I received a free copy of Moonlocket by Peter Bunzi from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Welcome to Victorian London, with a steampunk twist. Lily, Robert, and Malkin (the mechanical fox) are being chased by Jack of Diamonds in his search for the moonlocket and a missing diamond. While this story is the second in a series (I have not read the first book) it does well on its own. There is lots of action, twists and turns, and you are hanging on until the end. Great story.

Author : Peter Bunzl

Genre : Middle grade fiction, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, children's

Publication date : 13 August 2019 by Flux, Jolly Fish Press

Number of pages : 384 pages

Synopsis : It's hard to escape the secrets from the past.

Storm clouds gather over Lily and Robert's summer when criminal mastermind the Jack of Diamonds appears. For Jack is searching for the mysterious Moonlocket - but that's not the only thing he wants.

Suddenly, dark secrets from Robert's past plunge him into danger. Jack is playing a cruel game that Robert is a part of. Now Lily and Malkin, the mechanical fox, must stay one step ahead before Jack plays his final, deadly card...

You'll like this if : You enjoy steampunk Victorian London, gutsy little girls and awesome mechanical animals

 I received this eARC for free from Netgally and Jolly Fish Press in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this middle grade read. It made me nostalgic for my childhood reading of Nancy Drew.

First of all, this is set in a steampunk version of Victorian London, which is just awesome. The main character is a gutsy little girl who sets out to prove her strength - both to herself and her father - with the help of her friend Robert, and her mechanical fox, Malkin.

This is the second book in this series, and while I had no trouble following the storyline and picking up what had happened in the previous book, one thing I kept wanting to know was : how does a mechanical fox have fur?? Is this explained in the first book? I really loved the concept of "mechanimals" - mechanical animals - and would have loved a little more detail of how they worked. 

My absolute favourite thing about this book is that it isn't dumbed down or simplified in any way. Language and concepts are used and then explained in a way that isn't condescending or patronising to the reader. For example:

"The locket's a crescent moon..."

"So?" Robert said.

"So there's no such thing as a crescent moon," Lily mumbled with her mouth full. "It's a trick of the light. An illusion. In actuality there's only a whole moon."

"Because," Robert said, "the rest of it is hidden in shadow."

Use of descriptive words such a "bird guano" instead of "bird poo" also just added to the feel of excellent writing aimed at middle grade readers.

Literally the only thing that bugged me, as a parent, was how incredibly irresponsible Lily's father was when it came to looking after them. I mean really, leaving your kids with mechanical servants. Hahaha.

Rating : 4/5 Book Wolves - I would highly recommend this for middle grade readers.

Taking up from where Cogheart left off, Moonlocket takes us back to a steampunk version of Victorian London. When notorious criminal Jack Door escapes from prison he is determined to reclaim the valuable diamond he was imprisoned for stealing , but he must track down his family in order to do so. The clue to its location is hidden in a moonlocket, and our old friend Robert just happens to have one half of it. As Robert, Lily and Malkin the mechanical Fox try to solve the mystery they learn more about Robert's past, and his family's secrets.
Once again I really loved the nods to steampunk throughout the book, the world the author has created is vibrant and really sings from the page. The story is fun and clever, with plenty of twists to hold the reader's interest. The introduction of our villain, Jack, is intriguing and as we learn more of his story his nefarious schemes make him even more monstrous.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Another clankingly good adventure from Peter Bunzl! I adored COGHEART, so I couldn't wait to return to this clever, steampunk world. Lily, Robert, and Malkin are back---with just as strong a dynamic as ever---alongside a host of new friends and villains.

There's so much to love about this series, from the almost-not-quite familiar world of Victorian London, to the incredible mixture of heart and danger. The book centres mostly around Robert's struggle to find a family (which might be the criminal/stage performer Door clan), but it balances the emotional threads with non-stop action *perfectly.* There was also a fantastic selection of puzzles, ciphers and codes and hidden clues, just complex enough for a middle grade mystery.

If I had any complaints, it would be that MOONLOCKET doesn't quite live up to the freshness of its predecessor. Don't get me wrong, it's a great book, but the plot often relied on coincidence (especially during the final showdown with Jack Door), the stakes were a little murky, and there was little-to-no character development. But this being said, I'm sure younger readers won't be bothered by such technicalities, and the FUN more than compensates for what may otherwise be lacking. It was a joy to read, and I can't wait for SKYCIRCUS! 4/5.

Moonlocket is the 2nd book in the Cogheart series by Peter Bunzl. Having met Lily and Robert in the first book, this story jumps right into the action. In this case, the criminal mastermind Jack of Diamonds has escaped from prison and appear to be after something that he believes Robert has.

The Cogheart series is a fun Steampunk adventure for middle grade readers. I actually preferred book one to book two, but the formula is still similar. Lily, Robert, and their mechanimal dog Malkin are trying to solve a mystery. In book one, they are looking for Lily’s father. In book two, Robert is looking for his mother and winds up embroiled in a mystery involving Jack of Diamonds.

While a fun story, it didn’t capture my attention quite as much as book one, but I still think that kids will enjoy it.

This is a second in a series, which I did not read the first. I think it would have been nice to know the characters better but it was not imperative to have read the first novel Cogheart. The characters were adorable - not only the main characters Lily, Robert and Malkin (a robotic fox/pet) but also the mechanicals around Lily's house and the city.

The overall story of the bad guy Jack, who is related to Robert is also a fun twist. He picks locks and always leaves a Jack of spade card when he leaves.

I think this is a very nice middle grade novel and would be a fun introduction to steampunk for a child.

Another great cover!! A really good second novel. Great for all young readers who love all this fantasy.

This is a really cute book, its something I would really love reading as a child. I do highly recommend everyone to read this amazing book

What an enchanting read. In this book, we follow Lily and Robert as they make their way through a steampunk London to catch the escapologist Jack Door while also learning about friendship and family. It is a middle-grade book, but definitely can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is enchanting in its worldbuilding and teaches a few valuable lessons. I feel like it would have been a favourite if I would have read it when I was the target age.

I have to say I really enjoyed the characters. They are real and brave and flawed and get stuff done. I enjoyed that they also showed the characters' flaws, it made them more human compared to some other middle-grade book characters. Lily was brave and determined and bossy but I understood her longing to come out of her very protected bubble and see the world. I understood how she was afraid but still wanted to take risks. Robert was another great character. I was pleased by the aspect of this book that focuses on him finding his mom and I also believe that Robert dealing with the grief of losing his Da was realistic. Robert and Lily make a great team, but let's not forget Malkin, my favourite (cat) fox. I love him and his attitude-problem and cleverness. Jack Door was a little predictable and stereotypical, but I enjoyed the moments were Finlo doubted Jack and wasn't the "perfect villain".

You are sucked right into this world. It is set in a steampunk London of the past. The writing perfectly matches the world. It feels magical with all the clockwork and mechanicals. Kids trying to catch criminals will never be truly realistic, but it is handled very well here. Robert and Lily don't always make the right decision and don't find clues like it's nothing. The book gets dark and violent sometimes, which was good because I often find middle-grade books writing about, for example, a dangerous man who has killed someone yet he barely harms anyone in the book. Here, it's done more convincing. It's dark but not too dark.

In conclusion, this is a whimsical middle-grade book with wonderful characters and a nice story set in steampunk London.

( Flux' approval preferences tell me to publish this review 30 days before the release, so this will be posted to Goodreads on July 14. I will alert them of the forthcoming publication of my review)

"Never judge a book by its cover." It is an age-old adage that has been used for both books and people and one that seems rather apt for Moonlocket.

When I first set eyes on the cover I felt compelled to start reading it. The unique cover design is eye-catching and enchanting, perfect for the target audience of middle grade students.

The story itself does not let the cover down. Sequel to Cogheart, Moonlocket is set in steampunk London in the late 19th century and follows Lily, Robert and Malkin as they try to outsmart notorious escapologist Jack Door who has escaped from prison. Bunzl wastes no time in getting down to the heart of the story and the fast paced style of his writing grabs you from the prologue and keeps you hooked until its conclusion.

The dark nature of the book seems unusual and perhaps inappropriate for the target age group at first. Although it necessitates a warning, the deaths that are described in Moonlocket come off as no more gruesome than a scene from a popular myth based series'. What might be objected to, however, is the supernatural element that seeps in mid-way through the story, which even a few of the characters are uncomfortable with.

Despite being set over a century before my time, I was able to connect with the characters. Lily, especially, whose unique situation brought home a few truths about the burden children carry when they feel they are different.

Moonlocket is middle grade fantasy at its best. From exciting new concepts set in a time before our own to jaw-dropping familial relationships, it is a definite must have for a school library or a child's personal bookshelf.

Moonlocket is the enjoyable sequel to Cogheart. In this second book, we spend more time in the heart and mind of Robert than Lily, but the supporting cast of characters is still there to give us a lot of variation of viewpoint and emotion in this exciting adventure. The addition of the antagonist Jack Door as a flamboyant but cold-hearted villain is reminiscent of Gaiman's villainous Jack in The Graveyard Book, and he is a testament to Bunzl's talents at character development in that the reader simultaneously wants to see more of him and wants him to leave and never come back!
Robert's journey is especially well-nuanced. His ongoing struggle to accept the gift of a new family while still yearning for those who are his own added a layer of realism that could have been missing had Robert's character been drawn more flatly,
Altogether a wonderful read, and I look forward to more from Lily's world and this author!

Moonlocket is an intriguing name. And it was coupled with an enormously attractive cover – a combination that was enough for me to want to get my hands on this book as soon as possible and without even reading the synopsis first. For Pete’s sake – there is a cute little fox on the cover after all.
It was only when I started reading the book that a few things began to pop-up for me that were a little out of my reading radar. For the first, the fox is a talking fox. That can happen, one would say. But he is actually a mechanical talking fox – like a sort of wind-up toy. Now why is it easier for someone like me to accept that a flesh and blood fox can talk to humans and have problems with a mechanical one doing so when technically the second eventuality is more possible? Also, as I turned the pages I realized I was reading YA, Steam punk Science Fiction, a genre that is relatively new to me.
The story begins to move at a hectic pace almost from the first page. There are numerous references to the things that have happened in the previous book and when you are picking this series up for the first time it becomes a bit trying. Lily is a smart and spunky little girl with a fabricated heart. Her father is a scientist who is trying to keep her safe in her little village for fear that someone will try to kidnap her in order to steal the technology that makes her heart tick. Robert is her friend who now lives with them because his father was killed in the previous book. His mother disappeared when he was a little boy so he is technically an orphan.
This book seems to carry a lot of pain for YA fiction. But so did Oliver Twist one would say. Not that I am comparing it to Oliver Twist, but sometimes one feels a bit taken aback at the amount of things that a child can assimilate and accept. Maybe I was expecting it to be light and airy, for some reason that only I could have arrived at from the cover design or something. The villain of the piece is a truly scary criminal. He is ruthless and so completely devoid of human emotions, or so it appeared to me, that it sent proper chills up my spine. And he may also be the reason why Oliver Twist came to my mind.
The writing is really fast-paced and the characters are likable enough. It will make for great reading for about 12 year old advanced little girls or boys who dream of science and adventure. It appeared to me that the last book may have been more Lily centric and this one was more Robert centric thus catering to all tastes. I can see myself enjoying it as a little girl, although as a grown up that story became a little too fantastical for me. About time I started reading more steampunk I think.

Unfortunately when I request the book I didn’t realize that this is a sequel, which was 100% my bad. So the fact that I struggled to understand what was happening is understandable and definitely not the books fault.

But all in all it was a really nice story with great characters. The book is very cute and I absolutely adore steampunk.

I’ll definitely be picking up the first book as soon as I can.

Cogheart and this sequel, Moonlocket, are a great read for steampunk fans of any age. And who wouldn't want a mechanical fox as a companion? My favorite character has to Robert, friend of the main protagonist, Lily. He's both brave and sensitive, and there are any poignant moments in this story about what 'family' really means, and that it's not necessarily about being a blood relative. As usual Peter Bunzl gets the action spot on. A satisfying read.

Posted on the blog Yipee ki-yay, Motherbooker on April 5th 2019:

Moonlocket takes us right into the heart of a steampunk Victorian London. A London where we can find clockwork creatures come to life, airships, underground railways, and psychics. A London that is also the home of the notable escaped prisoner Jack Door. Jack has just broken out of prison to pick up the treasure he stole years earlier. The only clue lies within the mysterious Moonlocket. Unfortunately for Jack, the locket is intercepted by young Robert who quickly realises that the piece of jewellery is also tied up to his long-lost mother. Can Robert, his friend Lily, and the mechanical fox, Malkin, learn the secrets before Jack gets hold of them?

The story takes place about eight months after the events of the first book and references several aspect of that story. However, I don't think I was at all at a disadvantage by not having read that story. Yes, there were probably great details that went over my head but there are enough callbacks to the first book to get the gist. You quickly get to grips with the characters and how they came to be together. So, you can enjoy watching them working together here without any in-depth knowledge of the events that have already unfolded.

Which is good because Moonlocket is an incredibly sweet story. It has a wonderful message of not judging books by their covers and true friendship that will keep both children and their parents happy. Lily struggles under the weight of her father's fears whilst also mourning for her mother. She wants to prove that she is strong enough without defying his wishes. Robert misses his recently deceased father and tries desperately to track down his mother to find that missing family connection. The two of them are true friends and help fill the holes missing in each other's lives. Risking their lives to protect each other and following their lead no questions asked. No matter how dangerous.

And there are times when this books gets quite dark and violent. There are a few grisly deaths either mentioned or seen that seemed a little at odds with the audience's age. But, for the most part, this is just a fun adventure story that takes places in a familiar but new world. I have to admit, I was a little unsure of Bunzl's London but I wasn't sure if that was because I'd missed something in the last book. It seemed a bit confused for me. Like Steampunk but with unnecessary extras added on top. It seemed kind of over-the-top. Especially when this is the kind of story that deserves to be seen in its full glory, sans distractions.

Of course, I'm really just looking for something to criticise because this book was so enjoyable. You can't help but get caught up in the journey and mystery at its heart. It's fun-filled romp perfect for children to get stuck into. It is a sophisticated read but not too grown-up. The story is earnest without being too preachy or schmaltzy. Basically, it's just a great book.

I absolutely loved Cogheart, so I had high expectations for Moonlocket and boy did it deliver! Much as with the first book in the series, Moonlocket will appeal to both boys and girls - partly because the characters of Lily and Robert are so well developed and partly because of the mystery and adventure. The theme of this book is pretty much summarized with Robert's realization about true friendship: "Friends could give good advice, set you back on the right path when you got lost in the fog of worry, but only if you told them the truth of what you were thinking." A large part of why I love these books so much is the friendship between Lily and Robert - they care about each other, look out for one another, and trust each other with their deepest secrets and worries.

The mystery and adventure in this book was as interesting as in the first book and it was nice to have Robert more at the center of this one rather than everything having to be focused on Lily. Having kids outsmarting adult bad guys could very easily slip into Scooby-Doo territory, but that does not happen in this book. The actions taken by Robert and Lily make sense within the world of these stories and there is enough background on each of them to make it believable that they are able to do everything they do.

I'm not sure how I feel about his mother - she is pretty selfish and doesn't seem to realize how much her actions hurt Robert. I was glad that Robert realized how much Lily and her father cared about him and how he did fit in with them even though they weren't related by blood.

This would make a great addition to a school and/or classroom library!

I didn't realize that this was the second book in a series. I'm still interested in reading and reviewing it, however I will need to read the first book first. RTC.

This book was so nice. A very cute story with relatable, fun characters. It's a children's novel but by no means childish, I loved reading it as an adult.

It takes place in a steampunk setting, the world building is very well done. It's easy to read and engages you really, I couldn't put it down. Sometimes it felt a little too fast in my opinion. When I was done reading I wanted more. I'll pick up the other installments in this series as well.

E-Arc provides by Netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

I requested this book purely basing myself on how beautiful the cover was. I know, I’m shallow.
The book was very well written. Quite Whimsical I would say. And after I finished a quite slow paced book I found this one to be the exact opposite, which it was good.
I’m 26 and despite this being a middle-grade novel I think that everyone would enjoy this.
I would recommend this to everyone who need something easy and fun to read!

I wasn't aware when I requested that this was the second in the series. The description is a little unclear, and it never references the first book on the request page (which is a little bit of a problem).
That said, once I had the book I figured I'd give it a read since it wasn't terribly long. It was just as the cover made it seem--a little odd, but full of adventurous, steampunk MG fun.