Whenever Max touches anything electrical, it explodes ... something that causes quite an inconvenience in his life! At the beginning of the book we see him using a wooden spoon to switch things like the kettle on; however, when he manages to destroy his the new electric car his mum has just won (knocking himself out in the process), he is sent to spend the summer in Yowling with his grandfather. It his here that he discovers that he is, in fact, a spellstopper just like his grandfather. This means he can fix items that are enchanted and behaving in an unusual way. Relieved that he isn't alone, Max sets about trying to learn this new skill. Whilst doing this, he meets his grandfather's assistant, a young girl called Kit who introduces him to the village which is an unusual place on the coast. Things seem to be improving for Max but then his grandfather is kidnapped and Max believes it's up to himself to rescue him. I absolutely loved everything about this book! Great characters, the idea of the village on the sea, the thought of cakes that can be enchanted (you would have trouble getting me out of that café!), the thought of being a spellstopper, the idea of a village full of magic that's just there and full of magical people who happily accept each other for who they are... I could go on! The village itself is small and sounds like it could be idyllic if it weren't for Leander, and somewhere I could live (without Leander!). She terrorises everyone and 'rules' with hatred but I feel it is more fear that drives her: she is isolated and can't leave; I began to almost feel sorry for her ... almost. Max is a rather wonderful main character who is confused and sacred by what he can do (as I would be too!); he is frustrated but has adapted (the wooden spoon, the wellies and the rubber gloves). I like that things take time for him when he gets to the village and that he has to be resilient. Kit makes a perfect friend for him as, although she is quietly resigned to the situation, there is a strength there that was lovely to read. I have to mention Bram too: as a grandfather he is caring and strong but I'm glad I've never had to taste his cooking! Out now, Spellstoppers is an enchanting read with a thrilling ending that will have you gripped.

What a super book for the summer holidays. Cat Gray's debut MG adventure 'Spellstoppers' is a real treat: whimsical, unique, fun and bursting with non-stop invention. Those who like magical stories with a twist, will love this! The opening chapters of 'Spellstoppers' instantly pull you in with Max causing mayhem when he touches anything electrical. It is a lot of fun but also helps the reader to develop significant empathy for Max early on - he is no hero yet. The concept then that Max is a Spellstopper is a fabulously unique twist on the chosen one motif. Usually our hero conjures incredible magic; here Max re-balances magic or stops it entirely. I really liked this idea and the subsequent challenges Max faces to calm himself enough to successfully 'spellstop'. It feels like an allegory of our busy world: we are constantly bombarded by technological magic and materialism, and sometimes it's tough to find our inner calm. How Max transforms is well-realised and punch-the-air triumphant.   On top of this, Cat Gray's imagination is as wild and inventive as a surrealist painter causing mischief on holiday at the seaside. There are runaway kettles, psychic ice creams, transforming selkies, ghost captains and terrorising owls. The story evokes startling scenes of phantasmagorical delight and horror like a fever dream that jolts with electrical surprises while buzzing with undercurrents of yearning and heart. I loved the grumpy yet caring Grandad and Max's smart and loyal friend Kit. There is so much to enjoy and the pace never lets up. Fans of the 'Eerie-on-Sea' series, 'The Storm Keeper's Island' and 'The Lightning Catcher' will love this too. Great fun!

I almost had a moment of panic a month or so ago, when I finally managed to fill up the bookshelves that Mr S bought this time last year and was worried that I had run out of room for new purchases. According to Mr S, double stacking the shelves so that they buckle is not on (what does he know!) and for a little while I considered what I should do. With this title – and maybe one or two others – on pre-order, and no more storage space at school, I decided to only keep those books I thought I might read again and thinned my collection out packing some off to the local high school and others to my local Oxfam, freeing up almost an entire shelf. I found this experience strangely liberating and have decided that I should do the same more often. This new title though, is one that will not be going anywhere – it is most definitely one which is safe where it is because this is an absolutely corking story, which I absolutely adored. Magical, richly imagined and with fabulously drawn characters, it is a book that ticked so many boxes for me and I know that it will do the same for plenty of other fans of middle grade fantasy, looking for something exciting to add to their TBR piles. Max though is someone who could do with a little less excitement in his life. For no discernible reason, every time he touches anything electrical it ceases to function. This would be bad enough if it were just little things such as a torch or a bedside alarm clock but when he accidentally breaks his mother’s brand new electric car, she decides that enough is enough and arranges for him to stay with his grandfather in the seaside village of Yowling. When his grandad – who prefers to be called Bram – picks him up, Max is taken aback when the old man quite calmly says that he has the same problem and that is why Max’s mum believes he will be able to help. Arriving in Yowling, Max spots a large turreted building out to sea and is told by Bram that it is Yowling Castle – a horrible place full of owls, and worse – making Max feel very uneasy. Stepping out of Bram’s van, Max spots a sign which advertises his grandfather’s Spellstopping and Non-Magical Repairs business – something Bram tells the boy he will explain to him after they have eaten. While Bram starts to prepare a stew, there is a loud bang from outside, which Bram quite nonchalantly puts down to Kit – his assistant. Just before dinner, Bram introduces Max and Kit to one another and starts to tell a confused Max what being a spellstopper means. When a visitor interrupts the meal with a strange kettle which has a mind of its own and escapes from Bram’s home, Kit and Max go out the following day in search of it. With Kit as his guide, Max is introduced to some of the magical inhabitants of Yowling who give him a warm welcome but when he meets Keeper Leandra who lives within the castle, it is clear that she is not as friendly as she might first appear. When Leandra kidnaps Bram, Max and Kit are his only hope of freedom. What does the Keeper want with Bram and can Max use his powers for good to free the old man? I love stories of magic and this one is an absolute corker. When Max discovers that what he has up until now seen as a curse is a sign of the rare talents that he shares with Bram and that he has the potential to use his power for the benefit of other people, he is blown away. With his grandfather’s and Kit’s encouragement he is keen to take on the role of spellstopper but his lack of faith in his own ability holds him back – just like so many of us are held back by self-doubt – making him all the more credible and likeable as a result. I’m sure I’ve said this before, but it seems to me that there is now an increasing range of books with magic which is unique, wonderfully imaginative and bang up-to-date, rather than being dependent on the more traditional cauldrons and wands of my childhood. Here, there are magical foods to tempt the reader and characters who are not what they might at first appear to be and I loved them all the more for it. A great read for confident Year 4s upwards, this really is a treat and would make a fabulous holiday book for adults and children to share together. With a taster for the author’s next read due next year at the back to tease the reader, I am very much looking forward to seeing what Cat Gray writes next.