bookchainedsoul's review
4.0
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.
happilyeveramy's review
4.0
▪︎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!
~
10lewis2011's review
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
mickysbookworm's review
5.0
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.
areadersalley's review
4.0
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/areadersalley/post/curse-of-the-dearmad
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/areadersalley/post/curse-of-the-dearmad
thenerdandherbooks's review
5.0
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!
katalinareads's review
4.0
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.
electraa's review
3.25
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
kirstymaria1996's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
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
bexwalsh's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
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