Brightstorm is British author Vashti Hardy’s middle grade fantasy novel that is action packed and fraught with danger. It is a very Lemony Snicket-sque, steam punky, fast paced adventure novel focusing on the orphaned children of a deceased and disgraced explorer. The twins, Arthur and Maudie Brightstorm, are determined to clear their beloved father’s name and finish his life’s work. Along the way they meet unlikely friends and dastardly foes.

The characters were well drawn and each had idiosyncrasies that made them believable and likable. Much of the story seems to focus on the male twin, Arthur, but both are well thought out characters and enjoyable to read. The steam punk world is richly described and is filled with fun gadgets and Victorian like modes of dress and values. The plot moves swiftly as the twins navigate their grief for their father, and their disbelief in his guilt. They meet a host of characters to help the, on their way, some more fleshed out than others. The villains are perfect for the age group the book is geared towards, a bit over the top and reveling in their evilness.

I give this book a solid 4 stars. There were some scenes that could have been expanded on a bit, but overall, the book is well written and enjoyable. I would certainly like to see what happens to the Brightstorm twins and the rag tag group of friends and allies they collected to help them on their quest in a second novel.

A charming little adventure for younger readers (good target would be 8-12). I found the writing to be fairly clean but a tad didactic, but for the most part it was a solid story. I would have liked to see Hardy trust her readers a little more instead of her being very pointed in the lessons, but it wasn't so bad that I wanted to quit reading. Just enough intrigue and hope.

This book is a bit difficult to get into. I was just about ready to give up on this book after reading the first two chapters due to the poor writing. I am very happy I stuck with it because the writing got much better and I grew attached to the characters. It reminded me very much of A Series of Unfortunate Events, and I am excited to see what comes next in this series.

When I was a kid, I used to love reading just a chapter or two before bed. Today, I frequently binge read books, but I really missed the suspense and anticipation between reading sessions. I’m so thankful that I chose to read this book the way I read books when I was a kid, as I felt myself relishing in that childlike sense of enthusiasm for reading I thought I lost long ago. My time with Maudie and Arty was an absolute treat, and I was genuinely pleased with the novel’s pacing and the ending. When I reached the end, I found myself wanting to spend more time with the characters I’d grown to love and wanted to continue exploring the wonderful world Vashti Hardy has constructed. This is how I know I’ve found a very special book. I really can’t recommend this one enough! Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Norton Young Readers for sending me a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Brightstorm is a middle grade steampunk adventure with delightful potential that ultimately didn’t pull through for me. Although, with hints of A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Golden Compass, I do know some young readers who would enjoy this adventure.

In my opinion, the strongest part of this story is the steampunk world-building and its strong female role models. Felicity (the cook) and Harriet (skyship captain and one of the female explorers) were two of my favorites. I also really enjoyed the animal characters and the varying roles they played. The twins, Maudie and Arthur, also showed promise: Maudie is an engineer and invented a prosthetic limb for her brother while Arthur, born with only one arm, is more of a daydreamer and thinker. Arthur also has an egg allergy, and I wish there had been more time spent integrating it into the main story.

However, I found Brightstorm to be quite slow and not the fast-paced adventure it was promised to be. I also despised the beginning of the novel; I’m not a fan of humiliating situations simply for the characters to hit rock bottom. It’s also super clear which characters are the good characters in this story and which are the bad - there’s little to no gray area and so your first predictions as a reader usually come true. For some readers, such as young or reluctant readers, this might be the perfect fit for them, but it didn’t work for me.

In all, this is a cute steampunk adventure with themes of family, friendship, animal rights, and a touch of environmental consciousness. Thank you again to NetGalley and Norton Young Readers for the privilege of reviewing an ARC.

This book was such a fun read - it had a steam punk fantasy Series of Unfortunate Events vibe and I really enjoyed the adventure in this story. Despite this being aimed at middle grade readers, I found that the characters and plot were really well developed, the pacing of the book was strong, and the mystery woven into the story kept me wanting to read more.

Twins Arthur and Maudie receive word in Lontown that their famous explorer father died in a failed attempt to reach South Polaris. Not only that, but he has been accused of trying to steal fuel from his competitors before he died! The twins don't believe the news, and they answer an ad to help crew a new exploration attempt in the hope of learning the truth and salvaging their family's reputation. As the winged ship Aurora sets sail, the twins must keep their wits about them and prove themselves worthy of the rest of the crew. But will Arthur and Maudie find the answers they seek?

A young adult/middle grades book is gladly share with readers — and enjoy as an adult. I loved the creativity in this story, and I would gladly add this book to my reading choice list for readers young and old.

arctic explorers with airships and a mystery to solve? sign me up! and then they throw in telepathy wolves for free! this is a really good story and would highly recommend to 4th-7th graders.

thanks to the publisher for an ARC, this is my honest review.

This book was a charming romp, a delightful adventure story. It felt rather like the novel version of a comic book movie. You could generally tell who the good and bad characters were, and yet, the character development was good, and there were a few surprises at the end. I could see this becoming a movie easily, and I'd read the sequel. I recommend this book to middle-grade readers, particularly reluctant readers who might be drawn in by the simple story with beautiful descriptions of a grand adventure.

Brightstorm is a wonderfully paced, absorbing read that delivers a special feeling of adventure reserved for stories that you just cannot put down. The story focuses on twin siblings who are searching for answers about their missing father, a famous lost explorer who went down with his airship under mysterious circumstances. After losing their only living parent, the twins find themselves in dire straits and soon find themselves destitute. But their ingenuity, intelligence, and determination land them on a new airship in the midst of a global race to explore a new and dangerous land, and possibly find out the fate of their father along the way. But there are hidden forces willing to try anything to stop them.

When I requested a galley of this book, I didn’t realize it was targeting a middle-grade audience. Nevertheless, I’m very glad I put my preconceptions aside and took a chance on it, as I devoured it in two sessions. (It would have been one, but that nuisance called sleep reared its ugly head.)

If I were to compare this book to a film, I would recall some PG-rated classics such as ‘The Adventures of Baron Munchausen’ or ‘The Princess Bride,’ fantasy films that both children and adults could adore. I can picture myself reading this in middle school and becoming one of my favorites. Brightstorm would be an excellent birthday present to a niece or nephew, or just to read to your kids at night. If not just for yourself, of course.

It appears that this book is only currently available in the UK and the reviews for it are sky high. I assume it will be released in the US and worldwide soon enough, and I would not be surprised to see it in the cineplex soon after. It really is a wonderful story: colorful, well-rounded characters; imaginative steampunk contraptions; unique creatures and their bonds with humans; a surprising depth to its world-building; enough table-setting for many more adventures to come. Vashti Hardy has crafted something special with this series. I never thought I’d be looking forward to a middle-grade sequel, but life is full of surprises. See you in February 2020 for book two.

Brightstorm is the perfect book for fans of the Cogheart series - they both have the same energy to their writing style and story structure. As with the Cogheart series, Brightstorm was a more serious story than I was expecting and offered good lessons on friendship, teamwork, and sticking to your beliefs. I really liked the characters of Arthur and Maudie and their relationship - they didn't always agree on things, but they never left one another to deal with a problem alone. Arthur's arm is a part of who he is, but it is never used to define him. Brightstorm also has a great group of secondary characters that add just the right amount of comic relief when it is needed. I also really appreciated that the adults are made out to be morons and instead offer support and guidance to our heroes. My only complaint about the book is how it dealt with the death of characters (which was also a flaw in Cogheart) - I felt that it just breezed over it without allowing the characters to mourn/grieve in a realistic way. I have mixed feelings about what happens with the villain of the story, but I'm willing to hold off judgment until the next book. Overall, this is a really great read for younger children and I highly recommend it to teachers and librarians.

This book felt like a rehash of old ideas and lacked the any particular sparkle or hook to draw the reader in. I'm sure there are readers who will adore it but for me, with a robust back catalog of steampunk reading, it just felt dull and uninspired.

I loved Brightstorm! Action packed plot and amazing characters! A great His Dark Materials read alike for middle grade readers.

Brightstorm is a wonderfully creative adventure, aimed at middle readers, but perfect for anyone who enjoyed the Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. The Brightstorm twins are orphaned and sold, but their determination sends them on a journey of a lifetime to discover the secrets behind the mystery of their father's death.

The world-building is natural and beautifully imagined with dynamic, interesting characters, from the twins themselves to the crew they join on their adventure and the people and creatures they meet along the way. It is a well-paced adventure that makes it very difficult to put down. I am very grateful that the subtitle 'a sky-ship adventure' implies there will be more to come (as does the ending!) While the story is self-contained, it will leave you wanting more.