This is a weekly meme now hosted by That Artsy Girl Reader. This week’s theme is Favorite Books I Read In 2019. I have read so, so many fantastic books in 2019 – which was the year I re-discovered my reading mojo – that I can’t possibly choose ten favourites, even though this seems like a fair number!
Most of the books I read in 2019 were also published in 2019, so I’m going to turn this into a Top Twelve Tuesday and choose 12 books I have on my TBR that were published in 2018that I need to read in 2020. I’m going to choose one per month to read alongside my 2019/20 books that I will also be reading.
Jan-Mar
I loved Pog by Paidraig Kenny, and actually bought both of these at the same time. I think this one will be very different, but I definitely want to read it. I adored The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis and have the next one, The Princess Who Flew with Dragons on my TBR as well, so I really need to read this one! I have not read anything by Guy Jones, but I found The Ice Garden in Waterstones a while back, and it really intrigued me: a girl who is allergic to the sun who discovers a magical garden made of ice.
April – June
I haven’t actually read Moonlocket yet either so I will read both it and Skycircus. I loved the first book in this series, Cogheart, and the last one, Shadowsea, has just been released so I have a lot of catching up to do! I’ve had A Darkness of Dragons on my TBR for far too long as I’ve heard great things about it, and I think there might be a Book 2 coming soon. Another I’ve had for a while is Dragon Daughter which sounds like my perfect dragon read. I’ve just discovered the second in this series, Legends of the Sky has been published – how did I not know??
July – Sept
I can’t believe I haven’t read these yet! The first two are all quite long – 404 pages and 411 pages – so, I’m saving them for my summer holiday reading! Also, Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow is being released on 18th August, and I want to be ready for it! Apart from fantasy, I love historical middle-grade and really need to try to read more: The Skylark’s War sounds perfect!
Oct – Dec
These will be perfect for my spooky and winter reading. I have all three of Alex Bell’s Explorers’ books and loved The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club earlier this year. I’ve never read any Victoria Schwab and have City of Ghosts and Tunnel of Bones on my TBR. I bought Picklewitch and Jack this October, but just didn’t get round to reading it, even though it looks like such a fun book!
I’m really looking forward to reading some of my backlist books from my TBR as I am very guilty of overlooking some older books for all the new releases – and I need both in my life! I just need more time to read all the books I want to!
I can’t believe another year has passed and we’re entering the 20s! I’ll always remember 2019 as the year that I re-discovered my love of reading, and found a new hobby/passion in writing my blog which I’ve enjoyed immensely, even though writing reviews takes up more hours than I care to mention, but at least they’re hours I’ve decided to spend doing something I love – and something for myself!
I never imagined that there would be such a fantastic community of supportive book bloggers who have introduced me to some fantastic books, tags and discussions. I’ve also discovered NetGalley and Blog Tours this year and I’ve been lucky enough to get some physical book proofs – things I never even knew existed! Blogging really has opened up a whole new world to me, and one I’m very glad I’ve found and, to think, it all started with me re-igniting my love of reading.
December has been another busy month for me, but I must say, I’m loving the down time between Christmas and the New Year! I spent Christmas with my sister and her family in Northern Ireland which was just wonderfully relaxing – and sometimes hectic!
Not sure how good my reading and book purchasing month has been – I’m about to find out!
I was sent an e-copy of Esme’s Wish by the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I really enjoyed this portal magic story which, although graded as Young Adult, I think would be fine for upper middle-grade. My review is here. I’ve now bought the next book on my Kindle, Esme’s Gift as I am completely intrigued by where this story is going – and there’s dragons!
I really enjoyed both of these. The Snow Dragon is by one of my favourite author’s and is a heart-warming and utterly gorgeous story filled with magic, hope and courage – and perfect snowy illustrations! After reading The Girl Who Speaks Bear by Sophie Anderson, I asked her to recommend some other books of Russian tales and she recommended two, one of which was Koshka’s Tales by James Mayhew which is a delightful set of stories told by Koshka, the cat.
I read three books which I was approved to read on NetGalley this month. The Merciesby Kiran Millwood Hargrave is her first adult book. It is such an incredibly powerful and engrossing story: brutal, heart-breaking and earthy with characters who endure so much, yet show incredible strength. Nicola Penfold’s Where the World Turns Wild is an ecological dystopian adventure with two truly wonderful characters, Juniper and Bear, who face many dangers but whose courage, resilience and love for each other helps them face their fears. A Sprinkle of Sorcery is Michelle Harrison’s return to Crowstone and the wonderful Widdershin sisters. It is just as gorgeous as I expected and completely engrossed me. These are both being published on 6th February, so I will post my reviews closer to publication date.
Books bought/received as Christmas gifts
I went to meet Ruth Morgan, the author of The Comet Thief, Ant Clancy Games Detective and Alien Rain when I was in Cardiff. She was really wonderful to chat with and I discovered that she teaches part-time at the school my husband went to when he was in primary school – the world really is a small place!
I bought The Girl Who Stole an Elephant and The House on Hawthorn Road when I was in Ireland for Christmas. I’ve read so many fantastic comments about the first one that I’m desperate to read it soon. The second one is a time-slip story which I love, but don’t see a lot of in middle-grade fiction. I’ve read lots of good reviews of The Boy Who Grew Dragons so thought I’d give it a read.
I was given The Stone of Destiny, Irish Trees and Rise of the Dragon Moon by my husband (and, of course, there was prompting from me!); The Unexpected Find and The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone were gifted to me by my mother-in-law and I was given The Snowman as my school Secret Santa.
I was sent a proof of Orion Lost by the publishers to read and review for a Book Review site. It will be published on 9th January.
Goodreads Challenge
I only started using Goodreads at the start of this year, and set myself a reading challenge of 60 books as I was just starting getting back into reading so thought this would be manageable. I’m really pleased that I managed to surpass my challenge by reading 117 books.
I think I’ll set myself a higher goal next year, maybe 120 books!
Stationery
I absolutely LOVE buying/receiving new stationery. I found the first set of notebooks in Paperchase and thought they’d be perfect for making notes for my reviews. The second notebook was given to me by my husband. It’s taken me a while to decide what to use it for, but I think I’ll use it to keep a record of books I buy, and books I’ve read, for the 20s although I am very tempted to include 2019 as it has been such a good return to reading year for me!
Finally, I’d like to wish everyone who finds their way to my Blog a Happy New Year, and I hope all your wishes for 2020 come true.
Thank you Henry at Odyssey Books for an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I utterly adored Esme’s Wish, an upper middle-grade/young adult magical portal adventure with a wonderfully endearing and sympathetic lead character in Esme. The world-building is superbly rich in detail and immersed me completely; the plot captured me from the very start and took me on an engrossing journey of incredible discoveries and dangerous moments; and, the character relationships were utterly engaging and sympathetically drawn.
15-year-old Esme is bereft at the loss of her mother, and refuses to accept that she will never see her again. Even though seven years have passed, and her father has re-married, she lives with the constant pain of loss. Life is even more difficult for her as she has few friends in the village of Picton, and does not get on with her father’s new wife. Her father’s marriage provides the catalyst she needs to drive her to investigate her mother’s disappearance.
Esme’s determined attempt to uncover information about her mother’s disappearance leads her to the island of Spindrift where she discovers some disturbing revelations about her mother which leaves her with a sense of betrayal and anger. It appears that the stories her mother had told her -and the places revealed through her art – may be real and soon, Esme finds herself falling through a watery portal into the City of Esperance, a place where people can breathe underwater, a beautiful city where dragons fly overhead – but one beset by terrible earthquakes which are slowly destroying the City.
Esme soon discovers that her mother has also been to Esperance and was well-known there. This knowledge leads her on an incredible journey of self-discovery, revelations and danger as she seeks answers to her mother’s disappearance, aided by her two friends, Daniel and Lillian. Will her quest to find her mother also enable her to save the City?
I really enjoyed the exploration of the magical system in Aeolia, the fantastical creatures, the political machinations and moral questions raised, and Esme’s eventual realisation, and acceptance of, her place within this gorgeous, yet dangerous, new world as she discovers her own magic gift and makes lasting friendships. Daniel and Lillian prove themselves to be true friends: supportive, caring and prepared to take risks for their new friend and help her no matter the cost.
Esme is a wonderful character: she is able to overcome her fear to show incredible courage; she is fallible and vulnerable, yet shows real resilience and strength of character; and, she is selfless as she takes risks and makes difficult decisions to help those she loves.
This story has everything I love in a great fantasy: sumptuous world-building, fantastical creatures, an interesting magical system, engaging characters and incredibly fast-paced action, full of tension, danger, threat, twists and revelations. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next book in this series, Esme’s Gift.
There are SO many amazing middle-grade books being released next year! I’m not sure how I’m EVER going to read all the books on my TBR as I will definitely be adding all of these.
I decided to make my list more manageable by restricting each month to FIVE books and not including any I’ve already read – and then immediately broke my rules because I just have to give a shout-out to two books coming out next year that I’ve already read via NetGalley, both of which are amazing.
I was lucky enough to read A Sprinkle of Sorcery by Michelle Harrison over Christmas – it is being published on 6th February and is the follow-up to A Pinch of Magic: it is a fantastic read, and one I couldn’t not mention, despite breaking my own rules! The Widdershin sisters are thrown into another incredible adventure to save one of their own and a new friend – and this one journeys into an ancient legend! I also absolutely adored Nicola Penfold’s Where the World Turns Wild which will be also be published on 6th February. This is an ecological dystopian story which completely engrossed me: the main characters, Juniper and Bear are just wonderful as they make a dangerous journey into the wilderness to find home.
In my anticipated releases, I’ve included the synopsis for each book from Waterstones. Here goes:
January
The Girl Who Stole an Elephant by Nizrana Farook (256 pages) published by Nosy Crow on 2nd January:
Chaya, a no-nonsense, outspoken hero, leads her friends and a gorgeous elephant on a noisy, fraught, joyous adventure through the jungle where revolution is stirring and leeches lurk. Will stealing the queen’s jewels be the beginning or the end of everything for the intrepid gang?
The Monster in the Lakeby Louie Stowell(author) and Davide Ortu (illustrator) (224 pages) published by Nosy Crow on 9th January:
Kit is a wizard. The youngest wizard in the world, in fact. But her magic keeps going wrong, and all kinds of weird stuff has started happening – exploding fireballs, animals talking when they shouldn’t be, and a very strange new arrival in a nearby park. So Kit and her two best friends – along with their local librarian – set off to investigate, and to save the world… again.
Orion Lostby Alastair Chisholm (368 pages) published by Nosy Crow on 9th January:
The transport ship Orion is four months out of Earth when catastrophe strikes – leaving the ship and everyone on board stranded in deep space. Suddenly it’s up to thirteen-year-old Beth and her friends to navigate through treacherous and uncharted territory to reach safety. But a heavily-damaged ship, space pirates, a mysterious alien species, and an artificial intelligence that Beth doesn’t know if she can trust means that getting home has never been so difficult…
Tiger Heart by Penny Chrimes (240 pages) published by Hachette Children’s Groupon 9th January:
The magical tale of a bold young chimney sweep and a remarkable tiger, a dangerously hypnotic ruby and a mystical land found across an ocean and through a storm. Fly never meant to end up in a cage with a man-eating tiger. And though she’s sure she’s no princess, when the tiger addresses her as ‘your majesty’, she can’t help but vow to free him and return him home. But the bird-filled jungles and cloud-topped mountains of the tiger’s homeland are an ocean away. And not everyone wants the tiger – or Fly – to get there alive.
The Highland Falcon Thief – Adventures on Trains by M G Leonard and Sam Sedgman(authors) and Elisa Paganelli (illustrator) (256 pages) published by Pan Macmillanon 30th January:
Harrison Beck is reluctantly joining his travel-writer Uncle Nat for the last journey of the royal train, The Highland Falcon. But as the train makes its way to Scotland, a priceless brooch goes missing, and things are suddenly a lot more interesting. As suspicions and accusations run high among the passengers, Harrison begins to investigate and uncovers a few surprises along the way. Can he solve the mystery of the jewel thief and catch the culprit before they reach the end of the line?
February
Darkwhispers A Brightstorm Adventure by Vashti Hardy (448 pages) published by Scholasticon 6th February:
The thrilling sequel to the acclaimed BRIGHTSTORM: A SKY SHIP ADVENTURE. The Brightstorm twins are back for another adventure! Eudora Vane has organized an explorer fleet to search the last known destination of missing adventurer Ermitage Wrigglesworth. Harriet Culpepper and the crew of the Aurora join the mission, but they don’t believe that Eudora has good intentions. What is she really looking for? Arthur is determined to find out, and when disaster strikes and the Brightstorm twins are separated, will he and Maudie be able to find their way back to each other?
Evernight by Ross MacKenzie(352 pages) published by Andersen Press Ltd on 6th February:
Thousands of years ago, the Evernight came to the Silver Kingdom and turned everything to darkness and chaos. It was only defeated thanks to the skill and bravery of the Witches. But now the Evernight is about to return, released by the evil Mrs Hester, and the only spell that might stop it is lost, deep below the great city of King’s Haven. Then orphan Larabelle Fox stumbles across a mysterious wooden box while treasure-hunting in the city’s sewers. Little does she realise she is about to be catapulted into an adventure, facing wild magic and mortal danger – and a man who casts no shadow . . .
The House of One Hundred Clocks by A M Howell (304 pages) published by Usborne Publishing Ltd on 6th February:
JUNE, 1905. Helena and her parrot, Orbit, are swept off to Cambridge when her father is appointed clock-winder to one of the wealthiest men in England. There is only one rule: the clocks must never stop. But Helena discovers the house of one hundred clocks holds many mysteries; a ghostly figure, strange notes and disappearing winding keys… Can she work out its secrets before time runs out?
Little Bird Lands by Karen McCombie (256 pages) published by Nosy Crow on 6th February:
Little Bird has landed in America, far from her home in Scotland and far from the danger that stalked her family. But the new world holds new perils, and soon she’s on the run again. From the teeming streets of New York to the prairies of the west, Little Bird holds tight to secrets and dreams of freedom. Then, on her journey, she comes face-to-face with an unwelcome ghost from the past…
Orphans of the Tide by Struan Murray (author) and Manuel Sumberac (illustrator) (352 pages) published by Penguin Books Ltd on 20th February:
The City was built on a sharp mountain that jutted improbably from the sea, and the sea kept trying to claim it back. That grey morning, once the tide had retreated, a whale was found on a rooftop.When a mysterious boy washes in with the tide, the citizens believe he’s the Enemy – the god who drowned the world – come again to cause untold chaos.Only Ellie, a fearless young inventor living in a workshop crammed with curiosities, believes he’s innocent. But the Enemy can take possession of any human body and the ruthless Inquisition are determined to destroy it forever.
March
The Pear Affair by Judith Eagle (author) and Kim Geyer (illustrator) (288 pages) published by Faber & Faber on 5th March:
When Penelope Magnificent’s awful parents tell her they’re taking a trip to Paris, she surprises them by begging to go along. Nell is usually content to avoid her money-obsessed father and her fashion-focussed mother, but Paris holds something very dear to her… her old au pair Perrine – Pear – lives there. Pear used to write to Nell every week promising to come to her rescue but recently the letters have stopped… Arriving at her parent’s posh hotel, Nell is determined to find Pear… but no one has seen her at her last known address, and no one seems to want to tell her anything about Pear’s whereabouts. Luckily she befriends the hotel bellboy who introduces her to the world of tunnels underneath the city, and together they set out to find Pear, whilst uncovering an extraordinary mystery of their own…
Skeleton Keys The Haunting of Luna Moon by Guy Bass (author) and Pete Williamson (illustrator) (256 pages) published by Little Tiger Press Group on 5th March:
The second tall-but-true tale in the darkly comic new series SKELETON KEYS from the award-winning duo behind STITCH HEAD… Greetings! My name is Skeleton Keys and these fantabulant fingers of mine can open doors to hidden worlds… Join me for the strange tale of Luna Moon, whose family is disappearing before her very eyes… Luna is the only one to mourn the death of her grandfather Old Man Moon – the rest of her family couldn’t be happier to see the back of the bad-tempered old miser. But as they celebrate his demise with a giddy jig, Aunt Summer vanishes … only to reappear as a painting. While Luna is convinced her grandfather has kept his word to haunt them from beyond the grave, Skeleton Keys is certain that this is the work of an unimaginary. Can he get to the bottom of the mystery before the whole of Luna’s family disappears?
The House on Hoarder Hill by Mikki Lish and Kelly Ngai (384 pages) published by Chicken House Ltd on 5th March:
Magical, spooky and mysterious: welcome to the House on Hoarder Hill … When Hedy and Spencer start receiving messages on dusty picture frames, Christmas at their grandfather’s spooky house turns into a mission to solve the mystery of their grandmother’s disappearance. What is their magician grandfather not telling them? With the help of a (talking) mounted stag head, an (also talking) bear rug, and other (currently) disembodied spirits, and against the resistance of gargoyles and ravens, Hedy and Spencer set out to find the truth.
Potkin & Stubbs Ghostcatcher by Sophie Green (author) and K J Mountford (illustrator) (400 pages) published by Templar Publishing on 5th March:
After successfully ridding Peligan of Gallows’ murderous spook, Mr Grip, Lil and Nedly turn their attentions to another suspected haunting. But Peligan City has had enough of ghosts and has hired ghost catchers – and Nedly finds himself being hunted. Luckily, he has Lil on his side. Now an apprentice reporter for the Klaxon, Lil manages to talk her way into a job shadowing intrepid journalist Marsha Quake, who is writing a feature on Ghostcatcher Inc. So with Lil’s help, Nedly is able to stay one step ahead, but how long for? As Nedly develops his own inimitable and slightly haphazard haunting style, hoping to become a hero of Peligan City by protecting the weak and thwarting the powerful, Lil finds herself clashing with her mum, a journalist committed to uncovering the truth at all costs. Lil must protect Nedly by covering his tracks or risk losing him forever. Can she find a way?
Crater Lake by Jennifer Killick(254 pages) published by Firefly Press Ltd on 19th March:
Who is the mysterious bloodstained man who stops their coach? Why is no one around when Lance and the rest of Year Six arrive at the brand new Crater Lake activity centre? But this is just the beginning of the school trip from hell; a fight for survival that sees five pupils band together to save their classmates from an alien fate far worse than death. But whatever happens, they must Never. Ever. Fall asleep!
There are just SO many fantastic middle-grade books being published, I have no doubt I’ll be adding more to each month. Do you intend to read any of these, or do you have other recommendations?
Wow! I can’t believe this is the last #SixforSunday for this year! I’m really glad I found this when I started blogging back in April as I’ve really enjoyed taking part, and reading those of others. The December theme for Six for Sunday, hosted by A Little But a Lot, is It’s the Most Wonderful Time of Year! and today’s wish is for: New year, new books … I have already shared the books I wanted for Christmas in last week’s post, and I have a post on my most anticipated books for Jan-March ready to post, so I’ve decided to share the first six books I intend to read in January.
I was approved to read this one on NetGalley a while ago. The book description states that it is: The magical tale of a bold young chimney sweep and a remarkable tiger, a dangerously hypnotic ruby and a mystical land that’s found across an ocean and through a storm. It is being published on 9th January, so it will be my first read of the New Year as I want to make sure my review is ready to post as close to publication as I can.
I am taking part in a Blog Tour for this one in February. I have really been enjoying reading books based on Russian folklore so, when I saw that this one was based on Inuit mythology, I was intrigued. The blurb sounds incredible: In the heart of the frigid North, there lives a demon known as the Face Stealer. Eyes, nose, mouth–nothing and no one is safe. Once he returns to his lair, or wherever it is he dwells, no one ever sees those faces again.When tragedy strikes, Apaay embarks on a perilous journey to find her sister’s face–yet becomes trapped in a labyrinth ruled by a sinister girl named Yuki.
I’ve heard so many good things about this series, but haven’t read any yet, so I’m going try the first one. I love any book with dragons, and this one sounds like a really fun, wonderful read.
This is another book I’ve been hearing so many good things about, and have waited patiently for its release. I spotted it when I was in Ireland so just had to get it. My class book penpal author was going to recommend it for my class so I’m now even more keen to read it.
I read another book by Lindsay, Guardians of the Wild Unicorns, back in April which I loved, so I was keen to read this one which I found in Foyle’s in London. Mystery, secrets and hidden treasure amidst impending disaster … really, really looking forward to this one.
I love reading time-slip novels (major Barbara Erskine fan) but I don’t find a lot of middle-grade time-slip, so I was very excited to find this one when I was in Ireland over Christmas. Beth moves from London to Dublin … where she meets a boy called Robbie from the 1950s who keeps slipping into her house. A mischievous boy from the 1950s; a shy girl from today; a time-slip adventure like no other.
First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers, hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, it’s author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines.
Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally … reveal the book!
Chaya looked at the bronze spear pointing at her neck. “Stop right there,” said the guard.
Any ideas?
I’ve heard lots about this one and was very excited to see it out slightly early in Waterstones, Coleraine, so I just had to buy it!
Goodreads Synopsis:
Chaya, a no-nonsense, outspoken hero, leads her friends and a gorgeous elephant on a noisy, fraught, joyous adventure through the jungle where revolution is stirring and leeches lurk. Will stealing the queen’s jewels be the beginning or the end of everything for the intrepid gang?
The December theme for Six for Sunday, hosted by A Little But a Lot, is It’s the Most Wonderful Time of Year! and today’s wish is for: All I Want for Christmas is … Obviously, there’s going to be a few books on my wish list, but also a few other things!
I’m hoping I get a few of these wonderful books. I love hardcover books and there are a couple here. I know this just adds to my TBR but I can’t resist having a few more!
I’ve been wanting this book for ages as, IF I ever get round to doing some writing and it’s a big IF, I will begin my research with this one.
The next thing I want for Christmas, and the most important, is just to be able to spend some time with my family. I haven’t been home to Ireland for Christmas for quite a few years as I’ve tended to spend Christmas with my husband’s family in Wales for various reasons. I am beyond excited to get to see my parents, my sister and her family and to spend Christmas Day with my sister, something I haven’t done in about ten years!
I’ve been lucky enough to get a little something from Tiffany & Co in past years, so I’m hoping my husband may just have treated me again!
I’m hoping to get lots of time over Christmas to just relax, play board games, read, read and read some more, watch movies and generally recharge my batteries, ready for next term – and eat lots of chocolate!
I’ve finally finished work for this term, and am so looking forward to a relaxing Christmas break, catching up with family and friends – and getting lots of reading done! I was given a mention by the lovely Becky on her fantastic blog, Becky’s Book Blog (thank you Becky!), so I thought I’d give this one a go as it a fun tag – and I have a little more free time!
My favourite genre is easy: middle-grade fantasy all the way! It’s much harder to choose just one book to recommend as I’ve been blown away by the quality of the books I’ve read this year. If I’m pushed, I’d have to go for Sophie Anderson’s incredibly beautiful second novel, The Girl Who Speaks Bear steeped in Slavic folklore. This book is beyond gorgeous and speaks to me about everything that is entrancing, heart-warming and magical about middle-grade fantasy books. I bought multiple copies of this for our class and school libraries.
Recommend a short book
I recently read the second book in the Relic Hunters series, Wild Sky by Lexi Rees. I read the first book to my class last summer (seems a LONG time ago now) so was excited to read the second one which is 192 pages long. This is a really interesting world filled with nature-inspired magic, some wonderful young characters and an abundance of tension and action.
Recommend a book-to-screen adaptation
When I went to the cinema to see The Fellowship of the Ring, I hadn’t read any of the books, but the film had such an impact on me that I absolutely couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. I bought the books the next day, and loved them. These books re-ignited a love of fantasy which I’d had as a child, but had left behind in my late teens. These books were my way in to reading many other great fantasy series including The Belgariad by David & Leigh Eddings, The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E Feist.
Recommend a book out of your comfort zone
I don’t read a lot of contemporary books, especially in the young adult section. I was sent Jackpot by a Book Review site to review for their online magazine, and really wasn’t sure what to expect and whether I’d like it. But, I was completely captured by Rico’s story of hardship, determination and courage.
Recommend a book series
This is an completely engrossing series with rabbits as the main characters, told through the eyes of an elderly bard as he relives stories of Podkin One-Ear and his friends and family. There is plenty of action, tension and darkness mingled with an equal measure of bravery, friendship and loyalty. I’m going to read the first one to my class after Christmas, and am really looking forward to seeing their reactions.
Recommend a standalone
I was utterly spellbound by Wildspark, full of jaw-dropping discoveries and unexpected twists, led by the most wonderfully realised cast of human and personifate characters, mechanimals who embody the souls of dead people without their memories . This story is just so clever and heartfelt. It raises fascinating moral questions which centre around the exercise of free will, the entitlement to knowledge and the right to equality for all.
Recommend a book you don’t talk about enough
This is the book that reawakened my love of middle-grade fantasy as an adult. I read it at Christmas last year, months before I started my blog so I haven’t written a review for it, but I definitely intend to read it again. I met Sinead O’Hart at the Bath Children’s Literature Festival and she signed and dedicated the book for me. I loved the two main characters, Emmeline and Thing who become firm friends on her quest to save her scientist parents who have been kidnapped by the sinister Dr Siegfried Bauer who has world domination in mind!
Recommend your ‘staple’ book
I very rarely re-read books, but this is the one that I just keep coming back to every year. I’ve read it to classes and for myself. If any books take me back to my childhood and make me feel completely content and at home, it’s this one! It never fails to capture me and give me that lovely warm feeling I get from reading a special book.
Recommend the book(s) that got you into reading
My first real memory of books I read at school were the Norse and Greek myths and legends that my teacher, Mr Little, let me borrow. I also remember loving The Secret Garden and the Beatrix Potter books. And, for some reason (maybe because I grew up on a small farm in the middle of nowhere!), I loved the James Herriot books!
Recommend 3+ bloggers who recommend great books
I’m definitely going to recommend the wonderful Lily over at Lily and the Fae who is responsible for continually adding to my TBR as we have the same love of middle-grade books. She writes THE most amazing reviews and has been so supportive of my blog since I started it back in April. Thank you Lily!
Rachael at Bellis Does Books is another fantastic middle-grade and picture-book blogger who makes brilliant book recommendations. I love reading her reviews and adding to my TBR.
Finally, I love catching up with Amy’s bookish and non-bookish blog posts and tags at Golden Books Girl, and again she is responsible for adding to my TBR. Which is a good thing – definitely!
Time for Tags!
I’m not going to tag anyone, but if you’d like to do this, I’d love you to link your post to me so I can read your recommendations.
Published by Simon & Schuster Publication Date: 17th October 2019
Thank you to the publishers, Simon & Schuster, for sending me a copy to review for an online review magazine. My review is my honest opinion of the book.
Jackpot is a hard-hitting and thought-provoking story told mostly from the viewpoint of Rico Danger, a seventeen-year-old high school student, who is determined to track down the winner of a huge jackpot, after she discovers that the winning ticket has been sold in the place where she works, Gas ‘n’ Go.
Money – or rather, lack of it – is a huge deal to Rico as she and her family face the constant struggles that living on the breadline brings. Rico works long hours, goes to High School and helps look after her younger brother Jax, who she clearly adores. Her mother has made sure they are living in an area where her children can go to ‘good schools’, but living beyond their means makes the hardships they face even more difficult. Rico’s mother is unable to pay the rent and bills without her daughter’s earnings, so Rico has let go of her childhood and dreams in order to help support her family.
Rico’s resolve to find the owner of the lottery ticket brings her something she seems to be sorely lacking: friendships, fun, and even a little romance. She enlists the help of one of her classmates: the handsome, rich Zan who is not at all what she was expecting for a privileged, rich boy. A really authentic feeling relationship forms between the two, which is brimming with quick-witted banter, uncertainty and honest revelations. As they cleverly chase clue after clue to track down the lottery ticket, will they be successful, or are they following a dead end?
Another relationship I enjoyed was the heartfelt, genuine friendship which develops between Rico and Jessica, who lives in her complex. Jessica is also living on the breadline, but she shows Rico that her poverty doesn’t need to define her, and that being poor does not mean giving up on your dreams.
Rico is an incredibly likeable character who fights through her feelings of helplessness and desperation to show a resilience, grittiness and protectiveness towards her family that is admirable.
Yes, this is a story about chasing a missing lottery ticket, but I think it’s about so much more than that. It is a story about chasing your dreams, despite the hardships you may face, and having the courage to take a chance on friendships and on yourself. I’m so glad Rico does just this!
First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?
Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!
There was once a powerful witch who lived alone on the edge of a marsh. She lived alone except for her familiar: a large black raven.
Any ideas?
I was very excited to be approved to read this on NetGalley as the first book, A Pinch of Magic was one of my favourite reads this year. This is being released by Simon & Schuster on 6th February. I will definitely be buying a copy!
Goodreads synopsis:
The family curse has been lifted and the Widdershins sisters: Betty, Fliss and Charlie are free to leave the prison island of Crowstone. But when a mysterious girl arrives at the Poacher’s Pocket with a pocketful of hagstones and accompanied by a will-o’-the-wisp, it seems another adventure has landed on their doorstep. And when Charlie goes missing, it’s up to Betty and Fliss to journey through misty marches, past wisp catchers and on to a secret island that doesn’t exist on any map…
First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers, hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, it’s author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines.
I’ve heard lots about this one and was very excited to see it out slightly early in Waterstones, Coleraine, so I just had to buy it!
Book Craic 