Le démon dans le miroir

Arkspire #1

by Jamie Littler, Mathilde Tamae-Bouhon (translator)

Plongez dans un monde de magie et d'aventure avec Juniper, une jeune héroïne intrépide qui devra faire preuve d'ingéniosité pour déjouer un démon vengeur et sauver la cité d'Archeflèche !

Dans un univers où la magie est réservée aux cinq Arcanistes protecteurs de la ville, Juniper et son amie Théa se lancent dans un trafic de reliques magiques. Mais lorsqu'un étrange démon surgit d'un fragment de miroir interdit, tout bascule. Juniper se retrouve au cœur d'une aventure périlleuse, obligée de prétendre être à l'origine de cette magie pour échapper aux soupçons des Arcanistes.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Childrens, Adventure, Magic, Fiction

384 pages, Paperback

First published July 6, 2023

About the author

Jamie is an author-illustrator who graduated from the Arts Institute at Bournemouth in 2008, going on to win a High Commendation in the Macmillan Children's Book Award. When not trying to tame his unnaturally fast growing hair or having staring matches with next door's cat, he likes drawing, colouring in, cutting things out and sticking things in. He sometimes uses a scanner and a computer, and too often is tempted to throw his printer out of the window. But he would just have to go and pick it up again. His interests are pretty wide and varied -- although he does have a soft spot for wild animals and things that go bump in the night. Jamie's illustration work includes Hamish and the Worldstoppers which was the bestselling children's debut of 2015 and Wilf the Mighty Worrier, shortlisted for the Laugh Out Loud Book Awards. Frostheart is his first foray into writing fiction.

Reviews

[Bridging's Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review and more can be found on Bridging's Books - Arkspire Review

Arkspire is the first installment of the latest book series, by the best-selling author and illustrator of Frostheart, Jamie Littler. And let me tell you, he has done it again with this one. This first book introduces us beautifully to the world of Arkspire and its mostly wonderful inhabitants. The people of Arkspire are obsessed with magic, and they all look up to their protectors and idols, a group of powerful magicians which are known as The Five Arcanists.

Juniper Bell, an up and coming relic hunter of The Betrayers (who are the enemies of the Arcanists), with her ever optimistic partner in crime, Thea, the only two members of the Misfits, stumble across one very important relic. This one explodes, emitting colour and strange symbols into the sky… and releasing one strange and mysterious creature. One that is believed to be a dangerous enemy of the Arcanists…

Well, let us get this out of the way before I carry on praising everything about this book. And frankly, there was not much, IF anything that I did not like or enjoy with this book. Only one thing I will complain about is – WHERE THE HELL WAS THIS BOOK WHEN I WAS YOUNGER! And so I have to admit I am not the target audience of this book, clearly being a children’s fantasy book, but can I really fault the book for me being too old? Oh definitely not, and there was so much that this book had to offer to me being of an older age (maybe in body but not in maturity…)

Where do I begin with this? Arkspire is full of everything that I love to read, full of magic, mayhem, heists and witty and marvelous characters. The characters that Jamie Littler has written into this are incredible, you have as I have mentioned before, Juniper Bell, the rag-tag, not afraid to get a little dirty leader of the Misfits, with her ever optimistic and full of her GragGran’s wise anecdotes side-kick. Thea. With Juni’s sister, the more serious of the lot and trying to become selected to be chosen to be the next Arcanist and their ever tender and sweet Papa who wants nothing but the best for his girls. Every character you meet is as intriguing as the last, and you are excited to learn more about each and every one of them.

Again Jamie Littler is showing us his illustrious illustrating capabilities by giving us amazing and thoroughly detailed illustrations throughout to help showcase and build up this magical world of Arkspire. There were many of these drawings I found myself going back to after reading the next paragraph, as other snippets of details were spoken about, and when I looked back, there they were. All included in the drawings for us all to admire, the more you look, the more you find.

I found this book to be a real page turner, one that I could not put down and I actually even managed to finish this book in one sitting. Which is very rare for me as I do get pretty restless. I could not believe where the time had gone, it had all gone by in such a blur. This is quite easily one of my favourite books that I have read in a long while.

The story is absolutely captivating and I have already marked my calendar for next July to see where he will take us with the next installment of Arkspire.

If you enjoyed his Frostheart then you will love this book. I found this book to have many more moments of some lighthearted comedy while still not losing those sweet tender moments you can to love in Frostheart. His mix of the two truly make for some great moments between his characters.

So if you are looking for your next read, and you love your easy to read fantasy full of magic and heists then you should look no further than Arkspire. It will not disappoint.

[Fi's Journey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4. stars

I really enjoyed this first book in a new series by Jamie Littler. I think I liked Arkspire a bit more than the first book of Frostheart.

I like Cinders character the best as he is from the Otherworld (spirit world?) and makes the story more interesting.

I don’t want to give spoilers but you can see from Littler’s writing that he knows what he is writing about especially in a political sense and how the poor people are being still taking advantage of by the rich people. The power structure is pretty obvious and makes me feel for the people characters living in “the dregs”.

[Nachiketh (thedocreadstoomuch) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is clearly one of my favourite books of the year! Having heard rave reviews of the Frostheart trilogy(I am yet to read it and the books are staring at me from their vantage point on the bookshelf. My TBR is overflowing to the point of no return, pardon me) I knew I wanted to get my hands on this one! I picked up during one of my study breaks and flew through it from cover to cover before even realising I was done with the book! Jamie Littler, you just ended up on my auto-buy authors list!

We follow Juniper Bell, a relic hunter in the city of Arkspire, which is ruled by the Arcanists, five beings who wield great power and magic. What happens when a relic magically releases a shadowy creature and creates a spectacle in the sky for the whole city to witness? The Wardens come knocking at Juniper’s door in the Dregs(the underbelly of the city) and take her to trial with none other than the Arcanists themselves! What follows is a high-octane adventure that will you have frantically turning the pages to see what happens next!

Is it even a good fantasy without good world-building? I love me a fantasy with stellar world-building and a unique magic system and this one ticked all the boxes! There is also a smidge of dystopia underlying the whole theme and it was the cherry on the cake for me!

This review would be incomplete without highlighting the gorgeous illustrations! What better combination than the author and the illustrator being the same person?! Jamie Littler’s illustrations are one of the best I’ve come across and not only do they add depth to the story, they also function as a catalyst to fuel your imagination of this well-constructed fantasy world!

As I make it a point to mention in every Middle Grade review, friendships are the show stoppers of Middle Grade fiction and the friendship between Junie and Thea was something that warmed my heart! The author doesn’t shy away from discussing complicated family dynamics (I am looking at you, Elodie) and that was definitely a plus! Madame Adie and Everard were fun side characters and I would love to discover more about them in the upcoming books!

In short, I have fallen head over heels in love with this fantasy world and I CANNOT wait for Book 2, especially after that MASSIVE CLIFFHANGER that made me gasp!

Pick this book up at the earliest and go on a journey you’ll never forget!

[Tamar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this story. After Frostheart I didn't know how this would be, but it was spectacular. A new and fresh story, but with elements I've come to enjoy and I know that Littler does these the best. Another great found family story, with lots of action and havoc. No dull moment and with the illustrations it just all comes together. I still love Ash and the frostheart crew more, but this also has so much potential to grow to be one of my favourite series. I cannot wait for the second book. 9.43 on CAWPILE

[Hannah Rials Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic magical adventure full of thieves, street rats, alchemy, uncovering wicked plots, and an evil yet very endearing magical monster. This was an audio book listen and the narrator was fantastic!

[Lucy Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Vanja · Rating 4 out of 5]

I dont know what to say than the story is Great but that the Frostheart is better. Were going to see if it gets better in the next book.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s hard to not compare this book to Frostheart, which I loved so much. This one is still a fun children’s fantasy novel with lots of imagination. It just didn’t feel quite as original and fresh as Frostheart did, and was a little bit predictable. Obviously this isn’t necessarily a bad thing for a children’s story - but as a second series after such a show stopping first one, I kind of had higher expectations. I’m certainly going to continue the Arkspire adventures, and I hope that more exciting twists are revealed further on.

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://my-bo0ks.over-blog.com/2025/0...

3.5/5

La Cité d'Archeflèche est le premier tome d'une série fantasy jeunesse mettant en avant une héroine intrépide qui a une petite tendance à s'embarquer dans des aventures trépidantes, le tout avec une bonne vibe dystopique.

Juniper Bell, du haut de ses 13 ans, ne recule devant rien pour venir en aide à sa famille. Accompagnée de son amie Thea, c'est ainsi qu'elles se sont lancées dans le trafic de reliques magiques illégal, car seul les Arcanistes, les protecteurs de la ville ont le droit de la manipuler. Mais ce genre d'expéditions peuvent avoir de lourdes conséquences. Surtout quand sa propre sœur jumelle est l'une des candidate au pouvoir mis en place et voit d'un mauvais œil ses vols et encore plus lorsque d'un simple fragment de miroir qu'elle a récupéré, en sort un démon auquel elle serait liée malgré elle. Voilà qu'elle va devoir prétendre être elle-même dotée de magie pour survivre et échapper aux soupçons.

Le point fort de ce premier tome, c'est son univers. Certes, on est dans du jeunesse, mais on se laisse très facilement embarqué par ce qui est proposé par l'auteur. Les illustrations à l'intérieur ajoutent notamment un beau bonus à l'histoire. Comme je vous le disais au début, il y a une bonne vibe dystopie. Les Arcanistes, au pouvoir depuis longtemps, seuls autorisés à utiliser la magie cachent bien évidemment quelque chose. Et c'est ce dont va se rendre compte notre héroine. Ainsi, nous sommes dans un monde où tout s'apprête à changer et où, un fragment de miroir (et son démon) va mettre un coup de pied dans la fourmilière. Magie, mystère et aventures sont de la partie !

Originaire des bas-fonds, Juniper a soif de liberté et d'aventure. Comme sa mère avant elle, elle se lance quotidiennement dans la quête de petites reliques lucratives. Les ennuis, elle peut s'en accommoder. Et l'arrivée de ce fameux démon va semer à la fois la zizanie et en même temps ajouter beaucoup d'humour au récit. Heureusement, elle pourra aussi compter sur son amie de toujours, Thea et aura également un autre personnage collé à ses basques, envoyé par les Arcanistes. Autant dire que cacher son secret sera d'autant plus compliqué avec lui dans les pattes. Mais comme on s'en doute, cela donnera lieu à un quatuor assez surprenant et efficace.

Un premier tome qui embarque le lecteur avec lui, une belle brochettes de personnages haut en couleur, un univers qui ne fait que débuter mais qui promet son lot d'aventures. De bonnes bases pour cette série jeunesse qui m'a bien plu et donne envie de poursuivre l'aventure !

[M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

After years of feeling like a let-down, like she was nothing but trouble, Juniper could see it in their eyes, hear it in their voices. They were actually proud of her. Which was why it hurt so much. They were proud of a lie – one that was fast getting away from her. It was snowballing down a mountainside towards the jagged rocks at the bottom with her stuck inside.

Juniper is a petty thief, stealing magical relics to make money, and also for the fun of it. Her twin Elodie follows every rule of the city, including taking every magical artifact to be locked up. She is at a fancy school, trying to make it there as less rich person.
Then, Juniper accidentally gets herself attached to a little demonic creature. She has to prove to the world that she is good magic and not out-of-the-city bad magic, or she’ll be declared an enemy of the city.

From the start, I liked the conflict between the sisters. It’s obvious there’s something not 100% right about the rulers of Arkspire hoarding magic, but at the same time whatever is outside of the city is dangerous. Elodie is right to work hard to climb the social ladder in the hopes of doing good for the city, even if she gets slack for it. Juniper is also right, because the artifacts that get locked up could have made their family much needed money too.

The reveals at the end of the book made it feel slightly more black and white than the complex morally grey world of Frostheart where everyone was wrong, but everyone had good intentions as well. Maybe that’s because it’s the first book. The first book of the Frostheart trilogy was a bit cliche as well, but the second and third were jaw-dropping. Who knows what surprises the rest of this trilogy has in store.

The secondary characters Thea and Everard felt a bit flat sometimes, she is endlessly excited about danger and he is full of himself and a rule follower. Juniper herself made up for it though. She is bold, rude, a little selfish and a daring improviser. I also think this book was funnier than the Frostheart series, mainly because Juniper was a more comedic main character.
She’s lying, stealing, pestering demons and bullshitting herself out of a treason charge. I loved seeing her cheat her way out of trouble and into more trouble.
Can’t wait for the sequel.

Ash: I dont know about all this magic. I did not sign up for this. I want a hug.
Juniper: hell yeah! Get in bestie we’re going stealing! Everything that goes wrong is a future me problem.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Die schmale Gasse war ein Klacks. Juniper Bell sprang mit einem großen Satz hinüber und rollte sich bei der Landung ab. - Seite 9

"Arkspire: Der neue Arkanist" habe ich beim Stöbern auf Lovelybooks entdeckt und mich sofort in das Cover und die Illustration darauf verliebt. Auch die Story klang richtig gut, weswegen ich das Buch unbedingt lesen wollte.

Arkspire, eine Stadt, die von fünf großen Magiern, den fünf Arkanisten, beherrscht und beschützt wird. Dort lebt die junge Taschendiebin Juniper Bell, die alles für ihre Familie tun würde. Als sie auf einem ihrer Raubzüge ein komisches Artefakt findet, ahnt sie nicht, dass sich ihr gesamtes Leben ändern wird. Mitten in der Nacht explodiert dieses Artefakt und plötzlich steht eine mysteriöse Kreatur vor ihr. Es dauert nicht lange, bis die gesamte Aufmerksamkeit auf ihr ruht.. und auch die Arkanisten auf den Plan ruft.

Ich habe das Buch wie gesagt beim Stöbern entdeckt und ich war direkt richtig gespannt darauf. Der Einstieg ins Geschehen ist mir leicht gefallen, der Schreibstil las sich flüssig und richtig angenehm, gefiel mir sehr. Es ist so humorvoll geschrieben und der Humor hat genau meinem Geschmack getroffen.

Auch die Geschichte mochte ich von Anfang an sehr. Ich war so gespannt, was es mit den Arkanisten auf sich hat, mit dem mysteriösen Artefakt und was Juniper aus der Situation macht. Es ging spannend los, im Verlauf wurde es dann immer spannender und jede Lesepause ist mir nicht leicht gefallen. Manche Entwicklungen fand ich persönlich zwar etwas vorhersehbar, gestört hat mich das aber nicht. Ich habe richtig mitgefiebert und war die ganze Zeit so verdammt neugierig, wie die Story weitergehen wird.
Die Welt, die Jamie Littler hier erschaffen hat, fand ich auch richtig interessant. Die Arkanisten, die Magie, alles steckt voller Geheimnisse und Intrigen.

"Arkspire: Der neue Arkanist" ist der Auftakt einer Reihe, wie viele Bände es insgesamt werden, weiß ich nicht. Auf den letzten Seiten gab es noch einmal eine dicke Wendung und dadurch einen gemeinen Cliffhanger, der mich unfassbar neugierig zurückgelassen hat. Ich bin so gespannt, wie die Geschichte um Juniper und Co. weitergehen wird, am liebsten würde ich sofort weiterlesen!

In unsere Hauptfigur Juniper konnte ich mich gut hineinversetzen. Sie war mir sympathisch und sie war nachvollziehbar für mich. Ihre Handlungen waren teilweise etwas impulsiv, aber ich denke, dass das einfach daran liegt, dass sie noch sehr jung ist. Das Buch wird ab ungefähr 8 Jahren empfohlen, Juniper ist also dementsprechend selbst noch ein Kind/junger Teen (ich weiß gerade gar nicht, ob je ihr genaues Alter genannt wurde). Ehrlich gesagt würde ich das Buch aber eher ab +/- 10 empfehlen.
Auch die anderen Charaktere haben mir wirklich gut gefallen, sie alle sind richtig gut dargestellt und wussten von sich zu überzeugen.

Mein Highlight am Buch waren aber die vielen Illustrationen, die, wenn ich das richtig gesehen habe, vom Autor selbst gezeichnet worden sind. Ich habe mich sofort in den Zeichenstil verliebt, die Bilder haben die Story wunderbar unterstrichen und gefielen mir unfassbar gut.

Mein Fazit:
"Arkspire: Der neue Arkanist" ein toller Auftakt für die Kinderbuchreihe. Die Welt ist faszinierend, die Story spannend und es las sich so gut! Die Illustrationen waren eine tolle Ergänzung, die mich sehr begeistert hat. Ich freu mich schon total auf die Fortsetzung und kann das Buch nur empfehlen.

[KIRIAKI(Dominica Amat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Βαθμολογία 3.5/5

Πρώτη δημοσίευση εδώ: https://www.dominicamat.gr/2025/05/1_...

ΒΙΒΛΙΟΠΡΟΤΑΣΗ

Τίτλος: Άρκσπαϊρ 1: Η πόλη της μαγείας

Συγγραφέας: Jamie Littler

Σειρές: Άρκσπαϊρ

Άραγε, πώς θα ήταν η ζωή μας δίχως την παρουσία της μαγείας γύρω μας; Διότι, αν το καλοσκεφτούμε μόνο στους νόμους της μαγείας θα μπορούσαμε να αποδώσουμε την παρουσία όλων αυτών των θαυμάτων που σχετίζονται με την ύπαρξη την δική μας όσο και των άλλων πραγμάτων γύρω μας. Μα, ας επανέλθω με την απάντηση στο ερώτημά μου. Η ζωή μας -στο ενδεχόμενο μη ύπαρξης της μαγείας- θα ήταν ''άοσμη'', άτονη, βαρετή, ''άγευστη'' και δε θα μας γέμιζε με χαρά. Σε αντίθεση, λοιπόν, με το βιβλίο που διάβασα και σας προτείνω σήμερα! Ο λόγος για το βιβλίο του συγγραφέα Jamie Littler (Τζέιμι Λίτλερ), με τίτλο ''Άρκσπαϊρ 1: Η πόλη της μαγείας" (Arkspire), το οποίο κυκλοφορεί στη χώρα μας από τις εκδόσεις Μεταίχμιο, σε μετάφραση της κυρίας Ειρήνης Παϊδούση. Εδώ να σας πω ότι την εικονογράφηση του βιβλίου έχει επιμεληθεί ο ίδιος ο συγγραφέας και το βιβλίο απευθύνεται σε παιδιά ηλικίας 10 ετών και άνω.

Είναι αναμφισβήτητο γεγονός ότι το βιβλίο έμοιαζε να με έχει ''κερδίσει'' από το πρώτο, κιόλας, άκουσμα του τίτλου του. Διάφορα ερωτήματα ξεπήδησαν στο μυαλό μου και έστησαν έναν ξέφρενο χορό ''γαργαλώντας'' ευχάριστα τη σκέψη μου και οδηγώντας με σε μονοπάτια όπου μόνο η φαντασία θα μπορούσε να με πάρει από το χέρι και να μου επιτρέψει να τα επισκεφθώ. Άραγε, ποια ήταν η περιβόητη πόλη που άκουγε στο όνομα ''Άρκσπαϊρ''; Τί το τόσο συγκλονιστικό θα λάμβανε χώρα εκεί; Ποια πρόσωπα θα συναντούσαμε; Ποιοι/ες οι φίλοι/ες και ποιοι/ες οι εχθροί;

''Το Άρκσπαϊρ είναι μια πόλη που λατρεύει τη μαγεία. Οι πέντε Αρκάνες –μια ομάδα πανίσχυρων μάγων– προστατεύουν αιώνες τώρα τη μεγάλη πόλη. Μες στους πολύβουους δρόμους της ζει και η Τζούνιπερ Μπελ, μια κλέφτρα που θα έκανε τα πάντα για την οικογένειά της – ακόμα και για την αφόρητα ενοχλητική αδερφή της.

Και τότε, μια νύχτα συμβαίνει κάτι απίστευτο. Ένα κλεμμένο μαγικό κειμήλιο εκρήγνυται αποκαλύπτοντας ένα μυστηριώδες πλάσμα, τον Σπίθα, που από ό,τι φαίνεται έχει «δεθεί» με κάποιον τρόπο με την Τζούνι. Τέτοιου είδους πλάσματα υποτίθεται ότι είναι επικίνδυνοι εχθροί των Αρκάνων, οι οποίοι δεν αργούν να στρέψουν την προσοχή τους πάνω της.

Σύντομα η Τζούνι και η οικογένειά της παρασύρονται σε έναν απίστευτο κόσμο μαγείας, δύναμης και εξουσίας, μα και μεγάλου κινδύνου. Ο κόσμος που η Τζούνι νόμιζε πως ήξερε μοιάζει να είναι ένα ψέμα – και μόνο εκείνη και ο Σπίθας μπορούν τώρα να τον αλλάξουν." (Από το οπισθόφυλλο)

Άπλετη δράση, ακατάπαυστη περιπέτεια, έξυπνες ανατροπές, χιουμοριστικοί και ρεαλιστικοί διάλογοι και ένα γενικότερο αίσθημα ελευθερίας μέσα σε όλη αυτήν την απέραντη δόση φαντασίας που προσκαλεί κάθε παιδί να τολμήσει να ονειρευτεί κομμάτι του κόσμου του Άρκσπαϊρ, το βιβλίο διαβάζεται άκοπα και με ενδιαφέρον χάρη στην καθαρή και απλή (με την καλή έννοια) γλώσσα του συγγραφέα που βοηθά τα παιδιά να αντιληφθούν σημασίες όπως η αξία της φιλίας, της αδελφικής αγάπης και της οικογένειας, η υπεράσπιση των αδυνάτων και εν γένει του καλού, όπως ότι και πολλές φορές τα πράγματα δεν είναι έτσι ακριβώς όπως πιστεύουμε ότι είναι...

Λοιπά θετικά στοιχεία του βιβλίου:

- Οικείο και γεμάτο λεξιλόγιο,

- Ασπρόμαυρη εικονογράφηση που με την φαντασία τους τα παιδιά μπορούν να βάλουν όποια χρώματα επιθυμούν,

-Τέλος, κατανοητά παραδείγματα.

Αναζητήστε το! Καλή ανάγνωση.

Κυκλοφορεί από τις εκδόσεις Μεταίχμιο

[Lena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich hatte in der Vergangenheit bereits Frostherz von Jamie Littler gelesen und war sehr erfreut zu sehen, dass er an einer weiteren Middle Grade Reihe arbeitet. Irgendwie dachte ich immer, dass Jamie Littler viel bekannter ist und finde es schade, dass kaum Leser:innen seine Bücher kennen.

Akrspire handelt von der jungen Juniper Bell, welche in der von magischen Stadt Akrspire lebt. In dieser Stadt gibt es sogenannte Arkanisten, die dafür Sorgen dass die Bewohner in Sicherheit sind. Juniper ist eine Diebin und hält nicht all zu viel von den Arkanisten. Eines Tages explodiert ein mysteriöses Relikt und sie lernt den geheimnisvollen Cinder.

An den Büchern vom Jamie Littler mag ich besonders gerne, dass es immer wieder Illustrationen von den verschiedenen Charakteren und Szenen gibt, die dafür Sorgen, dass die Geschichte nur noch lebendiger wird. Ebenfalls finde ich den Schreibstil von Jamie Littler sehr spannend und kam kann gut folgen.

Die Story an sich hat mir sehr gut gefallen, jedoch wurde es für mich erst in den letzten 30% spannend. Ungefähr die ersten 2/3 haben sich für mich sehr gezogen und besonders am Anfang viel es mir schwer reinzukommen, was ich schade fand, da ich mich sehr auf das Buch gefreut hatte.

Juniper war eine tolle Protagonisten, die teilweise etwas stur war und immer eine neue Idee parat hat. Mir hat gut gefallen, dass sie und ihre Zwillingsschwester so unterschiedlich waren. Beide hatten mit ihren eigenen Problemen zu tun, die sie teilweise zusammenbrachten aber auch auseinander trieben.

Mit dem Plot hätte ich nicht gerechnet, jedoch fand ich das Ende etwas vorhersehbar. Ich bin dennoch sehr gespannt wie die Geschichte weiter geht!

Vielen Dank an Netgalley und Cross Cult für dieses Leseexemplar!

[Read Love Irie · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘪��𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰, 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳.

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘵.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘮𝘢.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘥.

𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘖𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘈𝘳𝘬𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥.

Jamie Littler never fails to amaze me with his creation of unique worlds. From Aurora (Frostheart series) to Arkspire, I am surely transported to something magical and action-packed adventure.

Enter Juniper Bell, a young relic thief, who unleashed a shadow creature out of a mirror shard she found coming from her latest adventure. That is, stealing relics from some smugglers.

The shadow creature had no memory of his past except for taking revenge on the Arcanists. Thea - Juniper's never-not chill friend and the other half of the Misfits - named him Cinder.

Juniper surely did get the attention of the Arcanists. And she was to take five challenges starting with The Shroud's challenge to prove that she is also an Arcanist herself.

Everard Amberflaw, a star student of the Radiant Academy and is a candidate to become an Arcanist in the future, was tasked to chaperone Juniper and monitor her activities and report them to The Tempest.

This trio is surely going to have more adventures and misadventures in the future. And I am definitely looking forward to them!

Book 1 is just epic!

That ending with Elodie is absolutely going to be challenging for Juniper and her quest to reveal the truth about the Arcanists. (Oh! Juniper has a twin , by the way).

This book set the tone to another exciting reading year! It totally rocked! Of course it's a 5 ⭐ read!

[Dani]

Although I never finished the Frostheart trilogy (I only read book 1), I returned to Jamie Littler's work because I simply adore his artwork and the premise of this new series sounded much more suited to my personal taste. And boy, was I right! I loved everything about this story. The Misfits, the villains, the worldbuilding, the trouble-attracting Juniper, her fierce friendship with fashionista Thea, the vengeful and dry-witted Cinder and even Everard Amberflaw (the Fourth!) managed to wriggle his way into my cold shrivelled heart. In fact, I think it's ALL of the characters that really make this book stand out for me, because each and every one is fleshed out and feels unique and real. It made this book fun and a joy to return to each time.

I also appreciated what I figured are this story's themes for the targeted demographic, i.e. that 1. together with friends you are stronger and can bring about real change and 2. sometimes you have to break the mold and figure out your own way through; forge your own path. Now, I don't know about you, but I cannot help but love such themes.

Furthermore, I am pleased Littler stuck the landing as well with the ending. I did suspect it was headed in that direction (because I'm an adult?), but I don't mind because it's definitely an interesting choice. I can't wait to see how Littler will develop and unfold the story further from hereon out.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a huge fan of Littler's first series Frostheart and this series did not disappoint!
In this one we follow our young protagonist Juniper who lives in the slums of a powerful and mighty city called Arkspire ruled by leaders of great strength and ability. Juniper is a relic hunting, roof hopping, quick tougued little scoundrel with a heart of gold. She steals to provide for her family along with her friend Thea. Her twin sister Elodie disapproves of this a lot because she is training to be a candidate for their districts Arcanist. One day Juniper finds a relic that changes her life and now she is a Arcanist. Or is she? In the relic a creature later called Cinder give Juniper amazing powers. With so many cards stacked against her how will our main character succeed?
This was just a fun, adorable, heartwarming, and action packed read everything you can expect from one of Jamie Littler's books. I can't wait for the second one next year!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to one of my most anticipated books of 2023! After finishing up Jamie Littler’s Frostheart series last year and being *so blown away* by it, I was beyond stoked to get this start of a brand new series from him! (So much so that I got a special Waterstones edition with sprayed edges shipped to the US 🙈 🇺🇸)

Things that I loved about this book:
🪄 such a unique world, including politics, magic, and deep questions
🎨 the illustrations! Truly nothing will ever bring me more joy in a middle grade novel than these stunning illustrations.
🐉 a character that reminds me SO MUCH of Mushu from Mulan ♥️

I definitely still have a ton of questions, but I know I have multiple more books in this series to look forward to, so I’ll hold off for a little bit ☺️

4.5 🌟 for now - will update once whole series is completed!

[Hwee Goh · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8⭐️

Juniper Bell lives among the Dreggers. They scrimp and scrounge for a living and they’re looked upon with scorn by the Uppers. This is Arkspire, a city run and protected by five powerful Arcanists.

Juni makes a living out of pulling off tricks, with her best friend Thea — they call themselves The Misfits. One day, Juni steals a relic, a forbidden item from the Betrayers who have since been banished. It turns out to be a shadow creature she calls Cinder.

Betrayer magic is forbidden, and Juni gets found out. She gets tangled with the Arcanists and discovers they’re not what she thought.

This was quite an adventure: author-illustrator Jamie Littler builds a fairly complex magic system but excels best in characterizing both Juni and Cinder, who’s sarcastic and a little full of himself 😄

📚: @times.reads (ARC with draft illustrations)

[Claire Booksnink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did I love this book...yes yes I did.
Do I think this book is better than the first book in the Frostheart series...unfortunately yes I do. Frostheart was great but bloody hell the progression in Jamie's writing is bloody marvellous.
The characters are fabulous and I love Juniper and Cinder, the world is fantastic, the side characters are also fabulous.
The premise of the book is bloody brilliant.
This book was nothing more than bloody marvellous and was an absolute dream to read. Loved it and I hope it isn't too long to wait for the next book.
Jamie you have smashed it, this book ticks every single box going. Perfect start

More words to come to this review once I have digested it more as literally only just finished the book and I have many thoughts

[Isa Rive · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arkspire is a city ruled by 5 protectors who maintain power through a monopoly on magic. They control the inhabitants through fear of the Shadows (murderous ghosts) . Living in the poverty stricken Dregs, rebellious Juniper and her trusty sidekick make a living stealing old artefacts. Meanwhile sister Elodie is training hard for a minuscule chance to be chosen as a future protector. But when a stolen artefact’s magic is activated Juniper is thrown into the spotlight.
Characters are well developed and very likeable, illustrations are fabulous, plot is imaginative although somewhat derivative. Fun read!

[Whinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I’m an adult. I read this age range of fiction between “heavier” books as like a pallet cleanser. But what I can say is if you have a younger reader struggling to get into books give them A book by this guy!

It’s the second of his series that I’ve read from. His characters are full of life, there are just enough illustrations to keep a wandering mind back on track.

The stories are fun and have twists that are both exciting and not too predictable.

I tried this on the back of reading Frostheart and I am not disappointed. I have recently bought the second parts of this series and the Frostheart series and am very looking forward to trying them out!

[Adina Olaru · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a cute story. I read a mix of YA and middle grade and always find middle grade such a fun read because it's simple, full of adventure and reminds me of childhood.

This book had all of that. Compelling story that made me devour the whole thing, i had to physically pace myself to keep from finishing it too fast because i was enjoying the adventure so much.

Really cute fun read, but perfectly addresses the concept of social inequality at a middle grade level without getting too heavy. Love it!

[Gabz · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was quite an interesting read, but ultimately middling.

The world-building was well done, with a unique city structure and fascinating magical elements. The characters were engaging, especially Juniper, who has a compelling, rebellious spirit. However, the plot itself was just okay, and I didn't find myself completely drawn in.

That said, the illustrations throughout the book were absolutely stunning and really brought the story to life. Overall, it's not a must-read, but if you're looking for something with great visuals and an interesting world, it's worth checking out.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like 4.5 stars… cause so good!!

Gosh, I adored this! Jamie Littler is back with another rip-roaring adventure filled with magic, secrets, shadows, a fascinating world and some characters I can’t wait for more of! That ending… honestly, brilliant storytelling *chefs kiss*. Can’t wait for more!! And all the illustrations throughout just made my heart sing - I love how even in books aimed at older kids there’s still illustrations!

[Caroline Douillet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quel petit délice ! Dévorer en 1 jour. La cité d'Archefleche a beau être une aventure jeunesse, elle est vraiment bien menée. Suspense, magie, humour et tant de thèmes abordés. La famille de sang, celle de cœur, la solidarité. De bas rang social, l'héroïne défit les préjugés et rallie les foules en leur donnant de l'espoir. L'écriture est fluide. Aucun côté bébétisant. J'ai aimé me plonger dans cet univers et attends le prochain tome avec impatience.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a good dose of novelty and brio combined in this MG fantasy, which looks to start a distinctively proficient series. Not perfectly, mind, but with more than enough going for it to appeal.

And I hope the idea of my full review does, too:- http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/A...

[LJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arkspire is utterly brilliant - I couldn't put it down. What world-building and characters! I love Cinder so much! Moments from Juni, Thea, Everard and Cinder had me laughing out loud.

'When the world gives you an empty bag, it's your job to fill it.'

An underdog tale with mysterious magic, humour and vivid illustrations, Littler is talented indeed.

[Rebecca R · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't read 'Frostheart' when it came out as there was so much publicity, I suspected it might be somewhat overhyped. But based on Arkspire, I think Jamie Littler is worth all the hype. This is a perfectly pitched, MG fantasy adventure, full of colourful characters, unpredictable twists and turns, humour and fun. A highly enjoyable read!

[Lilian · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting world of magic with a pair of twins with different characteristics. Juniper is a rule breaker while Elodie is the opposite. In the Arkspire world, magic can be passed on once the Arcanist is too old. Kids are trained at an academy for a chance to be selected and inherit the magic. As the story proceeds, we learn that all is not what it seems. This is a great start to the series!

[LeslecturesdeMylene · Rating 4 out of 5]

La Cité d'Archeflèche, tome 1 : Le démon dans le miroir de Jamie Littler
J'ai beaucoup aimé les personnages et leur histoire, on ne s'ennuie pas une seule seconde et le monde présenté par l'auteur est vraiment chouette. Affaire à suivre, je suis curieuse de lire la suite !
16/20 - https://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/2...