#BlogTour #GuestReviewer: Labyrinth Junction by Hayley Davenport-Smith @davenport_smith @matadorbooks @annecater #5Stars #LabyrinthJunction #RandomThingsTours

Good morning everyone! Today I’m delighted to welcome back my fantastic guest reviewer Hannah for her turn on her first blog tour. Hannah is 9 years old and has been a huge bookworm since she was small. She’s actually been learning how to write reviews at school so she was very pleased to be asked to review this book.

Labyrinth Junction is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase a copy of both using the link below.

Before I share Hannah’s review with you, here is a little bit about the book.

Book Synopsis:

Little does Ben envisage this is what awaits him as he escapes the clutches of two bullies and climbs into the dark and gloomy cave. That’s when he discovers it, deep inside…Labyrinth Junction, a gateway to other worlds! Once he gets past the old witch standing guard, he’s led down a dark tunnel by a peculiar talking dog into the strange and magical land of Numblebrook and his adventures truly begin!

With his life in peril and trapped in Numblebrook, Ben befriends a pretty orphan girl called Amy and her pet dragon. Together, they and the strange Moonbeamer people set off on a series of dangerous missions in an effort to solve a riddle, free the land of the evil King and get Ben back home.

Labyrinth Junction is an exciting and fast moving fantasy story full of perilous adventures and heart warming friendships. It is a story about the sheer bravery and determination of a young boy who is prepared to risk his life if it means finding his way home. It will appeal to 8 – 12 year olds with a taste for adventure and excitement.

Hannah’s Review:

“Ben’s heart pounded in his chest as he ran, and he gasped for breath. Little did he realise, that within the next few minutes, his life would no longer resemble normality as he knew it.”

Labyrinth junction is a wonderous book, full of magic and adventure is definitely a book to add to your list. It’s an adventurous book that really transports you into a world of your own.
This is the first book Hayley Davenport-Smith has written, accompanied by Erin Melissa Davenport-Smith illustrating intricate and meaningful pictures.
This book’s style is similar to The Wishing Chair and The Magic Faraway Tree adventures, both by Enid Blyton, and I think would appeal to anyone aged 7-10 years old.
The adventure is set around rightfully returning the magical orbs powers to the Moonbeams and a riddle to solve throughout the book. Will you be able to do it?
The main characters are the Giddle, Ben an earthing child, Amy who is the fantastical child of Numblebrook and of course the rightful Moonbeamer Haligan Lexin. They each have bags of personality but my favourite character is Hal as he was kind, adventurous, fair and has two pet dragons called Sissy and Kamar.
The use of Hayley’s genius writing skills were so powerful, that in every scene she wrote about you felt like you were living out the same adventures the characters were.
Labyrinth Junction was so amazing I simply could not take my eyes off it and read it in 2 ½ days! Even though this book is brilliantly written sometimes when you had different characters doing different things it felt like the characters Hayley wasn’t focusing on as much almost got forgotten.

Overall, I loved this book and would give it a rightfully earned 5 stars.

Thank you, Hayley, for giving me the opportunity to read your book.

Hannah Savage, aged 9.

About The Author:

Hayley is originally from Stockport, Cheshire, but relocated to the coast of North Wales in 2010 and now enjoys living a few minutes walk from the Irish Sea. She graduated from Sheffield Hallam University with an honours degree in Accountancy, and later studied for a Post Graduate Certificate in Education in Manchester. Whilst teaching in Wales, she completed a ‘Post Graduate Certificate in Bilingualism in Education’.

Hayley is a qualified primary school teacher and mother of five children. She has spent many years watching youngsters become absorbed in fiction books. Inspired, she decided to write her own debut children’s fantasy novel.

This was a personal book for Hayley, not only because her twelve year old daughter illustrated it and designed the cover, but because of the young minds she hopes to capture: I wrote this book after being inspired by my own children and the children I have taught as a primary school teacher over the last fifteen years, explains Hayley. Being a teacher is rewarding, but often emotionally challenging and you meet children from all walks of life. Every child has their own individual strengths and weaknesses, but I find that all children have one thing in common … a love of fiction books. I wanted to create a story that would mesmerise children and carry them away into another exciting, fantasy world.

Labyrinth Junction is the first book in a planned series.

Hayley’s interests include spending time with her children, wildlife, walking her two collie dogs, learning Welsh and, of course, reading!