#SixforSunday is hosted by Steph at A Little But a Lot. The theme for February is Share the Love and today’s prompt is Six reasons I love blogging. Where to begin? I suppose the start of my reading journey is as good as any!

1. I re-ignited my love of reading in January 2019 after spending a ridiculous number of years allowing work to take over my life. I can honestly say it was the best thing I’ve ever done – short of getting married! I read quite contentedly in my own little zone for a few months and then decided it might be fun to review the books I loved. So began my journey into creating my blog in April 2019 which has taken up a lot of my time, but I really do love it as it gives me an outlet for my thoughts on books.
2. This may seem a little strange as blogging is a hobby, and one which I love, but I also really enjoy the challenge and stimulation it brings with it whether that be writing reviews or picking up a book/genre I wouldn’t normally try – and loving it.
3. I was totally oblivious to the wonderful blogging community when I first started posting. Now, I love interacting with some fantastic bloggers who share my love of middle-grade, reading their reviews, and getting book recommendations – and just general sharing the love of books!
4. I cannot deny that since I started blogging, I’ve built up a rather impressive TBR which I love as it gives me an endless supply of books – the only issue is that I can never see myself getting to the end of it as I keep adding more books – but I’ve come to terms with that – just about! I also love getting to share these books with my class after I’ve read them and being able to talk to them about the books I’ve read.
5. I also love that blogging has given me the opportunity to read some highly anticipated books before they are released, whether that be as e-ARCs, pre-release copies or physical Book Proofs. I always feel really privileged and grateful to get these copies – not to mention very excited!
6. I suppose the final reason sums all these up: I love blogging because I feel it is good for me – it is my little corner of cyberspace where I can write about what I love; it allows me to take my mind off other stresses and worries; and, it gives me the chance to connect with other book lovers.

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!

I remember the smell of damp soil. The sound of rain running down my bedroom windows at Burleigh House. The weight of a full valise, tugging at one arm. Below, the king’s carriage stands on the drive. I press my face against the glass, still only a child, just ten years old, not ready for any of this.

Any ideas?

I was very excited to arrive home this evening to this gorgeous book post. The cover is gorgeous and I loved the three word description: LYRICAL – HEART-RENDING-MAGICAL. I’m really looking forward to losing myself in Violet’s story this weekend.

Goodreads Synopsis:

When her father is convicted of high treason, Violet Sterling is exiled. Seven years later she has a chance to return to her beloved Burleigh House and to Wyn, the boy she left behind. But Burleigh – one of the six great magical houses of England – has gone wild with grief after the death of Violet’s father and now the capricious King of England has threatened to raze it to the ground. Vi must decide whether her destiny is set in stone, before Burleigh destroys everything she loves. 

Darkwhispers is the absolutely gripping sequel to Brightstorm where we once again join the Brightstorm twins and the crew of The Aurora on another action-packed, thrilling adventure, but this time into the heart of the jungle, on a mission to rescue Ermitage Wrigglesworth, a famous explorer who has gone missing.

The rescue mission is led by Eudora Vane who has ulterior motives in leading the expedition to the Eastern Isles which are tantalisingly revealed as the story unfolds.  The crew of The Aurora are obviously suspicious of her motives, but are eager to help, especially as they have made some fascinating discoveries of their own that they are keen to investigate. 

During their travels through the Eastern Isles, gathering clues as to the whereabouts of Ermitage, Arthur and Maudie find themselves separated from the rest of the crew, and from each other …

The twins are determined to find each other again … and so begins their incredible adventure to be reunited with each other, and to solve the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Ermitage, an adventure filled with unexpected twists, peril, subterfuge, poignancy and jaw-dropping discoveries, but also with new friendships and connections with amazing creatures.

The world-building is sumptuous with richly detailed description that totally immersed me in the places explored:  I loved following the maps as the crew explored these new lands.  There is a real appreciation of the beauty, power and majesty of nature as well as a message to respect and live in harmony with the environment.  There are also some ingenious inventions which utilise the wonders of nature without damaging it.

Maudie and Arthur are wonderful characters, who both have the hearts of adventurers.  Arthur is intuitive, sensitive and impulsive whilst Maudie is resilient, ingenious and resourceful.  Both children show great strength, courage and determination in dangerous and challenging situations.  They challenge stereotypes:  Maudie is a brilliant inventor and engineer; and, Arthur is not afraid to show his emotions, his sensitivity and his love of books. 

Darkwhispers is perfect for children of 9+ and opens up opportunities for discussions about the environment, colonisation, ecology and exploration, and themes of loyalty, friendship, family and moral dilemma. 

Thank you to Scholastic for sending me a copy to review for a Book Review Site in return for my honest opinion.

Brightstorm is an incredible action-packed and heart-warming adventure which felt like an ode to the golden age of exploration.  It completely captured me and took me on a thrilling race across the continents with an amazing crew.

Twelve-year-old twins Arthur and Maudie Brightstorm are heartbroken when they discover that they have lost their father in an ill-fated expedition to South Polaris.  Their fortunes take a drastic turn for the worse which sees them living in the Slumps, the poorest district in Lontown, at the mercy of two cruel owners.  However, the children are not prepared to accept their fate and are determined to clear their father’s name after he has been discredited by another explorer, Eudora Vane who has accused him of breaking the Explorers’ Code.

The children soon find themselves as new crew members aboard The Aurora, the incredible sky-ship of Harriet Culpepper as another race to South Polaris begins … and their main rival is Eudora Vane!  And what a race it is!  This story is overflowing with heart-racing action, danger, twists, revelations and discoveries.  The story-telling is superb and kept me utterly engrossed as I raced towards South Polaris with the crew of The Aurora, rooting for them as they faced adversity from a powerful and heartless rival and celebrating with them when they found new friends in the entrancing thought-wolves.

Arthur and Maudie embody so many wonderful qualities.  They have an unbreakable bond which sees them gain strength from each other in difficult situations.  They are courageous, resilient, loyal and determined to restore their family name in the face of great peril.  Maudie is a talented engineer who is keen to further her studies whilst her brother is a booklover with a penchant for history who is sensitive and perceptive.  The crew of The Aurora form a wonderfully supportive family unit around the twins, from the clever, kind-hearted Harriet Culpepper to the gregarious, fiercely protective Felicity Wiggety who has a sixth sense for danger!

This is a perfect adventure story for children of 8+ which opens some wonderful opportunities for discussion around overturning stereotypes; STEM careers; appreciating and protecting the environment; and, the age of exploration as well as discourse around themes of loss, friendship, family, class and prejudice.

I was lucky enough to be sent this book by the publishers on behalf of a Review Site in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words.  It asks three questions:

1.      What are you currently reading?

2.      What did you recently finish reading?

3.      What do you think you’ll read next?

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I’m currently reading The Kid who came from Space which is fascinating. The opening completely drew me in. I find the premises of this book so intriguing and can’t wait to see where it goes. I’ve been listening to The Wizards of Once which is narrated by David Tennant – such a brilliant choice! I’m really enjoying this one, and have reserved the next one.

I’ve finished two paperbacks and two audiobooks this week. Darkwhispers is such a brilliant sequel to Brightstorm which I absolutely loved – a brilliant adventure which I was completely absorbed in. I also finished A Little Princess which I had known nothing about! It was a wonderful read and I adored Sara who remained true to herself regardless of the change in her circumstances. I also listened to The Fox and the Ghost King which was a very sweet story based around a football loving family of foxes’ discovery of the body of a King in a car park, and how they had their greatest wish granted – a really fun read! I also absolutely loved The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates which is crammed full of humour, but was also really heart-warming, and at times times sad as Freddie dealt with some difficult times with the help of his friends. I can really see my class loving this story, and I’m really looking forward to sharing the Chapter samplers I was sent with them this week.

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I bought The Highland Falcon Thief last weekend and am really keen to read it, so its jumped to the top of my TBR. I’ve reserved Twice Magic on Borrowbox, so it will be ready to listen to just as I finish The Wizards of Once.

What are you currently reading? Have you read any of these?

I am really excited to have been given the opportunity by Rachel’s Random Resources to take part in my first ever cover reveal for Babushka is Homesick on behalf of the author Carola Schmidt. The picture book is illustrated by Vinicius Melo.

Synopsis

Babushka hadn’t been in her homeland since she was a child. She went to the church with a suitcase, and the whole way, Babushka thought about how she would feel in Ukraine after so many years. She sang, and then she prayed. Amen. But Babushka was thinking of her trip instead of the Lord’s grace. After a long time pondering what to expect—if she would feel a sense of belonging—Babushka arrived in her homeland. Babushka had a lot of fun, but she felt like something was missing. She was homesick. “Babushka is Homesick” is a story about memories, family, and the true meaning of the word “home.”

“Babushka is Homesick” is the second children’s book in the Babushka Series. Everyone has their own stories, history, and the desire to belong. The first book, “Tell me a story, Babushka,” is a best-selling new release in Children’s Multicultural Literature on Amazon USA (Aug 2019), in which kids and adults will enjoy fun adventures and identify their own stories.

This folktale is ideal for ages 4-11 and perfect for teachers.

Purchase Links:

US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0848BP2SH

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0848BP2SH

The cover …

I love the large, colourful title completed as a sign, the travel references and the character illustrations which are perfect for a folktale.

About Carola Schmidt

Pediatric Oncology Pharmacist & award-winning author. Author of children’s multicultural literature, such as Babushka Series, and children’s books about cancer, such as Chubby’s Tale: The true story of a teddy bear who beat cancer, and Bald is Beautiful: A letter for a fabulous girl. Springer Nature author with several scientific books published on pediatric oncology.

Social media links:

Twitter: @_CarolaSchmidt and @LovelyBabushka

Facebook: @MyLovelyBabushka

January always seems like a long month, and this year was no different! I think its the settling back into routine after the wonderful long Christmas break. It definitely felt like more than 31 days! I did, however, manage to get lots of reading done this month, but didn’t buy nearly as many books as I usually do!

Books Read (includes paperback, e-books and audiobooks)

I’ve managed to read 20 books in January: 13 paperback, 2 e-books and 5 audiobooks.

Paperbacks:

I was sent Orion Lost, Brightstorm and Darkwhispers by the publishers to review for a Review site. I won The Snowman and The Strangeworlds Travel Agency from a review site. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse was loaned to me by a child in school as she thought I would enjoy it – and I did! Letters from the Lighthouse was loaned to me by a teaching friend at work. The Girl with the Dragon Heart, Milton the Mighty and Boot were chosen from my TBR. I bought The Boy Who Grew Dragons, Charlotte’s Web and The Monster in the Lake.

e-books

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I was approved to read Tiger Heart on NetGalley and was invited to take part in the Blog Tour for Below.

Audiobooks

As part of my Bookish Resolutions, I decided I was going to try to listen to audiobooks, but I thought this was the resolution I was most likely to fail on! Boy was I wrong! I’ve started using Borrowbox from my local library to listen to audiobooks to and from work, and I’m loving it.

Books bought:

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I bought 5 books in January which is not a lot for me! I bought the Puffin cloth bound version of Charlotte’s Web as I want to read more children’s classics this year, and this was a lovely edition. I’ll definitely be getting more in this collection. I bought The Boy Who Grew Dragons as I have chosen its author, Andy Shepherd, as one of our Authors of the Term. I’ve also bought lots of copies for lower school class libraries. I adored Louie Stowell’s The Dragon in the Library, so just had to buy The Monster in the Lake as soon as it was released. I’ve also bought two adult books this month – for a change! Both The Near Witch and Things in Jars sound amazing: mention witches or gothic to me and I’m already sold!

Books received for review:

I’ve received 10 books for review in January: 6 physical copies, 3 approvals on NetGalley and 1 e-book for a Blog Tour. I am always extremely grateful when I receive books from publishers whether that be via NetGalley, Blog Tour operators, review sites or publicists.

Physical books:

e-books

I loved the first two books in the Starchild series so was really pleased to be invited on the Blog Tour for the third book in the series: The Healing Stone. The books I currently have for review on NetGalley are The Keeper of Lost Cities, Viper’s Daughter and The House of Hidden Wonders.

January Reviews:

I posted 8 reviews on my Blog in January:

1. Tiger Heart by Penny Chrimes
2. Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm
3. The Monster in the Lake by Louie Stowell
4. Where the World Turns Wild by Nicola Penfold
5. The Girl with the Dragon Heart by Stephanie Burgis
6. Letters from the Lighthouse by Emma Carroll
7. Milton the Mighty by Emma Read
8. A Sprinkle of Sorcery by Michelle Harrison

Have you read any of these books? How has your reading month been?

It’s my turn on the FFBC blog tour for this wonderful book! Thank you the author and Wolf Publishing for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. Huge thanks to the Fantastic Flying Book Club for inviting me to take part in this blog tour.

This is an absolute stunning, intense and painful story which had me gripped from the beginning, leading me on a journey which both chilled and warmed me … the writing is powerful, poetic and unrelenting.  Based on Inuit mythology, this is a story that both fascinated and challenged me.

Apaay loses her younger sister, Eska, on the day her face is stolen by the feared Demon, known as the Face-Stealer, leaving her lost and without an identify.  Apaay resolves to find the Demon and reclaim Eska’s face, and so begins the most incredible redemptive quest, borne out of love, guilt and family loyalty which takes Eska through the harsh landscape of the North to the labyrinthine world of the in-between to face the most terrible captor who plays the cruellest games.  Yuki plays to win, but will Apaay have the strength and resolve to beat the master at her own game?  Will she stop allowing herself to be defined by what others think of her and find the strength to be wholly herself?

I was blown away by the depth of this narrative:  the intricate plot developments, the rich complexity of the world-building but, most of all, by the honesty of the characterisation which took me on a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the story so that, even now, I am trying to justify my emotional response to Yuki; my mixed feelings towards the Face-Stealer; but, what I have no doubt of, is that I am in awe at the strength and courage shown by Apaay.   

Yuki, who appears as a young girl, exudes negative emotions and is a whirlwind of cruelty, jealousy, pain, hatred and loss.  She craves love, but has been so emotionally damaged by events in her past that she is unable to show kindness towards others. 

Apaay is an incredible young girl who completely captured my heart.  At times, I found her treatment unbearable, but was then in awe of how she handled everything that was thrown at her.  Her strength lies in her love of family and friendships; in her ability to recognise and accept herself even through her self-doubt and guilt; and in her fierce loyalty and love which allows her to survive despite heart-breaking pain. 

The battle of wills, and struggle for control, between Yuki and Apaay is masterfully portrayed and kept me both eagerly anticipating their next meeting, but also dreading its outcome …

For me, the Face-Stealer, Numiak, is a real enigma and I have such mixed feelings towards him.  He is locked in an endless battle with Yuki, committing heinous acts against innocent people at her behest.  That should be enough to make me detest him, but there is more to him and, I must admit, I found his story arc fascinating, and my reaction to him was so divided.  I had no difficulty in compartmentalising my feelings for Yuki into the ‘hate her’ category, but I couldn’t quite get there with … I definitely struggled with how he created a dichotomy of feelings within me, but maybe that is exactly what is intended.

This is an incredibly powerful story which completely enthralled me, and definitely makes me want to follow Apaay on the next part of her journey.

Alexandria Warwick is the #1 fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender. She is the author of The Demon Race and the upcoming North series.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15371632.Alexandria_Warwick

Website: http://www.alexandriawarwick.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandriawarwick/