The Miraculous Sweetmakers: The Frost Fair

Description

An amazing and captivating, curl-up-on-the-sofa debut about a magical frost fair and the lasting power of friendship. It's a cold winter during the Great Frost of 1683. Thomasina and Anne are the best of friends, one running her father's sweet shop and the other the apprentice at the family apothecary - together they sell their goods on the frozen River Thames. When a family tragedy turns Thomasina's world upside down, she is drawn to a mysterious conjuror and the enchanted frost fair. But soon the world of Father Winter threatens to claim everything she holds dear. Will they be able to solve the magical mysteries that surround them . . . ?

Natasha Hastings was selected to join The London Library's Emerging Writers Programme in 2019. Currently working as a fundraiser, she started developing The Frost Fair while studying History at Cambridge University, where she focused on gender and mental illness. She became determined, while exploring these topics, to have the lives of working women form the heartbeat of The Frost Fair.

'A gloriously told, wonderfully wintry debut, Hastings' beautifully evocative historical novel is set during the Great Frost of 1683 and revolves around two girls drawn into the sinister world of a mysterious conjuror' Waterstones, Books of the Year 2022 'Spooky and haunting - what struck me most about this historical fiction/fantasy story for children was the high quality of the writing' Philippa Gregory, bestselling author of The Other Boleyn Girl 'A heart-warming, wintry treat of a read perfect to snuggle up with on cold, snowy days' Hannah Gold, bestselling author of The Last Bear (Waterstones Children's Book of the Year, 2022) "This is perfect for cosy readings on chilly nights" The Week Junior's Book of the Week 'A lovely, frosty debut that combines cosy details and a pacy adventure with thoughtful explorations of grief and responsibility' Anna James, author of the Pages & Co. series 'An exciting and mysterious debut' Editor's Choice in The Bookseller 'A gripping, atmospheric, fantastical tale of atonement' Kirkus Magazine (USA) 'A great, fast-paced book full of adventure - and I feel lucky to have had my hands on a yet-to-be published copy' Books up North 'A haunting story of loss and of love, this book crackles with icy atmosphere' inews.co.uk, 30 best children's books for Christmas 2022 Included in the Mail on Sunday and Scottish Mail on Sunday's Children's recommendations for December 2022 (04/12/22).