I Read, Therefore I Blog

The Blurb On The Back:

A mysterious key unlocks a perilous adventure …

Face-changer Ista Flit has saved the magical town of Shelwich but her Pa is still missing.

His trail leads Ista to the Marsh Court, where a beautiful queen tricks runway humans into joining her endless revels.

The only way to rescue Pa is to venture inside, but as the Tide rises, so too does the Marsh Queen’s power. Can Ista, Nat and Ruby use their own magical Tide-blessings to outwit her, or will they all be lost forever … ?

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The Verdict:

The second in Clare Harlow’s fantasy trilogy for readers aged 9+ (featuring Kristina Kister’s evocative illustrations) is a clever and gripping adventure about friendship and family set against the sinister Marsh Queen’s court. Ista remains interesting and resourceful and although I wish that there had been more between her, Nat and Ruby, the friendship that develops with Tamlin is believable. I am very much looking forward to the final book.

TIDE MAGIC: ISTA FLIT AND THE IMPOSSIBLE KEY was released in the United Kingdom on 1 May 2025. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

I’m Harper Drew and my life is completely beyond normal!

Current evidence:

1. My brother Troy … has a skateboarding vlog. But only owns half a skateboard.

2. My uncle Paul … has a diamond toe ring and is apparently a Hollywood movie producer. But no one has ever seen a film he’s made.

3. My dad … has just crashed the school minibus in front of a police officer.

And that’s before I even got started on my mum, my baby brother (the Prune) or the llamas on our disastrous family holiday …

Does anyone else have this much drama in their life?

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The Verdict:

Kathy Weeks’s debut humorous novel for readers aged 9+ (the first in a trilogy) has a good narrative voice and builds its funny scenes well while Aleksei Bitskoff’s energetic illustrations bring out the absurdity of Harper’s family and the situations that she finds herself in. My biggest criticism is that the family’s attitude to arriving on time for things triggered my anxiety and I would have liked a bit more normality to make it feel grounded.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

On the misty streets of Shelwich, a strange magic rises and falls with the Tide …

When the waves are out, the magic is only a murmur, but when the water is high, anything can happen - and people have started to disappear. Rumour has it they are being snatched by monsters, but Ista Flit doesn’t want to believe that. Not when her own father is among the missing.

And Ista is a face-changer, able to take on the appearance of anyone she’s seen, making her the perfect detective. Teaming up with unexpected allies Nat and Ruby, who have both lost family too, Ista must delve into the hidden caverns beneath Shelwich to find her father before it’s too late …

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The Verdict:

Clare Harlow’s debut fantasy novel for readers aged 9+ (the first in a series and beautifully illustrated by James Mountford) is a vividly imagined, enjoyable story with solid characterisation, a great sense of place and an interesting plot. Itsa is a well drawn and driven protagonist uncomfortable with having to trust Nat and Ruby. The fantasy elements are thought-through and the cliff hanger ending ensures I’ll read the sequel.

TIDEMAGIC: THE MANY FACES OF ISTA FLIT was released in the United Kingdom on 11 February 2025. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Discover …

100 inspiring and extraordinary jobs

Why not become a cat behaviourist?

Or a rollercoaster engineer?

How about a coral reef gardener?

Find out what’s involved in these incredible careers and meet the real people who followed their dreams and are doing these jobs today.

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The Verdict:

Katherine Mengardon is an education expert on neurodiversity, play and creativity and the author of several non-fiction books. This useful book for readers aged 9+ suggests 100 jobs grouped around whether they are interested in: animals, art, maths, the environment, music, gadgets, performance, sports, fashion and writing. I enjoyed the interviews with some people who do these jobs but would have liked more information on education requirements.

FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS was released in the United Kingdom on 28th March 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

If you’ve ever wanted to know how to find your creative style and build your brand but didn’t know who to ask, full-time artist Aurélia Durand’s got you covered!

Inside, discover Aurélia’s path from art school student to internationally recognised artist, inspired by questions she is regularly asked, Aurélia shares how she did it, the lessons she and her artist friends have learned along the way, and how you an start your creative journey.

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The Verdict:

Aurélia Durand is an illustrator and artist. She draws on her own career in this book for readers aged 12+ to provide guidance on how to start and sustain a creative career, including looking at how to get inspiration and how to build a brand. Although Durand’s autobiographical sections are too bland and lacking in detail to be useful, she is strong on branding and self-promotion and I liked how she focused on the business part of creativity.

YOU ARE AN ARTIST was released in the United Kingdom on 18th January 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Queerness is everywhere.
It always has been, and it always will be.

Queer people have been finding ways to fly their flags for centuries. Only problem is, it hasn’t always been from the rooftops for everyone to see.

Queerbook is here to help you discover the bits of gay culture you never knew you’d missed. It’s here to tell forgotten LGBTQ+ stories. It’s here to set you straight (ahem) on the LGBTQ+ terms you’ve seen lying around but might not have pinned down yet. It’s here to lead you through the magical portals of queer film, books, music, art and much, much more.

Wherever you are on your journey of discovery, this book is for you.

Are you ready?
Queer we go …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Malcolm Mackenzie is an award-winning author, editor and journalist. This entertaining and informative YA book is a good summary of LGBTQ+ history and culture with lively illustrations by Emily A Foster. Despite being broad in scope there’s inevitably a personal element to the choices here and I wondered if there could have been more contemporary LGBTQ+ people/culture but it’s still a great introduction for any teens interested in queer culture.

QUEERBOOK was released in the United Kingdom on 1st February 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Little Experts is an unmissable non-fiction series that will empower and inspire a new generation of experts.

Get designing and building with architect and TV presenter George Clarke. From marvellous materials to future technology - discover the stories behind our homes.

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The Verdict:

George Clarke is an architect, writer and TV presenter. This book for readers aged 6+ (part of the LITTLE EXPERTS series and strongly illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng) is intended to inspire young readers to become architects, builders and designers of the future but despite Clarke’s enthusiasm for the subject, the book lacks focus, darting between different subjects like materials, sustainability and 3D printing.

LITTLE EXPERTS - HOW TO BUILD A HOME was released in the United Kingdom on 1st February 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Welcome to the unpredictable world of the Maliks!

Maysa and Musa Malik are twins who are TOTAL OPPOSITES. But when their cookies for a baking competition at the mosque are destroyed, can they become an UNSTOPPABLE DETECTIVE TEAM?

Look out for:
- a floor made of LAVA
- An arch-nemesis called SLIME-AH
- Detective Inspector Norman a.k.a Musa’s best friend
- And a VERY big, out-of-control spiralling LIE …*

* Did we mention that Maysa can be a bit of a drama monster?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Zanib Mian’s new mystery for readers aged 7+ (illustrated by Kyan Cheng) features fun protagonists and Maysa’s insecurity that Musa has other friends than her is well done. I also enjoyed how their Muslim identity is central to the story, as it’s a great way of learning about their faith but as the first in a series this needed more telling to establish backstory (especially Maysa’s antagonism with Slime-ah) and the mystery itself is a limp.

MEET THE MALIKS TWIN DETECTIVES - THE COOKIE CULPRIT was released in the United Kingdom on 31st August 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Meet … Sunshine Simpson

Sunshine’s larger-than-life Grandad is always telling her to get out and find her own adventures, but unfortunately BAD LUCK has a habit of coming her way.

Her new friend Evie is fast becoming a FRENEMY, her home haircut is a DISASTER, and the school showcase is so STRESSFUL! Everything seems to be going wrong! Especially with Granddad getting older every week.

Sunshine needs to find her voice, but can she break through the clouds to stand tall, stand proud and show the world she can SHINE?

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The Verdict:

G. M. Linton’s debut novel for readers aged 9+ (illustrated by Fuuji Takashi and Emily Bornoff and the first in a series) is a sensitively written book about learning who you are and what’s important to you while also dealing with the difficult topic of illness, death and grief. I particularly enjoyed the emphasis on Sunshine’s Jamaican heritage and her and her family’s pride in their identity and I look forward to reading more of her adventures.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Unequal Planet

If everyone on Earth was equal, we would all have the same standards of living, opportunities, wealth, health and other factors that make our lives different. But this isn’t the case, the world is not an equal place and many people experience great inequality in their lives.

UNEQUAL PLANET looks at the reasons behind global inequality - from where people are born, to their income, to the impacts of climate change, and suggests some positive, practical solutions to this complex and challenging issue. It also explores what we can all do to help make the world a more equal and better place.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Anna Claybourne is an experienced writer of non-fiction for children. This is a solidly written book for readers aged 9+ that’s part of a series about issues related to the planet and explains what inequality is and how it can come about. Claybourne breaks down complicated ideas in an unpatronising way, but while it generally gets the balance right there are times when it’s a little over-simplified and too broad.

UNEQUAL PLANET was released in the United Kingdom on 10th August 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.