Rosemary and the Book of the Dead

What an excellent follow up to the author's first book. There are some wonderfully quirky characters as well as a couple of.really evil villains. This time the heroes are having to try and stop the Egyptian 'Book of the Dead' from falling into the hands of their arch nemesis. I am definitely looking forward to their further adventures.

So glad I picked this to read to my grandson. It has exciting adventures, well developed characters and an awesome story plot. We decided to pick up the first book since we both loved this one so much! Great for all ages! Thanks #netgalley and #AgoraBooks for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Another quick and easy read that is a perfect adventure book for children. A really great premise that was execurted really well and that has good characters, children will love it.

It can be easy to lose oneself when trying to conform to the expectations of others. Ten year old Rosemary Pellow is able to see colors around people that not everyone is able to perceive. Rosemary begins to notice her mother’s appearance changing after she accepts a new job on a popular soap opera, and Rosemary is determined to find a way to make her mother whole again. When Rosemary learns the famed Book of the Dead has been stolen from the British Museum, she teams up with her best friend Adi, her sister Lois, and a handful of old friends to return it to its rightful home and save her mother in the process.

This novel continues the story set up in Rosemary and the Witches of Pendle Hill, including familiar characters within the context of another adventure. Sufficient information is provided at necessary moments within the text to remind readers what happened in the first book, but this narrative builds upon that foundation to become its own, unique story. Rosemary is becoming more independent, discovering how to trust herself and her ability to problem-solve and find her way out of trouble. While there is usually someone there to help her when she needs it, Rosemary nonetheless thinks ahead and manages many challenges on her own.

Fast-moving and engaging, this story reads quickly thanks to its shorter chapters and well-paced narrative. Because it utilizes many phrases and colloquialisms found in British English, readers will find themselves in England alongside the characters, following their daily routines and seeing sights inherent to that locale. Profound quotes from Adi’s lips are interspersed throughout the story to enrich the narrative with deeper consideration of the events taking place within it. Accessible to a younger middle grade audience, this story is especially well suited to those becoming more comfortable with this genre.

As the second in its series, this book serves as an engaging connector between books one and three. By incorporating moments from the previous story with foreshadowing into the next, this book gives readers a way to get to know the characters better as they grow and mature. Incorporating Wicca and ancient Egyptian mythology, this book contains a unique flavor that readers will appreciate. This is an enjoyable addition to libraries for younger middle grade readers with an interest in mythology, magic, and being true to oneself.

4.5*

Rosemary and The Book of The Dead is my first story by Samantha Giles. As a kid I loved the Ancient Egypt and I could watch documentaries about it for hours. I was fascinated by pyramids, mummies and hieroglyphs.

When I saw the book cover I was intrigued and when I read the blurb I knew it’s going to be a book for me.

Rosemary, her sister Lois and their friend Adi need to save the world, apparently, again! The Book of The Dead has been stolen from the British Museum. It can be catastrophic if the demons would be unleashed and evil spread to our world. Kids need to be brave and help the witches find the stolen book.

I loved that the story has been focused on the Ancient Egypt, their gods, creatures and culture. I’m certain that children will want to learn more and who knows maybe a future Egyptologist is going to be inspired by the book?

It had a smart ending which is a perfect invitation for the next book and I’m sure I’m going to read it in the future. Well done!

Truly enjoyable adventure, well written with interesting characters. I like the diversity and magical elements.

The only thing which I think could be a bit better was that as I haven’t read the first book, I was a bit overwhelmed with the number of names appearing in the first chapters and I felt that I was really missing the context.