Difficult to review a book after just reading part of it, but this is well-written and the sense of menace creeps through the pages. I will look forward to reading the whole novel. I very much want to know what happens next!

I loved this sample and can't wait to see what happens next. I flew through the pages as it had me totally engrossed. I loved the central character and am keen to see if she has any fairly dealings with the spirit of her mum and how she wrestles with the guilt of her loss and never meeting her father. I want to see how she fits into her new home and who exactly these people are. The writing in relation to the bear inside her was beautiful. Busting to read more at this stage!

Looks like another solid novel from Frances Hardinge. Loved Fly by Night, and looking forward to reading this one.

This short extract made me want to do two things:
1. Find out what happens next (SOON!) and...
2. Read more of Hardinge's books before this happens

We follow Makepeace, who has had a rather strange upbringing at the hands of her mother, who changed her name for unspecified reasons and is teaching Makepeace how to fight the demons who are seeking them out and wish to harm them. Early on, her mother dies and Makepeace is thrust from her rather Purtanical life into one where the unseen is no longer confined to the shadows. So far, this novel is enthralling, fast-paced and enthralling.

I can't wait to read the rest this September - definitely one to add to the wishlist

This is a terrific appetiser of for the upcoming book and it really lays the groundwork and world building that makes you want to read this compelling book. Frances Hardinge is a talented and imaginative writer. I found it a real jolt to come the end because I was so thoroughly caught up and immersed in the story. Makepeace is obviously such a symbolic name and you feel for her as her life becomes ever more precarious.. Really looking forward to reading the rest of the book!!!

An interesting first look at Hardinge's new book. Much in the vein of The Lie Tree, we get a narrative told from the perspective of a young person caught in the complications of historical Edwardian (?) English life, trapped by social boundaries and political lines they can't hope to comprehend. I'm hoping that later on we get to see more of a fantastical element as in her other books to help push the young experience of Makepeace into something more visually tangible and creative.

I cannot wait for this book to be published. Absolutely brilliant. Started the sampler and just couldn't stop until I had finished it.

Set in England at the beginning of the unrest that went on to become the English Civil War, A Skinful of Shadows is atmospheric, darkly fascinating tale. Makepeace is a brilliant character; at twelve, she senses that her mother keeps a secret which keeps them separate from the rest of their village...and her own nightmares reveal that she does, too...
I loved this extract (only five chapters!) so much; I absolutely cannot wait to read the entire book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for letting me read a free excerpt from this novel.

I don't know how I can wait until October to read this YA/children's book! I am a huge admirer of Frances Hardinge's writing, although I think she has yet to equal her stunning debut novel Fly by Night: Mosca Mye and Saracen have to be two of the very best characters in children's fiction, and Fly by Night is less dark than Hardinge's other novels. I wonder whether A Skinful of Shadows can reach those heights?

Set in a small town called Poplar immediately before the English Civil War, this book is about a girl called Makepeace. We learn that she is fatherless, meaning that she and her hard, cold mother Margaret Lightfoot have no secure position in society. Makepeace is aware of the dead, and of their attempts to claw their way into her head. As her mother explains: 'The dead are like drowners. They are flailing in darkness, trying to grab whatever they can. They may not mean to harm you, but they will, if you let them.'

This novel excerpt is quintessential Hardinge: incredibly imaginative with elements of horror, darkness and light, the supernatural and the fantastic, with a hatred of (organised, repressive) religion, and featuring a hard fight to grow up and be true to oneself. Yet to list these themes is to miss the beauty in the writing and the sureness of touch that together make for compulsive reading. The darkness never overwhelms and the victory of light makes for a very satisfying read - I am sure that this will be the case in A Skinful of Shadows too.

Based on the sampler, I'm very curious to know more. Mysterious, eerie and tantalising, this story promises to unfold a gripping tale of a girl who is an outcast in more ways than one. Set in the 17th century, in a world which is rapidly losing its own certainties, it toys with our sense of reality itself, and focuses on a strong and courageous young heroine. I'll certainly be looking out for the full book when it's published.

I loved the Lie Tree, so I was really excited to hear Frances Hardinge was due to release a new novel. Although only a sneak peek, I immediately fell back into the authors writing and loved Makepeace almost instantly. I can't wait to read more about her 'abilities'.

While the opening chapter didn't grab me in quite the same was as the magnificent 'The Lie Tree', by the time I'd finished this 5-chapter sampler I was cursing the months til I can get my hands on a copy of the entire book! Full of the same darkly gothic mood, the mysteries of Makepiece and her nightmares, her mother's strange reaction, and the start of a new step in her journey, are all just too tantalising for words!

The saddest thing about thing about this was that it was only a sample and i had to stop reading. I was completely engrossed by this sample, the story grew and grew with all these little elements being thrown in and I am left needing more. The story is beautifully written.. Makepeace is such an intriguing character, you can see the fire in her and I can't wait to see what she does and where the book goes.. i wasnlt sure what to expect with the book and now I need it to be September already!

I'm so excited for this book! This was the perfect teaser to whet my appetite!

What a fantastic Sampler, Rich with history, mystery, and demons what more could I ask for? I half wish I hadn't read it now as it's made me too excited for the full book! I can't wait!

In the space of just a few pages, Frances Hardinge creates both memorable characters and a wonderfully atmospheric mood. I felt instantly drawn into the world of Makepeace Lightfoot. The pace of the first few chapters was brisk yet not rushed. Hardinge is adept at setting a scene where the reader knows there is more than meets the eye and leaves us eagerly wanting to know more. I look forward to the forthcoming release with great anticipation and cannot wait to read the full book.

Thank you for this sampler! I started it and actually had to force myself to stop reading and wait for the full version because I was getting addicted already. Hardinge is, as expected, creative and brilliant in her storytelling - I can't wait!