Tag: Historic Fiction

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Wolves of Londinium by Kate Cunningham

A huge ‘thank you’ to Random Things Tours for sending us this copy of Wolves of Londinium by Kate Cunningham.

This review is by my friendly neighbourhood 11 year old, who volunteered to write about how he found the wonderful adventure story.
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The Wolves of Londinium is a choose your own adventure story where you get to learn more and more about the characters as you go on. Your character is heavily hinted to be from a middle class family of sculptors , but your father died at a young age so your mother is left to raise you.

I really enjoyed the way that the main character is on one mission: to deliver the emerald. Depending on what path you choose you get more context as to why you need to deliver the emerald. To sum it up, you need to get the emerald from a cruisers boat(which you have ordered) before delivering it to your mother because if you don’t, you will lose all your money and possibly starve!

I would whole heartedly recommend for any young readers who might want to jump into an ancient city full of wholesome magic and in some cases peril! I would recommend for any readers from age 8-14 or above as this was a superb read all ages would most likely enjoy or as a good read for children and their parents before bed as a cosy adventure story where YOU choose what happens and what decision you make and where the book goes! Remember: no matter what happens there is always going to be a different outcome and you can always try again!

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This book kept us busy on a long car ride, and because of the re-readability of it, it meant we only needed to take one book with us – a huge plus if you’re travelling with children this October!

As an archaeologist, I absolutely loved the premise of this book. You can tell it’s well researched but also, it isn’t too heavy-handed with the history – a perfect balance. I also really liked the fact that its published in Open Dyslexic font (my personal favourite) so it’s incredibly easy to read. As someone in a household of multiple learning differences, I can very much say that something as simple as choosing an accessible font really does really help.

The blurb is as follows:

You are the main character of this story as you make your own history in this Choose a Timeline story.

It is the year 122

Emperor Hadrian is visiting Britannia, and the Governor is determined to make it memorable. Your mother is an aurifix, a skilled goldsmith, and her statue of a gold wolf will be the centrepiece of the celebrations at the amphitheatre in Londinium.

All you need to do is collect the emeralds that have been shipped from Egypt in time for them to be added to the sculpture.

What could possibly go wrong?

Twenty possible endings – but only one is successful. Will you find it and avoid being thrown into prison or eaten by a tiger?

Author biography

When she was young Kate promised she would never go out with a boy called Sean (too naughty), study history (too boring) or be a teacher (too hard) but she dreamt of writing books.

Luckily dreams can come true and promises are made to be broken.

She now writes books inspired by fascinating stories from history, visits schools using her ten years of teaching experience, and is married to historian Sean Cunningham.

After all life would be very boring if you knew how it was going to turn out.

Kate works with her eldest son, illustrator Sam Cunningham, who creates the wonderful hand-drawn pictures in all the Reading Riddle children’s books.

http://www.readingriddle.co.uk

Social media links

Instagram: https://instagram.com/reading_riddle

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@readingriddle

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/readingriddle

Substack: https://readingriddle.substack.com

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Why not check out what some other amazing reviewers had to say about this book – you can see other stops on this tour here:

I’ve set up a ‘bookshop’ of sorts, over on Bookshop.org, so that I can point you to somewhere to buy that isn’t Amazon. I get a small commission for any sales made there. This helps to support me running this blog. If you’d like to get your copy of Wolves of Londinium this way, please just click here. If you’d like to support me without buying a book, you can do so here. Thank you

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Cottonopolis by SF Layzell


A few weeks back, I took part in a Northodox Pride Party author panel, chaired by the lovely SF Layzell – which was absolutely brilliant for so many reasons. Not only did I get to chat to some other great authors, but I also got to hear about Layzell’s book, Cottonopolis. AND I was lucky enough to get an extract to post here!!

Recently longlisted for the Little Rebels Children’s Book Award 2025, Cottonopolis is a story of family, friendship and first love, with a twist of magic, set in Victorian Manchester. It’s the story of Irish mill girl Nellie Doyle, who works hard to take care of her little brothers, and her growing friendship with Chloe Valentine, who is in search of a better life away from Manchester’s notorious workhouse.

In the extract below, Nellie and Chloe meet for the first time. Both have stepped away from their work, enticed by the sight and smells of a new bakery stacked high with goods neither of them can afford.

I follow the pickpocketing boy through the crowd, hoping to see the bakery for myself. What does the best bread look like? It must be something to bring such a crowd.

A shiver runs through me as the bakery door swings open and a sweet, full smell drifts out. It’s heaven. I can taste it!

I feel like I can almost reach out and grab a handful of it to take home in my pocket. Just imagine the boys’ faces, if I could reach into my pocket and pull out a fistful of this smell, shining like gold, and let my fingers ease apart ever so slightly to let just a little of it out, unfurling and filling their little nostrils.

I’m pressed forward by a sudden rush of people and part of me finds a little pleasure in knowing that some of them will find their purses lighter than they expected when they come to pay. People leaving the shop push in the opposite direction to the rest of the crowd, making me feel like a pebble lost deep in the swirling sludge of the Medlock. As they pass, I get a faint whiff of the sweet smelling delights every one of them carries, wrapped up in tiny individual boxes, each tied with a thin black velvet ribbon.

After what seems like an age (and I’m sure I’m going to be in trouble when I get back, though I can’t seem to pull myself away), I reach the big shop window. The window is a wonder in itself, a smooth clean sheet of glass. A sea of breads and cakes spreads out before me, stretched and cut and moulded into beautiful shapes. There are sticky round buns coated in syrup and dusted with spices, plaits of flaky pastry sprinkled with tiny white nuts and purple flowers made out of sugar, and cut-out golden discs layered with firm custard, fresh red fruits and dollops of yellow cream.

‘Makes you sick, doesn’t it,’ a tight angry voice rings out beside me. I jump back from the window, the spell broken, and find myself staring into the face of a girl about my age. The way she speaks is sharp and quick but full of feeling. English. Like the pickpocket boy. That’s where the similarities end though.


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Sounds brilliant, right? Here’s the blurb, in case you want any more information….

Welcome to 1840s ManchesterTwelve-year-old mill girl NELLIE DOYLE faces eviction and starvation when her father loses his job. But growing up in the notorious Manchester slum of Little Ireland has made her plucky. She befriends CHLOE VALENTINE and has a chance meeting with a circus owner who seemingly grants seven wishes. They embark on a journey to improve their circumstances. Amidst wishes for peace, freedom, and family reunion, Nellie realizes her growing feelings for Chloe, learning that magic doesn’t always work as expected, and sometimes, you must create your own.

Aaaand, here’s some more details about the Little Rebels awards:

The Little Rebels Award 2025 Longlist

I’m waiting for pay day, and then I’m going to grab myself a copy to review. I just wanted to highlight this book as part of the many amazing LGBTQIA+ books that I’m showcasing this June.

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I’ve set up a ‘bookshop‘ of sorts, over on Bookshop.org, so that I can point you to somewhere to buy that isn’t Amazon. I get a small commission for any sales made there. This helps to support me running this blog.

If you’d like to get your copy of Cottonopolis, please just click here to support the publisher, or to buy from the bookshop Queer Lit. If you’d like to support me without buying a book, you can do so here. Thank you.

DISCLOSURE: My own book – When The Giants Passed Through – will also be published by Northodox Press.