Josie James & The Velvet Knife – Lily Mae Walters

It’s time to return to Suncroft for my second review of the day, Josie James & The Velvet Knife by Lily May Walters. My thanks to Lily Mae and to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of today’s blog blitz, and for providing me with a copy of both this book, and The Teardrops of Summer.

BLURB:

“For you to find the Velvet Knife, you must solve the riddles thrice.” A mysterious hooded figure, known only as the Velvet Knife has appeared in the cursed village of Suncroft. No one knows who he is or what he wants but when he starts leaving riddles around the village, it is time for Josie to return to Suncroft for a second time.

With Asher, her faithful husky Protector by her side, Filan, a half elf, and her great grandad, will they be able to solve the clues in time and discover his identity? The Velvet Knife is not the only one causing problems for Josie. Her rival for the position of the ‘Chosen One’ continues to grow stronger, and now he has a Protector of his own.

What does all this mean for Josie? Is she destined to lift the wintery curse of Suncroft or will another take her place as the ‘Chosen One’?

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

REVIEW:

The Velvet Knife sees the return of Josie to her great-grandmother’s beautiful cottage for a few weeks of the summer holidays. Although this is book two of the series, Lily Mae Walters has created a clever way of recapping enough of book one for this to work as a standalone, as Josie slowly recovers her hidden memories of the previous summer.

Whilst the mysterious Velvet Knife seems to present a new threat to the harmonious lives of the Suncroft villagers, the strange curse of eternal winter still engulfs the village, with the mystery of Josie’s true identity, and Asher’s purpose as her Protector, continuing throughout the book.

Conclusions I had reached during The Teardrops of Summer were turned on their heads in this book, as characters I thought could be trusted turned out to maybe have another side. Other characters , such as the Dream Maker, who I had distrusted at first sight, just became more sinister the more I read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel as we delved more deeply into the secrets of Suncroft, and started to see more ways that Josie’s life as The Chosen One was starting to leak into her other life as an ordinary teenager. I am very much looking forward to reading the next book and I am hoping I won’t have to wait too long!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lily Mae Walters chose her pen name in honour of her beloved grandparents who also stare in the Josie James series.

She is married with two teenage children, and two huskies that are the inspiration behind Murphy and Asher in the books.

Lily Mae lives in Nuneaton, England and finds herself using local  places and even her old school in her stories.

Family and friends mean the world to Lily Mae and many will find themselves popping up throughout the series.

Lily Mae also writes for adults under the name of Florence Keeling.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Josie James & The Teardrops of Summer – Lily Mae Walters

In the first of a double bill of reviews today, here are my thoughts on Josie James & The Teardrops of Summer, the first book in the Josie James series by Lily Mae Walters.

BLURB:

Josie James is an ordinary 13 year old until something extraordinary happens during her summer holidays.Whilst staying at her Great Grandmother’s cottage in the country she finds herself swept into the cursed world of Suncroft where it is perpetual winter.Her new friends believe she could be the Chosen One who it is foretold will lift the curse, but there are more pressing matters.The Teardrops of Summer – magical crystals that render the owner immortal – have been stolen. Along with her telepathic husky-dog Protector Asher and her new friends, Josie must race to find the Teardrops and prevent catastrophe for their world.

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

REVIEW:

As I read this book, with Josie’s idyllic life and her great-grandmother’s quintessential English country cottage with it’s hidden gate, I was swept away on a wave of nostalgia. This book evokes similar feelings that I remember from reading The Chronicles of Narnia and The Secret Garden as a child. There is just something so magical about it, even before Josie finds her way to Suncroft.

Despite their situation, living in a world of endless winter, and perpetual night, the people of Suncroft seem much more content with their lives than those of us in the real world. The simple lives they lead away from the stresses and strains of modern life and technology felt deeply appealing as I read this book during the current pandemic situation. Everything about Suncroft was the perfect escape that I needed.

Lily Mae Walters has created a fascinating world, so full of secrets and mystery just waiting to be uncovered, and much the same as Harry Potter, I can see the readers of this series growing up with Josie as they rejoin her adventures each summer.

Oh by the way, you are going to want to make sure you already have book two ready to read as soon as you finish this one, because the way it ends will leave you desperate to know more!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lily Mae Walters chose her pen name in honour of her beloved grandparents who also stare in the Josie James series.

She is married with two teenage children, and two huskies that are the inspiration behind Murphy and Asher in the books.

Lily Mae lives in Nuneaton, England and finds herself using local  places and even her old school in her stories.

Family and friends mean the world to Lily Mae and many will find themselves popping up throughout the series.

Lily Mae also writes for adults under the name of Florence Keeling.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Pop back later today when I will be reviewing book two in this fab series, Josie James and The Velvet Knife.

Brittle’s Academy for the Magically Unstable – Lily Mae Walters

I am delighted to be joining the blog blitz for Brittle’s Academy for the Magically Unstable: Charlie Makes a Discovery, the first book in a great Middle Grade Fantasy series by Lily Mae Walters today. Many thanks to Lily Mae for providing me with a copy of the book, and to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to take part in the tour.

BLURB:

It’s Charlie’s first day at high school, his blazer is too big and his shoes are too small, but that’s the least of his worries. He’s been missed off the class lists and is now enrolled in a new school called Brittle’s Academy with a magical and mysterious head teacher. But to stay at Brittle’s Charlie must pass one of the tests…otherwise he’ll be sent to Oblivion!

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

REVIEW:

The instant I saw the cover for Brittle’s Academy, I was swept back to my first visit to the Harry Potter studios in Watford, standing in front of the magnificent doors to the Great Hall at Hogwarts. I knew that if Brittle’s Academy was even half as magical, then it was a book not to be missed.

In Charlie Makes A Discovery, Lily Mae Walters perfectly captures the nerves that I can still remember of the first day at secondary school, not knowing your way around, or if you will be in the same class as your friends. Add to that the fact that your name doesn’t appear on any of the class lists at all, and it suddenly becomes a very daunting prospect indeed – especially when you then find yourself swept away to an entirely different school to the one you were expecting to attend!

This book presents an excellent introduction to the magic system of Brittle’s Academy, as the newest pupils meet the oddball collection of teachers at the school and begin to learn about their own abilities. The tests that the students have to undertake in order to be assigned their house were intriguing and left me wondering how I would have fared, and which house I would have ended up in. I am thoroughly looking forward to getting to know each of the pupils and teachers in the future books in the series.

Brittle’s Academy for the Magically Unstable is filled with chucklesome moments, and is a quick, fun reads for adults as well as children. It is the perfect escape from the boredom of our current isolation situation (and a break from the stresses of home schooling!).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lily Mae Walters chose her pen name in honour of her beloved grandparents who also star in the Josie James series.

She is married with two teenage children, and two huskies that are the inspiration behind Murphy and Asher in the books.

Lily Mae lives in Nuneaton, England and finds herself using local  places and even her old school in her stories.

Family and friends mean the world to Lily Mae and many will find themselves popping up throughout the series.

Lily Mae also writes for adults under the name of Florence Keeling.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Josie James Cover Reveal

I have a double whammy of a cover reveal for you all today, with the first two books in the MG Fantasy Josie James series by Lily Mae Walters. To keep you all waiting just a little bit longer than normal, here come the blurbs for both books, which I will be reviewing in just a few short weeks.

JOSIE JAMES & THE TEARDROPS OF SUMMER

Josie James is an ordinary 13 year old until something extraordinary happens during her summer holidays. Whilst staying at her Great Grandmother’s cottage in the country, she finds herself swept into the cursed world of Suncroft where it is perpetual winter. Her new friends believe she could be the Chosen One who it is foretold will lift the curse, but there are more pressing matters.

The Teardrops of Summer – magical crystals that render the owner immortal – have been stolen. Along with her telepathic husky-dog Protector Asher and her new friends, Josie must race to find the Teardrops and prevent catastrophe for their world.

PURCHASE HERE

JOSIE JAMES & THE VELVET KNIFE

“For you to find the Velvet Knife, you must solve the riddles thrice.” A mysterious hooded figure, known only as the Velvet Knife has appeared in the cursed village of Suncroft. No one knows who he is or what he wants but when he starts leaving riddles around the village, it is time for Josie to return to Suncroft for a second time.

With Asher, her faithful husky Protector by her side, Filan, a half elf, and her great grandad, will they be able to solve the clues in time and discover his identity? The Velvet Knife is not the only one causing problems for Josie. Her rival for the position of the ‘Chosen One’ continues to grow stronger, and now he has a Protector of his own.

What does all this mean for Josie? Is she destined to lift the wintery curse of Suncroft or will another take her place as the ‘Chosen One’?

PURCHASE HERE

Now, who is ready to see the covers? Here they come…

Josie James & The Teardrops of Summer

Josie James & The Velvet Knife

Don’t they look great? Very atmospheric

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lily Mae Walters chose her pen name in honour of her beloved grandparents who also star in the Josie James series.

She is married with two teenage children, and two huskies that are the inspiration behind Murphy and Asher in the books.

Lily Mae lives in Nuneaton, England and finds herself using local  places and even her old school in her stories.

Family and friends mean the world to Lily Mae and many will find themselves popping up throughout the series.

Lily Mae also writes for adults under the name of Florence Keeling.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

[Header image courtesy of Anemone123 via Pixabay]

Lily Mae Walters

As part of the blog tour for Josie James and the Teardrops of Summer, I was lucky enough to have a virtual sit down with the author, Lily Mae Walters, so that we could all get to know her a little better. Before I share what we “chatted” about, here is the blurb for Josie James:

Josie James is an ordinary 13 year old until something extraordinary happens during her summer holidays.

Whist staying at her Great Grandmother’s cottage in the country she finds herself swept into the cursed world of Suncroft where it is perpetual winter.

Her new friends believe she could be the Chosen One who it is foretold will lift the curse, but there are more pressing matters.

The Teardrops of Summer – magical crystals that render the owner immortal – have been stolen.  Along with her telepathic husky-dog Protector Asher and her new friends, Josie must race to find the Teardrops and prevent catastrophe for their world.

About the Author:

Lily Mae Walters chose her pen name in honour of her beloved grandparents who also stare in the Josie James series.

She is married with two teenage children, and two huskies that are the inspiration behind Murphy and Asher in the books.

Lily Mae lives in Nuneaton, England and finds herself using local  places and even her old school in her stories.

Family and friends mean the world to Lily Mae and many will find themselves popping up throughout the series.

Lily Mae also writes for adults under the name of Florence Keeling.

Q&A:

I know it is important to you to include your friends, family, and the places where you grew up in your writing, but are you ever tempted to include people who you are, let’s say, less fond of, as the villains in your writing?

I have included people and situations in my writing that I am less fond of. I find a lot of my writing is based on my own experiences or those of people I know.  I quite enjoy using someone I don’t like as a “villain” but of course I change the names.

How do you manage writing two different genres? Do you ever find that the two get confused, or that there is a crossover between them?

Because the 2 genres are so different and also different age groups, I do find it quite easy to switch. Lily Mae is much higher fantasy than my Florence books so I find it quite easy to switch between the two.

How do you like to spend your time when you are not writing?

I love reading although find very little time for it these days. Music, films and TV dramas are a great passion.  My family, friends and 2 dogs are my absolute world.

Have you been or would you ever go on a writers retreat? What would the perfect retreat look like for you?

I would love to go on a writer’s retreat. It would be in the middle of nowhere with lots of outside spaces to write.  A mug of tea brought to me every hour and someone to remind me to eat because I can forget when caught up in my writing.

Which authors, alive or dead, would you have at your dream dinner party? What would you cook for them?

I wouldn’t have a dinner party, I would have a mad hatters tea party and invite Jill Murphy, Philippa Gregory, George Eliot (because I would love her views on where I now live and why she chose to write as a man), Beatrix Potter as long as she brought Peter Rabbit with her. Charles Dickens I think would be very interesting to talk to and all my author friends who I have interacted with on Twitter and Facebook because then it would just be total chaos. There would be tea, gin and never ending plate of sandwiches, cakes and biscuits.

Well, I don’t know about everyone else, but I will be checking my post for an invite to that tea party! It sounds great. If you still want to find out more about Lily Mae, here are her social media links:

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Giveaway  to Win a Signed copy of Josie James and the Teardrops of Summer  (UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter link below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494132/?

Don’t forget to check out the other blogs taking part on the tour, organised by the lovely Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources.