Review: The Morrow Secrets

The Morrow Secrets (The Morrow Secrets #1)
Susan McNally
middle grade adventure

‘The Morrow Secrets’ is a fantasy adventure story written for readers who love delving into the world of mystery, suspense, imagination and make-believe. It is the first book in a series about Tallitha Mouldson, a headstrong girl caught up in the sinister web of her eccentric family, the powerful Morrow dynasty. This fantasy saga is set in an alternative world and begins in a strange, rambling house called Winderling Spires in the land of Wycham Elva. The Morrow Secrets is an epic tale of dark forces, with a beguiling mystery to be solved, an exciting yarn of deception with frightening twists and wicked turns. The story has weird, whimsical characters, some motivated by wicked intent. They lurk round corners... watching Tallitha and luring her further into the dreadful secret....

The Morrow Secrets and it's sequel, The Shadow of the Swarm,  were sent to me by Sweet Cherry Publishing, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you guys!

So where to start? I had thoughts all over the spectrum regarding this novel. It started off VERY slow. Not much happens in the first 100 pages at Winderling Spires, and we don't get much background regarding place and it's history, nor the role of the family there. It seems Tallitha had only left the mansion once or twice in her life and doesn't know anyone outside the people (and creatures) who live there with her. Despite that, she never spares the outside world a thought before the adventure. We were also never given anyone's ages, which kinda threw me off. I was reading about characters I didn't know or understand, let alone like. 

However, towards the last third of the story, the novel really picked up. The stakes were raised, more people became involved, with more complex personalities. I wasn't able to predict the events from there on, and I started to feel the desired spooky atmosphere. I even started to read a little of book #2, and I can see the momentum is kept up so I'm looking forward to it :-)

Cover + art: LOVE IT. The art was nice, but I think the cover is really spectacular.

I'd recommend this as the kind of story you read to your kid (or in my case, kid siblings:-)) before bed, two chapters at a time. Rating: 

Sorry for the delay in returning comments! I'm on to it right now(: Happy reading!