Vega Jane and the Secrets of Sorcery

First page - double page spread of Wormwood. A map is essential if you're to introduce me to the new world you've built and expect me to embrace it, so I heartily approve of maps at the start of a fantasy...it also means that I need to grab a bookmark as inevitably I'll need to check back to make sure my geography and navigation is on point!

The map is of Wormwood. Just Wormwood. Which leads me, and its citizens to believe there is nothing beyond its boundaries. Nothing of note. Nothing that will be of interest to us or our continued good health. Then comes our cast of characters, which is so very useful as the names are unfamiliar (and, I'm going to blame my age, in fantasy I often struggle initially to place the characters in their familial settings), and finally an author's note of vocabulary peculiar to Wormwood though easily translatable!

Armed with that we can advance into The Secrets of Sorcery with Vega Jane. And advance we do, straight into screams and an attack canine! This is high octane fantasy adventure from the stables of the master, David Baldacci. Combining mystery with danger, combat and magic we're left not knowing who to trust.

A thoroughly enjoyable read, setting the series up nicely...and you need to continue reading the series as the book ends with unresolved questions to mysteries and puzzles thrown up within the telling!

432 pages / Ages 12+ / Reviewed by Catherine Purcell, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 11+

I would rate this book five stars because I like how it is full of magic, danger and mystery; I also like that the genre is fantasy adventure. The thing I did not like about the book is that it was full of cliff-hangers - that made me really impatient! Other than that, Vega Jane is an amazing book which includes tension and a lot of other bewildering things.

Suggested Reading Age 11+

The book was involved around 'wug's who didn't know the true secrets about their little town. However, one wug slowly uncovers the truth about their little home town. I liked how they left the chapter with a feeling in your mind thinking, what's next? What's going to happen?

Suggested Reading Age 9+

Vega Jane was a rip-roaring adventure of danger, bloody guts and friendship. This is a story not for the faint-hearted as there are people dying and horrible things happening!

Vega Jane is determined to find out the secrets of Wormwood and maybe the leaders of it themselves. The book is full of emotional events like when we find out what happened to Vega's previous canine. Delph is a very simple teenage boy who lives with his dad - Def - on the outskirts of Wormwood. Morrigone is the most mysterious of them all and Vega Jane might know why! Will you read it to find out?!

Suggested Reading Age 11+

This book is about an adventurous 14 session (year) old girl called Vega Jane, who is intrigued to know the truth about Wormwood (the place where she lives) and her own family history. I like this book because it makes me want to keep turning the pages and read more and more to unravel the secrets and mysteries of Wormwood and its Wugmorts (residents). For this reason, it keeps me on my toes, and lets me drift away into another world. The beasts add more life threatening scenarios to the story. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adventure, mystery and the unfolding of secrets.

Suggested Reading Age 9+

This is about a girl who finds the truth about her secretive little town. This book carries a tale of adventure, friendship, loyalty and magic beyond wug (human) comprehension. It's an amazing story and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Suggested Reading Age 9+

I liked this book. I feel like it is a little bit sad because Vega's family are very much apart compared to other families. There are some words I don't understand yet. There is like a cliffhanger at the end of each chapter. I like it because it is in the first person. Before, I did not like this genre but now I kind of like it.

Suggested Reading Age 11+

This book is about a girl named Vega Jane who lives in a town called Wormwood. But this town is surrounded by a quag, filled with mysterious and death defying monsters. What I liked about this book was that it was very mysterious and it had lots of little clues leading up to one big thing. It also caught my attention because it was very gory and I can't really find any other books like this so that why this book is so amazing.

Suggested Reading Age 9+

Vega Jane was a rip-roaring adventure of danger, bloody guts and friendship. This is a story not for the faint-hearted as there are people dying and horrible things happening! Vega Jane is determined to find out the secrets of Wormwood and maybe the leaders of it themselves. The book is full of emotional events like when we find out what happened to Vega's previous canine. Delph is a very simple teenage boy who lives with his dad - Def - on the outskirts of Wormwood. Morrigone is the most mysterious of them all and Vega Jane might know why! Will you read it to find out?!

Suggested Reading Age 9+

Vega Jane and The Secrets of Sorcery is a fantastic book, which includes cliff hangers, tension and loads of other amazing stuff, I am very happy to have read this amazing book and am looking to read the sequel. I rate this book 5 stars. I would definitely read this book again.

Suggested Reading Age 9+

This is a wonderfully crafted story from a masterful story-teller. We are thrown directly in to the heart of the story by experiencing it all from the point of view of 14-year-old Vega Jane. From the opening sentence, the action begins and it does not stop as the short chapters never let go of you!

I found myself staying up much later than I intended in order to finish this. I was surprised to find this was released years ago under a different name, but it never found a readership it seems. In its new guise, I hope it does, and look forward to seeing where Vega Jane goes next!

432 pages / Ages 10+ / Reviewed by Andrew Mullen, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 9+