The MG faerie novel I wish I'd had when I was ten! The Chime Seekers features sibling bonds, friendship, change and, of course, magic!
Yanni's little sister Ari has ruined his life. She cries all the time, leaves his parents too exhausted to spend time with him, and she's the reason they've just moved to a dreary house in a sad, grey village. But when a mysterious stranger offers to take her away on All Hallows Eve, Yanni is thrown into an adventure where he'll discover just how much his family means to him.
The Chime Seekers is fantastically dark, creepy and tense. It's impossible not to keep turning the pages once you start - the stakes are so high!
It's also filled with brilliant characterisation. Yanni is very relatable - lots of children struggle with new siblings and change and will empathise with Yanni's difficulty accepting Ari. I loved his growth throughout the novel. Amy is brilliant too - especially when she starts to stick up for herself - and I loved the presentation of the exhausted parents (I could definitely relate!)
Montgomery's world building is superb - I loved the grumpy toad, the helpful signpost and the way the real world and faerie world reflect each other.
And the best thing at all? A brilliantly creepy, completely evil villain who it's impossible not to be a bit unnerved by no matter how old you are (especially when he first makes an appearance) There's lots of trickery and dodgy deals and you have to pay careful attention to what's being said if you don't want to fall victim to this trickster fae like Yanni.
Thank you Walker for letting me review an advanced copy on NetGalley.