Emmeline Widget has never left Widget Manor – and that’s the way she likes it. But when her scientist parents mysteriously disappear, she finds herself being packed off on a ship to France, heading for a safe house in Paris. Onboard she is befriended by an urchin stowaway called Thing. But before she can reach her destination she is kidnapped by the sinister Dr Siegfried Bauer.

Dr Bauer is bound for the ice fields of Greenland to summon a legendary monster from the deep. And he isn’t the only one determined to unleash the creature. The Northwitch has laid claim to the beast, too.

Can Emmeline and Thing stop their fiendish plans and save the world?

Today’s Tempted By is long overdue, but better late than never I believe and it has been worth waiting for. I don’t often get enticed into buying middle grade books, unless it is for my daughters, but I really loved the sound of The Eye of the North by Sinead O’Hart.

The book was brought to my attention by this review, written by the lovely Steph over at Bookshine and Readbows blog. I didn’t really need to read further than the line ‘This the book I wanted Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials series to be’ to know that I wanted to read it, but then she goes on to describe the book as ‘steampunk-ish’ in style which sealed the deal. I really love her descriptions of the writing as having a bit of snark (I am all about the snark) and then references some of my all time favourite authors as comparators – Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams? How could I not want to pick up this book?

Steph waxed lyrical about this book, and when Steph waxes lyrical, I am always listening. I love Steph’s cheery blog – that name alone let’s you know that this a cup-half-full person doesn’t it – she has been one of my longest and most avidly-followed blogs since I first discovered this community and she is a generous and supportive blogger too. People like her are the reason I love this community so much. Make sure to pay her blog a visit at https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com.

If you would like to get a copy of The Eye of the North by Sinead O’Hart for yourself, or anyone else, you can buy it here.