I have to admit being a little sceptical about this book, with a celebrity author, but I was hooked.
Sam struggles to look after his dad, missing his Mum after she died.
Sam is forced to leave his home and discovers a number of secrets surrounding his family and leading to a secret order, working to protect the world
With his oldest and newest friend, Sim tries to discover what's going on to protect the order.
This was a gripping read I looked forward to reading each day

I am grateful to Alexander Armstrong, Farshore, and Netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy. For young readers and adults alike, vaguely interested in this title, here follows an honest review to help you decide whether or not to pick this novel as your next read.

Although aimed at 9-12-year-olds, I was page-turning this book as though my life depended on it. I was fully absorbed and living life vicariously through Sam and Ish as I ran, researched, and fought for my life.

In the run-up to Sam turning 13, strange things begin to happen that can’t be explained away by hormones. With a dead mother and a dad suffering from severe depression, poor Sam has been adulting since he was six years old. However, with very few people looking out for him, there is no one to tell him of his ancestry or prepare him for the future, putting him in double danger as he is dragged into the unknown by his growing senses. The problem is, he is not the only one chasing his destiny. For reasons of their own, there are other powers seeking what many deem rightfully intended for Sam, but who is right? And more importantly, whose will will help them succeed?

This is such a great read. I thought it was written in a narrative that was easy enough for a nine-year old to comprehend without having to reach for the dictionary, but with a plot rich enough to rival that of adult fantasy novels. Sam’s characterization reminded me of the likes of Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, Frodo and Lyra Belacqua. There was a keen sense of youth and naivety that possessed the character at the start of the novel but was replaced during his growth across the novel with confidence, power, and a wisdom that was beyond his years. Sam’s best friend, Ish, could easily draw parallels with Sam Wise or Ron Weasley; not the sharpest nail in the toolbox, but a loyal companion with a great deal of luck and intuition on their side. Other parallels could be drawn against characters like Hagrid, Gandalf, and Dumbledore owing to their mannerisms, protectiveness, and mentorship.

Is the book unique? No! However, it has charm, excitement, a fresh look on an old age plot using a youthful lens, and it still managed to add twists and turns that led to suspense. The chapters are short, so there are a lot of them (60 plus a prologue and epilogue). It is an ideal length for young, but experienced readers that are used to chapter books but require bitesize segments. With the chapters come the customary cliffhangers, so readers are frequently enticed to read a little more, and a little more still.

I liked dipping in and out of three points of view. Sometimes we would be in the world of the antagonist, sometimes the world of the good guys, but for the most part, we journeyed along with Sam. All in all, the book was planned to exhibit the perfect balance between all the characters, with the time given to each group significant to how important they each are.

I cannot recommend this book enough. Young readers, if you enjoy fantasy, this is an ideal read and will set you up for life when it comes to reading this genre when you are older. Adults, this is perfect for you fantasy readers that want something less complex than usual but still with the typical fantasy adventure style plots. It’s also for series lovers, because there are more books being planned for the series. So, whether you love Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, The Golden Compass, The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, and/or The Shannara Chronicles to name just a few alternatives, this is a book for you. It is particularly great for those that enjoy magical realism as opposed to dragons and elves, but by no means less exhilarating. It’s a 5/5 stars from me and I’ll be sure to put Alexander Armstrong on my watchlist for the future. I cannot wait for the next instalment.

“An entertaining Fantasy Adventure”
I admit to being dubious about another "celebrity" book. However Armstrong won me over with this fast paced fantasy adventure story.

Sam is nearing his 13th birthday and is aware of things changing around him. Like in The Dark is Rising, he gradually becomes aware of special powers that he has and other powers stirring in the land around him. The quest to save the "Light" from the "Dark" takes him from Durham to Snowdonia to the Ribble Valley. Part of this journey involves his good friend, Ish, who is full of useful information and later on by Goz , who first appears with a baseball bat.
The magical world is consistent in its logic and you care for Sam and his friends. The only jarring element was Ish driving around the country and this not being questioned.

Definitely of the same standard as other recent fantasies and more classic ones too. Looking forward to the next one in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC

Sam thinks he is an ordinary boy who you instantly connect with! But there is nothing ordinary about the path Sam has to take. This is a fabulous book full of magic, danger, and strong friendships! The short chapters help build up suspense. Halfway, though, I was completely hooked and lost in this story.
Loved it and can't wait to see what is installed for this terrific trio in the next adventure!
I read this thanks to @NetGalley_UK.

I really enjoyed this book and feel that it would be suitable for anyone from 8 to 80. It’s a magical story, but it draws you in so that it doesn’t jar, and all sound quite plausible. I see this as the first part in a magical series, like Harry Potter, and the hero is only 12 at the start of the book, so we could easily have quite a few books before he reaches 18.

Sam is twelve and his thirteenth birthday is fast approaching. He is living with his father, who is unwell, as his mother was killed in a car accident which Sam holds himself responsible. Fortunately, his best friend Ish, and Ish’s family, help to keep Sam safe and well fed. When Sam turns thirteen, he receives a gift which seems to give him unusual powers – which is fortunate because there are people out there trying to bring him down for reasons Sam cannot fathom. Sam’s father ends up in the hospital, and their home is ruined, and Sam and Ish go on the run with their new friend Goz (who nearly decks them at first meeting) trying to find out what is going on. They are really not sure who can be trusted and who they can’t, but Sam knows that the responsibility to get to the bottom of it all lies with him.

This book has everything. Great characters, adventure, heroes and villains. The song “Green Grow the Rushes” will take on a whole new meaning. I can’t wait to read the sequel to find out what happens next for Sam and his friends.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6871066978

https://maddybooksblog.blogspot.com/2024/10/evenfall-golden-linnet-by-alexander.html

I found the first few pages of this book somewhat stilted but it got into its stride after the first chapter and became very engaging.
Sam has always felt there was 'more' to him but not until the events of this book did he know what it was. Sam is the newest guardian of a long tradition, a tradition that keeps the world on an even keel. The traditional song, Green Grow The Rushes O, runs through the book, with each line having significance in the plot and helping to establish the longevity to Sam’s inheritance.

And as he discovers new powers, Sam becomes the target of people who want those powers and pose a dangerous threat to the world.

There are definite echoes of Harry Potter in this story - Sam has grown up in deprived conditions although with his ailing father and has two good friends, Ish, who he knows from school and Goz, who he meets later. There are adults looking out for him but some are not quite who they seem to be. Unlike HP, Sam seems to be able to work things out for himself, using numerous signs that he comes across in his travels.

After the climatic ending I am looking forward to the next instalment and will be recommending this book to my students.

It is with great disappointment that I have to report that this book has been hugely hyped & lauded just because of the famous ‘author.’! An act we see all too often in the children’s literature world & something that is a real bugbear of mine. This book has been labelled ‘a Da Vinci Code’ for kids but there is no way I would describe it as this. It is not a page-turner but laborious, not action packed but decidedly boring in places & the illustrations uninspiring & flat. I have over 20 years experience as a school librarian & I am loathe to recommend this to my pupils who are picky to say the least at the best of times. When are publishers going to ‘wake up’ and stop this action of conning readers into thinking that celebrities can write books but instead invest their marketing budgets in authors who can actually write an appealing story and pay them accordingly for their craft…?

Full of mystery and magic this is the perfect adventure story for 9 to 12 year olds and for adults as well. The book tells the story of Sam as he turns 13 which is when strange things start to happen to him. Together with his friend, Ish, Sam has to discover his past and negociate the realization that he has strange powers and how to use them. Who to trust and who to be wary of.
This is such a wonderful debut novel, the writing is exquisite and the story is extremely compelling. I cannot recommend this highly enough.

This is an epic adventure story that will captivate all readers, it reminded me of how I felt when I first read His Dark Materials. It has some gorgeous sentiments and sentences that make you grin and sigh aloud, it is beautifully written and feels nothing like a debut novel, you want to read it slowly to savour each word. I think this will become a firm favourite with the cohort of children who struggle to find age appropriate books that hold their interest, as they are experienced readers and want more from their reading. It stacks up with Percy Jackson, Alex Rider, and Skulduggery Pleasant, but definitely brings something new to the table. With a unique story and magic system that feels steeped in history, this action-packed tale needs at least five stars!

I enjoyed this one but, I do think that it's aimed too low an age range as some of the words are a little difficult for some children. It's quite a drawn out story but a good read. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Sam lives with his sick dad in a small house by a dual carriageway. His mum died in a minibus accident and it is 2 days until his birthday. And his birthday is when everything changes. But who can Sam trust apart from his best friend, Ish, whose family always looks after him.
Thus the quest begins. What is the meaning of the folk song "Green grow the rushes oh"? And why do strange things start happening.

I found this book so hard to get into. It had a reasonable amount of intrigue, lots going in that was strange and unusual, but I just found myself reluctant to pick it back up. I gave up at about the halfway mark. The main character was rather dull, and if anything there was just too much going on for me to care about his story in particular.
Honestly, I cant even really explain what it was about this book that just wasn't grabbing me. But sadly it just wasn't for me. But I'm sure there will be lots of readers out there who will love it.

We were totally blown away by this book by Alexander Armstrong, sorry Alexander but we thought it might be another celebrity book sold on the authors celebrity status.
We were so wrong !
This is a stunning children's debut book and a fabulous tale. It is a complex and beautifully written book. My grandchildren have a new favourite author.

Evenfall: The Golden Linnet by Alexander Armstrong is a book to be shared. It’s a great adventure story full of folklore, danger and close escapes as we follow Sam uncover his family history and learn more about what happened to his Mum years earlier. There’s all kinds of ancient stories, mysterious places and important artefacts to uncover but throughout his adventure he’s chased by some really dangerous people.

It’s a really complex story both in terms of plot, themes and language so would definitely be best shared, either as a class read aloud or a bedtime story - there’s lots to discuss, explore and work out. It was lovely to read a story that is so challenging for children; there was no shying away from complex language or challenging sentences and no underestimating what children are capable of reading.

Sam lives with his father in their house in Durham. Life has been difficult since the death of his mother and he spends a lot of his time caring for his father who is unwell, with only Ken who works at the university where his dad is employed, who regularly comes round to help. Along with his only friend, Ish, Sam is able to cope, just. When he turns thirteen, however, strange things begin to happen and his life takes a dramatic turn. Discovering that he is part of an ancient secret society who have protected the world for decades changes his world forever. He now needs to get to grips with his new powers and find the other members of the Order of the Evening before the power they have falls into the wrong hands.

Wow! I am going to say from the start that this book absolutely blew me away and is undoubtedly one of the best books I've read this year. I'm generally wary of celebrity authors but it is clear that Alexander Armstrong has talent when it comes to writing middle grade fiction. I had heard nothing but good things about Evenfall: The Golden Linnet from book buddies, and their praise was absolutely warranted.

The book is set largely in Durham (where Alexander went to school). Being from the north-east, it was clear to see that he knows the city well and it was great to be able to visualise events as they unfolded. It's an incredibly clever and intricate plot that weaves between locations (New York and Cambridge as well as Durham) and people (Sam, as well as those intent on seizing the power from the Order of the Evening, and those trying to protect it) and it's a book that will keep readers on their toes in the very best way - I was torn between savouring the book and being unable to put it down.

Sam is a hero in so many different ways: he cares for his father without question or grumbling, he is calm but a quick thinker and he longs to have the sort of family life his friend Ish has (Ish is a brilliant character, by the way!). Readers will warm to Sam instantly.

I really don't feel that I am doing this book the justice it deserves so I will simply say that The Golden Linnet is a book that you have to pre-order before its publication on the 12th September (I read my copy on NetGalley and can't wait for my physical copy to arrive). I haven't read anything like it in middle-grade fiction (think DaVinci Code for middle grade) and its intricate plot and brilliant world-building will captivate and intrigue in equal measure. With stunning illustrations peppered through the book, The Golden Linnet comes with just one warning from me: once you start reading it, you won't be able to put it down so make sure you cancel your plans before you begin!

I’ve been looking forward to Evenfall: The Golden Linnet since I first heard Alexander Arnstrong was writing a book for children. Intelligent and packed full of peril with one twist after another, it is everything I hoped for and more. This is a book to be savoured – giving yourself time to take in every detail, reflect on their significance and make meaningful connections. In a similar vein to Harry Potter, Northern Lights or The Davinci Code, there is an incredible world of symbols, mysterious characters and powerful magic waiting to be discovered.

Sitting at the very top end of middle grade, Evenfall: The Golden Linnet would make a wonderful read aloud (at home or school) for age 9+ (be prepared for lots of discussion). It’s an ambitious independent choice for strong Upper Key Stage Two readers and would be placed perfectly in Key Stage Three. Short chapters keep things moving while the depth of the story will intrique even the most discerning reader. I know my 14 year-old son who was a huge fan of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson will love it.

Set in Durham, The Golden Linnet follows 13-year-old Sam as he comes to the realisation there is something different about himself – something magical, something intensely powerful. Ever since his mum died, his dad hasn’t been coping. Sam tries to help but nothing makes a difference. Sam feels very much alone. A unmistakable buzzing in his chest, the gift of a unique signet pendant in the shape of their family crest, suspicious individuals and the recurrence of a strange legend told through song lead him to clue after clue that reveal his true identity.

Despite the sense that he’s not an ordinary teen, Sam really has no idea what’s coming. He embarks on an emotional quest where he must learn who he can trust and rely on the power of loyalty and love to see him through. Layers of character and plot take readers along on the journey with Sam questioning who is safe and puzzling over how the words of the folksong and the story-tellers he encounters will come together in a community of truth and goodness.

There is so much more that could be said about this brilliant story but I won’t risk spoilers. It is such a pleasure to have something so complex unfold as you read. I would really recommend Year 5 – 9 teachers read this book and recommend it to those children who love coming-of-age stories of legend, magic and truth.