I am a primary school teacher who is a voracious reader. I love reading children's books, talking to them about books, engaging them in reading for pleasure and recommending books to them.
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!
Like a witch’s lair in a fairytale the ancient manor
house crouches in its tangled garden. I
can’t take my eyes off the ivy-choked window above the front door. It was from that window in 1913 that
16-year-old Maud Stearne watched her father set off down the steps with an
ice-pick, a geological hammer – and murder in his heart.
Any ideas?
This is on my #20ReadsofSummer, and it’s getting close to
the top of this group. Goodreads
synopsis:
1906: A large manor house, Wake’s End, sits on the edge of a bleak Fen, just outside the town of Wakenhyrst. It is the home of Edmund Stearn and his family – a historian, scholar and land-owner, he’s an upstanding member of the local community. But all is not well at Wake’s End. Edmund dominates his family tyrannically, in particular daughter Maud. When Maud’s mother dies in childbirth and she’s left alone with her strict, disciplinarian father, Maud’s isolation drives her to her father’s study, where she happens upon his diary.
During a walk through the local church yard, Edmund spots an eye in the undergrowth. His terror is only briefly abated when he discovers It’s actually a painting, a ‘doom’, taken from the church. It’s horrifying in its depiction of hell, and Edmund wants nothing more to do with it despite his historical significance. But the doom keeps returning to his mind. The stench of the Fen permeates the house, even with the windows closed. And when he lies awake at night, he hears a scratching sound – like claws on the wooden floor…
Wakenhyrst is a terrifying ghost story, an atmospheric slice of gothic, a brilliant exploration of the boundaries between the real and the supernatural, and a descent into the mind of a psychopath.
I’m currently reading The Girl of Ink & Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave. I love her writing and this one has been recommended to me by a few people. This will be the sixth book on my #20BooksofSummer.
I recently finished The Lost Tide Warriors by Catherine Doyle. It was everything I expected it to be – and more! The ending has me craving the next book! I’ve also read The Maker of Monsters by Lorraine Gregory this week. Such a great read, full of courage, friendship and scary moments – and Tingle – just adored Tingle! Reviews for these coming shortly.
I’ve chosen to read The Dragon in the Library by
Louie Stowell and Ariki and the Island of Wonders by Nicola Davies
next. These are both short reads, so I’m
hoping to get both read in a week.
I’ve been seeing this tag around a lot and have enjoyed reading responses. I saw it last on Steph’s fab blog at A Little But a Lot and she tagged anyone who wants to give it a go, so I’m giving it a go!
1. Do you get sick while
reading in the car?
I
used to be able to read in the car but, unfortunately, no longer. Even looking at my phone in the car makes me
feel sick! Luckily, I have no such
problems with reading on trains and planes!
I’m off to Florida in August and am looking forward to having many hours
of reading on the flight.
2. Which author’s writing
style is completely unique to you and why?
I
love Kiran Millwood Hargrave’s style. It
is lyrical, and draws me in from the opening.
I’ve read both her young adult and middle grade books, and am so pleased
she’s writing more middle grade!
3. Harry Potter Series or the
Twilight Saga? Give three points to defend your answers.
This is an easy one for me. I couldn’t get into the Twilight Saga, but adored Harry Potter. I waited until all the books were released and then read them all over a couple of weeks in the summer. I loved the wizardry, school setting and friendships.
4. Do you carry a book bag?
If so, what’s in it (besides books…)?
I only carry a book bag if I’m going somewhere by train. My husband bought me a gorgeous one, that just completely appealed to my booklover self! I don’t carry very much in my bag: my review notebook, pen, purse, phone and lippie!
5. Do you smell your books?
No!
6. Books with or without
little illustrations?
I
read a lot of middle-grade, so I read a lot of books with illustrations. I don’t mind whether books have them or not.
7. What book did you love
while reading but discovered later it wasn’t quality writing?
If I’m enjoying a book, then
the quality of the writing appeals to me, so I don’t tend to worry if others
thought it wasn’t quality! To me,
reading is a very personal activity and what appeals to one may not appeal to
others – and that’s ok!
8. Do you have any funny
stories involving books from your childhood? Please share!
Not
funny, but I was definitely the typical book-loving child who hid a book under
my pillow when lights were switched off, and then sneaked on my torch to read
some more! I’m surprised I didn’t fall
asleep in class.
9. What is the thinnest book
on your shelf?
The thinnest, and smallest, book I currently have on my bookshelf is Katherine Rundell’s ‘Why You Should Read Children’s Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise’. I’m already a convert but am keen to read her views.
10. What is the thickest book
on your shelf?
The thickest book I have on
my shelf is ‘City of Heavenly Fire’ by Cassandra Clare. This is the sixth, and final, book in The
Mortal Instruments, a series which I absolutely loved. It has 638 pages.
11. Do you write as well as
read? Do you see yourself in the future as being an author?
I
am a primary school teacher with an English degree, and one of my favourite
parts of my job is writing for, and with, my class. They’ve even clapped my efforts! I have a great deal of admiration for
writers, and would love to write a book one day. I even have an idea, sitting in a folder on
my laptop!
12. When did you get into
reading?
I
can’t remember a time when I didn’t enjoy books. I remember my Dad reading to my siblings and
I from a young age. I remember my
Headmaster allowing me to read from his library shelf, full of Greek and Norse
myths and legends. I remember devouring
books from the library bus that used to visit our village once a month. I am, however, the only one of my siblings
(there are 6 of us!) who was hooked on books.
I read lots as a child and into my teens and twenties. I took a long break from reading during a
large part of my teaching career as it kinda took over my life! But I’m back now, and loving reading again.
13. What is your favourite
classic book?
I adored Wuthering Heights
by Emily Brontë. It’s probably the book
I’ve read most often.
14. In school what was your
best subject?
Definitely
English. I did both English Language and
Literature.
15. If you were given a book
as a present that you had read before and hated… what would you do?
I would thank the person – and not mention it again!
16. What is a lesser known
series that you know of that is similar to Harry Potter or The Hunger Games?
Can’t think of any!
17. What is a bad habit you
always do (besides rambling) while filming?
I
do not vlog – scary!. If I did, I’d
definitely say ‘ok’ way too much! Ok!
18. What is your favourite
word?
I’ve
got to go for a phrase which we used lots growing up in Ireland: have a titter of wit!
19. Are you a nerd, dork, or
dweeb? Or all of the above?
I’m
not sure I’m any of these, but maybe a nerd with all the positive connotations
of course!
20. Vampires or Fairies? Why?
Vampires
– I blame Anne Rice and Charlaine Harris!
21. Shapeshifters or Angels?
Why?
Shapeshifters
because I love the idea of being able to change into something else.
22. Spirits or Werewolves?
Why?
Spirits
as I love a good spooky mystery. And I
have a ghost story from my uni days!
23. Zombies or vampires? Why?
Vampires mainly because of the two authors I’ve mentioned – they are responsible for feeding my romantic notion of them! I’ve never read a book with zombies, although I love watching The Walking Dead.
24. Love Triangle or
Forbidden Love?
Forbidden
Love every time.
25. Full on romance books or
action-packed with a few love scenes mixed in?
I read a lot of middle-grade so not much scope for romance! But I do love an underlying thread of romance in a YA book.
The July theme for Six for Sunday, hosted by A Little But a Lot, is Summer Reads and today’s prompt is for: Books with Sunshine on the Cover. I was going to choose books with yellow covers (I’ve definitely got six of those!), but instead I’ve gone for books with links to islands/beaches as I grew up on the Emerald Isle and enjoyed its beautiful coastline during my long summer holidays which lasted for two whole months! I’ve only read one of these, but the rest are on my summer reading pile with three on my #20ReadsofSummer.
1. We Won an Island by Charlotte
Lo. This is the one I’ve read, and it’s
all that is joyous about a holiday read.
It’s an incredibly uplifting story of three children who win an island in
Scotland who decide to put on a festival to try to cheer their dad up. Heart-warming and hilarious!
2. The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave. This is the first of my three which is on my #20ReadsofSummer. I have read a couple of books by Kiran which I loved, and have had this one recommended. Having read the blurb I already know I will love it: “But beneath the dry rivers and dead forests, a fiery myth is stirring from its sleep … “
3. This leads on perfectly to my third
choice, Malamander by Thomas Taylor which is also on my #20ReadsofSummer. I’m looking forward to finding out more about
the legendary malamander!
4. The third book from my #20ReadsofSummer
is The Secret Dragon by Ed Clarke.
Catherine Doyle has said this is ‘Utterly enchanting’ and that’s good
enough for me … oh, and it has a dragon … and is set in Wales, both of which
suit me perfectly.
5. Elen’s Island by Eloise Williams. I loved Seaglass so I bought this when
Dragonfly were having a sale. Island life
… secrets … exploration … and another Welsh setting.
6. Clifftoppers: The Arrowhead Moor Adventure by Fleur Hitchcock. I loved the freedom of wandering the beautiful, rugged Donegal countryside as a child with my brothers and sisters. We made our own adventures, but none so exciting as I think Aiden, Chloe, Ava and Josh will have!
This is a truly wonderful story, full of secrets, families and
friendships, set amidst the idyllic rural beauty of a Suffolk country Estate
and gardens at a time when the harsh reality of the Great War is having a devastating
impact on soldiers and their families. I really enjoyed both the evocative historical
setting and the masterful unravelling of secrets. This story was reminiscent of The Secret
Garden, which is one of my favourite childhood stories, so it’s no surprise
that I loved it!
It opens with a secret in Clara’s pocket, one which occupies
her mind throughout, as she tries to summon the courage to confront it.
“Sometimes
pretending to be brave is enough.”
She has been sent to stay with her Aunt and Uncle, who work on
the Earl’s Estate, as her poorly father, suffering from the aftermath of a gas
attack in the War, is taken to Devon to convalesce. Clara’s first meeting with her Aunt, the
Earl’s Housekeeper, is terse and unwelcoming, and not at all what she was
expecting. She is met with curtness and
unfriendliness, when what she craves most is warmth and affection.
Clara is looking for adventure and is thirsty for knowledge, brought
on by the boredom of not being able to go to school or work in the gardens. Her natural curiosity is soon piqued by the
sighting of an elusive boy in the gardens and the discovery of a locked room in
her new home, both mysteries which she is determined to solve.
Her first encounter with the boy, Will, takes place in the
hothouse. Both children are lonely and
desperate for company, so it is not long before they agree to meet again in
secret. They soon find a shared mystery
to solve! Who is the thief behind the disappearance of the garden’s precious
possessions? As the mystery deepens,
suspicions are raised, more secrets are revealed and the tension is palpable as
life-destroying accusations are made.
As well as catching a thief, Clara is also determined to find
out why her Aunt is making night time visits to the hothouse, having secret
meetings in the woods and writing behind a locked door. Are these linked to the missing possessions? Are they the cause of her lack of warmth
towards Clara? I loved the way solving
some puzzles only leads to more puzzles and questions … such a brilliant way to
entangle the reader in the story.
I found the contrast of Clara’s contented family life before
the war with the terrible effects war has had upon her family
heart-breaking. The reality of how the War
affected families is explored with great skill.
Whilst inequality in society is shown with the Earl and his family
having so many to look after their needs, the inherent goodness in people when
faced with hardship is also evident with the Earl supporting the war effort by
supplying the local military hospital with food.
I absolutely adored the friendship between Clara and Will, but
there were also times when my heart ached for them. Whilst unexpected circumstances have thrown
them together, their friendship is truly beautiful. It is born of sadness and loneliness and
nurtured by mutual trust, empathy and support. The children share their family secrets,
are truthful with each other (even when this may threaten their friendship) and
enjoy their respective company as they work together to solve the lost secrets
of the garden.
“You’re
braver than you know.”
I think this applies to both of these incredible children who
are, as so many were, victims of a War whose cruel fingers reached out to tear
families apart, but their courage shines through as they fight for secrets to
be revealed … for truths to be known …
I loved that A.M. Howell’s idea for this wonderfully heart-warming story was inspired by the discovery of a 100-year-old gardener’s notebook at the Ickworth Estate in Suffolk. Inspiration for stories may be everywhere around us, but it takes an incredible writer to capture our hearts through their writing … and this wholeheartedly captured mine.
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!
On a frosty winter morning, in the waters of a half-forgotten island, a merrow was swimming far from her home. Mist hung like a veil over the sea, clinging to her skin as she broke the surface: first a crown of coral and bone, then yellow eyes as wide as moons. A pale scar traced the curve of her jaw.
Any ideas?
I’ve just finished this: it was absolutely incredible, but I need the next one! Goodreads synopsis:
Fionn Boyle has been Storm Keeper of Arranmore for less
than six months when thousands of terrifying Soulstalkers arrive on the island.
The empty-eyed followers of the dreaded sorceress, Morrigan have come to raise
their leader and Fionn is powerless to stop them. The Storm Keeper’s magic has
deserted him and with his grandfather’s memory waning, Fionn must rely on his
friends Shelby and Sam to help him summon Dagda’s army of merrows.
But nobody else believes the ferocious sea creatures even exist. And how can he prove he’s right without any magic? As Fionn begins his search for the lost army, the other islanders prepare for invasion. The battle to save Arranmore has begun.
I’m currently reading The Lost Tide Warriors by Catherine Doyle. I’ve been really looking forward to returning to Arranmore as I loved The Storm Keeper’s Island. This is proving to be just as fantastic! This will be the fourth book on my #20BooksofSummer.
I recently finished The Garden of Lost Secrets by A M Howell. I really enjoyed the nostalgic feel to this and the clever unravelling of the many secrets in the story. Review coming shortly.
I’ve chosen to read The Maker of Monsters by Lorraine Gregory next. Peter Bunzl definitely sells it: “A monster mash of action, scares, and adventure with a core of warm friendship. It had me on tenterhooks ‘til the very end.” Can’t wait!
Published by Nosy Crow on 6th June Cover Illustration by Matt Saunders
If you are brave enough to enter these woods … you will be utterly
mesmerised as you are taken on the most intriguing journey full of twists,
puzzles and incredible mind-blowing discoveries! This is a book that is perfect for a
one-sitting read and epitomises the phrase ‘page-turner’.
With two references to time in the title, I feel the story
offers a fascinating exploration of concepts in time which made me think of the
Mobius Time Loop. When and where in time
are the three children? There is so much
to explore, but I don’t want to give anything away – suffice to say, nothing is
ever as it seems!
One afternoon, three children get lost in the woods … and find
a seemingly endless night! Johnny is the
bully; Charlie is the new kid in town; and Dizzy, a polio survivor, is Charlie’s
only friend.
Curiosity leads two of the friends into the woods … and Johnny
follows. Dizzy has seen sticks arranged
into a secret code the previous day and wants his friend to help solve the
mystery! Johnny tells them Old Crony
lives in the woods and he is someone to be feared. The children’s heightened anticipation of Old
Crony, together with the inspired use of sights and sounds, creates a real
sense of foreboding with palpable fear building, leading to frantic and
desperate actions as the children try desperately to run from their fear and
their fate …
I found the woods both horrifying and fascinating, almost like
a living entity, driven with an inexorable purpose for the children, a purpose
that once realised left me stunned and in awe of the story-telling.
Incredible heart-stopping moments, spine-tingling twists, and
seeming impossibilities made me desperate to keep reading. For me, the use of cliff hangers at the end
of most of the chapters makes it the perfect classroom read!
This is a perfect spine-tingler of a story which took me on the most incredible journey of exploration and discovery!
Published by Orion Children’s Books Released on 1st July
This is an incredibly powerful and thought-provoking story
which totally engrossed me right from the prologue which occurs 10 years before
the main story when society is drastically changed by the catastrophic environmental
damage caused by Hurricane Chronos.
The story is set in a dystopian aftermath where society has
been firmly divided into three social groups:
the Paragons, the Freedoms and the Outlanders. The inequality between these groups in terms
of social status, power and wealth is evident.
The Paragons rule ruthlessly through the ARK government, and control, not
only the food supplies and wealth within Kairos City, but also the right to
knowledge and perceptions of the landscape outside the City. The Outlanders refuse to conform to the
expectations of the Paragons and live outside society, displaced and suffering
social deprivation and hardship. Paradoxically,
the group which is least free are the Freedoms, and it is to this group that the
main protagonists, Shifa and Themba, belong.
Fighting his way through the eye of the storm, driven by
his love for his infant son, Themba, Nabil survives the hurricane that
devastates the very foundations of society.
On his return, he discovers an abandoned baby with her cat, Daisy. There is no mother and her only possessions
are a daisy chain strung around her body, a basket of edible leaves and a
golden locket. He names her Shifa, and
brings her up as his daughter.
Skip forward ten years … to Shifa and Themba’s tenth
birthdays. It is on this day that the
terrible, and heart-breaking, pledge their father has made to the ARK is
realised. In exchange for the benefits
of the food, money and education the family have received, Nabil’s children
must give up four years of their lives to become Freedom Field Recruits. These recruits are needed to help with food
production, including the pollination of plants as bees have become extinct due
to climatic chaos. This is sold to the
family as a vital part of the re-generation of society so that all can
eventually enjoy the benefits currently only in existence for the Paragons.
Shifa and her family have a deep ingrained love of the
natural environment and, defying ARK laws, have their own secret garden and ‘skep-heart’
code which becomes a powerful symbol of family love, loyalty and bonding
threaded throughout the story.
We’ve
got to keep our family skepheart beating.
What awaits the children on the Freedom Family Farm they
are sent to is unbearably unjust as they struggle to cope in an oppressive
regime where they are effectively dehumanised with any level of freedom they
thought they had being cruelly ripped from them. The treatment of the children and the hopelessness
of their situation is heart-wrenching; however, the resilience and strength of
the majority of the children is uplifting.
Torn from their families, they become a new family, taking care of each
other, despite their hardships.
Shifa and Themba are just wonderful children who have made
a lasting impression on me. They have an
incredibly close bond and clearly adore each other: it is their love for each other that helps
them survive. Shifa is kind-hearted,
resilient and loving, but she also questions the society into which she has
been born. Themba is artistic, impulsive
and trusting, but also vulnerable. It is
this vulnerability which gives his fiercely protective sister the strength,
courage and determination to make an impossibly difficult decision. A decision which leads them on a terrifying
journey, but also one of new discoveries, new friendships and perhaps towards hope
of a new way of life.
The story’s central message is a very current one around
the potential devastation that could be caused by inertia in tackling climate
change. It really crystallises the
effects this could have not only on the environment but also on the people who
have to live in the aftermath, with the innocent bearing the brunt of mistakes
made by their elders. Children are both
the victims, and the redeemers, of this dystopian society.
Not
taking care of the planet felt like destroying the thing that most cared for
you.
The concept of freedom is also explored. Are you truly free if you don’t belong
anywhere and don’t care about anyone?
Can freedom be taken away if you have the love of your family in your
heart? Can apparent freedom be nothing
more than a façade? This theme is
explored beautifully through the difficult and heartfelt relationship between Shifa and Luca, an
orphan taken in by the ARK. Is he the
enemy he appears, or just as much a victim as the other children?
This is an engrossing story of family, friendship and hope,
set in deeply rooted themes of the effects of climatic change, societal
injustice and an exploration of freedom, which captured me entirely. This story has incredible potential for
classroom discussion. As a teacher, I
can definitely see me using it with children of 9+.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Children’s Books/ Hachette Children’s Group for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
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!
Night fell
as death rode into the Great Library of Summershall. It arrived within a carriage. Elisabeth stood in the courtyard and watched
the horses thunder wild-eyed through the gates, throwing froth from their
mouths.
Any ideas?
I read the synopsis of this and just know I will love it! I’m saving it for my summer holiday when I
will be able to devour it in a day! Can’t
wait!
Goodreads synopsis:
All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.
Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.
As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth
starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the
libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has
never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.
