Evenfall: The Golden Linnet

From the mind of actor, comedian, and singer Alexander Armstrong comes Evenfall: The Golden Linnet, a story about Sam, a 13-year-old who finds himself thrust into a world of powerful magic and an adventure that will change his life forever.

If that seems a bit overblown, it is because Sam’s world is crazy, full of secret societies and Bond-style villains who want to control the world. For a book that is not very long, it packs one heck of a punch and leaves me on the edge of my seat wanting more.

Armstrong’s writing is on point, bringing the characters to life and at the same time making me care about them. Their world is fresh and the villains that Sam finds himself up against come across as plausible threats that even frighten me a little. Strangely enough, while I enjoy all the characters, the bad guys grab my attention the most. The two antagonists seem to have a genuine, dare I say loving connection. While I will not spoil anything here, for me, their relationship rises above the stereotypical ones I’ve come to expect. It’s refreshing, unexpected, and fun.

Unlike so many other reads that take an age to get to their juicier plot points, it is not long before Sam is on the run and discovering powers he never knew he had. Evenfall: The Golden Linnet is a thrilling adventure, and the buildup to the final confrontation is well worth the time I invested in the book.

Don’t be put off or fooled by the fact that the novel is aimed at young adults aged from nine to 12: the writing is clever, intelligent, and I suspect will engage audiences of all ages. The bottom line is if you see this and want to enjoy a brand-new adventure, pick it up. For me, Evenfall: The Golden Linnet is the highlight so far of 2025 and I can’t wait for more (if more’s coming).