Children’s book reviews
This is a weekly meme now hosted by That Artsy Girl Reader. This week’s theme is Animals from Books (these could be mythical, real, main characters, sidekicks, companions/pets, shifters, etc.). I’ve decided to share 5 book covers with my favourite mythical animal (dragon) and 5 with my favourite wild animal (wolf).
What is your favourite animal, mythical or real, in books?
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?
‘Nothing’s going to happen, Bradley,” said old Deirdre Gavell to her stuffed squirrel. “Don’t be such a worrywart.” Bradley Cooper didn’t say a word. The clock had already struck seven, but tonight she had the funniest feeling – as though he didn’t want her to go. Which was nonsense. He was just a stuffed squirrel after all.
Any ideas?
The opening intrigued me, and I love the front cover so I bought this shortly after publication.
Goodreads Synopsis:
When Hattie visits her granny for the first time in years, she’s not sure what to expect. Granny has always been unusual. Now she’s gone missing without trace. Hattie is determined to find her. But in the strange little village where Granny lives, nothing is as it seems. Is magic real here? What is the shadowy place known as the Un Forest? And who is the mysterious girl in wooden armour? One thing is certain. An ancient evil is stirring in Brokewood-on-Tandle… and only Hattie can stand against it.
Have you read this one? What did you think?
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a young Jane Austen is a formidable heroine, especially when armed with wit, determination and a faithful lapdog. Sorry – I couldn’t resist! I am a huge fan of Jane Austen’s works and still have very fond memories of reading them in my early teens, so I was very excited to hear that the lady herself was going to feature in her own series as a young investigator!
I absolutely loved everything about The Abbey Mystery from the scintillating storytelling to the fascinating depiction of Georgian high society but, most of all, for the perfect portrayal of Jane herself: more later! This is a fast-paced, exciting mystery that completely captured me from the opening line (how could it not!) and took me on a fascinating journey into the past, a past filled with charm, intrigue and high society shenanigans!
Thirteen-year-old Jane and her older sister, Cassandra find themselves – to the horror of their mother – in a carriage accident which has the somewhat unfortunate result for Jane that she must replace her sister as companion to Lady Cromwell at Southmoor Abbey as that family prepare to celebrate their son’s coming-of-age-party. However, Jane soon finds herself with an intriguing mystery to solve … and a rather spooky one to boot. Whilst the employees might believe that the old Abbey ruins are haunted by a ghostly monk, Jane is more level-headed and doesn’t believe in such silliness … until she sees a floating lantern! Jane is determined to unmask the ghost, but is there a greater mystery afoot? Together with her new friends, Jane finds herself untangling a web of deceit … fire, theft, false accusations, family secrets … such a clever, intriguing mystery that led me on a merry chase that utterly delighted me.
Quite simply, I adored daring detective Jane from the bottom of my heart. She has an indomitable and adventurous spirit coupled with wit, kindness and tenacity. She is a wonderful and true friend to those who need her when they are being treated unfairly. I especially enjoyed her friendship with the stableboy, Luke and the cook’s Indian daughter, Deepti and how these two help Jane in her mission to uncover hidden truths.
Jane’s clever, witty letters home to her sister Cassandra are an absolute joy to read and demonstrate her love of writing.
This story gives a brilliant insight into late eighteenth-century society with its class divisions, imperialism, high society entertainment and living as well as the feeling that change is on its way. It also shows the restrictions placed on women in a patriarchal society which makes it all the more glorious that Jane, and the other young females, in this story are strong and determined.
This is a truly delightful, exciting mystery that transported me into a richly drawn quintessentially Austen world with a remarkable young heroine who I can’t wait to meet again in her next investigation. Singular enjoyment of the highest quality!
And I’m so excited that the next book in the series, The Burglar’s Ball, is due for release this year, and here’s a sneaky peak at the cover which is absolutely stunning:
Thank you so much to Lion Hudson for inviting me to be part of this Blog Tour, and for providing me with a proof in exchange for my honest opinion.
Please do check out the other posts on this Blog Tour:
I’m going to start reading The Chessmen Thief this evening and am really looking forward to it. I have been listening to Anne of Green Gables on Borrowbox. I can’t believe I have never read this before. I adore Anne with an e!
I read three books this week, including one adult book for a change! I really enjoyed Dragon Legend which is another action-packed, fast-paced adventure in this series with plenty of danger and is one I found a little darker than the last one. I am currently writing my review. After a comment from Rachael at Bellis Does Books, I just had to jump Starfell – Willow Moss and the Vanished Kingdom to the top of my TBR, and I am so, so glad I did. I have really fallen in love with this magical series which has adorable characters and such wonderful world-building. AND it’s got Oswin, ‘I is not a cat’, the kobold! If you’ve read this series, you’ll know exactly what I mean! I also read The Midnight Library which I read over the course of Sunday. I just kept coming back to read it at every opportunity as I was so drawn to the story. Nora makes a decision that she no longer wants to live and, at midnight, finds herself in the midnight library where the librarian is someone who supported her when she was younger. She has a huge book of regrets and is given the chance to undo these by stepping into her other lives, lives of ‘what ifs?’. What if she had made different decisions? What if her choices affect what happens to others? What if the life she is living has so much more potential? I found the idea of parallel lives in different universes utterly fascinating, and this story is ultimately an uplifting one, and just so beautifully written with moments that really made me stop and think.
I was sent an early copy of BigFoot Mountain which is due for release on 29th April, so I’m hoping to read it next.
What have you read this week? Have you read any of these?
The Incredible Record Smashers is an absolute winner! It is a wonderfully heart-warming, giggle-inducing, action-packed adventure told in an incredibly honest and authentic voice that makes it such a touching and exceptional story.
Lucy is a fixer, and she’s good at fixing things, but what about a person? Lucy’s Mum is desperately tired, sad and feeling broken, and Lucy is determined to fix her: to make her happy again. Whilst her Mum is spending some time in hospital to help her, Lucy stays with her effervescently eccentric, pink-haired Aunty Sheila who is a whirlwind of brilliance: ever-prepared, well-stocked and a car boot sale enthusiast not to mention being a no-nonsense, kind-hearted, supportive all-round wonderful person, even if she does make fizzy yoghurt! To be honest, this actually sounds rather good!
Aunty Sheila invites her neighbours’ Grandson, and Lucy’s classmate, Sandesh, over to spend time with Lucy and they soon become best friends. When Lucy finds a photo of her Mum with famous singer, Paul Castellini and now head judge on new TV show, Record Smashers, she hatches a plan, a plan to reunite her Mum with the one person she believes can make her happy again.
And so begins Lucy’s mission to appear on Record Smashers. Of course, there’s a slight problem: becoming a record breaker takes a lot of time, and Lucy only has ten days to prove that she can smash a record. Luckily, she has the benefit of Sandesh’s vast knowledge of record-breaking facts to help her on her way. Cue watermelons, clothes pegs, flipper-hurdling, kumquats, and giggles galore! As if that wasn’t enough to contend with, the best friends also find themselves caught up with two baddies who may not be quite what they seem. Be prepared for scenes of absolute comedic genius as Lucy and Sandesh get to grip with what it takes to be a record-breaker!
I totally adored both Lucy and Sandesh who form such close bond of friendship. Sandesh is incredibly supportive, kind-hearted and empathetic – and an absolute fount of knowledge with his weird and wonderful record-breaking facts which kept me thoroughly entertained – and fascinated! Lucy shows such a touching naivety and innocence through her chatty, witty and sincere narrative, but is also one resilient and determined cookie. My heart ached for her as she opened up about her Mum’s mental health and shared her feelings with such honesty. The love between Lucy and her mother really shone through as does the importance of accepting help when times are tough.
Oh my goodness, it takes a special story to make you laugh one minute and cry the next; to care so much for the characters that you become completely caught up in their lives. This is a such a heartfelt story of friendship and family, of caring about others, and being brave enough to open up and talk to someone when life is difficult. It is a story that addresses the issue of mental health illness sensitively and gently, and encourages empathy, understanding and gives a route into opening up discussion around mental health problems.
The illustrations are brilliantly lively, humorous and expressive and complement the story perfectly. I also just have to mention the chapter headings which share world records very cleverly linked to the story – inspired!
This is an incredibly heartfelt story, sparkling with kindness, humour, friendship and family, and is one I cannot recommend highly enough.
Thank you to Fritha Lindqvist and Usborne for a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is my weekly meme celebrating amazing middle-grade books. I hope others will enjoy taking part in this too!
PIRATES, ADVENTURE, FRIENDSHIP
“Last chance saloon,” he said, as Flick shoved some fruit loaf down into the toaster and took a swig of orange juice directly from the carton on the table.
The Strangeworlds Travel Agency: The Edge of the Ocean is a breathtakingly brilliant return to this mesmerising, magical world where stepping through a suitcase brings a world of action-packed, nautical adventure, excitement aplenty and frissons of danger … perfect edge-of-your-seat reading at the Edge of the Ocean!
Flick’s parents have grounded her for the entirety of the summer holidays, but fortunately, her situation does not stop her returning to The Strangeworlds Travel Agency after Jonathan works his magic on her Mum in the grocery aisle! When she turns up at the Travel Agency the next day, she meets Avery, Jonathan’s cousin who is visiting him to help in the search for his missing father. However, before they continue their investigations, they are interrupted by a summons from Captain Nyfe Shaban, Pirate Queen, who wants them to help save her world, The Break, which is in danger of collapsing as its magic is being drained. As Head Custodian of The Strangeworlds Travel Agency, it is Jonathan’s duty to answer the summons … and he does so, along with Flick and Avery.
Stepping out of their magical suitcase, they find themselves in the flat, water world of The Break where ships are dropping off the edge, and the world is irreparably shrinking. Will Flick, Jonathan and Avery be able to save the inhabitants of this world by finding them a new world to call home? Will they be able to overcome impossible-seeming dilemmas and find a solution that will save everyone?
Oh my goodness. This world! First, can I just say that I love a book with a map, and I spent a lot of time admiring it, and went back to it throughout as various places were mentioned. The world-building is incredible from the depiction of a world made almost entirely from water and which is flat to the huge ships sailing the ocean to the pirate and mer-people inhabitants and the different factions and alliances within these groups. It feels incredibly immersive and I found myself easily losing myself in this richly imagined world of wonder.
This is a truly action-packed, exhilarating adventure as Flick, Jonathan and Avery find themselves in a race against time to save this disappearing world whilst having to contend with different factions trying to out manoeuvre each other for their own ends. I loved the twists and turns, the revelations, and the element of danger that kept me utterly spellbound throughout. The diverse cast of characters are wonderful from the fierce, power-hungry and rather terrifying Nyfe to the mesmerising Queen of the Mer-people.
I loved the continuation of Flick and Jonathan’s friendship which feels really genuine and supportive, especially when things become really difficult. I also really enjoyed the friendship between Avery and Flick which starts off with uncertainty, but which develops into a deeper bond as they get to know each other, work together and build trust. Flick is finding out more about herself and her magical ability in this story which makes me VERY keen to read the next book. Oh my! I so adore Jonathan! Quick-witted, clever and utterly wonderful! At times, my heart ached for him, but it also rejoiced as he showed how courageous, resilient and determined he can be.
This is an enthralling, magical adventure with a terrific cast of characters who will take you on an unmissable adventure … a perfect delight, and one I can highly recommend.
I’d love if anyone who wants to give this meme a go would comment in the comments box and include a link to your post so I can visit, comment and find some great middle-grade recommendations. If you do create a post and are on Twitter, and would like to share your post, please use the hashtag #MGTakesOnThursday so I can find it, read it and share it!
I’m just about to start Dragon Legend which I have been approved to read on NetGalley. I’m really looking forward to it after the ending of Dragon Mountain!
I finished listening to Evernight which I thought was amazing. It absolutely drew me in to the story, and kept me on the edge of my seat with plenty of tension and frights. The world-building and character development was brilliant. I love the contrast between the Hags and the White Witches, and the magical system. The way danger is ever present kept me on tenterhooks. I now can’t wait to read Feast of the Evernight which is due for release in May.
I also read the final book (I think) in the Clifftoppers series: The Frost Castle Adventure which is a perfect mystery for younger readers. It is a warm-hearted, action-packed and fun-filled adventure. Cousins Aiden, Chloe, Ava and Josh are enjoying a winter snow-filled holiday at their Grandparents’ Cottage when they witness an accident and inadvertently find themselves in the midst of another wonderful adventure …
Martha, who has been invited to be the lead actress in Frost Castle’s winter play is visited by disaster after disaster: a break-in, a car accident, and the theft of her locket, bequeathed to her by her Uncle. The children help her to Frost Castle and soon find themselves rehearsing for the play, and also solving the mystery of the missing locket. Will they find out who the culprit is and why the locket is so precious? This is such a brilliant classic and cosy whodunnit with a cast of potential suspects to be eliminated, hidden passageways and rooms to be explored, and suspicions to be followed. The winter setting is an added bonus: the children’s genuine enjoyment of playing in the snow and being with their Grandparents is wonderful as is their bond with each other.
I also read The Strangeworlds Travel Agency: The Edge of the Ocean. I adored this fast-paced, portal adventure and loved the world of The Break, inhabited by pirates and merfolk. I am currently writing my review and will post it either tomorrow or Friday.
Finally, I read The Incredible Record Smashers. What a brilliant story, full of warmth, humour and heart-ache. I loved the premise of trying to break a world record in order fulfil a promise made to someone else. This proved to involve lots of hilarity, but there were also heart-aching moments as Lucy attempts to fix her Mum’s mental health issue which she referred to as a ‘black dog’. I will post my review as soon as possible.
I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of The Chessmen Thief by the publisher. It will be my next read as I am attending the virtual launch party on 29th April, and would like to have it read before then.
What have you read this week? Have you read any of these?
The April theme for Six for Sunday, hosted by A Little But a Lot is The Viper-inspired ones and today’s prompt is for Magical books. I love books with magic and have decided to cheat a little (a lot!) by including six of my favourite magical series! The covers of these books are just as magical as the contents!
I read The Strangeworlds Travel Agency about a year ago, and absolutely adored the concept of travelling to other worlds through suitcases. I’ve just finished The Edge of the Ocean, and, oh my goodness, it is brilliant. I loved being back with Flick and Jonathan as they are joined by Jonathan’s not-quite cousin Avery in their mission to save the pirate and mer-folk inhabitants of a world which is collapsing. I will post my review in the next couple of days.
I absolutely loved The Storm Keeper’s Island series which is set on the island of Arranmore and follows Fionn Boyle, who is the island’s newly appointed Storm Keeper, on his quest to protect the islanders from the sorceress Morrigan and her terrifying Soulstalkers. The use of candles, which contain memories, as conduits for magic is just ingenious as Fionn can be transported into past memories which are very cleverly tied into present events. The world-building is truly wonderful. This is definitely an action-packed, tension-filled series with plenty of heartfelt moments. I will be posting my review of The Storm Keepers’ Battle next week.
I adored this bewitching series. It follows Arianwyn Gribble, who is sent to Lull, which hasn’t had a resident witch for many years, to continue her apprenticeship after failing her evaluation to become a fully-fledged witch. Once there, she finds herself caught up in saving Lull from dangers, and finds that she is more magical than at first thought. I loved the friendships Arianwyn forms and she remains one of my favourite middle-grade characters.
I read the first two books one after the other in February 2019 and had to wait until June last year for the release of the final book in the trilogy. This has a brilliant opening as Mup and her mother are followed home by Raggedy Witches on the night that her Aunty dies. They kidnap Mup’s Dad in order to force her mother to return to Witches Borough where she discovers that her grandmother is the evil ruler. I still remember the feeling of the anger conveyed by The Little Grey Girl and though the writing was incredible. I found this a really powerful and emotive series and, if I ever get time, I would love to read all three books together again.
I absolutely adore this series and can’t believe that I haven’t read the the third one yet, but I do have it! Willow Moss is a witch who finds lost things which turns out to be a more important talent than she had first thought. The star for me is Oswin who is my favourite ever cat – I mean, kobold – he is utterly, utterly brilliant! There is a world of colourful characters, humour, plenty of action and so much warmth. I really need to pick up the third one!
I had to include the A Pinch of Magic series! I adore the three Widdershins sisters, Betty, Fliss and Charlie who have to break a curse to allow them to leave the isle of Crowstone. My favourite part of this series is the bond between the sisters as well as how the past/legends are interwoven into the girls’ fate. I also loved Granny!
What magical series have you enjoyed? Are any of these on your list?
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?
People called them ‘pirates’. And the sailors who lived in the world of The Break wore that title with pride, because when you live on a ship, and your life includes a lot of skulduggery and skally-waggery, what else would you call yourself but ‘pirate’?
Any ideas
I loved the first book in this series, and am currently reading the second one which is just brilliant. It is so easy to be drawn into this world, and I so love the idea of being transported to another world through a suitcase.
Goodreads Synopsis:
At the Strangeworlds Travel Agency, each suitcase transports you to a different world. All you have to do is step inside… Flick is now a badge-wearing member of The Strangeworlds Travel Agency so when an urgent summons arrives at Strangeworlds from Pirate Queen Nyfe, she and Strangeworlds Society guardian Jonathon immediately pack their bags for an adventure to Queen Nyfe’s world: The Break, a place of magic and piracy. Nyfe’s world is falling apart. The Break is used to having ships vanish without a trace, but there has been a sudden increase that can’t be explained by giant squid or mer-people. The edge of their flat world is coming ever closer to them and they need to escape before it collapses entirely. But how do you sail a ship through a suitcase? How do you fit a mer-queen the size of a whale into something small enough to carry in your hand? Will Flick and Jonathan be able to find a way to transport the inhabitants of the Break to another world before theirs disappears forever?
Have you read this one? What did you think of it?
The Eye of the North holds a special place in my heart as it is the book that I can wholeheartedly say re-awakened my love of reading which has had such a positive effect on my life in so many ways. I very rarely find time to re-read books as I have so many on my reading shelves, but this one kept calling me back, so I recently treated myself to a re-read, and I’m so glad that I did!
This is a brilliantly fast-paced, thrilling adventure that truly deserves the plaudit of ‘unputdownable’. It opens with the best line ever:
For as long as she could remember, Emmeline Widget had been sure her parents were trying to kill her.
and transported me into the most gripping adventure, brimming with twists and turns, with danger and daring, and with breath-taking revelations.
Emmeline Widget (perfectly named!) is always prepared for mishaps with her trusty satchel of gadgets by her side. Unlike her zoologist parents, who are seldom at home, ever-cautious Emmeline prefers to spend time indoors with her books. And then … a letter arrives from her mother, informing her that she may well be an orphan, and leaving instructions for her to travel to Paris to live with a Madame Blancheflour, someone who is a stranger to Emmeline.
Once onboard the ship taking her to a new life, Emmeline meets Thing, a grubby stowaway who seems keen to befriend her and introduce her to some adventurin’. Trouble soon finds them when they discover men searching Emmeline’s cabin. This leads to a tense chase and an attempted rescue, but then Emmeline is separated from Thing and taken by the sinister Dr Siegfried Bauer. He is taking her to a frozen land where he intends to awaken a mythical monster, but he is not the only one intent on waking the creature. Can Thing find Emmeline and help her save the world from a terrible fate?
I was swept into a storm of reading rapture as I devoured this incredible story: the tension and excitement were palpable as I raced through the short chapters (perfect for a class read-aloud and I’m certain any class will be begging for just another chapter). The villains are deliciously and fascinatingly dark; the elements of mythology are enthralling; and the icy, frozen world portrayed is magical. I also really enjoyed the amalgamation of steampunk vibes, the natural environment and the fantastical elements which worked together in perfect unison. Whilst this is a fantasy adventure, environmental messages are interwoven perfectly.
Emmeline and Thing are wonderfully likeable and endearing characters, and I adored both of them. Emmeline feels safe with her satchel and its gadgets, enjoys reading and spends a lot of her time on her own. She is also clever, resourceful and stronger than she thinks. Thing is impetuous, a risk-taker and seeks excitement. There are also glimpses that he has suffered in his past which made my heart ache for him. Together, they form a wonderful bond of friendship based on kindness, support and looking out for each other. These two are incredibly courageous, tenacious and face their fears head-on.
The Eye of the North is a heart-pounding rollercoaster of an adventure: exhilarating, action-packed and completely and utterly fantastic. I cannot recommend this one highly enough. I am now ridiculously excited to read the prequel, Skyborn.
Book Craic 