"A top-notch fantasy-adventure, readers will be completely lost in the gorgeous, odd and frankly scary world of the Fae beings."
In the small town of Clonbridge, a gate has opened.
A gate to another world, letting in the Faeries. Many of these Faeries aren’t very friendly, they are truly terrifying.
For eleven-year-old Cat, the Faeries are part of her relationship with her grandmother, stories that she’s been told whilst growing up.
Presently, all Cat wants to do is get ready for Halloween. This involves dressing up like a creepy doll, watching a scary movie (that she probably shouldn’t be watching), going to a sleepover and of course going trick or treating.
Life has other plans, however.
Cat’s mum buys her a witch’s costume and makes her take Mikey, her younger brother, and all he seems to enjoy doing is cry and moan.
Things take a huge turn when Cat discovers that Mikey is no longer…Mikey. He’s been swapped for a Fairy and she only has until dawn to get him back. Even worse, Shane, a boy she was once friends with but has since had a falling out, has had his sister stolen by the same nefarious beings.
Now, she and Shane must embark on a dangerous mission into the realm of the Fae to get their siblings back.
During this quest Cat discovers that she has The Sight, and armed with her grandmother’s Book of Secrets, she can gather knowledge on the creatures that have invaded her world in order to outsmart them and be successful in her mission.
Dunne has woven together a truly rich story brimming with Irish mythology and folklore. These are not your “fuzzy and warm” Faerie creatures, these are creatures born from darkness with ill intent in their minds. What is playful and funny to them can be completely devastating to humans.
Although it’s a top-notch fantasy-adventure, The Book of Secrets also dives into loss and grief in a very accessible way. Readers will be completely lost in the gorgeous, odd and frankly scary world of the Fae beings.
I recommend The Book of Secrets for ages 9+ and for fans of books like The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper or The Clockwork Crow by Catherine Fisher.
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