One of the things I love about reviewing for Reedsy is the opportunity for authors to directly request reviews from me. Although this hasn’t happened often, it gives me a chance to indirectly interact with authors with whom I might not be able to otherwise. Ancora: The Fog Banshee’s Curse is one that came to me directly, and I’m so glad it did!
This is the story of three sisters, aged 8, 10, and 11 who are spending the summer at a cabin in the country with their parents. One day, they stumble across a tunnel that transports them unexpectedly to another world called Ancora. There, they meet new friends and folkloric creatures, and they find themselves in the middle of a frightening mystery that needs to be solved. Please see my full review here.
From the first pages, I was immediately drawn into the writing. The structure and content are accessible to middle grade readers while being well-written enough to captivate adult audiences, as well. More than once, I found myself saying “just one more chapter” long after I had planned to turn in for the evening.
Many stories that feature children traveling to another world have them journey once and return home once that adventure has come to a close. This book has the characters traveling frequently, with the added mystery of why they can make this journey when nobody else seems to be able to. I appreciated this because it meant their parents weren’t too worried about them during the story and the girls had a strong anchor to return to at the end of each day.
Left wide open for a sequel, readers of all ages will be excited for the next installment (I know I am!). Fans of Irish folklore, mystery, and magic will fall for this delightful story. Make sure you look for it at your favorite bookstore!
Do you know another great book I should feature in my blog? Contact me here and let me know!
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