Petronella and the Janjilons by Cheryl Bentley

Get your imagination revved up and settle back to read about Petronella's new adventure.  This one is even more outrageous than the first!

Sparkling Books Ltd and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It's been published, so you can find a copy at your local bookstore now.

Petronella's young friend, Simon, tells her that young boys are missing from the village.  They are sent away to a school, parents aren't allowed to visit, and nobody hears from them again.  When his very best friend goes missing without telling him a thing, he wants her to help him find them.

The Judge wants to be the next duke, and he doesn't care how he gets there.  He just wants to find the shield and become the duke.  He's the one giving them the school opportunities.

When Petronella starts to interview parents, she finds they know no more than she does.  She then goes to the home of the last missing student to find the parents don't even live there anymore; they've moved away.  While she talks to the current owner, Simon goes out in the back yard.  She can't find him anywhere when it's time to leave.  What happened to Simon?

There are three witches, a hidden school, Janilions, and a lot of evil in this story.  You'll meet characters that will surprise you and the ending is great.

Ms. Bentley does not write boring books.  I can see a young one reading this book more than once.  Maybe they can even write a story of their own...

Petronella & The Trogot by Cheryl Bentley

Petronella had a slight green tint to her skin color and a nose with a wart, which made her look like a witch.  She wasn't a witch.  She wasn't even bad tempered.  But she found it easier to live away from other people and their comments.  No one could have suspected she would be the Chosen One...

Sparkling Books and Net Galley allowed me to download an ebook of this story for review (thank you).  It will be published October 1st, so make a note on your TBR list.

This is a cross between fantasy, horror and mythology.  It reads like a fairy tale and I liked it.

Petronella and her cat are living in her cottage and doing well without the other villagers.  Being a bit odd, she has a snail garden.  And, one day, she notices a big black tree that she can't recall having been there before.  She doesn't know it's going to play an important part in her life.

Her cat is the one that starts it all.  He digs up a skull and some bones and takes them home with him.  When the villagers find some other bones in the same vicinity, they dig them up, too.  They think they've found a missing family and that Petronella is the killer.  When the bones come back to life and they find themselves confronted with people who died long, long ago, the villagers get concerned.  Especially since the murdered peasants are reclaiming their homes and land...

The Hooded Horseman (another peasant from the past) visits Petronella and tells her that she is the chosen one and has a quest to do to help the peasants and right the wrongs of the land and people long dead.  Petronella is willing, even if it means visiting the equivalent of hell.  

The author does a nice job of writing a tale that is unique and interesting to read.  I couldn't stop reading until I found out how it all ended.  I bet you won't be able to either.

Happy reading.