The Ultimate Recommendations Book Tag!

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!

Rules:

• Thank the person who nominated you.
• Answer all the questions below.
• Pingback to the creator: Ellyn @Allonsythornraxx
• Nominate 5 (or more) bloggers to do this tag!

Recommend a book from your favourite genre

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

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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.