A beautifully lyrical book. Very much enjoyed and I'm keen to follow the series and share with my daughter when she is a little older (currently 7).

This book starts out as a middle-grade fantasy adventure, but then gets increasingly dark and intense, which made me feel uncertain about its suitability for many of the middle-grade readers I know. It made for a really good adult adventure read though!

The mythology created here around angels, cherubs and Sturmfalken is fascinating and I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get a whole load more detail on these aspects, as they didn’t feel quite fully explained or fleshed out by the end, but instead used as symbols related to death and loss of a loved one.

And Cassie, the main character, has A LOT of loss to deal with in this story, with her grandmother dying, her parents remote and her best friend going through problems of his own. I really loved how the story delved into ideas about acceptance around these huge issues, but felt the emotion was a little bit lacking at times – I would have been an emotional wreck from facing half of what Cassie does!

Still, this is a lovely and gripping story, one that I just couldn’t stop reading. Not only did I devour it whole, but I was haunted afterwards by the magic and mystery of the family house, the family members and the worldbuilding. I wanted to know so much more!

Wow, that was brilliant! The quirky house with odd mechanics & stuffed owls is such an interesting setting for this unusual story. As the story progressed, the pace quickened, but I wanted to slow my reading to absorb the cleverness of the author's imagination!

Used the first chapter as a whole class reading extract and the children were entranced and asked if we could read it as a class novel. They were mesmerised. Original, great premise for. a story too. Well done.

A magical realism adventure in a historical setting, with feelings of Bram Stoker, Frances Hardinge, David Almond, Kiran Milwood Hargraves and Grimm.

Cassie has been talked by her grandfather, the designer of the house she lives in to protect his stuffed owl collection. After her mother asks her to rehome them, strange things start to happen, and Cassie has to discover what they mean, uncovering a dark secret from her best friend in the process. It also has some very satisfyingly creepy bad creatures in the form of the Sturmfalken.

I loved the idea of this book, but felt it never quite delivered on its promise. The setting felt almost caricatured and clichéd in places, the characters quite 2D (although I did appreciate Crunch and Grind and felt they were a definite highlight among the supporting cast), and the story rather tableau like.

All that said, I thought I’d worked out the twist about half way through, and was only about 80% right - the final chapter was very unexpected but made sense.

I would recommend this as a Yr 6 upwards novel for fans of fairy tales in their original forms who want something slightly more niche. I would also be prepared to read more from Lucy Hope to see how her writing progresses and matures as there are many promising moments in this novel.

I feel torn about this book. On one hand I was genuinely gripped by the strange house, the gothic and unusual world building and the dark tension but like other readers there were some emotional bonds that I felt weren't explored as much as others and it undermined some of the really good elements of it. **Spoiler** I also felt let down that there was no way I can see that we could have expected the twist with her mother at the end so I felt cheated by it. I also felt cheated by the lack of closure with her Grannie, who she was obviously close to. I did absolutely LOVE the house, the description of the evil monstrous birds, the owlery, the cherub and the wings sprouting- these elements were so inventive and the descriptions of them vivid- I just felt that it needed something else emotionally or plot-wise at the end to bring it all together.

Goodness, what an emotional read. Anyone who enjoys a dark drama and unexpected twists will be hooked. Strange things are happening and familiar and things no long seem to be what Cassie thought they were. As her whole world changes and darkens she discovers family secrets and help from unusual sources. A gripping read.

wanted to like this book, the premise was interesting and the imagery conjured up by the lovely descriptive passages were great. However, the first half felt like too much of a slow burn and the second was too rushed. There lacked a nice even pacing and the character relationships didn’t feel fully fleshed out. We were told about Cassie’s reactions to Raphael and to her Grandma but not really shown what these reactions meant in terms of relationships- they felt a bit superficial.

Finally the ending just did not work for me. It felt like there was no build up for this to be the possible conclusion and as a result seemed like a tacked on afterthought.

I thoroughly enjoyed Fledgling. Lucy Hope has a wonderful writing style and I was instantly captivated by the setting of the story. I could imagine every part of it. There were so many twists and turns, and the ended was completely unexpected. This was such a fresh and original story - I’ve never read anything like it!

A gripping adventure set deep in a Bavarian forest. Lots of mystery, owls and magic and a boy who seems to be very special.

As a cherub is blown into Cassie Engel’s bedroom during a thunderstorm, things change for her and they aren’t all good.

The characters in this book are very unique- I just loved them.

Dark forces are at work in this book, but the characters are not afraid to work through it.

Beautifully written book!

This was a really intriguing premise for a book but I don't think it met its full potential. The language and style is very simple, more so than I'd expect even in a middle grade book, and I felt its length wasn't used in the most efficient way, with not enough time spent on fleshing out characters. It was hard to connect or empathise with many of the characters for this reason.

I feel an opportunity was missed here to cover deeper situations which can and do occur in the lives of the target demographic, for example the loss of a grandparent. It's clear throughout the book that Cassie's grandmother is dying and we see her caring for her, but the emotion of such a situation is lacking.

I did enjoy the climax of the story, which held a surprise or two for the reader, but overall felt that the general creepiness created by the author was somewhat wasted.

This is beautifully written. The premise and the setting are interesting and a bit different. I wasn't convinced by the mother, she just seemed like an aloof, wealthy lady, although the twist makes sense of that. Overall, a really lovely book with peril and intrigue. A talented new author that I would love to read more from.

This book! Where to even begin? I wasn't expecting this book to worm its way into my heart, mind and soul, but it did just that. It is ethereal and spooky and mysterious and wonderful and emotional all at the same time. I fell in love with the characters quickly and I wanted so desperately to know what was going to happen next. Lucy Hope's debut novel is one of beauty and sadness and so many things I couldn't possibly put into words. A wonderful debut and I am looking forward to hearing more from Hope!

Initially, this felt like the Middle Grade I look for - those odd Dahl-esque stories where the world feels like our own but not quite, and the story did remind me a lot of Angel and Bavar. Unfortunately, the second half was a let down, and the story started to feel more like 'let's see what would happen if I threw this in' rather a predetermined conclusion.

It was also strangely lacking in emotion. The grief of a dying Grandmother, the potential loss of Cassie's best friend, the loneliness of her existence around two distant parents and the later loss of a close family member, the whole story should have felt raw with grief. And yet somehow I never felt that.

I liked the idea of this story, and the little we saw of the world, but I didn't feel like it was fully fleshed out enough to really connect with, or be memorable. While the characters felt vivid, I was never able to connect with them or understand them, and this really let the story down.

Cassie lives in a strange house full of gadgets designed by her Great Grandfather as well as stuffed owls from her Father’s taxidermy hobby. Now Cassie’s Mother Gabrielle no longer sings at the Opera House she has retreated to her music room at the top of the house.
Cassie’s friend Raphael lives further down the mountain and they very much depend on one another’s friendship.
One day, discovering what she first mistakes for a fledgling Cassie take it to Raphael who seems to know instinctively what it really is. There follows a train of increasingly sinister events in which the house is key and all characters have an important part to play.
This gothic tale played out in the surrounding forest and Cassie’s spooky home involves suspense and the power of love.

She was tiny. She had wings. Her arrival was the start of everything.

A dark, gothic adventure set deep in a Bavarian forest, with angels and owls and magic and a boy who isn’t all that he seems to be…
A cherub is blown into Cassie Engel’s bedroom during a thunderstorm, triggering a series of terrifying events. Cassie must discover if its arrival was an accident or part of something more sinister.
With a self-obsessed opera singer for a mother, a strange taxidermist father, and a best friend who isn’t quite what he seems, Cassie is forced to unearth the secrets of her family’s past. As the dark forces gather around them, can Cassie protect all that she holds dear?

This was my second middle grade read of the month and I absolutely loved it. I saw this book on @netgalley and was really taken in by the title and the front cover and couldn’t wait to read it. I was not disappointed. It is a beautiful gothic fairytale full of mystery and magic. It had me gripped from the start and I couldn’t put it down. The story was pacey and exciting and had a cliffhanger at the end of almost every chapter (which I loved!) The descriptions in the story are absolutely beautiful and so vivid, I felt as if I was walking the story with the characters at every moment. The story was intriguing and I loved the main characters - they were all written so well. The Crunch and Grind were my favourites! It has an age recommendation of 9-12 and I would say it’s more towards the top range of that age group as there were some dark and scary moments in it but it was thoroughly enjoyable. You HAVE to read this book!

This book is SO good! I absolutely love the steampunk vibes. And I think it's so original to have a story about angels without it being about religion. The characters were really lovable and the scene were described so well that I feel like I could draw the house now! Absolutely amazing!

This book is beautiful, and a little bit strange - which is how I like my books. A hint of Skellig and fairytales, and often darkly gothic. A great read.

This is a book for people who like dark settings in olden times. Set in the year 1900, this is a dark, twisty gothic read. Not for the faint hearted! Not everyone's kind of book but if you are into scary, gothic tales with forces from beyond, you'll enjoy it!

The stunning, wintry cover of this middle-grade is definitely what attracted me to it. In fact, I had no idea what to expect but I was looking for a chilling, thrilling, magical read which is exactly what I got!

In the middle of a thunderstorm in Edenburg, Bavaria, a cherub blows in through the window of Cassie’s room and she is unsure what to do with it. While she decides whether it’s a sign of something good or bad, she hides the strange creature from her family but some very odd things start happening. Her mother is an opera singer whose main interest is herself, her father is a keen taxidermist and her grandmother spends most of her time in bed. Cassie’s best friend Raphael seems to have secrets too. Can Cassie figure out what the cherub is doing here and how its linked to her family’s past?

The cherub herself is a fascinating creature and quite unlike the cherubs you see in classical art. I couldn’t decide whether she was dangerous or innocent but I was thoroughly bewitched by her presence. I’m not sure I’ve ever read another book involving cherubs, so they’re not a species that I’m particularly familiar with. I knew that she was a sign of something and like Cassie, I enjoyed figuring out what that was.

Cassie’s father is a taxidermist and the house is full of stuffed animals. Taxidermy has been in the family for years and Cassie sees it as her duty to look after her father’s creations when he isn’t around. The owls are a particularly strong feature in the collection and the image of their frozen beaks and dead glassy eyes add to the gothic vibe of the book. Every scene under their stare was full of dread and I was just waiting for something frightening to happen.

The setting of Edenburg is full of dark history and the presence of this huge, empty buildings was so strong. Just like the taxidermy, it felt like the castle and the family house were watching all the time. The characters were never truly alone, even when they thought they were and it made for a highly unsettling, ominous atmosphere.

Fledgling is a compelling, magical story with plenty of twists and turns. It is quite scary in places, so I don’t think I’d recommend it for under 10s but older children will be completely drawn in by this creepy, chilling adventure. There are also a few twists, plenty of surrealism and even some mythological aspects that aren’t explored very often. I thoroughly appreciated all of these things and would love to see what Lucy Hope writes next!