The Forest of Moon and Sword by Amy Raphael

My advance copy of The Forest of Moon and Sword says this book is "a thrilling adventure" and I totally agree.

It is the years of the witch trials. Any woman can be accused and the measure of guilt - float (you are a witch) or drown (the woman is not a witch but she is of course now dead).  King James has sent Witchfinder Matthew Hopkins across the country to find and execute all witches. Yes there are trials but no woman is ever found innocent. 

As this story opens we meet Art Flynt and her mother. The soldiers have arrived and mother is carried away with five other women. Art hides until all is safe and then she reads a letter from her mother that tells her to leave Scotland and travel through England to Essex and the town of Manningtree. She must arrive before the summer solstice - this will be the day of the witch trials.

Now the long journey begins. With only her precious horse called Lady, Art sets off to rescue her mother. 

The Forest of Moon and Sword is such an engrossing book. The action is fast paced, the relationships are important and special and there are twists and turns to leave you gasping and also desperately hoping Art can reach her mother in time. The final scenes where Art breaks into the fortified castle where the women are held are especially thrilling. This debut book by Amy Raphael (middle grade) will be published in January 2021.

"Amy has created the perfect middle-grade concoction: dark adventure, friendship and a race-against-time plot, fuelled by love; as well as a fierce female protagonist who knows her own strength and who isn’t afraid to wield a sword! I’m hugely excited to be launching Amy Raphael into the children’s market with this very special book." The Book Seller

I would pair this book with these:

Fire Girl

Fire Witch