WWW Wednesday

I’m currently reading The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone which is the third book for my 20 Reads of Summer Challenge. It’s a quirky read which I’m really enjoying so far although I am only a few chapters in.

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I’ve finished three audio books. I’ve been going out for early morning walks and have been listening to audio books so have finished more than I normally would! I’ve been listening to Howl’s Moving Castle for a couple of weeks as I drove to work. This is such a great fantasy with wonderful characters – it’s just so inventive. I had read some of the Chrestomanci series a good few years ago, and listening to Howl’s Moving Castle has made me want to go back to them. At the weekend, I listened to A Witch Come True which is the final book in the The Apprentice Witch series. This was a brilliant end to the series. I love the friendship between Arianwyn, Sally and Colin, and her devotion to Lull which is once again threatened. Arianwyn’s beloved Grandmother is abducted by a Council traitor, and she has to re-establish her relationship with her father, whilst also trying to protect her town. Arianwyn is one of my favourite characters in the many middle-grade fantasy series I have read as she is such a kind-hearted, good friend who, despite her feelings of uncertainty and not being good enough, is also fiercely independent and courageous. I was really eager to listen to Guy Bass read from his book Skeleton Keys and was really excited when his second book in the series, The Haunting of Luna Moon appeared on Borrowbox. I loved him reading his story which is full of such wonderful humour – it had me giggling as I walked along. I didn’t see the twist which I thought was great.

I also read an e-book and a paperback. I didn’t know much about Ethan’s Voice, but the synopsis caught my attention when scanning books on Borrowbox. It is a wonderfully poignant and heart-warming story of a young boy, Ethan, who lives on a canal boat with his mother and father. He has lost his voice and, after being bullied in school, is being home-educated. One day, he meets a young girl called Polly who has come to live on the canal with her mother after a family break-up. Polly’s acceptance of Ethan for who he is helps him begin to open up as he uses a note book to communicate with her. Their friendship is incredibly endearing. She helps Ethan confront the perceived trauma that has made him lose his voice … this is brilliantly done, and I really lived the tension with him as he faced his fears and demanded the truth. And the ending is just truly gorgeous! I’ve also read A Girl Called Justice: The Smugglers’ Secret. This is my second book for 20 Reads of Summer so I’ll be posting a review in the next few days.

I’m hoping to read Sky Pirates: Echo Quickthorn and the Great Beyond next which sounds like a really fun, adventurous read.