Kittiwake Stormhaven and the Pirate's Portolano by Victoria Williamson

I think this might be my favourite of Victoria's books so far. It's definitely the most fun with high speed chases on the ocean, hideaways in an old astronomy tower, giant food cooked by the quirkiest chef I've ever heard of and an extremely mischievous monkey.

This is a wonderfully intriguing world of huge city ships and pirate vessels, on a globe completely covered by the sea. Though it does make me wonder if this could be in our future!

Kitti spends her days getting into trouble with her monkey Caboodle and best friend (and stowaway) Scally. But all she really wants is her family back, which seems alternately impossible and just in reach. She is constantly trying to find out what happened to her sister, and her father who went in search.

There is a very satisfying ending, but it is definitely seems open for a sequel. I'm hoping it will be soon!

Book Summary

A daring mission, a sister turned pirate and a sea full of secrets…

In a world of water where land is a legend, 11-year-old Kittiwake Stormhaven dreams of adventure aboard the Amazon Princess. When a vital mission takes the ship into dangerous waters, Kittiwake discovers shocking news - her long-lost sister, Petrel, is now a feared pirate queen.

Kittiwake must outsmart pirates, outmanoeuvre storms and face ghostly captains to save her ship, her mischievous monkey Caboodle and her friends. But in a high-stakes showdown, family loyalty collides with survival, and Kittiwake learns the ocean hides more secrets than she ever imagined.

Kittiwake Stormhaven is a fast-paced, sea-swept adventure filled with daring rescues, thrilling discoveries and the magic of friendship.

Author Bio

Victoria Williamson is an award-winning author from Glasgow, Scotland, who loved reading books and writing adventure stories from an early age. After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real-life adventures, which included teaching maths and science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with additional support needs in the UK.

Her previous novels include The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, The Boy with the Butterfly Mind, Hag Storm, War of the Wind, The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams, Norah’s Ark, The Whistlers in the Dark, Feast of Ashes, and Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs. Her books have won the RED Book Award 2024, YA-aldi Glasgow Secondary School Libraries Book Award 2023 and the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award 2020/2021, and have been short-listed and long-listed for numerous other awards. War of the Wind and Norah’s Ark were also both nominated for the 2024 Yoto Carnegie Medals.

Victoria writes and edits Key Stage 2 books for the education company Twinkl. She spends the rest of her time writing novels and visiting schools, libraries and literary festivals to give author talks and run creative writing workshops. Her latest novel, Kittiwake Stormhaven and the Pirate’s Portolano, channels her love of pirates and swashbuckling adventure to create a steampunk world set on the seven seas, and is illustrated by the very talented James Brown.

You can find out more about Victoria’s books, school visits and free resources for schools on her website

I made The Perfect Storm cocktail to go with this book. Fill a glass with ice, add 60ml of spiced rum and a squeeze of lime juice, then top up with ginger beer.

Check out my posts on some of Victoria's previous books:

Eerie Exhibits

Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs

Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams

War of the Wind

The Entrepreneur's Almanack by Robin Bennett

Robin Bennett doesn't fail to amuse. While there weren't as many laughs as in The Good Snooze Guide of Great Britain, he's still managed to turn even a business book into something humorous and light. This time he's telling the story of his success, via quite a few setbacks and leaps of faith.

I particularly liked all the vitally useful dates for businesses such as 6th Feb National Work Naked Day, 9th June Donald Duck Day and 5th December International Ninja Day. I also now have my new favourite word - dipsomaniac 🍸 

Book Summary

This third in a series of short yearbooks celebrates the underrated art of entrepreneurship and a key aspect of the same: namely, success in business has more to do with intangibles than we care to admit.

The guesswork and the gut, divine providence, even dumb luck are all players and should be welcomed round the table, not ignored at the fringes.

The Entrepreneur’s Almanack is the cosmic crutch you never knew you needed in business, but shouldn’t be without.

Author Bio 

When Robin grew up he thought he wanted to be a cavalry officer until everyone else realised that putting him in charge of a tank was a very bad idea. He then became an assistant gravedigger in London. After that he had a career frantically starting businesses (everything from dog-sitting to cigars, tuition to translation)… until finally settling down to write improbable stories to keep his children from killing each other on long car journeys. Robin writes business books for adults, too.

I found the perfect cocktail for this book, the Bennett Cocktail! Who knew the author had his own cocktail 😁 45ml gin, 15ml lemon juice, 15ml sugar syrup and 2 dashes of orange bitters. Just shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

 David Barker Author Interview

PAX and the Secret Swarm

Today I have a very special post. As part of the blog tour for the third book in the Pax trilogy, I have a Q&A with David Barker himself! Read on for a bit about the book, and David's fascinating answers. Also check out my posts on the previous 2 books of the series: 

PAX and the Missing Head

PAX and the Forgotten Pincher

Book Summary

As New London edges closer to war, Pax must decide what he is prepared to sacrifice to achieve the impossible – a united kingdom.

Pax and his friends head back to Scholastic Parliament for their third and final year, their focus shifting to their plans for the future. Meanwhile, the mayor’s renewed plans in his fight against the Countryside Alliance demand even greater sacrifices from the citizens of New London.

Stumbling upon secrets that could change the fate of New London forever, Pax finds himself at the centre of a conspiracy that threatens him, his friends, and everyone in the city. Can he bear to risk everything he holds dear for the thing he’s always wanted?

A high-stakes sci-fi thriller set in a fractured, futuristic London.

Interview

Where did you get your original inspiration for the character of Pax?

I think I came up with the idea for an isolated London and British civil war back when the Brexit vote was recent news and when Trump was threatening to build a giant wall on the border with Mexico. Then followed the idea of turning the Houses of Parliament (one of my all-time favourite buildings!) into a school. And that’s when the image of a young boy sneaking around at night with a tiny robot companion sprang to mind. Pax.

Did you have the plot for the whole trilogy set out from the start or did your characters surprise you by doing something you weren't expecting?

I had a very firm grasp of the plot to book one from the off and I knew the broad outlines of the plot for the other two books in the series. But there have certainly been some surprises along the way – including the mayor’s daughter, Megan’s role in the books and many of the sub-plots such as the Graphene Hawks. I’m being a bit vague on purpose to avoid spoilers.

It seems the environment and sustainability is a strong theme, with the vertical farms etc. Are you hoping readers will come away with a sense of wanting to help avoid this kind of future coming true?

For sure there are elements of climate change hinted at throughout the books, and even more so in my Gaia trilogy of thrillers setting during a world war for water. Of course, the whole idea of recycling old bits of tech equipment is an important part of Pax’s back story. I find it hard to write stories set in the future without incorporating these elements in them. I hope it helps readers to think about these issues without getting in the way of the story. If it manages to persuade a few people to change their habits for the better, that would be marvellous.

Please tell us about your next book or books.

I’ve just signed a two-book deal with Tiny Tree for a couple of standalone adventures. The first is a sci-fi story, based loosely on a retelling of Oliver Twist, set in a city on the Moon. It has the same dystopian feel as Pax, but with a very different setting and a very different set of problems for the hero to overcome. There will be heists and jet-pack races! The second story is a fantasy set on a planet where one half is permanently in daylight and the other is night. A young girl has to flee into darkness when her village is attacked. Guided by a strange glowing boy she has to find a mythical artefact that holds the key to rescuing her family. Think Noughts and Crosses with dragons.

And finally, what is your favourite cocktail?

I don’t drink cocktails often (sorry!) but one we’ve enjoyed recently is a Limoncello Spritz: 2 parts Limoncello, 3 parts Prosecco, 1 part soda water poured over ice. Delicious!

That Limoncello Spritz does sound delicious. And I love that Megan's character took on a life of it's own! My thanks for David for his great answers and I'm sure we're all looking forward to reading his new books when they are released. Hopefully we won't have to wait too long.

Gargoyles series by Tamsin Mori

I devoured these two books back to back. I loved the first and was very happy to have the second ready and waiting! Callen's journey is no easy one and he faces many set backs in his attempts to be a guardian, but he's so determined to prove himself. I loved the friendships he built up with the other kids and was intrigued by all the secrets his father had kept from him. 

Read on for a bit more about the books, plus a Gargoyle cocktail.

Guardians of the Source

A crumbling mansion 

A magical source 

A living gargoyle 

Callen's Dad has always been secretive of his past but when the family have to move into his childhood home, the last thing Callen expects is a boarded-up mansion covered in gargoyles. It's enormous, the doors are nailed shut, the gardens are overgrown... and long-forgotten magic is returning. When a disgruntled gargoyle wakes up in his presence, Callen must befriend Zariel and earn her trust before it's too late. A dark threat is growing in the shadows and only a Gargoyle Guardian can stop it. 

"Magic is neither good, nor bad - it simply multiplies the dreams you feed it. Be careful what you wish for..."

The Watcher

An inexperienced Guardian. A missing kelpie. A growing threat. Callen may have befriended a gargoyle, but he's yet to complete his training. When Oculus discover that Callen has been made a Guardian, they send a Watcher to assess his skills. Callen knows that if he fails, he risks losing both his gargoyle and his new home. But satisfying the Watcher is the least of his worries. With ghasts on the prowl, a missing kelpie to find, and blighted magic spreading beyond Gargoyles Rest, Callen's friendships, his courage, and his ingenuity will all be put to the test.

The Gargoyle No2 cocktail is an appropriate choice (though I have no idea what happened to the No1 version-maybe the watcher didn't approve!) Scrape the fruit of a passionfruit into a shaker and add 30ml gin and 30ml vodka. Add a dash of sugar syrup and ice. Shake and strain into a glass.

Everything Amplified by Sarah Lippett & Ziggy Hanaor

Book Summary

Sometimes everything feels heavy and uncomfortable. My body, my family, my life… And the only thing that releases that weight is music…

Nel is 15 years old and life is a grind. GCSEs are exhausting, social pressures are relentless and parents and teachers are oblivious. Somehow Ludo, Nel’s handsome twin brother, seems untouched by it all, gliding effortlessly through life’s complications with a confidence and arrogance that only illuminates Nel’s insecurities. Her best friend, Kit and her playlist are pretty much the only things she’s got going for her right now.

When Ludo joins a band and Kit starts going out with the guitarist, it feels like even the tiny space Nel has carved out for herself is in peril.

But nothing is forever, and teenage life can turn on a dime. When Nel finds herself taking Ludo’s place in the band, she has to work out whether life outside the shadows is all it’s cracked up to be. Sometimes you need to follow the music to find your way back to yourself.

At the start, I found it quite heartbreaking to see how Nelly's family and the other schoolkids treat her. Thank goodness for the kindred spirit in her aunt, it was great to see their relationship giving her a bit of a lifeline.

I couldn't really see why they all gave her so much of a hard time just because she tried to do something with her life and though it was ultimately positive and hopeful, Nelly let her brother off far too easily!

I liked the simple style of the illustrations, with just a couple of colours so it wasn't too extreme. The characters expressions were spot on, particularly Nelly's frustration!

I found this adaptation of an Aperol Spritz and liked it even more than the original. To make an Aperol Spritz Amplified, take a large wine glass and fill with ice. Add 2 parts prosecco, 2 parts Aperol and 1 part blood orange soda. Personally I prefer slightly lower portion of Aperol so you can try with 1.5 parts and add a little extra prosecco.