Ember Shadows and the Fates of Mount Never by Rebecca King

In the magical village of Everspring, everyone receives a fate card before their twelfth birthday, sent down from the mysterious Mount Never. It tells them their purpose, their profession and how old they’ll be when they die.

Nearly 12-year-old Ember Shadows has always believed she is destined for great things. But when her fate card arrives, it’s blank. What does that mean? Then, worse still, her sister’s card decrees she will die before her next birthday. No way is Ember’s going to let that happen.

Determined to challenge what – or who – is responsible for these cards, Ember sets off up the mountain, a place no one is allowed to go. She encounters forbidden realms full of magic, trickery and curious creatures. In a thrilling race through a magical landscape, Ember Shadows must uncover the secret behind the fate cards in order to save her sister …

But will Ember like what she finds at the top of the mountain?

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'It's the rollercoaster of life Ember, you can't stop it once you're halfway through!'

First, a word on the illustrations. My proof copy only has a few illustrations, just enough to whet my appetite. The style reminds me of the wonderful Irish animation studio, the Cartoon Saloon. I can't wait to see the full book and all the illustrations inside.

The story itself is fantastic; shades of Labyrinth and Return to Oz mix with half a dozen others to create something new and amazing all of its own. The message is brilliant, and it's cleverly wound into the story so that children won't feel preached at. The characters are amazing too. I may have cried a bit at a certain point near the end when a certain character's fate was revealed!

There are going to be more books in the series, apparently, but this one finishes on a relatively good point so no one will feel obliged to keep reading if they're not enjoying it. Although I can't see anyone not enjoying this one! It's fun, it's exciting, it's clever and well thought out.

I really enjoyed this, I look forward to reading more, and I can't wait to start selling this one to young readers.

Ember Shadows and the Fates of Mount Never publishes on the 18th of August, 2022. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.