We have another review of a fabulous book for you all again. Olivia has been putting her reading skills through their paces recently with a host of kids book reviews. I thought I would give her some time off from reading for reviews and time to just read what she wants to read. So I took this on for her.

Aren’t I nice! Actually I was being selfish. As soon as I read about this book I absolutely wanted to read it. The Other Alice by Michelle Harrison is the latest read in a long line of best sellers. I was curious about this book from the title alone but having not heard of Michelle before I was keen to find out more about this award winning author. Plus this sounds like my kind of book.

Aimed at kids of around 9+ this is of course aimed at Olivia’s age range however after reading the first chapter myself I knew it would be a while before she would be at the right level to enjoy this kind of story. That’s not saying other kids of her age would be the same, at her age I would have absolutely loved this book. And at my age now I 100% did!

Curious? Lets have a look at what it is all about then.

Midge has grown up listening to his sister Alice’s stories but then one day she goes missing and a talking cat turns up!

Alice always says that a story needs to be finished, but what happens to the characters of the stories with no endings? The thing is every story has a villain and with Alice’s characters leaping off the page and into real life, Midge must find Alice before it’s too late.

I love a story with a bit of magic and imagination don’t you? Especially kids books. Something to grab them and pull them into a different world where they can get lost. The Other Alice has all of this and more. You would be forgiven for making comparisons to another famous Alice who got lost in a magical world especially after reading the first few pages. The story paints you a picture alluding to Alice and her trip to Wonderland as it sets you up for the story.

The story is set over a short time period falling over the village tradition of the Summoning. A time when people make Liknesses, which are dolls that allow you to ask anyone from anytime dead or alive a question by summoning them on one night of the year! Creepy right!

You are then taken on a journey with Midge, Alice’s brother, as he tries to find her after she disappears one night. He doesn’t know where she has gone but the arrival of talking cat Tabitha makes him realise that this could quite possibly have something to do with Alice’s stories.

It is then that you are transported into the world of magic as Midge encounters more and more of Alice’s characters. These characters are woven seamlessly into the story merging the magical and the real world that Midge knows.

After reading this story I am in two minds as to how suitable it is for Olivia’s age range. It covers a few topics I wouldn’t expect to find in a children’s story eg killers and talk of murders and stabbing. Whilst they fit in with the story, what’s the point in having a tame villain after all, I would personally say this is more suitable for teens as oppose to Olivia’s age group.

That being said I really enjoyed it and found myself racing through the pages desperate to see if Midge finds Alice and exactly where is she? Does she know her characters have come to life and are they the ones who have her? Without spoiling the story obviously her characters play a big part in her disappearance but also finding her too.

Verdict.

A brilliant twist on your run of the mill fairytales and really intriguing concept. Michelle manages to keep your attention building the pace slowly as Midge races around town with new friends to try and save Alice. A great read for tweens and teens alike however you may not want to introduce it to children who may be a little bit more sensitive over upsetting situations. This isn’t one for Olivia but if your kids like a bit more depth and and intrigue to their stories then they absolutely need to read this. After reading this I can see why Michelle is an award winning author! 9/10.

The Other Alice is available to buy from 28th July 2016

If you would like to read this for yourself then why not enter my competition to win a copy for yourself. Please enter below via Rafflecopter making sure to enter correctly. All incorrect entries will be void. This is open to UK residents over 18 and winners details will be forwarded onto the prize sponsor for prize fulfillment. There is one copy of The Other Alice for one winner. The competition will close at midnight on the 31st July 2016. Good Luck.

UPDATE: I hate to have to do this but please read. The mandatory entry for this competition is to leave me a comment. If you DO NOT leave a comment all entries will be disqualified and your time spent entering will be wasted!

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