Release Date: 04/08/11
BOOK BLURB:
Something's lying patiently in wait, until the time is right . . .
Thirteen years have passed since Yul fought for his life at the quarry, and Stonewylde has flourished in a new, golden age. But now the shadows are gathering.
Wild and disobedient, Leveret is the bad girl who disappears at night time and would rather roam the woods than sit in school. Only Clip recognises the girl's magical sensitivity and believes she may be the one to lead Stonewylde out of the approaching darkness.
The shadows thicken as Yul and Sylvie find that something - or someone - is tearing their beautiful relationship apart. As Stonewylde starts to disintegrate, a sinister alliance is forming but they have no idea what evil they're really up against . . .
The highly anticipated new Stonewylde novel is here!
REVIEW:
Stonewylde is one of those series that when it gets you in its grip, it refuses to let go. As usual with this, the fourth out of the currently five planned titles in this series, it’s well written, the characters that have developed along the way have moved further on with their lives and whilst you may have through that things would have moved on to a happier tomorrow, the reader is left to wonder what it is with the land and the people that can change so much from their appearances in the previous three titles to date.
Add to this some cracking characterisation as new ones come to the fore, some magical tapestry weaving to help keep things rolling and of course so authorly sleight of hand that will leave you gasping for the final part of the series now. All in a satisfying read and I really hope that there isn’t a huge delay. The wait is going to be unbearable.
Release Date: 07/07/11
BOOK BLURB:
Yul stands at the threshold between life and death. Poisoned at the festival of the dead, his life now hangs by a thread. More than his own will to survive, it's his fellow Stonewylders who must save him. But will they, when Magus has done so much to undermine Yul and turn the people against him? Yet there are cracks in Magus' following. When he confesses a secret that shocks the community, the Stonewylde folk begin to understand his true nature. Magus' spiral into obsession and darkness continues, his kindness and charm now vanished. The cruelty that lies beneath is becoming clear . . . as is the deadly web of deceit and betrayal in which Yul and Sylvie are trapped. The Winter Solstice approaches and Yul and Sylvie refuse to give up hope. But Sylvie is unaware of Magus' real plans for her and she's horrified when he finally shows his hand. Can this really be why she was brought to Stonewylde? As the final conflict draws near, how can she avoid Magus' trap? Yul will need all his strength, and all his supporters, if he is to make a stand and put an end to what Magus has started. As the darkness draws in around them, the wise woman on the hill makes a chilling prophecy. There is no escape and no compromise when death comes knocking: five will die at Stonewylde. The only question is who . . .
REVIEW:
Stonewylde has been a series to capture the readers imagination since its original inception and release a few years ago and with a new fourth part to come shortly it’s was time to catch up with everything as well as to see what would unfurl for the stories heroes as the villains were left with the upper hand in the end of the last instalment.
What occurs is dark and bleak but also shines the greater for the hope that springs from within. Its well written, the characters crisp and whilst the crueller aspects are played to great effect by Magus, the heroes always struggle against his darkness and as such bring this tale to a gripping conclusion. Add to this great prose, wonderfully detailed landscape and of course the growth of the characters that really keep this novel gripping as death and mayhem ensue which make this series one that refuses to let go. Great stuff.
Release Date: 02/06/11
BOOK BLURB:
NEW EDITION The cracks are beginning to show in the idyllic Stonewylde community. As Yul and Sylvie's forbidden friendship grows into something deeper, Magus' true nature starts to emerge through his charming facade. Ever since Yul defied him at the Summer Solstice, his power has been waning, and his mood darkening. Yul is the problem - and Magus is going to deal with him. Nobody challenges his authority and survives. Sylvie is in danger too. Magus has discovered her secret and now, for all its beauty, her magical gift and Magus' desire to possess it is putting her life at risk. As each full moon rises Sylvie is made to suffer more, and the agony she endures as her magic is stolen leaves her increasingly exhausted, sapping her will to fight back. Unless Magus can be stopped, every full moon could be Sylvie's last. As glorious summer turns to golden autumn, the magic of Stonewylde is becoming a curse to the very people it should nurture ...Are Yul and Sylvie the only ones who see the truth behind Magus' mask of kindness? Why is everyone so deceived by his charm - and why is Mother Heggy, the mysterious wise-woman the only one who will help them? The darkness of winter is coming, and as it does Sylvie and Yul's lives hang by a whisker. Either they will save each other, or history will repeat itself at the sinister standing stone above the cliffs.
REVIEW:
After reading the first novel in this series I was wondering what Kit would do to not only expand upon the carefully built infrastructure of her community but also to add layers of complexity as well as emotional interaction for the characters within. Whilst some of the contents won’t come as a shock due t the way things developed in the previous title it is one that, with the world building out of the way, can concentrate more on the emotional which this one does in spades.
It’s carefully crafted, the characters become more human with actions having consequences and it is a book that works more on the nuances rather than a big power outage. This makes this an ideal YA series and one that whilst Urban Fantasy, one that will strike a chord with many of the readers emotionally. All in a cleverly presented title and one that has great pace as well as character depiction which makes this all in a magical experience.
Release Date: 05/05/11
BOOK BLURB:
NEW EDITION Sylvie is dying. A victim of crippling allergies, poisoned by the pollution and chemicals of modern life, Sylvie is trapped in a hospital bed while her mother and doctors watch her life slipping away. But one of them offers her a chance. There's an alternative community - Stonewylde - hidden away behind high boundary walls in a corner of Dorset. If their leader, the charismatic Magus, would let Sylvie visit then perhaps the clean air and green lifestyle may restore her vitality. Or at least give her some measure of peace before she dies. It's a chance, and when Sylvie and her mother take it, they find themselves in a haven of tranquillity and beauty. But it's not all idyllic. The Magus sends a moody, secretive Village boy to work in their garden as a punishment. He warns them to stay away from him - he's rebellious and in deep trouble. But Sylvie is curious about Yul and, as their forbidden friendship grows, she sees that all is not quite as it seems at Stonewylde. Why was she told to keep away from Yul - and why are she and her mother so drawn to the Magus? Is the crone on the hill really a powerful wise-woman, or just a crazed old hag bent on destroying the peace with her wild prophecies? And what exactly is the magical secret at the heart of this seemingly perfect community?
REVIEW:
Whilst this series was originally released back in 2005 its currently undergoing a revamp from Gollancz YA and shortly to appear in their new imprint Indigo. What unfurls within this title is a wonderful introduction to a world of magic, of manipulation with an underlying love story. It’s beautifully written, the characters vivid and a learning curve that allows them to each grow into their roles as well as the readers imagination is something that generates a story that allows the reader to find something new in subsequent rereads.
Finally add to this successive monthly releases, some wonderful artwork and tied all up with an authors pretty unique writing style and the reader really is in for a treat.
Release Date: 04/08/11
