THE LOST GIRL KING is a tale of two siblings determined to protect each other in a magical realm where the evil mage wants to use them to secure his immortality.

Gutsy Amy is the main protagonist of the book, taking up most of the page time. She is adventuring with heroes and rallying the kingdom to work together to save her brother, a very classic fantasy plot line that the book follows with gusto. She pretty much talks her way through everything - and then getting saved from battles when she can't talk her way out of things, because she hasn't quite learned how to think before talking! She's constantly running into danger even if the adults trying to stop her have a good point (and they have their work cut out trying to keep an eye on her!) It ends up working out in her favour though, through sheer stubbornness more than anything!

Liam, by contrast, spends most of the book in the castle, a prisoner. He uncovers the Mage's plans, which involved a curse on the sun to stop him aging. He also meets the eponymous girl king, who is the anchor to the curse and the key to it all...

The book has such imaginative world, which draws on Irish mythology around Tír na nÓg. The magical realm has been corrupted by the curse on the sun so is rotting. However, at the same time, it's also beautiful and full of potential that helps you understand why it needs to be saved.

The book is a standalone that all wraps up nicely. It would be nice to have another story in this world but with the villain defeated and things restored, I'm not sure what that would be. Still, I look forward to whatever Catherine Doyle writes next.

I enjoyed this book and the authors writing style, which meant you could visualise the land of Tír na nÓg.

I was however waiting for Niamh and Oisin to make an appearance, which meant I didn’t like the characters as much as I would have if I didn’t know their mythology (or if my twin and I wasn’t named after them 😂)

A sparkling piece of through-the-wardrobe (or in this case, waterfall) fantasy bursting with magic and adventure.

A quest to save a lost sibling imprisoned in a hidden world that is soaked in Irish mythology & mysterious curses. Brilliantly told as always by Catherine Doyle.🗡👑

The Lost Girl King
By Catherine Doyle
Published by Bloomsbury

Siblings Amy and Liam are packed off to stay at Gran's house in the wilds of Connemara for the summer holidays only to find all is not as it first seems. A bird disappearing through a waterfall is not what they expect to see as they walk through the woods on their first trip out. An entrance to Tir na nOg, the legendary land of eternal youth is where the bird leads them. But Liam being captured by a troop of headless horsemen is what shocks Amy into action. She cannot leave him and seek help. She must find the courage to face the ruling sorcerer of Tir na nOg, who seeks the bones of a human child for a sinister new spell. Drama pursuits, but Amy has to prove her worth.

This edge-of-your seat adventure, full of imagination, warmth and bravery proves how passionately Doyle’s writing is. Taking you across every step & around every corner enabling you to feel the tension, taste the action and see through your minds eye, The Lost Girl King comes alive with enchanting, magical Irish folklore.


Joanne Bardgett - Year 3 teacher of littlies, lover of books
#Netgallery
#bloomsbury

I picked this one hoping for a nice, quick enjoyable read and I was not disappointed! Apart from Twin Crowns which was a dual author book this is my first purely Catherine Doyle read and I must say I will be keeping an eye out and picking up her other books to try!

The Lost Girl King was a dual POV from siblings Amy and Liam though we mostly see from Amy's point of view, based in Ireland, the siblings go and stay at their gran's house for a holiday and their gran tells them tales of Tír na nÓg and the siblings happenstance across a strange hawk who led them to a waterfall and they fall into Tír na nÓg where trouble is brewing, Liam gets kidnapped and Amy must save Tír na nÓg from Tarlock and rescue her brother from the curse.

A very enjoyable story, it was nice to follow Amy through her adventure through Tír na nÓg and see her overcome her obstacles and what get unveiled along the way about Tír na nÓg!

Love love loved this, Catherine Doyle has a style of writing that hooks you in and then, blink, it's been three hours. Cannot express how good this book was, highly recommend it. Give it a go! You will not regret it

I really enjoyed the uniqueness of The Lost Girl King. The pacing was perfect and the characters were all relatable in different ways. Catherine Doyle's storytelling is superb and her writing is the waterfall that lures you into a wonderful story!

This is a fantasy adventure seeped in Irish myth. As a stand alone fantasy title his will be lapped up by fans of The Storm Keeper's Island.

There wasn't a doubt in my mind that I was going to enjoy this book. And I did. Catherine Doyle has this way of mixing magic and adventure and giving me the feelings I had when I was a child and would watch fantastical movies.

You feel full of this sense of wonder.

It's the reason I keep coming back to kids books.

The Lost Girl King, as with her previous novels feels a bit like home. You see Ireland so rarely in fiction and even rarer still is the depiction done by someone who is Irish and just knows how it is. It's like the accent, hard to fake.

I'm going to recommend this to everyone.

Adventurous, imaginative Amy and her studious, scientific older brother Liam are sent to stay with their much loved Gran in Connemara, who is a retired professor and expert in Irish fairy tales. Wet weather on their arrival even slows down Amy enough to browse the bookshelves, and she is excited to find one her grandmother has written about the hidden magical kingdom of Tir Na Nog. When Amy loses the skirmish for the top bunk and has to settle for the lower one, she finds a hole in the wall with odd bits of “treasure” including an old sixpence, which belonged to Gran’s sister Peggy, which she is allowed to keep.
Improved weather allows the siblings to go exploring, but when they follow a white hawk which disappears through a waterfall, they find themselves in a hidden land, and are quickly separated. They are in Tir Na Nog, and all is not well with the magical kingdom: Amy needs to find Liam fast.
Amy and Liam have to use all their resourcefulness and have faith in each other to get home and to save Tir Na Nog in this exciting and gripping adventure full of memorable characters, where danger lurks at every turn and old rivalries are exacerbated by the malevolent ruler of the parallel world the children have been led to. I thoroughly enjoyed it, having lapped up fairy stories and folk tales as a child, and I know of many readers in our school library who will love it.

As a huge fan of Doyle’s earlier series, The Storm Keeper’s Island trilogy, I was thrilled to see a new offering by one of my favourite children’s authors. The Lost Girl King is an entirely different to Doyle’s previous stories, however the essence of her writing remains the same.

The story follows siblings Liam and Amy as they visit their grandmother in an area of Connemara steeped in legend and folklore. Whilst out for a walk, they find themselves tricked into entering Tir na nOg. What follows is an atmospheric tale of danger and courage.

This is a truly brilliant book. It’s an enchanting adventure story, featuring genuine peril. It’s unpredictable and the characters are intricately created. I cannot wait to share it with my Year 5 and 6 pupils. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Catherine Doyle is back with another heart-pounding fantasy middle grade adventure. If you loved The Storm Keeper Trilogy, then don’t miss this magical tale.

Sister and brother, Amy and Liam, are visiting their grandmother in Connemara on the west coast of Ireland. Far from home, friends and their usual entertainment, they only have each other and their grandmother’s book of fairy tales to keep them busy. Gran has always told them about the magical land of Tír na nÓg – the land of eternal youth. Liam has no time for childishness but Amy wonders if there might be a kernal of truth in these amazing stories.

When out exploring, the children find their way through a waterfall into a strange world. But there’s little time to discover where they are as Liam is captured by an angry gang of headless horsemen and taken prisoner by Tarlock, the ruling sorcerer of Tír na nÓg. Amy is forced to summon all of her courage and cunning to outsmart this evil magician, save her brother and get them both home again.

Packed full of action, peril, puzzles and breath-taking surprises, this enchanting story will have children begging for “just one more chapter” whether sharing it as a class read or snuggling under the covers at bedtime.

Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for this eARC of The Lost Girl King

Catherine Doyle is a great story teller and she creates a world that keeps readers wanting more. The pages of this novel kept turning and I was eager to find out what was to happen next.
The world building created a magical and mystical land of Tir Na Nog.
The whole thing for me was one epic adventure, the characters and relationships were explored with satisfaction and I felt on a whole it was a great insight using myth and legends

As a really big fan of "The Storm Keeper's Island", I was incredibly pleased to be given the opportunity to read Catherine Doyle's latest book "The Lost Girl King". She is a tremendous author, with a real talent for building wonderful worlds and characters that you truly root for.

Amy and Liam Bell's mother is heading to Santorini with her new boyfriend, leaving the siblings to spend the large majority of their summer holiday with their gran in Connemara.

Catherine spends very little time in giving the reader the opportunity to see just how different the siblings are. Liam's quite happy to spend the time at their Gran's in the safety of the cottage, allowing him ample time to read a collection of his books. Amy, however, wants to get outside and explore. I really enjoyed experiencing the relationship between the siblings and Catherine Doyle has a great knack for creating such
genuine relationships. Those that have read "The Storm Keeper's Island" can expect the same brilliant verbal to-and-throwing between main characters.

Amy's desire to explore is magnified when she finds a copy of "Myth or Madness? Searching for the Magical Kingdom of Tirna NOg" - Written by none other than their Gran. Amy eventually persuaded her brother to join her and it's not long until they discover a waterfall. A waterfall that
seems to flow the wrong way. With Amy's sense of adventure at an all time high, they follow and find themselves in front of the magical entrance to Tir na NOg.
Upon entering the realm of Tir na NOg, it is clear that it's not exactly the land of beauty that their Gran claimed it was. Almost immediately, Liam is captured by a band of headless horseman and Amy is left to fend for herself. Returning to Connemara is out of the question, and thus, a
brilliant adventure involving a sibling rescue mission ensues.

For fans of legends and myth everywhere! With tasty hints of JRR Tolkein and CS Lewis, this fabulous tale is sure to delight!
Catherine Doyle has again brought us the touch of Irish magical charm and compelling MG adventure that was so very strong in her Storm Keeper's Trilogy!
When siblings Amy and Liam are packed off to their grand house in Connemara, not far from the coast, the holiday seems to hold little in the way of excitement for them. Especially as it is raining.
As dawn breaks on the first morning of arriving, Amy drags Lliam off to explore. Possibly, hopefully, to find the mythical realm of Tír an nÓg, renowned as a place of eternal youth. Drawn on by the sighting of a large hawk the two soon discover a backwards flowing waterfall. The wisdom of age would say NO! But Amy is incorrigible and stubborn. Entering the waterfall, Liam unwillingly follows, and the two are soon in the mythical realm. Worse though, they have no way back! from here on they discover the king mentioned in the title and all manner of nasties. Nasties that capture Liam!
What follows is a fabulous exploration of the land, and its people and, very pleasingly for me, an exploration of relationships, trust and companionship.
I can just imagine this book keeping young readers up to finish the next chapter, and then the next. I know I did and loved the ending, tearful though it may have been.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ recommendation!

A DNF for me on this one - just couldn't get into the writing. I love the concept though and think this will be a great book for younger readers.

We really enjoyed Catherine Doyle's previous trilogy so knew we were in for a treat with this book too. It was so exciting I continued to read it myself after the children went to bed. I enjoyed it just as much rereading it to them. Exciting, immersive and a touch of humour. I /we loved it .

Fabulous fantasy set in Ireland. I loved the sense of place (made me quite homesick for the old country tbh) and how the author draws on Irish folklore. There’s a Weirdstone of Brisengamon feel to the book but aimed at more of a YA audience. Loved this and am eager for more Irish set adventures.

I started and finished this book in just three sittings. It hooked me straight away. The descriptive writing is vivid and It inspired a world of images in my head of Tír na nÓg as if I was watching the events unfold before me. Amy is a fierce and strong main character who inspires others to fight for freedom. I only wish I had the physical copy to start lending to the children in my class already! It will definitely be on my bookshelf in September!

If you like your stories steeped in mythology, infused with a unique sense of place and written in the language which transports you to another realm, then add The Lost Girl King to your summer shopping list! The latest standalone MG novel from Catherine Doyle is due for publication in July 2022 and if you want a summer holiday to remember, then join Amy and Liam for the trip of a lifetime.

Catherine Doyle’s love for the Atlantic Coast of Ireland is apparent from the opening page, as sassy Amy and her older, bookish brother Liam arrive at Gran’s yellow house, situated where Connemara runs into the Atlantic. With very little preamble, the reader is plunged into adventure from the moment that the two children follow a unique white hawk through a backwards flowing waterfall. As in her previous four MG stories, the author writes with a delicate lyricism that lifts the reader and places them in a familiar setting infused with fantasy, so vividly imagined that you can feel the wind on your face, the icy water stinging your skin and sense the gaze of spying eyes as the protagonists enter a new realm. They have passed through the veil between worlds and have stepped into to the legendary “land of the young”, Tir na nÓg!

They enter a glen where the height of the trees outstrips anything they have experienced before. But when adventurous Amy climbs high enough to break through the canopy, she sees a terrifying sight; the sun is tethered to the landscape by a creaking, straining chain. As she begins her descent, the forest glade fills with hideous-smelling, headless horsemen who make off with Liam before she can get to the ground to defend him. Amy begins to realise the rotting, desolate state that has befallen Tir na nÓg, and as she embarks on her quest to rescue her brother, in the company of the Fianna warriors, she slowly discovers the story of Tarlock, the evil mage who has cursed the kingdom.

The tale unfolds with Irish mythology running through the adventure, revealing a strata of ancient gods, legendary weapons, mythical creatures, rivalries and magical powers turned to the preservation of an evil power. From the moment of Liam’s capture the story takes on the dual perspectives of the siblings, each showing their own brand of courage. Amy is a feisty, impetuous heroine, completely unafraid to speak up for herself and follow her heart as she strives to rescue her brother. She quickly forms strong alliances with other young characters, Jonah and Torrin, and gains the respect of battle-scarred older characters with her straight talking, common sense and powers of persuasion. Liam exhibits a steely resolve, despite being terrified and displays kindness and chivalrous bravery on encountering the lost girl king. They both embody the words of Niall, one of the Fianna warriors who says:

Courage is rooted in the soul, no matter what you look like on the outside.
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This story is written with such verve and feeling that I was compelled to read it in an afternoon. First and foremost it is a perfectly crafted quest, with characters that demand your attention and admiration and a plot that keeps you enthralled throughout. The juxtaposition of myth and modern tweens in a battle for supremacy over a mystical land, lends an air of modern fable to this story of children’s wisdom and courage rescuing a world from exploitation and decay. We can only hope that there are sufficient young people with the same clear-eyed sense of the beauty of our world to stand up and make the adults see sense. As Torrin tells her father,

We can’t change the past Dad, but we can change the future.
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I think that Catherine Doyle is one of the finest writers of the current generation and I absolutely recommend The Lost Girl King to anyone of 10+ when it is published in September 2022.

I am most grateful to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for allowing me access to an e-ARC in advance of publication.