Author: Kim

Book cover for review: image shows a grand old manor house with a red front door and long windows. The windows directly above the door are lit up, while one on the bottom right is boarded up. The manor is surrounded by snow, and a line of shadowy tress stands behind it. Above the manor rises a full moon in a starry sky. This is all flanked by two leafless trees, one on each side, close to the viewer. In the branch of the left tree lies a white squirrel. Across the snow in front of the house is the title "The Secret of Helmersbruk Manor", and underneath the subtitle "A Christmas Mystery".
Book Reviews

The Secret of Helmersbruk Manor: A Christmas Mystery | Review

Kim

Written by Eva Frantz, illustrated by Elin Sandström (pub. Pushkin Press, 2023)

‘It’s her!’

The white thing disappeared too quickly for Flora to see what it was, but for a few horrible moments she thought she had seen a pale face peering in at her and whispering.

But the room was on the first floor, so surely no one could be peeking in up there?

Flora lingered in the doorway, dead still.

Did she dare go over to the window and look?

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Book cover for review: image shows a young girl dressed in furs and wearing a deer skull on her head, carrying a bow. She has one hand on a large white reindeer walking beside her. It has packed bags strapped to it. They're walking through the snow in a dark forest. The title "Fia and the Last Snow Deer" is inscribed in gold above them.
Book Reviews

Fia and the Last Snow Deer | Book Review

Kim

Written by Eilish Fisher, illustrated by Dermot Flynn (pub. Puffin Books, 2024)

Suddenly I know what I have to do
to keep Solas safe.
The prophecy says the sacrifice must be given
freely,
              gladly,
                             with hope.
Nothing about
blood                  sadness              despair.

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Book cover for review shows a young boy in a shabby black suit standing amongst a crowd of people against a light blue background. The people are silhouetted in blue, green, and white, with no facial details, causing the boy to stand out. Above is the title 'The Boy in the Suit' in large letters.
Book Reviews

The Boy in the Suit | Book Review

Kim

By James Fox (Scholastic, 2024)

I pulled again on Morag’s wrist, so hard I felt my veins popping out of my forehead. Why couldn’t they just let her go? I wished Morag and I had the power to turn invisible. I wanted us to run away and forget all about this stupid funeral.

That’s when the camera flashed. Bright white, right in our faces. “Oh dear,” a man’s voice sneered. It was the newspaper photographer from earlier. “What’s going on here, then?”

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Book cover for review shows a dark-haired girl with her hood up and wearing a dark green cloak riding a pale horse. Behind her sits another young girl with long blond curls and a red cape flowing behind them. She's looking back over her shoulder, with her arms clasped around the girl in front. The background is green with floating leaves, the title 'Not for the Faint of Heart' written above them in gold.
Book Reviews

Not for the Faint of Heart | Young Adult Book Review

Kim

By Lex Croucher (Bloomsbury, 2024)

‘It wasn’t meant to be violent,’ Mariel said reluctantly.
‘What?’
‘The kidnapping,’ Mariel snapped. ‘I may have been overzealous with my instructions. It was just meant to be…fast.’
‘Ah, yes. A nice clean abduction, with proper attention paid to the procedures.’
‘Stop being so dramatic. You’re just on loan.’
‘You shouldn’t kidnap innocent people, Captain,’ Clem said sharply. ‘People might get the wrong idea about you and your merry mates.’

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Book cover for review shows a stream flowing through a green forest, the trees dappled with gold. Along the bank three children walk, their aims outstretched for balance. In the middle, over the stream between the trees on either bank, the title 'The Worlds We Leave Behind' is picked out in gold.
Book Reviews

The Worlds We Leave Behind | Book Review

Kim

Written by A. F. Harrold and illustrated by Levi Pinfold (pub. Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2024)

And only now did he really wonder at the oddness of everything.
Only now?
This woman who spoke so strangely.
This cottage in a clearing that couldn’t possibly fit in the woods he knew.
The rain that was drumming on the windows from heavy dark clouds that hadn’t been there twenty minutes earlier.
Oddness held the door open for fear to step in.
‘I think I’d best get going,’ he said.

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Book cover for review shows a girl standing in a room as the wall in front of her explodes into pixelated darkness, with the title 'The Last Life of Lori Mills' in multicoloured print in the centre.
Book Reviews

The Last Life of Lori Mills | Book Review

Kim

By Max Boucherat (pub. HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2024)

I am sure, I am certain, I am one million per cent certain: the last time I played, that door wasn’t there. I would have noticed it. ANY player would notice if their bedroom door randomly appeared in Voxminer.

And it IS my bedroom door.

Not RoaryCat11’s bedroom door from her castle in Kittentopia, but a perfect copy of my actual door in actual real life.

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Nine Night Mystery book cover for review
Book Reviews

The Nine Night Mystery | Book Review

Kim

By Sharna Jackson (pub. Puffin Books, 2024)

I’m at our neighbour Rachel’s house in her room. I just dropped a paintbrush she asked me for on her floor, and she didn’t do or say anything when it rolled under the bed.

Not because she’s asleep or lazy.

But because she’s dead.

Rachel Kohl. Dead in her bed.

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Bringing Back Kay-Kay / The Tree That Sang to Me book covers for double review
Book Reviews

Bringing Back Kay-Kay / The Tree That Sang to Me | Double Review

Kim

This month’s review brings together two books that have a similar theme: both are from the perspective of a younger sibling dealing with an older sibling who is missing from their life, though the circumstances around it, and how they deal with it, are approached very differently.

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The Shadow Order book cover for review
Book Reviews

The Shadow Order | Book Review

Kim

By Rebecca F. John (pub. Firefly Press, 2022)

Throwing out her arms and tossing back her head, she shouts again. ‘I know what happened! If anyone can hear me, listen carefully. It’s a game. It’s the Unified Government’s game. They’re playing with our lives. They shifted the shadows. I can prove it. I can prove it and they’ll kill me for it. Listen!’ Her voice catches as she strains to bellow as loudly as possible. Effie feels an ache in her own throat, imagining the woman’s vocal chords stretching and snapping. ‘LISTEN! Find the orrery!’

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