I received an e-copy of Nightspark (Ghostcloud 2) by Michael Mann from Hachette Children’s Group and Netgalley. Even though I have been gifted this book for review, all opinions are my own.

This was a stunning conclusion to the Ghostcloud duology. This was just as adorable and book one.

Highly recommend it if you enjoy an engaging and well written middle grade magical adventure.

Thank you to the publishers for gifting me this novel to read and review.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

Despite escaping the now bombed out Battersea Power Station where he’d been a prisoner, Luke is now desperate to find his best friend Ravi. Wracked with guilt at leaving him behind and haunted by the feeling that he is still being watched, Luke embarks on an epic quest with his friends Jess and Alma to find Ravi and outrun their captors. This is the sequel to Ghostcloud, which came out last year, so you do need to read that before this one! This whimsical adventure certainly had some very high stakes, which I strongly appreciated as an older reader. There is some beautiful, fantastical imagery and some wonderful, solid friendships that all readers will love. This series is very imaginative and uses magic and ghosts in a unique way, so if you’re looking for a middle-grade fantasy that is different, the Ghostcloud duology is a great place to start!

A gripping end to a fantastic duology!

I was really pleased to get the chance to read an e-ARC for Nightspark, the second book picking up 18 months after the events in Ghostcloud.

What I love about Michael Mann's world and writing, is that there is just as much to intrigue and delight adults as children, neither the plot or the narrative voice patronises the reader, and the image of what London has become, and the war with Europe, combined with ghosts and airships, memories transferred through raindrops, and varying villains, motivations, and just all-round interesting characters, can offer something for readers of all ages.

The moral compass of the main character, Luke, is a strong centre point, though he too is tested and tempted to follow different paths, or place his trust in different people, he is a great protagonist, and I really love his relationships with his friends and 'enemies', and how both are tested throughout the two books.

This book is dark, suspenseful, there are some really creepy moments, and atmospheric, as if the London fog of old hangs over the pages.

I highly recommend this duology to any older readers who might want to explore Middle Grade fiction, and to younger readers who enjoy tales mystery, adventure, and tales of friendship and discovering what heroes are made of, but with a bit more depth and challenging ideas than your average 'children's story'.

This book contains murder, attempted murder, abusive adults, villains, hauntings, and child labour, so don't be fooled by the smiles and starry skies shown on the cover into thinking this is a cosy or bright story, but it is a highly recommended one!

Phenomenal conclusion to the Ghostcloud series.
Firstly, I didn’t actually know it was going to be a Duology until I was invited to read Nightspark by the publishers via NetGalley, so not only was it a massive honour, but a fantastic surprise, too!

I absolutely loved this book. It is jam-packed with adventure, intrigue, suspense and nail biting moments.
I truly believe adults are going to love this just as much as kids. It’s beautifully written with stunning world building and imagery. The scenes, characters, everything really comes to life through the incredible descriptions.

One aspect I love the most was something that took me by surprise. I’m not going to give any spoilers, but not everything (or everyone) is as it/they appear. Like me, you’ll be constantly questioning everything as we follow Luke, Alma & Jess as they confront their fears and battle old foes.

There are many magical moments, my favourite has to be how Ghostclouds read memories. It’s so simple yet so inventive. Just brilliant!

The world that Michael Mann has created is imaginative, unique and captivating. It is also heartwarming, touching and full of hope. You’ll love it as much as I do.

Nightspark has reignited my love for Ghostcloud and I cannot wait to own a physical copy of both.

Thank you, Hachette Children’s Books & NetGalley, for the eArc in return for an honest review. 💙

I’ve been waiting patiently for the conclusion to the series, and Nightspark was well worth the wait! I so enjoyed reading Ghostcloud, and this is a fabulous conclusion to the story.
Luke has started training as a detective, but the trouble is, he’s cleverer than his boss, Inspector Oberdink, who gives him boring, menial tasks to do. I loved the ‘DETECTIVE’ poster on the wall, with ‘evidenced’ listed three times - a sure sign of how dull things are for Luke. But things are about to get more exciting, as Luke gets to work with the Mayor and starts to find things out.
Luke, along with his friends Jess and Alma, are on a quest to find Ravi. Along the way they enlist Ravi’s sister and her boat, as well as finding a very surprising ally.
Nightspark is full of great characters - Terence and Tabatha particularly scared me - the creepy noise her heels make sent shivers down my spine - click, swish, tap, click!
I really recommend this book for readers who love atmospheric, spooky adventures. The map at the front is fabulous too!

Luke has finally been reunited with his family after having escaped from his imprisonment in the Battersea power station. He's struggling to adjust to life at home though. He desperately misses his friend Ravi who is still being held captive, only now that the power station has been destroyed Luke doesn't know where his friend and their captor, Tabatha, are. To make matters worse he is sure that there are signs of Tabatha attempting to return, but nobody will take him seriously.

I very much enjoyed the first book in this duology, Ghostcloud, so was both pleased and excited to receive an arc of the second book too. I'm happy to say that it lived up to my expectations!

Nightspark picks up very soon after the end of Ghostcloud, so we jump straight back in to the story. It did take me a few chapters to refamiliarise myself with the characters and setting, but it has been 18 months since I read the first so that isn't totally surprising.

I think Michael Mann has done a brilliant job with the characters he has created here. Luke and his friends are all immensly likeable, and you wholeheartedly want them to succeed in their tasks. I found myself becoming angry when they were being mistreated, and nervous when they were in danger.

Although the plot follows a similar format to a lot of middle grade novels, the actual details are a bit different, and it makes for a great read. I love that Mann talks about ghosts, souls and people passing to the other side in a positive light - it's a topic that is hard to broach with kids at this sort of age but is done well here. It's handled with care, and shouldn't be too scary (of course use your discretion here for the children in your life).

Ultimately I thought this was a fantastically fun read, delightfully dangerous and had me on the edge of my seat wondering how things would work out.

Thanks to NetGalley, Hatchette Children's Group and Hodder Children's Books for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Having read the previous book, Ghostcloud, I was really excited that there was a follow-up book as well!
It took me a little while to get into it, mainly because it took me a while to remember some of the previous story, but once I did, i was hooked back into this strange version of London (to me, i keep imagining it like victorian london, but then there's all sorts of more 'modern' electronics around, like keycards and fingerprint scanners, but people are generally treated as they were 'back in the day' when women weren't allowed to do anything interesting).
I was desperate to see what happened with Ravi, and if Luke, Jess and Alma were able to find out where he'd been taken and if he survived. This book covers all that and more.
Without spoilers, the ending is both sad and wonderful. It ties the story together brilliantly and has a really satisfyin conclusion. Well worth a read, but definitely read Ghostcloud first, otherwise you'll be completely lost.

Although this took me a little while to get into, it turned into a fantastic and wonderfully written adventure, even better than Ghostcloud.

I remembered Luke, of course, and his adventures with, er, Alma. But Jess, ah yes, and Ravi, okay, but who are all these other people? I suffered a bewilderment about who was who and, most importantly, which of the many characters introduced as potential goodies or baddies were essential to the plot. It turns out that one of the minor ones was, and most of the ghosts and ghouls weren’t.

Of course, younger readers will have better memories than me and probably no trouble keeping up. But it was a relief when they left London on their quest, and we settled to a less frantic existence.

Less frantic for the reader, maybe, but Luke and his friends are heading straight into mortal danger. Again. I loved their attitude; ‘we didn’t have a plan last time and it worked out okay.’ Yes, it suited them down to the ground, although I think as a former project manager I should side with Jess on this one and say they need a plan, even a rough one! But the number of things that just happened to be hanging around just when they needed them… well, it was well planned by the author. And they did not emerge unscathed!

It’s a delightful story, beautifully rounded off. I wonder if there will, in fact, be more…

Though it would have been a great ending for Ghostcloud, it couldn’t be an ending for Luke. He has unresolved tasks. His friend Ravi was left behind and this is unbearable for Luke. But also, Tabitha is now missing. What an exciting ride of a book.
Loved revisiting Luke, Jess and Alma, the much loved characters from Ghostcloud. And revisited characters from Ghostcloud are also unpredictable in Nightspark, the second of the series, which brings new interest and obstacles to manoeuvre past.
Will there be a book 3?

A great sequel. I really enjoyed it. Grateful to the publisher for the opportunity to read the ARC. I really hope there’s more novels in this series.

Love a good middlegrade as a psllet cleanser. I would highly recommend. It qa a fun sequel .. let the adventure continue

The author just keeps getting better in this follow on to the amazing "Ghostcloud". In this story, the heroes discover that their arch-Nemesis has still got the power to cause havoc and they must put their lives on the line in order to prevent her plans to rule this alternative version of Britain. An absolutely fantastic work of imagination and action, definitely a five star title.

After thoroughly enjoying Ghostcloud, I was very happy to return to Luke’s world in Nightspark. As with its prequel, Nightspark is different to anything I’ve read before - it feels fresh and interesting. The characters are likeable and the peril is real. The adventure is well-considered and Mann has very much created his own world in this series. At times, I found the story a little slow and overly complex, but I did enjoy reading it. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

At the end of Ghostcloud, we know that Luke had managed to escape from the power station and Tabatha's clutches, and returned to his family. Now, as he begins to make a new life for himself as a half-ghost, Luke is feeling guilty about those he left behind, in particular his friend, Ravi. Determined to help him, he enlists the help of his friend Jess and his ghost friend, Alma. But can he rely on those around him? And can he do what he has set out to do?

Despite enjoying being back with his family and enjoying his new-found freedom, it is clear that Luke is pre-occupied with thoughts of Ravi. He has passed his exams to be an inspector and begin work with his mentor Inspector Oberdink; however, it's not the best beginning. Luke is head-strong and finds it difficult to stay quiet. There are a host of characters in this book that we know from book one, but not all of them are as you would expect them to be which will leave readers guessing - can they be trusted?

This is an adventure that takes readers on an exhilarating journey and is a fitting ending to the story. A great read.

Warning: contains spoilers for Book 1

As anyone who knows me – either in real life or on Twitter – knows, I am obsessed with the book Malamander by Thomas Taylor so when the book preceding this one, Ghostcloud, was marketed as being perfect for fans of that title I just had to read it. With a very different storyline, setting and characters to the Eerie-on-Sea Mysteries, I quickly found myself drawn into an adventure that was magical, exciting and gripping – one that I couldn’t put down and one to which I have longed for a sequel.

When I received an email from Hachette shortly before Christmas inviting me to read this through the wonders of Net Galley, I made myself wait until just before New Year to download it onto my Kindle, fully intending to savour it over the long weekend. This proved utterly impossible, however, as I again swiftly found myself engrossed in the alternative London of Luke, following his dramatic escape from Battersea Power Station at the end of Book 1, wolfing this down in less than 24 hours. For fans of Ghostcloud, and there are a great many, here again is another cracking read – one that concludes the duology very nicely, while also giving the reader much to think on.

For Luke though, his thoughts and especially his dreams are filled with friend Ravi who was unable to escape with him and with images of whom Luke’s subconscious constantly taunts him in a repeated nightmare. Now reunited with his family, Luke awakens from yet another one and reflects on how the station’s owner Tabatha escaped with her right-hand man Terence, stealing away Ravi and many other members of the child labour force she had imprisoned but has to try to set these thoughts aside as he is to start his apprenticeship as a detective today.

Reporting for duty to his mentor, Inspector Oberdink, Luke immediately gets on Oberdink’s wrong side and is disappointed to find that his first day is to be spent filling envelopes rather than anything more useful. Reading a witness statement referring to Tabatha before he slips it into its envelope, Luke questions his boss about it and is disheartened when the inspector dismisses it as the ramblings of a crazy old tramp and decides to pocket it.

That evening, half-ghost Luke takes to the skies with ghost friend Alma who asks him about his nightmares and suggests they visit a ghost who can read dreams. Before they can do so they find themselves attending a meeting of the Ghost Council where its Head shares with those assembled the memories of a guard at Battersea, showing the building being broken into and the individual concerned making good their escape with a case. Tasked with finding out what is going on, Luke sees the opportunity for him and Alma to use his detecting skills but before too long the two friends find themselves in terrible danger from enemies both human and ghost. Together with friend Jess, can Luke and Alma discover who is behind the break-in? What was in the case that was stolen? And can Luke not only locate Ravi but bring him safely home?

Like so many of us, Luke has a very clear vision of what he believes to be right and wrong. But unlike the rest of us he is burdened with the heavy feeling of guilt that he carries after leaving Ravi behind while escaping from Battersea – every second of every day is spent trying to work out just how to bring his friend back. When he encounters the obstacles put in his way by Oberdink, the Ghost Council and many others, he becomes even more determined to succeed, blinding him on occasion to the danger that threatens not only him but his friends and family too. His senses of love and loyalty are both so strong that I could not find fault with his choices though, rather I admired him for his steadfastness in situations where most of us would very soon admit defeat.

For anyone who like me is a fan of Ghostcloud, I highly recommend you get this pre-ordered as a matter of priority and then reread Book 1 while you wait. If you are as yet unfamiliar with that title, you could read this as a standalone but you would be missing out on the wonderful read that that is and by reading it, you will better understand what has brought Luke, Alma and Jess to where they all are at the start of this title. Perfect for upper KS2, my enormous thanks go to Hachette Children’s Books and to Net Galley for my advance virtual read. Nightspark publishes February 16th.

I was happy to jump back in to the Ghostcloud world and really enjoyed the conclusion to this duology. It was really good to see how things moved forward after their daring escape in book one and it was nice to see an unexpected redemption arc. Michael has a very engaging way of writing which draws you in and keeps you wanting to know what happens next. A great duology for middle grade readers and adults alike

I loved Ghostcloud and was excited to get my hands on Nightspark which is book 2. I loved being reunited with Luke, Jess and Alma to see where their latest adventures would take them. Once I'd started reading, I couldn't stop!. Throughout the book, Luke and his friends find themselves in all kinds of danger and it is not always apparent who should be trusted as everyone seems to have their own hidden agenda. Luke finds himself constantly having to make decisions which have far-reaching consequences.
I do hope there will be a book 3.