Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, iBooks, TBD
The captivating and heart-pounding sequel to the New York Times bestselling and #1 Kids’ Indie Next Pick Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow, as heroine Morrigan battles a new evil.
Morrigan Crow and her best friend Hawthorne Swift are now proud scholars in the elite Wundrous Society, but life is far from perfect. Does Morrigan have what it takes to prove that she belongs in the Society?
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow was an instant New York Times bestseller, an IndieBound bestseller and a #1 Indies Introduce Pick, with movie rights sold to Fox.
Now, onto the review!
You. Guys. Hopefully, you all remember how much of a fan I am of Nevermoor (featured here, here, and here, amongst several other posts by me). I am so so excited to be a part of this tour; Wundersmith was one of my most anticipated releases of this year! Basically, Jessica writes the books I needed when I was twelve–and that I still need now.
Much in the style of Diana Wynne Jones (the queen of this style) Jessica manages to teach young readers incredibly complex and important lessons, whilst still creating interesting and vivid worlds full of magic and intrigue. There are few things like it currently on the shelves for young readers, seriously.
Wundersmith continues after the events of Nevermoor, with young Morrigan having just made her way into the elite school of The Wundrous Society. However, having discovered that she is a rare, and feared, kind of special, Morrigan is finding herself estranged from her peers and teachers; she is discriminated against for being purely herself (aka–a wonderfully complex lesson being taught under the guise of a simple fantasy novel for children…aka–my favorite kind of literature).
Sadly, Morrigan is not unfamiliar with this kind of treatment, having grown up in a town where everyone, including Morrigan herself, believed she was nothing but a token of bad luck, destined to have a tragic end. Thankfully, we see Morrigan has had character development in this area, as she starts to realize (however contrary to the general public’s opinion of her) that her ancestors, or even her previous actions, do not dictate what kind of person she is/will be, nor does it mean other people can treat her as lesser than.
Now, yeah, this does sound like kind of heavy materials for a book whose MC is a mere twelve years old. However, Jessica simultaneously paints the most incredibly magical world, one that honestly more than rivals Harry Potter‘s in my opinion. The books are full of references to mythology as well as completely original and fascinating creatures. I mean, who wouldn’t want a Magnificat? I will forever choose to believe my cat is a Magnificat, if even just as an excuse for why I talk to her so much…haha anyways, back to the point at hand.
Jessica has a style that adds just enough of a gothic flare to everything in the story, that it sparks tea cravings and a desire to wander foggy moors in all black attire. This is balanced well with a sharp sense of humor and wit in every character, especially our MC, Morrigan. The general style reminds me quite a lot of The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place (with a gothic twist and some super epic magic thrown in there for flare).
Basically, Wundersmith was everything I needed and more. It’s the kind of book that keeps you up reading all night, and you’ll look for magic in your day to day life for weeks after. I cannot recommend it enough.
5 out of 5.
Maddie
(PS–This blog stop falls almost exactly a year after I met Jessica at a book festival! If you ever have the chance, make sure to attend one of her signings. She was incredibly sweet, and a joy to talk with! Check out the blurb below to get to know her a bit!)
About Jessica:
Jessica Townsend lives on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Her pet fascinations include public transport, ancient cities, hotels, opera singers, Halloween, secret societies and gigantic cats – all of which have weaselled their way into Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow, her award-winning first novel released in 2017. Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow, the second book in this record-breaking series, will be released in 2018.
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow was the biggest-selling Australian children’s debut since records began. It has won the 2018 ABIA for Book of the Year, Book of the Year for Younger Readers and Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year; the 2018 Indie Book Awards Book of the Year and Children’s Category; the 2017 Aurealis Award for Best Children’s Fiction; the 2018 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for Younger Fiction and was named a CBCA notable book.
Giveaway Details:
3 Winners will receive a finished copy of WUNDERSMITH: THE CALLING OF MORRIGAN CROW, US Only.
Rafflecopter Link:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba2843/?
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
11/12/2018- Between the Pages– Review
11/13/2018- To Be Read– Review
11/14/2018- Maddie.TV– Review
11/15/2018- The Pages In-Between– Review
11/16/2018- Bri’s Book Nook– Review
Week Two:
11/19/2018- Do You Dog-ear?– Review
11/20/2018- Jump Into Books– Review
11/21/2018- Two points of interest– Review
11/22/2018- The Reading Corner for All– Review
11/23/2018- Adventures Thru Wonderland– Review