I absolutely loved Ember Shadows and the Fates of Mount Never so I was really looking forward to the sequel and it didn't disappoint!

Ember and Hans find themselves on another adventure and this time stakes are higher. They meet new friends and new threats and travel further than they have before.

I love how creative both of these books have been. Rebecca King has such a wonderful imagination and it translates brilliantly to the page. Full of adventure, friendship, magic and humour, these are stories not to be missed!

Ember is back from her thrilling and dangerous adventure on Mount Never. The fate cards are no more and everyone is free to make their own choices. This isn’t easy for some and there are plenty in the village who feel uncertain and uncomfortable with making their own decisions.

When Ember and Juniper explore some of the tunnels of Mount Never with clock hand bestie, Hans, they make a startling discovery. They find frayed threads, ones that belonged to people. Someone had cut their threads and killed the people. This brings us to the next adventure for Ember- another trip into Mount Never on a quest for the truth and the Lost Desert of time. She believes if she turns back time, she will catch the thread cutter.

Along for the journey is new friend, falcon. He is hiding something from Ember but she is completely focused on traversing the lands and mountains of the world to find the lost desert. When she finally discovers the truth, it may be too late and the world’s memories will need to be erased.

Exciting, adventurous and magical, these stories really capture your imagination and heart. The relationships that Ember has are inspiring and lovely- she is truly kind hearted. We see more of Juniper in this story and see she has a special way with animals. She is also determined not to be left behind by Ember this time, proving herself to be very useful!

I can’t wait to see what is next for our trio of children, as we know they are the ones to save the world!

When Ember and Hans venture inside the tunnels of Mount Never, the last thing they expect is another high-stakes adventure! But someone has been cutting the newly-freed threads of fate, and Ember and Hans might be the only ones who can stop them. Following mysterious signs marked S.E.C.R.E.T. lead them into a world more extraordinary than they could ever have imagined - but can they save the threads, and their friendship, before time runs out?

This brilliant sequel is endlessly creative and inventive. I loved all of the new magical worlds and characters. Every new place and invention made me smile, from the brilliantly named Emocean to the time based bartering in the Lost Desert. This novel really was a delight to read.

Ember and Hans' unwavering friendship was really sweet. Ember is uncertain in this book, worried that her efforts to save her sister have upended the peaceful lives of others, and may even have lead to the current crisis. But Hans is there to support her and make her laugh throughout, along with a host of brilliant characters from book one, and a few new ones to stir up trouble!

My preordered copy has already arrived, so I'm looking forward to starting it all over again with my nine year old and enjoying the brilliant illustrations this time too.

After reviewing Rebecca King's debut novel last year, the sequel to Ember Shadows and the Fates of Mount Never was one I was particularly looking forward to. A fantastic fantasy for perhaps the lower end of middle grade, I was taken aback by Rebecca King's fantastic world-building, her fun Wizard of Oz type characters and her incredibly clever concept centred around Fate. Building on that was surely going to be tough...

But, apparently not! Ember Shadows and the Lost Desert of Time is a breathtaking journey through a parallel world which stunned me with its imagination. As Rebecca King moves us away from Mount Never, we are introduced to a recognisable but different world; one which is full of ingenuity, wondrous magic and delightful detail. I particularly loved The Tremoring Tropics and Emocean, which showcases Rebecca King's incredible talent for wordplay - or should I say worldplay? I also found, as with the first novel, that even though the concept is a very thought-provoking and serious one, every page oozes with energy and joy, as though the author has enjoyed every second of creating and writing this series.

And yet, don't be fooled. The concept of Fate is a tricky one and Rebecca King has left no stone unturned in her brilliant exploration of the subject. I particularly love that in this novel, Ember is struggling with the consequences of her actions in Book One and is forced to question the morality of her decisions. This offers up so many opportunities for young readers to engage in interesting discussions on what is a deep and complex topic.

As well as the favourites from the first novel, also prepare to meet some great new characters. Nick is particularly fun whereas Lacey made the hairs on my arms prickle. This is an author who knows and loves every inch of the incredible world she has created - maybe it was that and not Lacey which actually gave me goosepimples.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Hachette for allowing me a review copy. Ember Shadows and The Lost Desert of Time is released on 17th August.

Having read and enjoyed book 1, I was excited to get my hands on book 2 and it did not disappoint. I enjoyed it so much that I read from cover to cover in one sitting.
Ember, her animal-loving sister Juniper and lovable, excitable Hans find themselves embroiled in another mystery to find the thread-cutter. From the beginning I had my suspicions about who this could be but I was mistaken as I was so engrossed in the fantastic descriptions of the different parts of the world. My favourite was definitely Emotion and I loved the Monkeys. I can't wait to share this with my class who enjoyed book 1 too.