I have been reading a new to me book from C.J.Haslam
With illustrations by one of our favourites, Paddy Donnelly
It is the first in a delightfully dark series about Orla Perry
A quirky twelve year old
Who discovers that she is witch!
“Orla Perry’s family holiday in Cornwall has gone, well, a bit weird.
Why is she dreaming about a crow with a message?
What is the necklace she finds in the woods, and how is it connected to an ancient witch’s curse? There’s a mystery to solve and Orla needs to act fast, along with the only other member of the family with good instincts – Dave the dog.”
I have devoured Orla and the Serpent’s Curse
And I cannot wait to read it again with my children
I know that they will love it as much as I do
There is something wonderful about stories of magic and nature
Tales like these are compelling, powerful
And though they are fantasy they feel like the plot may just be possible
Like perhaps it could happen to you
And that is what makes them so readable
It is what makes this book so readable
You have to know what is going to happen next
You are completely hooked by the twists and turns
Intrigued by the strange goings on
Lured into the world created by the author
You explore and discover and learn alongside the characters
Characters that you grow emotionally attached to
And feeling part of the adventure is so exciting you have goosebumps
And do not realise for how long you have been holding your breath
The heroes of these stories are just like you and I
They stumble upon adventure
They fall into a mystery
Their talents and powers are slowly revealed to them and they have to learn how to handle them
And once more you feel like you are learning too
Orla Perry is a brilliant protagonist
I absolutely loved her from the beginning
A young girl, a little quirky who discovers that she is so much more …
… She is a peller, a good witch!
She has a lot to learn about her craft, her links to ancient families and about herself
Orla’s father is in Africa
She is on holiday with her mum, two brothers and dog, Dave
I love the family dynamics in the story
Orla and her brothers squabble as siblings do but they are always there for one another when it matters
I also adore Dave the dog and using his voice throughout the story is just a genius idea
A wonderful way to gain a different perspective on the plot and add more than a little humour
Dave is wise and brave and the story would be nothing without his bold decisions to trust and follow his instincts
Orla and the Serpent’s Curse is a brilliant book
Full of magic and mystery, quests and curses, omens and dreams, wonder and witchcraft
I could not put it down
And now that I have finished the first book
I am already on to the second
It promises to be just as thrilling
Just as captivating
And just as full of awe, wonder, mystery, humour and peril
I will let you know what I think of the second book in this brilliant series
Just as soon as I have finished it!
In the meantime, do check out my exclusive guest post from author C.J.Haslam
It is all about Dave!!
