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mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
A delightful tale of two friends, a cursed treasure, and tons TONS of adventure!
I finally had the chance to buy this one, and of course, as soon as it came in, I read it. And what a delight it was. I couldn't stop reading, I had to know all about this cursed treasure. Would they find it? Who would guard it, ghosts or demons? Who is Nessa? Will Demelza (such a kick-ass name) save her parents' golf course and her home? What about the purple mist, is it part of the curse or something more sinister?
It all starts on a stormy night (all the best books do) when Demelza is reading her book and is woken by someone breaking into her caravan (long story short her dad allows her to live there and she has a whole caravan full of epic stuff), and so we meet Nessa. Demelza is at first wary about Nessa, but quickly lets her in, and so an wonderful friendship starts.
Demelza is eager to show Nessa her wonderful town of Penfurzy, a sleepy town on an island. Or is it sleepy? Because there is a whole mystery regarding the Knights of Penfurzy. Oh yes, and it seems that Demelza's late mother knew more about it, and later we find out that she knew even more!
I just had such a laugh when Demelza fought to save her parents golf course by just standing in front of a digger that was about to do some serious damage. And then she, and Nessa, just stepped inside it. Oh my. It is also their first encounter with the purple mist that seems to make human and machine act weirdly.
From that moment on there is no quiet moment as our girls are trying to figure out all they can about the Knights of Penfurzy (also, while I was agreeing with Nessa on how those guys got the cold, I did think she was maybe a bit too harsh on Demelza) and find the treasure. We see them search for the staff, we see them climb the highest peaks of the island, we see them on bikes after they customised Nessa's bike, we see them perform tricks one should never do with a bike (riding to a pillar on just a ladder with some badly lain boards), there are 3-headed dogs (or is it just 3 dogs?).
If you think that is exciting wait till they really have a lead on the treasure and the place it may be in. Ho boy, it was one big rollercoaster of fun, adventure, and ghosts. I loved the castle, I loved meeting the knights and seeing that they weren't that bad despite the things that they did in the past. The riddle was fun, there were evil gloves, and then there is the final boss. Yup. A superevil boss with a greediness that cursed everyone around him.
The one thing I liked less were the lies that Nessa kept telling. I get that she had to hide who she was, and we do later find out what is truly going on, but I still felt kind of sad that she had to lie. Though, sure, I have to admit, she does have a fantastic imagination.
It was just too much fun reading this one and I flew through it in one go. I laughed, I giggled, I cheered, I was amazed at the spirit both these girls had. Though I also had some sad moments when we find out what happened to Demelza's mother and that it hasn't been the easiest time for her and her dad. :(
Oh, oh, and I need to mention the fabulous illustrations. They were fantastic, showing both Nessa and Demelza as how I would imagine them. Nessa tough and no-nonsense, Demelza full of spirit and wildness. Plus, I loved seeing the town, the mysterious going-ons, everything.
Now I just have one wish. For there to be more books about this duo. Given the ending it seems that this tiny island has many more mysteries to uncover and figure out. And I want to see them.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I finally had the chance to buy this one, and of course, as soon as it came in, I read it. And what a delight it was. I couldn't stop reading, I had to know all about this cursed treasure. Would they find it? Who would guard it, ghosts or demons? Who is Nessa? Will Demelza (such a kick-ass name) save her parents' golf course and her home? What about the purple mist, is it part of the curse or something more sinister?
It all starts on a stormy night (all the best books do) when Demelza is reading her book and is woken by someone breaking into her caravan (long story short her dad allows her to live there and she has a whole caravan full of epic stuff), and so we meet Nessa. Demelza is at first wary about Nessa, but quickly lets her in, and so an wonderful friendship starts.
Demelza is eager to show Nessa her wonderful town of Penfurzy, a sleepy town on an island. Or is it sleepy? Because there is a whole mystery regarding the Knights of Penfurzy. Oh yes, and it seems that Demelza's late mother knew more about it, and later we find out that she knew even more!
I just had such a laugh when Demelza fought to save her parents golf course by just standing in front of a digger that was about to do some serious damage. And then she, and Nessa, just stepped inside it. Oh my. It is also their first encounter with the purple mist that seems to make human and machine act weirdly.
From that moment on there is no quiet moment as our girls are trying to figure out all they can about the Knights of Penfurzy (also, while I was agreeing with Nessa on how those guys got the cold, I did think she was maybe a bit too harsh on Demelza) and find the treasure. We see them search for the staff, we see them climb the highest peaks of the island, we see them on bikes after they customised Nessa's bike, we see them perform tricks one should never do with a bike (riding to a pillar on just a ladder with some badly lain boards), there are 3-headed dogs (or is it just 3 dogs?).
If you think that is exciting wait till they really have a lead on the treasure and the place it may be in. Ho boy, it was one big rollercoaster of fun, adventure, and ghosts. I loved the castle, I loved meeting the knights and seeing that they weren't that bad despite the things that they did in the past. The riddle was fun, there were evil gloves, and then there is the final boss. Yup. A superevil boss with a greediness that cursed everyone around him.
The one thing I liked less were the lies that Nessa kept telling. I get that she had to hide who she was, and we do later find out what is truly going on, but I still felt kind of sad that she had to lie. Though, sure, I have to admit, she does have a fantastic imagination.
It was just too much fun reading this one and I flew through it in one go. I laughed, I giggled, I cheered, I was amazed at the spirit both these girls had. Though I also had some sad moments when we find out what happened to Demelza's mother and that it hasn't been the easiest time for her and her dad. :(
Oh, oh, and I need to mention the fabulous illustrations. They were fantastic, showing both Nessa and Demelza as how I would imagine them. Nessa tough and no-nonsense, Demelza full of spirit and wildness. Plus, I loved seeing the town, the mysterious going-ons, everything.
Now I just have one wish. For there to be more books about this duo. Given the ending it seems that this tiny island has many more mysteries to uncover and figure out. And I want to see them.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
bethanychristou's review against another edition
5.0
A fast-paced adventure from start to finish, and a joy to read!
It was refreshing to read about two female heroes who are brave, adventurous, funny and a bit gross at times, riding bikes and defeating baddies together on their quest to discover the Penfurzy Knights’ hidden treasure. I also loved that their sidekick was a pet goose called Captain Honkers!
It was refreshing to read about two female heroes who are brave, adventurous, funny and a bit gross at times, riding bikes and defeating baddies together on their quest to discover the Penfurzy Knights’ hidden treasure. I also loved that their sidekick was a pet goose called Captain Honkers!
nic0lareads's review against another edition
4.0
my heart feels so WARM that was such a wholesome experience
mat_tobin's review against another edition
This book was great fun with two highly enjoyable protagonists who I enjoyed equally and an ever-hungry duck named Captain Honkers. With the loss of her mum and, potentially, her home, Demelza hopes that finding the secret treasure stolen by knight during the crusades might provide her dad with the funding they need to stay. With the help of the very mysterious Nessa, the spit-sisters head off on a quest that involves ghostly knights, perilous traps and enough 80s references to keep me happy. A nice, upbeat, fun inaugural start to Knights and Bikes books!
talljustin's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
alexthepink's review against another edition
4.0
A fun romp with some great characters. I do wonder how much the children who read it are going to understand the eighties nostalgia though - cassette tapes? My 7yo doesn’t know what one of those is!
marianamouzinho's review against another edition
5.0
'Knights and Bikes' is a delightful middle-grade novel, with all the ingredients of a great read: a quest, a heartwarming friendship, a funny and quirky sidekick and bonus 80s gadgets and details! What a great start to the inspiring publishing venture which is Knights Of. Looking forward to more adventures from Demelza and Nessa, and to seeing what Knights Of do next! I also absolutely loved Luke Newell's illustrations, inspired by Rex Crowle's design - which really brought the story to life!
alexthepink's review
4.0
A fun romp with some great characters. I do wonder how much the children who read it are going to understand the eighties nostalgia though - cassette tapes? My 7yo doesn’t know what one of those is!
ellielabbett's review
4.0
Newly formed best friends Nessa and Demelza set off on an adventure to find the legendary treasure of Penfurzy. What begins as a mission to gain riches to save Demelza's home quickly becomes something closer and further connected to her own family history. Fun and chaotic, this story has just the right balance between humour, action and emotion to remain both entertaining and thoughtful. A book which I feel could really hook a less enthusiastic younger reader, particularly with the upcoming video game allowing children to take a step deeper into the mysteries of Penfurzy.