stitchsaddiction's reviews
1142 reviews

Where do I begin with this fourth and final book in The Younglings series?

I can go with the cast of characters we've seen grow and become their own strong and determined self. Or how the world they're living in is so brilliantly written that it comes to life as each page is turned.

Maybe I should say why, oh, why does it have to end?

I could… but I think I will start with a thank you. Thank you, Helena M. Craggs, for sitting down one day and bringing to life that spark of imagination you had for The Younglings. You've brought about a series that no one wants to end, even though we know without doubt anything that comes next will be brilliant and test my heart rate. Also thank you for bringing together a group of people who not only love your work but are supportive and have formed a bond no one can break- unless you kill off Quinn in the future then I think there may well be riots.

Storms, Starlight, and Magic bring us back into the world of Quinn, Eve, and their friends right at the moment when, for one, everything will change. Life, as always, is never easy. The desire for calm and that moment to be normal teens is near on impossible at the best of times, but when you're transitioning from human to vampire? You can guarantee everything is up in the air, and that's actually the calmest moment of the entire story! I knew this would make my anxiety spike, but it was non-stop for this group of misfits.

After Jack's turning, I loved how this book's main focus was on the half-angel and love of Quinn's existence? Eve. The build-up in previous instalments of this adventure have provided insight into what was to befall the symbol of goodness to many in The Younglings. 

There's tension at every turn, and with the arrival of more creatures? There was that thought in the back of your mind of just who can you trust, which keeps you on the edge of your seat. Even the world building does this with the way buildings are described, and I could almost feel the temperature drop at times when Quinn and The Younglings’ lives are turned upside down. This series has always been described as one that would appeal to a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and if you've watched it, can you recall that feeling when her world fell apart? (Yes, several times because she must have been born on Friday the 13th…) Then this reading Storms, Starlight and Magic will feel like that tenfold.

I went through a plethora of emotions reading this book. From joy to be back there, to shock, abject horror, fury, and sadness. I couldn't stop reading it, but I also wanted the end to never come. Please trust me, you may require a tissue or ten because Lord Almighty, a certain author, decided to torture us. (I've only just forgiven you, Helena.. for now! When I read it again, I shall be grumpy again.)

Helena has created a series that is incredible, you will want to read, and re-read this series and I dearly wish it were adapted for the screen so I can see these characters I've grown to love stand before me. 

The Younglings has it all. Each of the four books is incredible, and this one? Just wow.. my heart has only just recovered, but I do want to know more about Edward and Lucifer one day.

Go get this series. You're going to love it.

The anticipation was palpable as I turned the first page of Wicked As You Wish. After all, who could resist the allure of Peter Pan's Neverland or Alice's Wonderland springing to life off the pages?

Yet, as I delved deeper into the narrative, the promise of enchantment gradually waned. The concept of fictional universes commingling with reality had initially sparked a sense of exhilaration in me. With each page, however, the tale took a downward turn, transitioning from a promising adventure to a tiresome endeavour. 

It's not that the writing lacked flair; on the contrary, it was often beautifully crafted. However, the plot felt convoluted and overwhelmed with details, making it challenging to follow. As a fervent fan of complex narratives and political nuances, I found it disheartening when these elements became too compressed and chaotic.

My initial enjoyment and curiosity were slowly replaced with a sense of bewilderment and frustration. I was hopeful that these were mere bumps in the road, but alas, my optimism was misplaced.

The world-building, a critical element in any fantasy narrative, fell short of my expectations. I longed for the whimsy of Wonderland and the thrilling danger of Neverland, as vividly portrayed in their original stories. Every glimpse into these familiar worlds reignited a spark of excitement in me. But, unfortunately, these moments were fleeting, leaving me yearning for more.

The characters, too, lacked depth, missing that spark that makes readers root for them. The originality that shone through at times was overshadowed by their one-dimensional portrayal.

In the end, Wicked As You Wish held the potential to be extraordinary, but it did not quite hit the mark. I was left with a sense of disappointment and frustration, a feeling of what could have been, had the narrative not lost its way.

‘The world is having an identity crisis. People who experience gender in different ways are coming under fire from pretty much every corner. It can feel very confusing right now to be LGBTQIA+, especially for gender-diverse and trans people.’

- Ben Pechey.

Your Gender Book is insightful and almost comforting for anyone who is struggling with their gender identity, or for someone who is trying to support and understand a loved one who may have come out and explained that their gender identity is different to the one they'd been born as. Both are difficult to go through and can leave you mentally exhausted as the world isn't kind to anyone who may be different regardless of the ‘why.’

The author has taken the time to ensure that this exploration and understanding of the concept of gender isn't too heavy but rather takes your understanding in baby steps with complimentary artwork that helps it not be word heavy. You're already learning a lot without feeling as though you're drowning in information and emotion. 

The book is designed for 8-12 year olds but I will say anyone can benefit from Your Gender Book as the information within is simplified and easy to follow because Ben Pechey had taken the time to organise it in an organic manner. I know there are people who will say how an eight year old child could not know their gender isn't the one they are born with, etcetera, and there are multiple truths to that statement.

They can know that right now, their gender is incorrect and change their mind.

They can be questioning how they feel in the moment and continue to do so.

They can know at eight and still know as an adult.

All are correct. All are valid, and Ben Pechey will help in each of these scenarios. 

There is no sugar coating that this is one of the hardest things to discover about yourself, that people will either be kind or be cruel but books like this provide you with information, explanation and the realisation you are far from alone regardless of age, gender or anything else for that matter.

This is a must read for anyone especially if you're a member of the LGBTQIA community or an ally but this is of course, a brilliant read for anyone who enjoys a good story and is interested in a little bit of British LGBTQIA history in regards to the appalling Clause/Section 28 of 1988.

(More information on the act is here. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_28)

This book appealed to me straight away because I've been a member of the LGBTQIA community since I was a teenager and realised I was bisexual and then as a parent to two transgender children and as nonbinary person. Books like The Fight That Makes Us are a necessity for representation and understanding of who and what we are and where we came from. 

The battles that faced many members of the community in Britain during the eighties were horrendous and came at them from all sides. This was the era of headlines filled with lies and stigma as the AIDs virus spread and many men lost their lives. Hatred was rife and cruelty was on every corner, and Sarah Hagger-Holt has shown the difficulties and the fury that was rife; and sadly, that same hate is back now in 2023.

The Fight That Makes Us is about family and of not letting problems and trouble tear you away from your loved ones. 

I like how it's two generations of the same family, who are members of the community and have experienced similar situations and doubts about who they are and how they belong. The author writes their lives with kindness and compassion because Hod knows, it's one of the hardest realisations to accept that you're different to the vast amount of people you know along with understanding so many people fear you for no reason whatsoever.

The Fight That Makes Us is fiction but the cruelty of Section 28 was real and now people like Jesse, my children and myself are suffering that same hatred, cruelty and misunderstanding along with vilification that is faced within the book and in the eighties.

I hope this book educates those who don't understand and offers support to those who feel alone and afraid. Above all, we're all human, and we all deserve to be treated properly and, above all, with respect.

Elves on the Fifth Floor is a wonderful Christmas story that really filled me with joy at the prominance of LGBTQIA characters in the forefront of the tale as the Greco-Aiden children have two wonderful Mummies. I thought it was carefully done when the family are forced to leave their original home town due to the same-sex couple. It’s long over due that there are childrens books that feature LGBTQIA characters and same-sex couples as parents so that there is more representation and to teach younger children that family setups such as the Greco-Aidens are normal. 

The story itself is very warming and perfect for a cold night’s bedtime story filled with the love of family and the wonder of Christmas, Santa Claus and his amazing and talented elves especially the ten that arrive needing the help of the three children and one of their parents with the abundance of presents. Magic and wonder is imperative throughout your life, and I always feel sad when you see the dulling of wonder in a person’s eyes and I will promise you that if youre a parent reading this to your excited children before bed with Father Christmas’s visit around the corner? That magic will come back.

Alongside this heartwarming story with wonderful characters and a story that captures the heart of whoever reads it, there is stunning artwork that perfectly compliments the arrival of the Greco-Aiden family to the City of R, and them coming to the assistance of a very busy Father Christmas. Each scene that has been drawn shines with that same sense of warmth and I feel it truly helps bring more life and magic to the story.

From a grown up’s point of view, I really have to compliment the author on how they handle some of the harder aspects of life that people face from forced migration, police harrassment, and neighbours who shun the unknown alongside the reality of being new to a place of residence or employment. Each of these subject matters are woven so well into the story, and as a result you could have conversations with your child over subject matters that sadly many face and all should know about. 

Cookies and Milk I absolutely loved this semi-autobiographical story set in the summer of 1976.

Everything about this book has a wonderful aura of nostalgia even though I have never been to America and it’s set a full two years before I was born!

I’m going to warn you dear readers, that if you do read this book you will indeed crave a really good chocolate chip cookie with either a glass of milk or in my case, a heavenly hot chocolate with the works. 

Shawn Amos has brought 1970s Americana to life both the good and the bad, with the joys of vinyls playing, teenagers in their bell-bottoms and fantastic hair (I love the seventies so this book was perfection for me if you couldn’t guess!) but also the problems that still remained in areas of America with areas of cities which were still to a degree segregated. You truly get to see the world Shawn Amos lived in, thorough his incredible world-building and immersive writing style that had characters that feel as though you could sit down for a shake and of course a cookie. 

What I really loved about this book is the strong lessons of how important family is, and how well it is woven into the story - it’s not thrust straight into the readers face but you do pick up on how looking out for those you love is important. To many, it’s the ultimate lesson as well as how important it is to understand that sometimes miscommunication can happen and how you should try to listen and forgive if you can. This book would be a perfect addition to any child’s book shelf and a firm favourite in the school library.