeChee. The Everything is shrinking, and I am fighting with the Resistors. We are trying to save it,” Mary said, breathing deeply. She spoke clearly and with confidence. “Please help us, great Peregrina.”

The ‘dragon shook her head and laughed.

“Save it? Save the Everything with my scales? Child, in your tiny mind, I might as well be the Everything. You cannot save the Everything with the Everything. And that world, that island, has been pitiful and beyond saving for many annuals now. Your Keeper is the size of a child. Don’t you see? It is lost. Go home to your dark, dark world and leave us in peace. Your People are causing the problem anyway.”

“My People?” Mary responded, trying to hide the hurt in her voice.

“Yes—you Shadowlanders. The Everything is created in the Shadowlands. It cycles up and up to places like LeeChee to be kept safe. Over time, it drifts back down to the Shadowlands and the cycle continues, with the ebb and flow of time. Do they not teach you anything in school down there?” Peregrina paused and turned her livid golden eyes to WindRunner.

“And you, the Lumon’s son. Bound by oath to protect a girl from the Shadowlands. Why have you done this?”

“She can save us,” WindRunner blasted back.

“Can she?” Peregrina replied with a grin on her giant mouth. “How? It is the greed of her People that has caused the blight in your lands. They don’t go outside anymore. They are trapped in their own heads, in their own tribes. They don’t listen to each other. They hardly interact with anyone who doesn’t think exactly how they do. How does one child heal rifts and tears that are hundreds of years old? This is why the Everything shrinks. Do you not know, WindRunner, son of Spearwing? Or are you all much too blind to see it?”

“Mellie is to blame for the Void. Mellie has been warping the Everything to her own purposes,” Mary said, yelling across the distance.

“Fool! Mellie was once like your precious Mikeala. As tall as a mountain and charged with keeping the Everything and the flow of the Cycles safe. She could no more turn the Everything into the Void than I can. It is against her nature. But to regain her former strength and form, she may have been tempted to help someone corrupt the Everything. The Void is powerful, even if it is unnatural. She may be helping the flow of the Void, but no, no. She did not create it.”

“Her scars,” Mary said to herself and WindRunner, thinking of the marks that marred the woman’s face. “Her scars are from the Void.”

“Yes,” Peregrina said. Her hearing must be excellent to perceive Mary over such a distance. “Yes. She has paid dearly in service to the Void.”

“You must help us,” Mary cried desperately. “Mikeala said you brought me out here to talk to me. Help me. I know you can.”

The giant Thoughtdragon swirled her body in the air in front of Mary. Small flames burst from her mouth when she laughed. Mary could feel their heat as they crackled in the air.

“Why would I help you? As I said, the greed of your people is what is causing LeeChee to die. It will grow dark and cold and fade, and me and my kind will visit it no more. And your land will suffer, Mary Jingo. As we have all suffered.”

“Please—you cannot let this happen.”

“How dare you!” Peregrina boomed. Her jaws opened wide. “How dare you accuse me of letting anything happen. It breaks my very being to know that LeeChee will fall into darkness and the Void, but I cannot intervene. Your People, you Shadowlanders, with your pride and your lack of imagination, your desperation for profit. You will kill LeeChee. I allowed you to follow me here because I wanted to see your face before I send you back to that darkened world of the Shadowlands. You don’t belong in LeeChee, Mary Jingo. You will only make things worse.”

Peregrina dove towards Mary and WindRunner, spinning her long body in the air and flapping her wings hard. WindRunner, always ready for attack, spun out of the way, as Mary gripped the handholds. She cast for Peregrina’s power, but found herself blocked from it.

WindRunner. She has shielded me. I cannot channel or control.

Sensing Mary’s fear, WindRunner burst through the air, the giant ‘dragon following swiftly behind. Peregrina was bigger, which WindRunner used to his advantage, banking and turning quickly through the air, making it hard for the Thoughtdragon to follow. Mary found herself dizzy and out of sorts, casting about for ideas. WindRunner blasted a mighty caw at the Thoughtdragon and watched as a jet of light shot from his beak and hit Peregrina squarely between the eyes. She roared angrily, then continued her wild pursuit.

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Stories have crept around the halls of Kelly Byrd’s mind since she was a little girl. Not even the combined will of her two loyal pups, her devoted husband, and all her house plants could keep her from putting this story into the world. You’ll find this happy crew in Nashville. Tennessee.

 

Website

Blog

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The New Enchantress by Sunayna Prasad (VBT, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

 

It is my pleasure to share a guest post by author Sunayna Prasad, who shares...

The Best Part About Writing Fantasy

by

Sunayna Prasad

The most enjoyable aspect of writing fantasy is the worldbuilding. I have had a lot of fun creating the enchanted world in my books. People have compared my novels to “Harry Potter” constantly, although a good number of elements differ from J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world. A big example is that wizards use magical technology that is far more advanced than the ordinary kinds.

I could go on with the magical world in my books. But, of course, that would be too much. I will give a little history of how my attraction to writing fantasy began.

As a child, I loved to imagine things constantly. After all, many little kids like to play make-believe as a way to express their imaginations.

I was no different. But I did imagine my own little fictional worlds numerous times. Of course, as a kid, I knew nothing about creating a compelling fantastical world.

But once I finished high school, I learned to study the writing craft, which took 7 years. I’m sure it will mature as I grow older. However, my current writing abilities can attract great overall ratings and reviews rather than just good or decent, which is how it when I was between 19 and 24.

Once I learned the writing craft, I discovered more tips and guidelines for creating fantasy stories. One of the tips I’ve learned was to avoid cliches. That is how I produced my own magical creatures in my book series.

A guideline I’ve learned is that magic must have limits in fantasy stories. Although the magic in my series has a lot of limits, a person who edited the first book when I updated it assumed that there were no limits to the wizardry since I merely talked about what was possible first. And this is when my MC is just starting to learn about the wizarding world.

Since that bugged me, I wrote to that editor long after, and stated the many limits of magic in the novel. The editor responded by saying that I didn’t have to mention all the limits up front, but that he or she (this site I used doesn’t give out the names or genders of the editors) appreciated me sharing them.

I am currently working on the 4^th installment of the “Magical Missions” series. I started in March of last year. However, it took a while to discover an exciting plot.

Once I started online grad school, I pushed the writing and outlining to the side. Even though I am taking a summer class, I still set aside time to write every day. But I’m doing it in a notebook to avoid distractions.

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The New Enchantress

by 

Sunayna Prasad

 

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GENRE: Middle Grade Fantasy

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BLURB:

 

Cursed by a sorcerer’s hex, Alyssa McCarthy finds herself in a fight she can’t afford to lose, or everything she knows will be lost!

 

After she finishes her final year of junior high, fourteen-year-old Alyssa faces an uncertain future in more ways than one when a sorcerer casts a hex that leaves her with involuntary magical powers that are too dangerous to remove.

 

Unable to control her newly gained abilities Alyssa’s end-of-middle-school sleepover ends in disaster when she knocks her friends unconscious when her powers go out of control. If Alyssa can’t learn to master her magic soon, she will be cursed to forget her loved ones and serve as the warlock’s slave for all of eternity.

 

Her only hope is to focus on controlling her emotions if she is to break the curse. However, the difficulties of adolescence, along with the perils and growing disasters she faces, make Alyssa struggle even more. From putting her friends’ lives at risk to losing their trust, she continues to fear what will become of her if she fails.

 

Will Alyssa be able to break the hex and become the enchantress that she was meant to be, or will she become enslaved to the sorcerer forever?

 

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EXCERPT

 

Alyssa played the video she’d made for the upcoming teen film festival. If she submitted it, she would earn five extra points to add to her 70 in math. That would allow her to drop the mandatory extra-help class for students with final scores less than a 75.

 

She watched the clip, experiencing watery eyes when she heard herself discussing losing her parents in a car crash when she was seven and other tragic events in her life. It concluded with how those times had shaped her into the person she was today, Friday, June 10th, 2011. She exported the project and would upload it to the festival’s site later. The deadline was not until Monday, 7 P.M. So, after this, she could focus on the end-of-middle-school sleepover that would happen today.

 

But the screen froze, and a small popup stated, “Cannot export file.”

 

“Huh?”

 

How could a two-month-old device encounter issues already? Alyssa had had to wait until her last birthday, in April, and needed to maintain good grades at school to get her own computer. She recalled what her godfather, Alex, had told her in February after her math substitute had informed him about her scores dropping. “Alyssa, if you don’t get your grades up in math, you might not earn that laptop.” He loved and cared for her like a daughter yet shared no blood relation to her family members. She’d lived with him since turning thirteen last year.

 

Her breathing caught at the popup—a new model should not have a virus already. But she told herself, I’m fourteen and am going to start high school this fall. I can fix this.

 

The computer turned itself off, closed itself, and crushed Alyssa’s fingers.

 

“Ow!” she cried.

 

The device slid off her lap and under her bed. She looked underneath it—without warning, dust blew onto her, covering her petite body.

 

She coughed as the soot settled. Then she brushed the dirt off her black shirt and its straps on her narrow shoulders, followed by her short shorts and skin. She shook bits out of her straight, pale-blonde hair, which fell a few inches below her hips.

 

She’d dealt with enough sorcery already, once last year in March and again this past fall. However, neither she nor anybody in her life possessed magic in their blood. From age eight until two springs ago, she’d believed that magic hadn’t existed.

 

She had interacted with a few magicians when dealing with supernatural situations that no one as young as she should have to experience.

 

She planned to find that idiot who just ruined her summer by stealing her laptop. A folded piece of paper appeared on her bed and seemed to include the word, laptop, so she read it.

 

Alyssa,

 

Your laptop is going to become a new brain-domination computer. The International Magic Control has disabled all the existing ones and has banned any magic from transforming enchanted technology into mind-managing devices. But your laptop is needed exclusively for my particular process.

Also, don’t remove your new magic powers. If you try, you might die.

 

Anonymous

 

The note vanished into thin air. Alyssa touched her forehead and breathed since wizardry shouldn’t work on standard technology. Possibilities advanced over time, but they still had numerous everlasting limits.

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Sunayna Prasad enjoys writing fantasy books for children, as well as cooking, creating artwork, watching online videos, and blogging. She has also written The Frights of Fiji and A Curse of Mayhem. She is passionate about modern-day life in fantasy stories, worldbuilding, and even humor. She is constantly brainstorming new ideas and using her creativity.

 

Sunayna graduated from college in 2017 and lives in New York.

 

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Amazon author page

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The Mermaid and the Unicorns by L.T. Getty (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

 

The Mermaid and the Unicorns

by

L.T. Getty

 

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GENRE: Middle Grade Fantasy Adventure

 

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BLURB:

 

Daphne’s a typical mermaid, and at least according to her, that’s a problem. She’s courageous and has a beautiful singing voice, but lacks the power of an elemental, the ability to command water with the sound of her voice. Jealous of her best friend, she makes a deal with a sea-witch, only to be betrayed, in place of her beautiful tail and flukes Daphne’s left beached with a pair of human legs. The spell keeping Daphne looking human will become permanent, unless Daphne can hunt down and bring the scheming Lorelei a unicorn horn before the next full moon.

 

Unable to reach her friends and family for help, Daphne doesn’t know how to walk, much less where to find a unicorn or how to catch one. Even if she’s successful, Daphne’s still not sure if she can trust Lorelei and her pint-sized kraken to keep their end of the bargain and let her return to the sea.

Goodreads 

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EXCERPT 

 Echor explored a small rocky cave before he chattered. I saw a fish I'd never seen before. He was orange and white!

           

"You'll see lots as you travel from place to place," Daphne told the small dolphin. "Come, your mother won't forgive me if I let you roam from the pod."

           

Why hurry? Echor asked as he swam, spinning around different plants and sponges that grew along the rocks, before focusing in on a vibrant snail. It was not a very old reef, though it was well inhabited by many vividly-colored, small fish. The young dolphin seemed to take pleasure in disturbing them and watching them scurry into their small hiding crevices and among the anemones. You're so lucky that you get to stay in your town all the time. This part of the sea is so beautiful!

           

"I think it would be neat to see so much of the ocean," Daphne said, thinking of her small town of Thranda. Unlike the dolphins, who often travelled long distances in a single day, most merfolk lived in towns unless they left their communities to hunt or travel to another community. She had known members of his family since she was a little mermaid, and only got to see them a few times a year when they passed through her home to feed in a nearby bay. She heard a series of warnings behind her—the other dolphins had detected something with their echolocation. Unless it was something exceptionally large, they should have been safe within the pod, but Echor was very young. "Echor, let's return to your family." The young dolphin had wandered off while Daphne had turned her head, chasing a seal that had left her bob, trying to swim away from Echor.

           

"Echor!" Daphne called, swimming after him. She caught up to him, then looked over her shoulder as she heard a familiar sound. An orca! Daphne suppressed a shudder. It was large, but far enough away for her to find a hiding space. Still, killer whales almost always travelled in groups. The killer whale dove when he spotted her. She knew the others would want to help, but they were no match for an orca. He swam quickly towards her and Echor. Daphne knew she would be hard pressed to out-swim the large creature.

           

Hide! the orca told her.

           

Daphne then saw the immense shadow and wooden keel of a ship following the orca. The killer whale dove deep, though the water was too clear and shallow to truly hide his massive form. A harpoon followed him, missed, and was quickly pulled back to the surface by a rope. Another harpoon plunged into the water, and then another. The rough waters churned green and grey in the ship's wake, and Echor's warning chatter only told her that there was another human vessel. It came from Daphne's left, and it dragged a net behind it.

The book is on sale for $.99 for a limited time (please check price before purchasing)

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

L.T. Getty is a rural paramedic from Manitoba. She enjoys writing science fiction and fantasy and generally being creative.

 

Author Links:

My Blog

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GIVEAWAY

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My review:

3.5 stars

 

“The Mermaid and the Unicorns” by L.T. Getty follows a young mermaid named Daphne who makes a terrible bargain that leads her into remarkable adventures with…gasp…humans. She learns that there are a lot of good and bad things about those who stay on land, while the humans she encounters discover that some of the things they’ve considered legends may not be made up after all.

 

This imaginative children’s story is full of magic and adventure. At first, I was a bit concerned that it was going to be a retelling of Ariel and Ursula’s interactions, but it picked up in intensity and managed to provide both teachable moments and entertainment with each subsequent adventure that Daphne experienced. I got a little lost occasionally, trying to remember all of the names of the characters, but subsequent events usually straightened things out. There were a few elements that I’m not quite sure about, but the story still kept my interest, and I think children will be delighted at the range of characters to cheer for and/or boo at.

 

A copy of this title was provided for review

Mrs. Murray's Home by Emily-Jane Hills Orford (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

Mrs. Murray's Home

by 
Emily-Jane Hills Orford

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GENRE:   Middle Grade Fantasy

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BLURB:

Home is where the heart is, or so they say. It’s also been said that a home is a person’s castle. But home is also with family and friends. Mrs. Murray longs for home, the family home, a castle an ocean away. The Brownies also crave for home, the same castle Mrs. Murray considers home. And Granny? Mary’s Granny hasn’t been home since she was Mary’s age. It’s time to visit the homeland, Scotland. Mary’s excited to tag along with Granny, Mrs. Murray and the Brownies. And then there’s the witch. The one they thought they’d killed. And the treasure. The one they had found. And it all ties together, for better or for worse. Join the adventure in book 3 of the popular “Piccadilly Street Series”.

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EXCERPT

Yes, she was going to Scotland. It was a dream of hers to visit Scotland, the land of Brownies and grand storytelling. Her Granny was born in Glasgow and spent her early years visiting family in Kinross and at Blair Castle, the home of the Murray clan chief. That’s where they were headed: Blair Castle. Granny was taking Mary and their collection of Brownies, and, of course, the ghost, across the ocean. They were flying. Mary’s first airplane ride. Mary’s first visit outside of Canada. Mary’s first visit overseas. A lot of firsts. It was all very exciting.

           

The Brownies weren’t convinced. Neither was Mrs. Murray. And she was the ghost. They all wanted to go. It was their home. Or, at least it had been their home a long time ago. But flying? That was unnatural. It went against the laws of physics. It went against the laws of their magical powers, too. It was one thing to conjure up a spell and become invisible, or to grow bigger like Brunny did the first time he met Mary. Scared her, too. But that was months ago and the two were now fast friends.

“I can’t go,” a voice sobbed from somewhere underneath the growing piles of unpacked clothes. It was Briddie. “I just can’t go. Flying? No! I can’t!”

“We must, Briddie.” Brunny appeared near the folded pyjamas, Mary’s favorite pink ones.

“There is so much we have to resolve. And I want to see our cousins and Pelly’s son. Perhaps they have grandchildren. I want to know. Don’t you? Don’t you want to connect with our family and friends?”

“Yes, Brunny. But flying?” She peaked out from underneath the pyjamas. “I can’t go inside a metal cavern and allow it to take off into the air, thousands of feet off the ground. Once inside, there’s no escape. We’ll be stuck. Inside. Forever.”

“Just eight hours,” Mary interrupted. “And it’s overnight, so we can sleep the whole time. We’ll be there first thing in the morning.”

“No! No! No! It was bad enough getting on that boat and floating out into the deep, blue ocean. But flying over it? No! I can’t! I just can’t.”

Mary stood there watching the exchange. It was actually a little comical. This couple were the bravest people she had ever met, considering all their past adventures. They really weren’t people, though. They were Brownies. Little people. They lived between the walls and underneath the floors. Magical little people who once called Scotland their home. And they were old. Extremely old. Mary wasn’t sure how old, but they all talked of things they did three and four hundred years ago.

Amazon

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

An avid gardener, artist, musician and writer, Emily-Jane Hills Orford has fond memories and lots of stories that evolved from a childhood growing up in a haunted Victorian mansion. Told she had a ‘vivid imagination’, the author used this talent to create stories in her head, allowing her imagination to lead her into a different world, one of her own making. As the author grew up, these stories, imaginings and fantasies took to the written form and, over the years, she developed a reputation for telling a good story. 

Emily-Jane can now boast that she is an award-winning author of several books, including Mrs. Murray’s Ghost: The Piccadilly Street Series Book 1 (Telltale Publishing 2018) which was named finalist in the 2019 N.N. Light Book Awards, Mrs. Murray’s Hidden Treasure: The Piccadilly Street Series Book 2 (Telltale Publishing 2019), Mrs. Murray’s Home: The Piccadilly Street Series Book 3 (Telltale Publishing 2020), Queen Mary’s Daughter (Clean Reads 2018) which won the 2019 N.N. Light Book Awards, King Henry’s Choice (Clean Reads 2019), and several other books. A retired teacher of music and creative writing, she writes about the extra-ordinary in life and the fantasies of dreams combined with memories. For more information on the author, check out her website.

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My review:

3.75 out of 5 stars

Mrs. Murray’s Home by Emily-Jane Hills Orford is part of ‘The Picadilly Street’ series and continues the story of young Mary, who is traveling with her grandmother to Scotland. Travelling with her Granny, their Brownies, and Mrs. Murray, their family ghost, they visit the family home, Blair Castle. Unfortunately, the reunion is not going to be the happy homecoming they anticipate, because things are not the way they should be, and who knows what it will take to find a way for them to join forces.

This children’s fantasy story features a brave young girl who has learned to accept fantastical creatures and surprisingly helpful ghosts. It’s possible to read this as a stand-alone but I think it would probably be better to have read one or two of the previous stories, so that one is more familiar with the Brownies, Mrs. Murray the ghost, and their intricate relationship with Mary and the rest of her family.

The airplane trip from Canada to Scotland is a novel experience for everyone, but the Brownies are very amusing (and not worried enough about discovery, lol) travelers. There are plenty of Gaelic names that Mary has evidently become adept at pronouncing, despite her fondness for using nicknames instead. Things are a little confusing for me, since the Brownies have their own hierarchical struggles going on, but evidently no contact with their relatives across the sea. There are magic and spells and multiplicities of Mrs. Murray ghosts, and intervention by someone who I don’t understand remaining in the background for so long if that kind of power was available.

This is a fun imaginative story that blends folklore, magic, and ghosts. There are occasional odd shifts in points of view for those who are concerned with such, and I’m bemused at the thought of getting into a car with someone who has no idea how to drive yet is being taught on the fly, lol, but there are plenty of entertaining elements and I am sure Mary will continue to have more exciting adventures with her unusual friends and companions.

A copy was provided for review