But danger is lurking around every corner, and Cordelia must convince the rival Maker families to work together for once - not only to bring her father home, but to save the very essence of magic itself . . .

Right from the first chapter I was enchanted by the beautiful writing. I constantly found myself tabbing and writing down quotes as I went. Like, this: "Keep wildness in your wits...and magic in your fingertips".....come on that's just pure magic. An enchanting fantasy adventure about the importance of bravery, resourcefulness, and following your heart from a debut celebrity author. Cordelia's father was reported missing by his colleague Witloof at book one's outset, and we find out at this book's open that Cordelia has been slipping out after dark to look for clues regarding her father's disappearance; she's still the only one of her family who is convinced he is not dead. She needs to find him to reverse the family's dwindling fortunes, and though caught by Sam, the orphan the Hatmakers took in in the last book, Cordelia is reluctant to share the purpose of her nightly hunts. The Hatmakers is even more delightful and beautiful than its cover--and I think that it's cover is spectacular.A world of many Makers—there are Hatmakers, Bootmakers, Glovemakers, Cloakmakers, Watchmakers and Cane makers. Hatmakers weave enchantments into the hats they produce allowing the wearer to be more focussed, brave, daring, violent, angry; anything! And the hats need unique ingredients—like feather of an owl for which you have to undertake a journey, storms in jars, moonbeams etc. Return to the spellbinding world of Cordelia Hatmaker in this soaring magical sequel to The Hatmakers. Perfect for fans of Nevermoor, A Pinch of Magic and Harry Potter.

Free Netgalley book for review ~~ Just as fun as the first book! I’d highly recommend this series. If there’s a sequel as I will definitely read it. It’s an interesting idea, and I can see that the author was going for the zaniness and comedy ludicrousness of a Ronald Dahl book, and the whimsy of Diana Wynne Jones. But unfortunately it never reached those points. A gorgeous adventure from exceptional new storytelling talent, Tamzin Merchant, featuring beautiful illustrations by Paola Escobar. I'm really hoping there will be a sequel to this, especially with the surprise at the end. I'd love to learn more about the other Makers and hopefully see them come together and make more awesome outfits! That's surprising, because cliche characters usually bother me SOO much, but somehow this was NICE cliche. Which makes no sense, but I just found it kinda cute and endearing. And I did like Cordelia- she was a very strong female MC and I was rooting for her throughout the book. I also enjoyed the way all the characters complimented each other and how they all had such different personalities. So, yes, maybe a little 1-dimensional but since it's middle grade and I still thought they were cute, I'll let it slide.

with an edition of their bilingual Guild Ordinances

Wildly inventive . . . full of laugh-out-loud humour, enchanting magic and rebellious hope. I loved it’ Catherine Doyle Overall, this was a gorgeous book with a gorgeous cover. This middle grade series is a true gem and I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking for something cute, fun and magical! Really enjoyed this 🥰🥰

The story wraps up nicely, though I would love it if Merchant returned to this world, as Cordelia is a fun character, and I liked this alternate take on English history. The magic is brilliant and nicely integrated into the world, which, if you’ve read the first book, you already know, but there’s some cool reveals I won’t spoil here.In her debut novel, British actor Merchant creates an elaborate fantasy world around a family of magical milliners. Stories featuring strong female hatmakers have captured my heart since meeting Sophie in Market Chipping and this one is no different. Although this isn't quite the next Howls Moving Castle, it's an adorable younger sister to it and delighted my heart as much. Cordelia shares many of the same traits with Sophie: she's determined, loyal and unafraid of doing what's right. The escapades of Cordelia and her friends had me snort-laughing-out-loud, with some delightful twists and a queer romance subplot that just melted my heart. Imaginative . . . entertaining, comical and breezy, and the settings are conjured in transporting detail' The Times