Brightstorm by Vashti Hardy

This book you guys, it's so cool! When I unexpectedly received a review copy in the post from the lovely Scholastic team and saw *that* epic proof cover I knew I'd be in for a treat but I didn't realise quite how much of one. I read Brightstorm all the way at the start of the year, and I am still in awe of its awesomeness and have extensively recommend it since. I can't wait for next week to come around so it's finally published and you all can pick up a copy of this excellent middle grade read too!

Sky ships, thought wolves and orphaned twins come together in this wonderfully imaginative debut by Vashti Hardy. The action-packed adventure follows our main characters in a race to discover a new part of the world and it's a thrilling journey for the readers and characters alike.

Our protagonists are twins Arthur and Maddie; orphaned after their famous explorer father and his entire crew were killed in a fatal accident on their way to the as of yet undiscovered South Polaris. They were one of few contestants in the race to reach South Polaris first but none of them managed to make it that far. And to make matters even worse, he's accused of cheating during the race, meaning that Arthur and Maddie didn't just lose their last living parent but along with his reputation they also lose everything they own, including their home.

After spending a terrible time working for people who bought them, the twins run off to join Harriet Culpepper in her sky ship in the latest race to reach South Polaris. They have to be clever on the treacherous journey to try and outsmart foes and prove their father's innocence once and for all...

Brightstorm is what you get if you mix A Series of Unfortunate Events with Northern Lights and Around the World in 80 Days, and give it a funky steampunk twist. Quirky characters, sky ships and sapient animals form the basis of this epic and fantastical action adventure story and an exhilarating journey of a lifetime.

From the moment I laid eyes on the gorgeous cover of this book I was pretty much sold, but I am very happy to say that the contents most definitely live up to the expectations created by the stunning design. This is a novel that is incredibly original with its cool characters and imaginative world-building, and is super fun in its execution. It's also laced with tons of intrigue surrounding the death of Arthur and Maddie's father, and with a kick-ass adventure at its core, it becomes a truly engrossing read.

This was one of the very first books I read in 2018 (though I am only posting my review now as it's not published until next week) and there isn't a better way to kick off a new reading year than with one as original, exciting and awesome as this. Filled with awe-inspiring settings and iconic characters I have come to love (or in one particular case, the exact opposite...), you've set the bar very high for my 2018 reading year, Vashti!


Brightstorm will be published by Scholastic on 1 March 2018 and you can pre-order your copy now from Foyles or your own preferred retailer.


🎵 Listening to: Eurgenius! – Comic Book Kind of Love
🔹 Mood: Good