WWW Wednesday

I’ve just started reading The Rescue of Ravenwood which I’m absolutely loving, and have a strong feeling that this will be one of my top books of 2023 – it really is wonderful! I’m listening to The Miraculous Sweetmakers which is not quite what I expected, but is one I’m definitely enjoying. The opening was incredibly sad and I can totally understand the choice Thomasina has made, but I think the magical Frost Fair she is visiting may bring her all sorts of trouble and heartache.

I finished The Stickleback Catchers which is a beautifully told story of a young girl, Mimi, dealing with her Gran’s dementia. She finds her way into another world where memories are stored, and has to make a difficult choice about living in the past where her Gran knows who she is, or facing her present situation. I enjoyed the blend of fantasy and contemporary.

I also finished Beyond the Frozen Horizon which is another winner! Rory joins her mum, who is a geologist, on a work trip to the Arctic where she is completing a report on the environmental sustainability of a new mining operation. They are not made to feel particularly welcome by the miners still living there and, when it becomes apparent that the Company may be hiding something, Rory gets help from an unexpected source. Just brilliant!

I also finished the audiobook of The Extraordinary Adventures of Alice Tonks which I loved! Alice is sent to a boarding school where she discovers that she can talk to animals as she is a Switcher – and they need her help. I adored Alice who, together with her new friends, finds herself at the heart of solving a dangerous mystery. This is another one I didn’t know much about, but am so glad I read it and am looking forward to Alice’s next adventure.

I also read The Swifts which was such fun – Shenanigan is such a great character who I absolutely loved. And the opening – fantastic! I’ll be posting my review in the next few days.

I also devoured Midwinter Burning which is the first book by Tanya Landman that I’ve read, but I definitely need to pick up more of her work. Alfie is a boy who is not really wanted by his mother and who is bullied at school. He is the only one who doesn’t mind being evacuated at the start of the Second World War. He goes to live on an isolated farm in rural Devon with Aunt Bell (who is so wonderful) and her son Ted where he quickly learns what it is to have a real home and family. When exploring the area, he feels drawn to the standing stones where the annual Midwinter Burning is held as a village tradition. He meets a young boy, Smidge, who does not dress like him or speak his language, but it is the first time Alfie has a friend. This is one of the best timeslip books I’ve read and I absolutely loved it. It’s both heart-warming and heart-breaking. I loved Alfie’s life on the farm, his relationship with Aunt Bell and his friendship with Smidge. This is one I would highly recommend.

I’m hoping to read MoonFlight next.

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