Wednesday 21 September 2016

Delilah Dusticle and the Cursed Tempest by A. J. York (Children's, 9 years +, 9/10E)

May 2016, CreateSpace, 128 pages, Ebook, Review copy
 
Book summary
In this exciting instalment, Delilah Dusticle and the Dustbusters travel to the vibrant and mystical land of India. On arrival, they are tasked with a quest to overcome a powerful curse and save a life. It soon becomes clear that it is Delilah, who must find the strength and the power to defeat the curse.

Nayu's thoughts
I'm desperate for my own Grumpy Sponge! He is such a funny character slash pet for Delilah, I kept hoping he would appear and do stuff to make me smile, which he does. I mean sunbathing? That was fun! I love how his magical self helps get Delilah valuable advice about her powers, which are unusual and strong. 

I have read the other books in the series so I know the back stories, but if this is your first read you won't have trouble understanding continuous plots. My memory is dire so I appreciated the brief summaries about what happens in earlier books as the characters get introduced, which doesn't slow the pace of the tale. As for the grade, the end felt a tiny bit rushed. I know its part of a series, but I'd have liked a little bit more closure on the main plot regarding the tempest. Also, I really would have liked Delilah's cool dust abilities to be explored more thoroughly before the final showdown. Yes she practices her skills, providing entertainment for her friends and me as a reader, but it would have been nice if she had had a bit more struggling in overcoming techniques before facing the tempest. (I'm probably being picky, but I love this series!) 

After Grumpy Sponge my favourite character is Ab who forever made me laugh, and of course Delilah whose unique talents bring her joy and trouble in equal measure. I loved learning about India, especially with the sari scenes! I could almost see the fabrics on the page-illustrations would have been awesome! I'm eager for the tale continue ^o^

Find out more on AJ's website

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