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Curse of the Dearmad
Living in the ordinary world is anything but ordinary for twins Percy and Nell Shearwater. After all, Percy is not like most eleven-year-old boys. Most eleven-year-old boys don't have gills. When the grip of death tightens its hold on the twins' mother, Percy resolves to do whatever it takes to find a cure. But what if that means embarking on a secret and treacherous journey through uncharted waters, to the island of Doona... an island which some say doesn't even exist? While Percy confronts the perils of the sea to save his dying mother, Nell will need to rely on her own mysterious gift if she is to have any chance of seeing her brother again. There's just one thing that lies in her the Curse of the Dearmad...
- GenresMiddle Grade
357 pages, Unknown Binding
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20 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 26, 2021
This is a great adventurous middle-grade fantasy book that I enjoyed reading.
Talking about the characters, I enjoyed Nell's character the most. She is a strong, fearless girl, who would do anything to protect the ones she loves. Even though she was always jealous of Percy for being "The gifted One", she had the strength to accept that. And even though she didn't like Connor (because he was a gilly and he stole her twin), she still did everything she could to save him. Connor is a character that I have no positive or negative things to say about. He did a few things wrong but he also grew as a character.
The character that I didn't like at all was the granny, Marrie. She was a strong character up until the cave of Dearmad came into the picture. I didn't like how she stopped Nell from going back into the cave to save Connor. She simply told her that they will save Connor on their journey back from Doona. Although she knew from the start that she will never return from Doona. No matter how much Nell cried that the cave is sucking in Connor way too fast and that the poor boy may go mad if left any longer, the good old granny only cared about her grandson and finding a way to reach Doona. She simply lied and let the time decide the fate of Connor. By the end of the book, I really wondered if the only reason she let the story of Doona slip in front of Percy was to push him to find a way to the island, so she can finally be with her husband.
Percy himself was a bit self-centered character. Throughout the book, he looked down on people, pretending to be a bit more special than he is. He called Connor weak even though Connor made it to the cave by himself. He helped them through and through within the water, and even up until the very end, Percy never appreciated his strength and courage. Not only Connor, but Percy was also mean to his own twin sister too. Although Nell (being a non-gilly), found her way to Percy and saved him from the curse of Dearmad through her special gift, Percy never appreciated her. He even commented on their journey back that even if she has this magical power, she isn't that powerful. Even though Percy was a gilly who could find the island of Doona, I believe it was Nell who actually saved everyone.
Otto was a nice character, who you would love to hug. He will always make you smile.
The storyline was interesting and kept me hooked. The mystical elements about the cave, the island, and the water were captivating.
The book was beautifully illustrated at the beginning of each chapter that really helped visualize the whole scene. Also, I loved the whimsical chapter name like "Cave 1, Connor 0". It was really funny!
The writing was flawless (No doubt I read the whole thing in 2-sittings). Except for the 2 main characters (which are supposed to be lovely), I really enjoyed the book.
Full review: https://divyakaushik1010.wixsite.com/...
Talking about the characters, I enjoyed Nell's character the most. She is a strong, fearless girl, who would do anything to protect the ones she loves. Even though she was always jealous of Percy for being "The gifted One", she had the strength to accept that. And even though she didn't like Connor (because he was a gilly and he stole her twin), she still did everything she could to save him. Connor is a character that I have no positive or negative things to say about. He did a few things wrong but he also grew as a character.
The character that I didn't like at all was the granny, Marrie. She was a strong character up until the cave of Dearmad came into the picture. I didn't like how she stopped Nell from going back into the cave to save Connor. She simply told her that they will save Connor on their journey back from Doona. Although she knew from the start that she will never return from Doona. No matter how much Nell cried that the cave is sucking in Connor way too fast and that the poor boy may go mad if left any longer, the good old granny only cared about her grandson and finding a way to reach Doona. She simply lied and let the time decide the fate of Connor. By the end of the book, I really wondered if the only reason she let the story of Doona slip in front of Percy was to push him to find a way to the island, so she can finally be with her husband.
Percy himself was a bit self-centered character. Throughout the book, he looked down on people, pretending to be a bit more special than he is. He called Connor weak even though Connor made it to the cave by himself. He helped them through and through within the water, and even up until the very end, Percy never appreciated his strength and courage. Not only Connor, but Percy was also mean to his own twin sister too. Although Nell (being a non-gilly), found her way to Percy and saved him from the curse of Dearmad through her special gift, Percy never appreciated her. He even commented on their journey back that even if she has this magical power, she isn't that powerful. Even though Percy was a gilly who could find the island of Doona, I believe it was Nell who actually saved everyone.
Otto was a nice character, who you would love to hug. He will always make you smile.
The storyline was interesting and kept me hooked. The mystical elements about the cave, the island, and the water were captivating.
The book was beautifully illustrated at the beginning of each chapter that really helped visualize the whole scene. Also, I loved the whimsical chapter name like "Cave 1, Connor 0". It was really funny!
The writing was flawless (No doubt I read the whole thing in 2-sittings). Except for the 2 main characters (which are supposed to be lovely), I really enjoyed the book.
Full review: https://divyakaushik1010.wixsite.com/...
September 7, 2021
▪︎A huge thank you to @lovebooktours for my #gifted copy of this amazing book!
We follow twins Percy and Nell, only there’s something different about Percy compared to Nell...he has gills. Then their mother starts getting really ill and Percy decides to embark on a journey through uncharted waters to save her, using the pull of the sea. However, Nell has her own gifts to help their mother and her twin too, but the only thing standing in her way…the curse of the Dearmad!
~𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘~
I do love a good middle grade book. They are always so much fun and just an easy quick read. Curse of Dearmad was just exactly that. It's the perfect escapism for all to enjoy, children and adults. I'm 30 and had a blast and I'll definitely be reading this one out loud to my daughter when she's a bit older too.
We explore friendships, families, a bit of love, lots of key topics (specially love the part where everyone should love and care for the oceon, not just the Gillys. It was a gentle nudge to plastic waste and climate change!) We had adventures galore and magical realism which I love in a fantasy.
All the characters were so likeable and I just enjoyed each experience they all accounted.
The illustrations were amazing and I love that in books. The writing was unique and fantastic and I'm still shocked this is a debut as it was done absolutely brilliantly.
Honestly such a fun book which I know many will enjoy!
August 9, 2021
Awesome, imaginative adventure!
August 23, 2021
This was such a great adventure! It was so gripping from the first page. Although it is a middle grade fantasy and probably made for a younger audience than me, I loved it nonetheless!
Having a small illustration at the start of each chapter was a great addition and really helped me visualise the characters well and enabled me to picture the scenery clearly.
I’d 100% read this book again and I’d recommend it to everyone!
Having a small illustration at the start of each chapter was a great addition and really helped me visualise the characters well and enabled me to picture the scenery clearly.
I’d 100% read this book again and I’d recommend it to everyone!
August 27, 2021
Book tour review -
#ad #gifted @lovebookstours
Thankyou very much for gifting me this in return for an honest review!
Blurb:
Living in the ordinary world is anything but ordinary for twins Percy and Nell Shearwater. After all, Percy is not like most eleven-year-old boys. Most eleven-year-old boys don’t have gills.
When the grip of death tightens its hold on the twins’ mother, Percy resolves to do whatever it takes to find a cure. But what if that means embarking on a secret and treacherous journey through uncharted waters, to the island of Doona... an island which some say doesn’t even exist?
While Percy confronts the perils of the sea to save his dying mother, Nell will need to rely on her own mysterious gift if she is to have any chance of seeing her brother again. There’s just one thing that lies in her way: the Curse of Dearmad...
🐬
My thoughts:
What a lovely story about friendship, family and adventure. But this book is not for me...
I found myself skimming a lot of the story, I found it boring and longer than it should have been. I think it could have been 200 pages easily.
I think I only disliked this book because I’m not the target audience. If I was a child I’d had loved it as it had everything I imagine a younger self would have loved; friendship, adventure, mystery and wonder. 10 year old Chris would have binged this.
Yes, I’ve said I found it boring but I would still recommend this to younger readers. I really thing it would be a hit.
🐬
The illustrations by @byhannahjesse were absolutely wonderful ! I found myself focusing on those as they really painted a picture of each chapter. I just wish there was more of them 😅
🐬
The author really has a way of describing the scene, was nicely written. Characters have personality which I enjoyed as it helped me carry on to finish.
🐬
Summary;
Liked-
-Characters (likeable and varied)
-plot (somewhat predictable but enjoyable to the target audience)
-The lore of Gillies
- The illustrations
Disliked;
- Story length (tad too long in my opinion)
Overall, I didn’t hate it and I would recommend to the target audience of 6-12 year olds. I just found myself struggling to pick it up and read it- I truly believe it’s because I’m not the target audience. There was nothing particularly wrong with it.
🐬
#ad #gifted @lovebookstours
Thankyou very much for gifting me this in return for an honest review!
Blurb:
Living in the ordinary world is anything but ordinary for twins Percy and Nell Shearwater. After all, Percy is not like most eleven-year-old boys. Most eleven-year-old boys don’t have gills.
When the grip of death tightens its hold on the twins’ mother, Percy resolves to do whatever it takes to find a cure. But what if that means embarking on a secret and treacherous journey through uncharted waters, to the island of Doona... an island which some say doesn’t even exist?
While Percy confronts the perils of the sea to save his dying mother, Nell will need to rely on her own mysterious gift if she is to have any chance of seeing her brother again. There’s just one thing that lies in her way: the Curse of Dearmad...
🐬
My thoughts:
What a lovely story about friendship, family and adventure. But this book is not for me...
I found myself skimming a lot of the story, I found it boring and longer than it should have been. I think it could have been 200 pages easily.
I think I only disliked this book because I’m not the target audience. If I was a child I’d had loved it as it had everything I imagine a younger self would have loved; friendship, adventure, mystery and wonder. 10 year old Chris would have binged this.
Yes, I’ve said I found it boring but I would still recommend this to younger readers. I really thing it would be a hit.
🐬
The illustrations by @byhannahjesse were absolutely wonderful ! I found myself focusing on those as they really painted a picture of each chapter. I just wish there was more of them 😅
🐬
The author really has a way of describing the scene, was nicely written. Characters have personality which I enjoyed as it helped me carry on to finish.
🐬
Summary;
Liked-
-Characters (likeable and varied)
-plot (somewhat predictable but enjoyable to the target audience)
-The lore of Gillies
- The illustrations
Disliked;
- Story length (tad too long in my opinion)
Overall, I didn’t hate it and I would recommend to the target audience of 6-12 year olds. I just found myself struggling to pick it up and read it- I truly believe it’s because I’m not the target audience. There was nothing particularly wrong with it.
🐬
September 3, 2021
🍃 TOUR STOP 🍃
Curse of the Dearmad by Emma Mylrea
AD GIFTED
Blurb : Living in the ordinary world is anything but ordinary for twins Percy and Nell Shearwater. After all, Percy is not like most eleven-year-old boys. Most eleven-year-old boys don’t have gills.
When the grip of death tightens its hold on the twins’ mother, Percy resolves to do whatever it takes to find a cure. But what if that means embarking on a secret and treacherous journey through uncharted waters, to the island of Doona... an island which some say doesn’t even exist?
While Percy confronts the perils of the sea to save his dying mother, Nell will need to rely on her own mysterious gift if she is to have any chance of seeing her brother again. There’s just one thing that lies in her way: the Curse of Dearmad..
✨ R E V I E W ✨
This was a perfect book for me to get out of my reading slump at the end of August as it’s such a fun, middle grade book and an easy read. The chapters are all small and easy to follow, so it was a real page turner when I got to the end of one chapter and onto the next. I knew I had to pick this book up as part of Love Book Tours as I loved the concept of it as well as Hannah’s illustrative designs within the pages.
It had such a captivating storyline that just made me want to dive in as soon as the book came through the post. It was the first fantasy book that I have read in a while so I was a bit skeptical at first, however because it was a middle grade book it was captivating and easy to get stuck into.
All of the characters were interesting with great character building, all very descriptive. Emma uses the language in the book really well to bring the characters and story to life. It’s definitely a book that I would recommend to a younger audience or those who love to read middle grade books, such as; Percy Jackson or Artemis Fowl. Definitely potential for this book to become a series!
Thank you so much for this gifted book, I can’t wait to see more work from both Emma and Hannah.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Curse of the Dearmad by Emma Mylrea
AD GIFTED
Blurb : Living in the ordinary world is anything but ordinary for twins Percy and Nell Shearwater. After all, Percy is not like most eleven-year-old boys. Most eleven-year-old boys don’t have gills.
When the grip of death tightens its hold on the twins’ mother, Percy resolves to do whatever it takes to find a cure. But what if that means embarking on a secret and treacherous journey through uncharted waters, to the island of Doona... an island which some say doesn’t even exist?
While Percy confronts the perils of the sea to save his dying mother, Nell will need to rely on her own mysterious gift if she is to have any chance of seeing her brother again. There’s just one thing that lies in her way: the Curse of Dearmad..
✨ R E V I E W ✨
This was a perfect book for me to get out of my reading slump at the end of August as it’s such a fun, middle grade book and an easy read. The chapters are all small and easy to follow, so it was a real page turner when I got to the end of one chapter and onto the next. I knew I had to pick this book up as part of Love Book Tours as I loved the concept of it as well as Hannah’s illustrative designs within the pages.
It had such a captivating storyline that just made me want to dive in as soon as the book came through the post. It was the first fantasy book that I have read in a while so I was a bit skeptical at first, however because it was a middle grade book it was captivating and easy to get stuck into.
All of the characters were interesting with great character building, all very descriptive. Emma uses the language in the book really well to bring the characters and story to life. It’s definitely a book that I would recommend to a younger audience or those who love to read middle grade books, such as; Percy Jackson or Artemis Fowl. Definitely potential for this book to become a series!
Thank you so much for this gifted book, I can’t wait to see more work from both Emma and Hannah.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
September 3, 2021
Curse of the Dearmad
📚📚📚
Book review and (belated) Book Tour Stop
🧜♀️🧜♀️🧜♀️🧜♀️/5
🧜♀️ I love a good middle grade so me signing up for this one was a no brainer. Having been brought up next to the sea and always fiddling with the idea of writing about an Blyton-like adventure with undersea exploration with dolphins; when I read the premise of Curse of the Dearmad I was all the more intrigued and filled with memories of my childhood and sea exploring passion.
🧜♀️ I am glad to say that this book delivered! I was hooked, invested and loved the presence of water as well as the social commentary that we don’t take enough care of our water ecosystems but taking advantage of it instead and how that affects everything else as all is interconnected.
🧜♀️ ‘Left to man alone, the seas would be a mire of decay, all life suffocated!’
🧜♀️ ‘It felt like power. Pictures just flowed from her like a river to the sea.’
🧜♀️ I also really enjoyed the characters, from twins Nell and Percy to Connor, Dina, Goldie and full-of-life-taking-a-lot-space Marnie. The stakes are high enough to make us, adults reading this book, all the more invested and the short chapters and their structure made it all the more interesting and setting a very good pace to follow.
🧜♀️ I just wish I had the physical copy to show you the wonderful illustrations which black and white do not make the art work justice. Will definitely be purchasing this one later this year.
📚 I am glad to have been accepted to this book tour and apologies for my belated post! Thank you to @lovebookstours for the opportunity and I’m looking forward to the next tour I am a part of! Stay tuned!
@tinytreebooks
@byhannahjesse
@emma_mylrea_books
#Ad #Gifted
📚📚📚
Book review and (belated) Book Tour Stop
🧜♀️🧜♀️🧜♀️🧜♀️/5
🧜♀️ I love a good middle grade so me signing up for this one was a no brainer. Having been brought up next to the sea and always fiddling with the idea of writing about an Blyton-like adventure with undersea exploration with dolphins; when I read the premise of Curse of the Dearmad I was all the more intrigued and filled with memories of my childhood and sea exploring passion.
🧜♀️ I am glad to say that this book delivered! I was hooked, invested and loved the presence of water as well as the social commentary that we don’t take enough care of our water ecosystems but taking advantage of it instead and how that affects everything else as all is interconnected.
🧜♀️ ‘Left to man alone, the seas would be a mire of decay, all life suffocated!’
🧜♀️ ‘It felt like power. Pictures just flowed from her like a river to the sea.’
🧜♀️ I also really enjoyed the characters, from twins Nell and Percy to Connor, Dina, Goldie and full-of-life-taking-a-lot-space Marnie. The stakes are high enough to make us, adults reading this book, all the more invested and the short chapters and their structure made it all the more interesting and setting a very good pace to follow.
🧜♀️ I just wish I had the physical copy to show you the wonderful illustrations which black and white do not make the art work justice. Will definitely be purchasing this one later this year.
📚 I am glad to have been accepted to this book tour and apologies for my belated post! Thank you to @lovebookstours for the opportunity and I’m looking forward to the next tour I am a part of! Stay tuned!
@tinytreebooks
@byhannahjesse
@emma_mylrea_books
#Ad #Gifted
September 20, 2021
This was a great middle-grade read. I enjoyed the entry-level supernatural element with the gilly species (humans who also have gills and so are amphibious) and found the folklore surrounding them easy to follow and understand but with enough detail to keep it interesting. This would be great for any young person's first foray into this sort of genre. While the writing was easy to read, it didn't lack ambitious vocabulary, rich scene setting and immersive description, perfect for challenging and stretching young readers without being overwhelming. There are lovely friendships between the characters in this story, each with their own hiccups to overcome. The 3 main characters all have a good development arc too, each of them growing from their experiences. I really liked Nell and thought she was a great example of inner strength and individuality. The story includes some family issues including absent parent due to work and illness of a parent which you may want to be aware of if you are planning to use this book with young people. These elements make the characters feel relatable and the start of the story centres around school before the adventure begins which is great for children to identify with the characters.
The adventure part of the story is told from 2 perspectives; the gilly boys in the ocean and Nell on the boat. This was great for getting a broader picture of the action and switching between the 2 meant it didn't get that feeling of ugh just get to the destination already! There was of course a happy ending but the characters had definitely worked for it and earned it.
This book would be great to use as a class novel or for linking with topics on water (there is some brief discussion of pollution) for those of you that work in educational settings.
The adventure part of the story is told from 2 perspectives; the gilly boys in the ocean and Nell on the boat. This was great for getting a broader picture of the action and switching between the 2 meant it didn't get that feeling of ugh just get to the destination already! There was of course a happy ending but the characters had definitely worked for it and earned it.
This book would be great to use as a class novel or for linking with topics on water (there is some brief discussion of pollution) for those of you that work in educational settings.
August 31, 2021
Thank you to the author, publisher and Love Books Tours for a review copy of the book and a spot on the book tour.
The Curse of the Dearmad was a great read, quick and easy. While the target audience is around the age of 10, I recon the people who would enjoy this most would be those slightly younger (6-7 years old) who are trying to push themselves or reading with a parent.
The high points of this book for me were the illustrations, the description, and Percy’s sister, Nell. The illustrations at the beginning of each chapter were cute and helped bring to life the characters and scenes. Again I think this is something younger readers would really like and find helpful if they’re starting to read longer books. Mylrea’s writing is brilliant for children. It’s simple enough to understand but she uses language really well to paint a really vivid image of the characters and settings, which is only strengthened by the illustrations. My favourite character was Nell, our main characters sister. She was powerful and strong and motivated. I thought she was definitely the best character.
While I did not necessarily like all of the characters that much (just prom preference) they were all well written and varied. The plot was intriguing even though some of it was somewhat predictable, but then again maybe not for children.
Overall, I absolutely recommend this for young readers, especially those looking to move onto longer books or working their way up to ‘middle grade’ fiction like Percy Jackson. I think this book would be a great entry point for them, and it’s interesting in its own right.
The Curse of the Dearmad was a great read, quick and easy. While the target audience is around the age of 10, I recon the people who would enjoy this most would be those slightly younger (6-7 years old) who are trying to push themselves or reading with a parent.
The high points of this book for me were the illustrations, the description, and Percy’s sister, Nell. The illustrations at the beginning of each chapter were cute and helped bring to life the characters and scenes. Again I think this is something younger readers would really like and find helpful if they’re starting to read longer books. Mylrea’s writing is brilliant for children. It’s simple enough to understand but she uses language really well to paint a really vivid image of the characters and settings, which is only strengthened by the illustrations. My favourite character was Nell, our main characters sister. She was powerful and strong and motivated. I thought she was definitely the best character.
While I did not necessarily like all of the characters that much (just prom preference) they were all well written and varied. The plot was intriguing even though some of it was somewhat predictable, but then again maybe not for children.
Overall, I absolutely recommend this for young readers, especially those looking to move onto longer books or working their way up to ‘middle grade’ fiction like Percy Jackson. I think this book would be a great entry point for them, and it’s interesting in its own right.
September 14, 2021
Of course a book with a map obviously gets a star before I’ve even started to read one single word. Before you start reading you definitely need to take note of the map. Talk about a bit of education too as you get stuck in. Although a little confused to begin with in regards to what Connor was. But it didn’t take me long to figure it all out that he was in fact a gilly after all.
Every chapter you discover something new, whether this is new characters a new experience a completely new adventure. I loved the mystery that grasped your attention at what was to come further in the book between certain characters between friendship, potential romance and families.
There was key elements hidden throughout that stuck out to me one being, that everyone should look after the ocean not just the gilly’s. For me this was the perfect read to escape you don’t have to be an age to read this it’s just enjoyable.
An outstanding start off fantasy read with lots of illustrations throughout the end of every chapter. I adored being taken on this adventure and I hope there will be another book to be taken on a second adventure. Cannot wait to see my kids read this one. Incredible. The plot was unique, the writing fantastic and the chapter lengths spot on. I also really loved the cover on this too.
Every chapter you discover something new, whether this is new characters a new experience a completely new adventure. I loved the mystery that grasped your attention at what was to come further in the book between certain characters between friendship, potential romance and families.
There was key elements hidden throughout that stuck out to me one being, that everyone should look after the ocean not just the gilly’s. For me this was the perfect read to escape you don’t have to be an age to read this it’s just enjoyable.
An outstanding start off fantasy read with lots of illustrations throughout the end of every chapter. I adored being taken on this adventure and I hope there will be another book to be taken on a second adventure. Cannot wait to see my kids read this one. Incredible. The plot was unique, the writing fantastic and the chapter lengths spot on. I also really loved the cover on this too.
September 1, 2021
The Curse of the Dearmad
Author, Emma Mylrea
Illustrator, Hannah Jesse
Publisher: Tiny Tree
Pub date: August 19, 2021
Thank you @lovebooktours, author @emma_mylrea_books, and @tinytreebooks for the #gifted e- ARC of the magical middle grade book!
What an unexpected and magical middle grade read! Percy, Connor, and Nell's quest was an epic journey of family, friendship, love, and determination. All powerful themes for our middle graders to be reading and learning about.
The relationship between the twins and the strong female character of Nell were my two favorite parts of this engaging book. Their sibling bond and sympathetic relationship with one another and their love for their parents was wonderful to read. Nell's calm determination and hidden, but found powers were brilliant and inspiring.
With vivid descriptions and beautiful illustrations of their undersea adventure and their journey to heal their mother, The Curse of the Dearmad was filled with folklore, magic, and plenty of challenges. Can these three pull their strengths together and help heal Percy and Nell's mother?
Family and friendship were central to this fantastical undersea adventure and I highly recommend for your young readers ages 8-12.
Author, Emma Mylrea
Illustrator, Hannah Jesse
Publisher: Tiny Tree
Pub date: August 19, 2021
Thank you @lovebooktours, author @emma_mylrea_books, and @tinytreebooks for the #gifted e- ARC of the magical middle grade book!
What an unexpected and magical middle grade read! Percy, Connor, and Nell's quest was an epic journey of family, friendship, love, and determination. All powerful themes for our middle graders to be reading and learning about.
The relationship between the twins and the strong female character of Nell were my two favorite parts of this engaging book. Their sibling bond and sympathetic relationship with one another and their love for their parents was wonderful to read. Nell's calm determination and hidden, but found powers were brilliant and inspiring.
With vivid descriptions and beautiful illustrations of their undersea adventure and their journey to heal their mother, The Curse of the Dearmad was filled with folklore, magic, and plenty of challenges. Can these three pull their strengths together and help heal Percy and Nell's mother?
Family and friendship were central to this fantastical undersea adventure and I highly recommend for your young readers ages 8-12.
August 31, 2021
What a brilliant book. I felt like this was a mix between Percy Jackson and the new Disney film Luca. Such a brilliant read and great for younger readers who are looking to challenge themselves with a longer book. I really enjoyed this book
Blurb
Living in the ordinary world is anything but ordinary for twins Percy and Nell Shearwater. After all, Percy is not like most eleven-year-old boys. Most eleven-year-old boys don’t have gills.
When the grip of death tightens its hold on the twins’ mother, Percy resolves to do whatever it takes to find a cure. But what if that means embarking on a secret and treacherous journey through uncharted waters, to the island of Doona... an island which some say doesn’t even exist?
While Percy confronts the perils of the sea to save his dying mother, Nell will need to rely on her own mysterious gift if she is to have any chance of seeing her brother again. There’s just one thing that lies in her way: the Curse of Dearmad...
#Ad #gifted #bookreview #booksofinstagram #bookobsessed
@bookchainedsoul @Books_are_windows_to_adventure @c.isfor.claire_reads @spoonfulofhygge
Blurb
Living in the ordinary world is anything but ordinary for twins Percy and Nell Shearwater. After all, Percy is not like most eleven-year-old boys. Most eleven-year-old boys don’t have gills.
When the grip of death tightens its hold on the twins’ mother, Percy resolves to do whatever it takes to find a cure. But what if that means embarking on a secret and treacherous journey through uncharted waters, to the island of Doona... an island which some say doesn’t even exist?
While Percy confronts the perils of the sea to save his dying mother, Nell will need to rely on her own mysterious gift if she is to have any chance of seeing her brother again. There’s just one thing that lies in her way: the Curse of Dearmad...
#Ad #gifted #bookreview #booksofinstagram #bookobsessed
@bookchainedsoul @Books_are_windows_to_adventure @c.isfor.claire_reads @spoonfulofhygge
September 8, 2021
This story follows 11-year-old twins Percy and Nell, who although appear to be regular children Percy is different to Nell as he is a gilly - he has gills - but Nell has her own mysterious gift too. When their mother becomes gravely ill Percy resolves himself to do whatever it takes to save her, even if that means a secret adventure to an island that some people say doesn't even exist.
While Percy is confronting the perils of the sea Nell must use her own gift if she ever wants to see her brother again. The one thing in her way is The Curse of the Dearmad.
The relationship between the twins and their love for their parents was a lovely read. Nell's determination and newly found gifts were fabulous.
Written using wonderful descriptive language with beautiful illustrations of the twins adventure made it a great book for my almost 10-year-old. Would also make a fab film!
A fabulous tale of friendship, family and what you can achieve when you persevere - no matter how unachievable it may seem.
My 9-year old is currently half way through the book and loves it! She thinks it would make a good TV series too!!
My rating - ⭐⭐⭐
Her rating (so far) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
While Percy is confronting the perils of the sea Nell must use her own gift if she ever wants to see her brother again. The one thing in her way is The Curse of the Dearmad.
The relationship between the twins and their love for their parents was a lovely read. Nell's determination and newly found gifts were fabulous.
Written using wonderful descriptive language with beautiful illustrations of the twins adventure made it a great book for my almost 10-year-old. Would also make a fab film!
A fabulous tale of friendship, family and what you can achieve when you persevere - no matter how unachievable it may seem.
My 9-year old is currently half way through the book and loves it! She thinks it would make a good TV series too!!
My rating - ⭐⭐⭐
Her rating (so far) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
September 19, 2021
Please tell me that I’m not the only one getting some Water Babies vibes from this?! Absolutely loved that book, and I am definitely seeing some much loved similarities to the classic. Which is a huge plus!
I love middle grade books that explore deep topics alongside a fun, and an exciting storyline. I think that’s the perfect way to put forward and use Middle Grade and Children’s Literature. You need to make them aware of issues and themes, but also don’t take away their adventurous and fun side. This book does just that! Love the small little snippets of the effects of climate change and the oceans - in the beginning we see just that when Connor feels fumes in his gills when he encounters the sea.
I’m not finished this book yet, but am absolutely loving it, don’t be fooled by its size as Emma Mylrea’s writing is so fluid and descriptive that the words just fall off the page! This is definitely going to get a high rating from me, hands and gills down.
Big thanks to @lovebookstours, @tinytreebooks and to @emma_mylrea_books for sending me a #gifted copy in exchange for a review!
I love middle grade books that explore deep topics alongside a fun, and an exciting storyline. I think that’s the perfect way to put forward and use Middle Grade and Children’s Literature. You need to make them aware of issues and themes, but also don’t take away their adventurous and fun side. This book does just that! Love the small little snippets of the effects of climate change and the oceans - in the beginning we see just that when Connor feels fumes in his gills when he encounters the sea.
I’m not finished this book yet, but am absolutely loving it, don’t be fooled by its size as Emma Mylrea’s writing is so fluid and descriptive that the words just fall off the page! This is definitely going to get a high rating from me, hands and gills down.
Big thanks to @lovebookstours, @tinytreebooks and to @emma_mylrea_books for sending me a #gifted copy in exchange for a review!
August 31, 2021
Firstly a big thank you to Love Book Tours for allowing me to review Curse of the Dearmad by Emma Mylrea and to the Publishers Tiny Tree for sending me a physical copy. I could not believe this was Emma's first book yet she was able to bring magical realism into a middle grade which I admit I have not seen very often and loved it.
I am not going to give a synopsis of the book as I feel it will spoil things. Instead I believe the best way to enjoy this book is to jump right in and you will not be disappointed. In a couple of places I was moved so much that I actually cried.
What I will say there are so many messages which are conveyed throughout this wonderful book like the importance of family and how this love can make someone go to any depths. Also it shows that it is okay to be different
For all these reasons I am giving this book 4 stars and can't wait to see what Emma comes up with next.
I am not going to give a synopsis of the book as I feel it will spoil things. Instead I believe the best way to enjoy this book is to jump right in and you will not be disappointed. In a couple of places I was moved so much that I actually cried.
What I will say there are so many messages which are conveyed throughout this wonderful book like the importance of family and how this love can make someone go to any depths. Also it shows that it is okay to be different
For all these reasons I am giving this book 4 stars and can't wait to see what Emma comes up with next.
September 3, 2021
My nine year old daughter Aria reviewed this for me and devoured it in a couple of days as she loved it so much. Here are her thoughts:
“I love this book because it got my imagination going and took me on a great adventure with Percy and Nell. I like the fact that some people are gilly – this is very cool and I’d like to be one too! One of my favourite parts is when Percy sneaks out of his house to practise his swimming skills in the pool when his parents think he’s sleeping.
“My favourite character was Nell. Although she’s not a gilly herself, she is clever and brave and I could relate to her. I think she’d make a great friend.
“I really enjoyed the story and although I didn’t want it to end, the ending was great. I can’t wait to read the next book from this author!”
Aria and I would thoroughly recommend The Curse of the Dearmad to all adventure loving children!
“I love this book because it got my imagination going and took me on a great adventure with Percy and Nell. I like the fact that some people are gilly – this is very cool and I’d like to be one too! One of my favourite parts is when Percy sneaks out of his house to practise his swimming skills in the pool when his parents think he’s sleeping.
“My favourite character was Nell. Although she’s not a gilly herself, she is clever and brave and I could relate to her. I think she’d make a great friend.
“I really enjoyed the story and although I didn’t want it to end, the ending was great. I can’t wait to read the next book from this author!”
Aria and I would thoroughly recommend The Curse of the Dearmad to all adventure loving children!
September 19, 2021
Curse of the Dearmad by Emma Mylrea
What a gripping read! I loved how every chapter gave you a little taste of what might come - some insight into the mysteries that would unfold throughout the tale.
This story was a wonderful tale of families and friendship that showed how when we persevere, we can do what seems unachievable. I loved how each character had their own strengths and these were played upon throughout the adventure. My favourite character was Nelly, the twin who was not a gilly. This did not mean she had any lesser qualities though and it was heartwarming to see her grow along the way.
I really enjoyed this book and read it without putting it down! I know my eight year old will love to read this on her own and I am sure my six year old will want to read it to.
Thank you to Love Books Tours for a place on the tour in return for an honest review.
What a gripping read! I loved how every chapter gave you a little taste of what might come - some insight into the mysteries that would unfold throughout the tale.
This story was a wonderful tale of families and friendship that showed how when we persevere, we can do what seems unachievable. I loved how each character had their own strengths and these were played upon throughout the adventure. My favourite character was Nelly, the twin who was not a gilly. This did not mean she had any lesser qualities though and it was heartwarming to see her grow along the way.
I really enjoyed this book and read it without putting it down! I know my eight year old will love to read this on her own and I am sure my six year old will want to read it to.
Thank you to Love Books Tours for a place on the tour in return for an honest review.
August 23, 2021
Immediately this book draws you in with it brilliant illustrations, and the storyline keeps hold of your attention and keeps you reading on.
In this book we meet Percy and Nell , who might seem normal except Percy has gills... when death has their mum in its grip , Percy does everything he can to find a cure for her , even if it means trying to find an island that many say doesn't exist ! Nell must help Percy by using her own mysterious gift , can they find the cure and save their mum?
A really brilliant middle grade read, if you are a fan of fantasy books or have a youngster who enjoys it then I think this book will definitely be one to go for! Very well written and described so that the world they are travelling through is painted vividly in the readers mind as they read.
In this book we meet Percy and Nell , who might seem normal except Percy has gills... when death has their mum in its grip , Percy does everything he can to find a cure for her , even if it means trying to find an island that many say doesn't exist ! Nell must help Percy by using her own mysterious gift , can they find the cure and save their mum?
A really brilliant middle grade read, if you are a fan of fantasy books or have a youngster who enjoys it then I think this book will definitely be one to go for! Very well written and described so that the world they are travelling through is painted vividly in the readers mind as they read.
August 30, 2021
I've really enjoyed reading this beautifully written debut middle grade book. It's perfect for older readers too. It certainly held my interest. I loved the unique concept of the storyline of Percy Shearwater being a Gilly ( A Gilly is a person with gills on their neck. They can live like a normal person but need to swim in the ocean from time to time to be able to remain healthy) and this, coupled with the imaginative writing style the story flowed along at nice easy pace.
Family and friendship and the determination to protect the ones you love and hold dear are at the heart of this story, which I thought made this totally relatable.
A fun read and one I'll be passing on the younger ones in my family.
Family and friendship and the determination to protect the ones you love and hold dear are at the heart of this story, which I thought made this totally relatable.
A fun read and one I'll be passing on the younger ones in my family.
August 23, 2021
What a fantastic book!!
This story was absolutely captivating and I could not put it down. I really needed to know what adventure Percy and Connor was going to go on and what the outcome would be.
I absolutely love Nell and Otto they are my absolute favourite characters from this book.
Nell is such a strong willed character and she is definitely someone to be inspired by. She is so adventurous, care free and full of mystery that she is just intriguing!
I absolutely loved that ending but it has left me wanting to know more and more about the characters and what adventures they will go on next!
This book is definitely one I would read again and again!
This story was absolutely captivating and I could not put it down. I really needed to know what adventure Percy and Connor was going to go on and what the outcome would be.
I absolutely love Nell and Otto they are my absolute favourite characters from this book.
Nell is such a strong willed character and she is definitely someone to be inspired by. She is so adventurous, care free and full of mystery that she is just intriguing!
I absolutely loved that ending but it has left me wanting to know more and more about the characters and what adventures they will go on next!
This book is definitely one I would read again and again!
Read
July 21, 2021The Curse of the Dearmad is a wonderful middle grade fantasy novel!
It follows the story of twins, Percy and Nell on a journey of discovery into who they are. Percy is no ordinary boy, he’s a gilly, what ordinary boy has gills after all? As much at home in the sea as on land, Percy goes on a journey of discovery in hopes of saving his mother. Whilst his twin sister Nell is left behind, she comes together with family and friends to follow and save her brother and discovers her own hidden talents.
With strong friendships and family relationships this novel is a joy to read.
It follows the story of twins, Percy and Nell on a journey of discovery into who they are. Percy is no ordinary boy, he’s a gilly, what ordinary boy has gills after all? As much at home in the sea as on land, Percy goes on a journey of discovery in hopes of saving his mother. Whilst his twin sister Nell is left behind, she comes together with family and friends to follow and save her brother and discovers her own hidden talents.
With strong friendships and family relationships this novel is a joy to read.
August 20, 2021
A really well written, middle grade, fantasy adventure. Unfortunately it didn't completely capture me but a good read nonetheless.
The storytelling was great, a little long winded for me but maybe that's just because I'm not a huge fantasy reader!
I really liked the descriptions of people and places. I could really picture it. The little animations at the end of chapters was good too, helped picture people and places.
Good, interesting characters who were explored in detail. I can see this becoming a series as I think there is a lot to explore, particularly with Nell.
The storytelling was great, a little long winded for me but maybe that's just because I'm not a huge fantasy reader!
I really liked the descriptions of people and places. I could really picture it. The little animations at the end of chapters was good too, helped picture people and places.
Good, interesting characters who were explored in detail. I can see this becoming a series as I think there is a lot to explore, particularly with Nell.
August 27, 2021
This was a great book! The story follows twins Percy and Nell, only there’s something different about Percy, he has gills. Then their mother starts getting ill and Percy embarks on a journey through uncharted waters to save her, using the pull of the sea. Nell has her own gifts and the only thing standing in her way…the curse of the Dearmad!
I read this one out loud to my 5 year old and although it took us a while, we loved it. It is geared for children aged 9-11 but I think it’s one of those books that can be read and enjoyed by everyone. The story is so touching and is full of determination and love.
The charters are likeable and I think children will be able to relate to some of the feelings experienced by the twins in the book.
Great fun book for the whole family! I also think this would make a brilliant movie adaption! #watchthisspace
I read this one out loud to my 5 year old and although it took us a while, we loved it. It is geared for children aged 9-11 but I think it’s one of those books that can be read and enjoyed by everyone. The story is so touching and is full of determination and love.
The charters are likeable and I think children will be able to relate to some of the feelings experienced by the twins in the book.
Great fun book for the whole family! I also think this would make a brilliant movie adaption! #watchthisspace
September 1, 2021
Absolutely loved every little thing about this book. Neil is such a strong character and very inspiring. Absolutely loved Nell and Otto.
The story telling and writing style is great and easy to follow. Such a brilliant book for a young fantasy reader. The description and the animations were brilliant and worked so well.
Definitely a good read and hope this becomes a series. I'm really looking forward to sharing this story with my daughter.
The story telling and writing style is great and easy to follow. Such a brilliant book for a young fantasy reader. The description and the animations were brilliant and worked so well.
Definitely a good read and hope this becomes a series. I'm really looking forward to sharing this story with my daughter.
August 17, 2021
What a fantastic book. Full of adventure, intrigue and suspense.
I loved the concept of gillys and that they live as normal people and just need to swim in the ocean from time to time.
I hope this is the start of a series as I would love to read more and I will be keeping hold of this book until my girls are old enough to appreciate how brilliant this is.
I loved the concept of gillys and that they live as normal people and just need to swim in the ocean from time to time.
I hope this is the start of a series as I would love to read more and I will be keeping hold of this book until my girls are old enough to appreciate how brilliant this is.
August 31, 2021
I may be 43 and this may be a middle grade book but guess what…. I loved every bit of this book! I've talked about going on reading adventures before and believe when I say, this book took me on an adventure. The author has a glorious imagination and was able to draw me right into the book so I could easily imagine everything! I could practically hear their voices!
August 25, 2021
Such a cute quick and easy read.
I really enjoyed the storyline and it was such a lovely book to break up my reading.
I really enjoyed the storyline and it was such a lovely book to break up my reading.
July 16, 2023
Wow! This is a page turner. Just the right balance of adventure, curiosity and intrigue. So much strength in the characters.
September 15, 2021
You can find my full review for this as well as other books on my blog here
Huge thanks to Love Book Tours, Emma Mylrea and Tiny Tree Books for arranging the book tour and providing a beautiful ARC copy for me to review!
What an absolutely brilliant book this was!
I was enchanted from the very first page by the beautiful illustrations. I loved the way that each chapter was headed with more of those cute little pictures too, it really helped me to imagine the characters and just added so much to my enjoyment of the book overall.
The storyline is unique and fun and keeps your attention throughout. It is so well written, the world and characters are fantastic, especially for a middle grade novel where I typically find that to be a bit lacking.
This book has world building in spades!
So in this world you have something known as a “Gilly”. This is basically a regular human but with gills on the neck which allows underwater breathing. Gillies have to find balance in their life in order to remain strong and healthy and that means spending time on land and in the sea.
Set in a little harbour town we follow the stories of two gillies, Percy and Conner who are completely different and yet form a strong friendship in spite of it all and are able to work together to make an impossible journey. And also Nell, Percy’s twin sister who is not a gilly but something else…
This is a story full of adventure that really captures the imagination and allows the reader to picture every detail.
The characters are so fun and likable and you really root for them all the way through!
This is the perfect easy read for anyone who enjoys a good fantasy novel whether young or old.
I will be giving my copy to my 11 year old to read now that I am done with it as I am certain he will love it just as much as I did!
Huge thanks to Love Book Tours, Emma Mylrea and Tiny Tree Books for arranging the book tour and providing a beautiful ARC copy for me to review!
What an absolutely brilliant book this was!
I was enchanted from the very first page by the beautiful illustrations. I loved the way that each chapter was headed with more of those cute little pictures too, it really helped me to imagine the characters and just added so much to my enjoyment of the book overall.
The storyline is unique and fun and keeps your attention throughout. It is so well written, the world and characters are fantastic, especially for a middle grade novel where I typically find that to be a bit lacking.
This book has world building in spades!
So in this world you have something known as a “Gilly”. This is basically a regular human but with gills on the neck which allows underwater breathing. Gillies have to find balance in their life in order to remain strong and healthy and that means spending time on land and in the sea.
Set in a little harbour town we follow the stories of two gillies, Percy and Conner who are completely different and yet form a strong friendship in spite of it all and are able to work together to make an impossible journey. And also Nell, Percy’s twin sister who is not a gilly but something else…
This is a story full of adventure that really captures the imagination and allows the reader to picture every detail.
The characters are so fun and likable and you really root for them all the way through!
This is the perfect easy read for anyone who enjoys a good fantasy novel whether young or old.
I will be giving my copy to my 11 year old to read now that I am done with it as I am certain he will love it just as much as I did!
September 17, 2021
The book is written in short chapters, each starting with a delightful little image that sumps up the chapter. The short chapter make this book very easy to read and the images really build an image into your mind about the characters.
Percy and Connor are both gillies, but they couldn’t be more different from each other. In his world, gillies are part of society, and they are fully integrated, albeit still a bit mysterious. Percy is strong, brave and sociable, while Connor is sickly and struggles to find his place. When the two boys
meet on the first day of school, they become friends, and this enables Connor to go swimming more and thus improve his health. Percy’s twin Nell is not a Gilly and she is envious of the and feels left out.
The adventure starts when Percy finds out about a mysterious island that could help restore his mum’s health. No one in the family would approve of Percy’s plan to swim there, but this does not stop him from going, and Connor from stealthily following. On their way there, the two boys face many dangers. Do they both make it to the island? What is Nell’s part in this adventure? Read and find out.
I did enjoy this book and I would like to read more from this author.
Percy and Connor are both gillies, but they couldn’t be more different from each other. In his world, gillies are part of society, and they are fully integrated, albeit still a bit mysterious. Percy is strong, brave and sociable, while Connor is sickly and struggles to find his place. When the two boys
meet on the first day of school, they become friends, and this enables Connor to go swimming more and thus improve his health. Percy’s twin Nell is not a Gilly and she is envious of the and feels left out.
The adventure starts when Percy finds out about a mysterious island that could help restore his mum’s health. No one in the family would approve of Percy’s plan to swim there, but this does not stop him from going, and Connor from stealthily following. On their way there, the two boys face many dangers. Do they both make it to the island? What is Nell’s part in this adventure? Read and find out.
I did enjoy this book and I would like to read more from this author.
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