The October theme for Six for Sunday, hosted by A Little But a Lot, is Autumn Feels and today’s wish is for: Books you’d take on an Autumn walk. As an adult, I love going for walks in the crisp autumn air when the leaves are changing colour. I also love sitting down to a hot drink and a sweet treat afterwards!
When I was a child living in the heart of the countryside, I loved spotting woodland creatures on walks so, in homage to this, I’ve based my choices on middle-gradefantasy books with animals I would love to spot … although admittedly, some from a distance – and if I was visiting another country!
The Last Spell Breather by Julie Pike. I started this last night and am already engrossed in it. I intend to spend my afternoon finishing it.
I loved The Clockwork Crow and have the newly released The Velvet Fox on my TBR. I’m really looking forward to reading it.
I’ve been looking forward to this one for ages as I love Amy’s writing. Snowglobe and A Girl Called Out were both magical reads, and I have no doubt I’ll love this too. It’s not due to be released until 17th October, but I manged to get a sneaky copy yesterday from my local bookshop.
I read this at the start of the year, and absolutely adored this tale of a very brave rabbit who so rightly deserves his legendary status! I can’t believe I haven’t managed to read any of the next three in this series yet – but I do have them all in my bookcase!
This is another book I read at the start of this year, by one of my favourite authors. It also has one of the best opening lines I’ve ever read: Once upon a time, a hundred years ago, there was a dark and stormy girl.
I’ve completely and utterly fallen in love with Sophie’s two books, The House with Chicken Legs and The Girl Who Speaks Bear. Both are steeped in Slavic folklore, and have strong female protagonists whose discoveries as their story unfolds are incredible. Sophie’s writing style is just magical … completely immersing the reader in these wonderful tales.
Published by Frances Lincoln Children’s Group Publication Date: 1st October
This gorgeous story is based on the original tale by
Hans Christian Anderson. The vibrant
palette and richness of the illustrations are stunning, and evocative of a
simple appreciation and celebration of the wonder and beauty of the natural
environment as they immerse the reader in images of forest and woodland
creatures.
The story is told from the viewpoint of a little fir
tree who is unhappy with his life deep in the forest. He sees older, bigger trees being cut down
and taken away, and longs to find his place in the world, to have a sense of
purpose …
Don’t
wish your life away, little tree.
Eventually, the little fir tree gets what he has spent
his life wishing for as he becomes part of a family’s festive celebrations. However, his new-found purpose may not be all
that he had expected …
This story conveys an important message: to
appreciate the beauty in the natural world around us, and to cherish what we
have rather than wishing our lives away with things that may not fulfil us as
much as we thought they would.
I love how children’s stories, no matter how seemingly simple, convey important wisdoms, and this story does just that.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Published by Inspired Quill Published on 28th September 2018
From the opening pages, I was completely captured by
this character-driven story of political intrigue in a richly imagined fantasy
setting where there are very apparent divides in society.
When Mountain Fever strikes, 15-year-old Doniver finds
himself quarantined on Rin, separated from his mother and young sisters in the
Uplands who he is desperate to return to, following a tragedy at sea which sees
him lose his father, a man who instilled a sense of honour in him.
The
rock solid center of a man is his honour, Doniver. You lose your honour, you lose yourself.
Doniver is a deeply sympathetic character: a survivor, full of grit and determination,
battling with feelings of guilt and shame as he fights to survive and maintain
his sense of self-worth amidst the hardships of street life.
Trapped and alone on the perilous streets of Rin, he
meets two other street kids, Jarka and Dilly who befriend him. I loved the honesty and depth of their developing
friendships, forged out of the deprivation faced on the streets and the need for
human connection. Even though their
friendships were sorely tested, the sense of loyalty they had towards each
other was incredibly moving.
Jarka introduces Doniver to a way to survive, a way
to earn money to stave off the desperate hunger he experiences and a way to
provide for his new-found friends. In
order to earn his keep, he feels compelled to pretendto be a wind
reader by telling fortunes through a windbox.
This deception causes him a real moral dilemma as lying costs him a loss
of honour, but it is necessitated by a basic human desire to survive.
Wind-reading also puts him in the path of Prince
Beran of Rinland, a meeting which puts him in very real danger … and propels
him inexorably into a viper’s nest of political intrigue and religious
persecution which makes this a real page-turner of a book which kept me
engrossed as I journeyed with Doniver through the murky workings of court
politics …
This story explores the almost impossible choices which
are necessitated by misfortune and harsh deprivation, but which also celebrates
the power of friendship and loyalty, and the strength inherent in honour and
bravery.
Thank you to the author, Dorothy A
Winsor and Inspired Quill for sending me an e-ARC of this book in exchange for
my honest opinion.
Published by Oneworld Publications Published on 3rd October (UK) Illustrated by Florentine Prechtel Translated by Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp
I really enjoyed this gentle story which has at its heart
themes of friendship and family. This
would be a perfect read for children of 7+.
The story is written in the wonderfully talkative style of
Clara who must say goodbye to her best friend, Lottie as she is moving to
another town with her mum due to a difficult family situation. Of course, the best friends do not want to be
parted and where better to hide out than their favourite place: Mrs Owl’s Story Shop. The bookshop is a special and magical place
to Clara, who is a real bookworm, and this is where she goes to try to help her
come to terms with her best friend’s absence.
Having to say goodbye to your best friend feels like a broken heart.
The owner of the bookshop, Mrs Owl, is just wonderful: she is full of wise advice, has a kind heart
and is nurturing. She is ably assisted
by her rather unusual companions: a
rhyming cat called Gustaf and a very grand mirror called Mr King who is
incredibly perceptive. Both can be
understood by Mrs Owl and Clara, and they offer plenty of humour throughout.
Clara’s family really look out for her, trying to cheer her up
and involving themselves in events at the bookshop. Of course, no matter how much they try, Clara
can’t help missing Lottie. Things get worse when she goes back to school: will she ever be able to accept that not
having her best friend doesn’t mean that she can’t give others a chance?
As well as having to come to terms with Lottie’s move, Clara
also needs to help Mrs Owl who is having some problems of her own at the
bookshop, problems that could result in its closure. I loved both the use of the bookshop as a
location through which a lot of the action occurs, and its importance to the
community. I also enjoyed how some reading stereotypes are overturned.
This is a perfect read for any child coming to terms with a best friend moving away, any child who enjoys the magic of books, or any child who just wants to read a wonderfully feel-good, uplifting story with heart-warming character.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC in return for my honest opinion.
Published by Stripes Publishing Publication Date: 17th October Illustrations: Katy Riddell
I absolutely loved this heart-warming, action-packed adventure
with its wonderful wisdom and messages around the strength to be gained from
friendships and teamwork.
Ella is spending her holidays with her famous Uncle Jack
whilst he is on an expedition to find the elusive Himalayan yetis for his new
TV show. But surely yetis are just legendary
creatures? Not at all! That’s just what
they want us to believe. They are very
much a collective of the most wonderful creatures living all over the world,
with the best naming system EVER which I completely loved: Tick (he with no time to waste); Plumm
(she sweet on the outside with hard centre); and, Nagg (he who
pesters) to name but a few!
Tick is a youngling yeti whose deep-set and completely
understandable curiosity about humans gets the better of him, so he finds
himself visiting Ella’s camp. Unfortunately,
his visit does not go unnoticed … and the whole yeti way of life is soon under
threat! Whilst Uncle Jack is determined
to expose the existence of yetis to the world, kind-hearted Ella, who has an
affinity with animals, begins to question his decision, and fears she may have
put the yetis in danger … but is it already too late to help them?
Banished from his sett for breaking the ancient laws, Tick stumbles upon the knowledge that the humans are hunting them. He must warn his sett of the danger they are in … and so begins a fantastic fast-paced adventure with Tick and his friends in a race against time to stop irrefutable evidence of their existence being exposed to the world.
The journey is full of danger, risk, humour and incredible courage.
Existing friendships are deepened and
new ones are formed along the way through the re-emergence of the International
Yeti Collective as they must work together to save their way of life, a life
very much tied to the preservation of nature.
I loved the themes of friendship and teamwork, and how the yetis are
stronger united and working together than apart. I also adored the detailed
description of the yeti world which I found completely fascinating from the
fungusatory to the knowledge set down in the ancient slabs.
Tick is a wonderful character who seeks to redeem himself
after inadvertently endangering the yeti way of life. Despite his feelings of guilt, shame and fear,
he is honest and brave enough to admit his mistakes, take responsibility for
his actions and undergo incredible risks in his efforts to save the yetis from
exposure to the human world. He also has
the strength to trust in Ella when the other yetis are sceptical that any human
can be trusted.
This is a wonderful, heart-warming story, perfect for readers of 8+ who I have no doubt will enjoy discovering more about the secret yeti communities hidden from us humans!
Thank you to Stripes Publishing and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to Dave at #TheWriteReads for introducing me to this series.
I have a ridiculous amount of positivity towards this
book which I loved for many reasons related to characters, world-building,
intricate and meaningful plot development and, of course, vampires!
I quickly became utterly engrossed in the world
created by Jaffrey, a world of Red and Blue:
one hidden behind walls where humans serve and feed the ruling vampire
class (Nobles), and the other a world to be feared, but by whom? Could it offer the humans a means of escape from
their servitude to the Nobles if only the human inhabitants of the Blue can
overcome their fears of what may lie outside their imprisonment, if only they
are prepared to question what they have been led to believe …
I loved the dual narrative, with the story alternating
between that of the vampire Cameron and a young Server in the Red, Julia. Both their narrative arcs are fascinating and
I especially loved how cleverly they were woven together without the need for
them to ever really completely entwine.
Cameron has lived for over 1000 years, his soul
tortured by the loss of someone who he once held dear, someone whose loss he
blames on himself. His search through the centuries to find her leads to him
wandering the Red following any clues for fear of losing hope … and the last
shreds of his humanity. He is joined in
his search by Felix who seems to know more about vampires than he should. I loved the slow burn of the developing
relationship between Cam and Felix.
Cameron’s search leads him to make a startling discovery which may very
well threaten the very existence of his species …
Julia lives in the Blue, desperate to gain freedom from
her fear, a freedom she imagines can exist in the Red, but too frightened to
face the terrors that may await her in the land beyond the imprisonment of the
Blue. Unlike her friend, Claudia, she
does not hold some romantic notion of falling in love with a vampire and
becoming immortal herself. Until, that
is, she becomes the Attendant to Lucas, a young vampire, who turns all that she
thought she knew about herself on its head.
I couldn’t help but love the romance of their developing relationship,
with Julia fighting against her attraction, but unable to resist “the Pariah of
the Blue”.
I found the exposition of the sociological,
political and historical context threaded throughout the story fascinating and,
whilst I’m very tempted to discuss it, I’m only going to mention it in passing
as it is so cleverly woven into the fabric of the story that I don’t want to
spoil the enjoyment of the questions it raises, and revelations it makes, as
readers discover it for themselves.
Guilt, revenge, danger, betrayal, friendship, love … this story has it all in spades. It was one hell of a read which I devoured voraciously. I’ve since bought The Silver Queen, so that I can continue the story.
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!
The spell wouldn’t stay on the shelf. It bounced on the floor and rolled under the kitchen table. Rayne sighed and picked it up for the third time, feeling the scroll softly vibrate.
Any ideas?
I’ve had this one on my TBR for a while now – it’s definitely my kind of book and I’m looking forward to reading it. I love the cover by Dinara Mirtalipova. I don’t know what has taken me so long to read it – just so many fantastic books!
Goodreads synopsis:
A stunning fantasy debut, enter the unique world of the Spell Breathers. Spell Breathing does not come naturally to Rayne – she loathes the hours of practice, the stacks of scrolls, and the snapping mud devils that cover her mothers precious spell book. But it is spell breathing that keeps her village safe from the dreaded monster curse that plagues their world. It is ancient powerful magic, but as Rayne learns to her horror . . . it is also fragile. In one clumsy move, the magic that keeps them safe is broken, her village is plunged into danger, and an incredible adventure begins . . .
I’m currently reading Guardians of Magic which is the first book in The Cloud Horse Chronicles, a new series by the fantastic Chris Riddell. The story is wonderful and the illustrations are just magical!
This week I’ve finished The Wind Reader by Dorothy A Winsor which I really enjoyed. It is a story of friendship and hardship against a backdrop of political intrigue with a fantasy element. Review to follow shortly. I also read Owen and the Soldier by Lisa Thompson which was such a beautiful, heartfelt story.
I want to read The Little Fir Tree which I was approved to read via NetGalley and The Last Spell Breather by Julie Pike which I’ve been keen to get to for a while now.
September has been a very long, busy
month, and I’m only now finding time to wrap-up. I’ve actually decided to do the first week of
October too as I’ve left it until now to post, and I’ve bought lots of
new books and been to some bookish events!
I’ve also had my biggest disaster using WordPress!
I’ve been back at work for a month now. I have a wonderful class of children and love
being in the classroom, but work outside the classroom keeps me away from
reading and blogging as much as I’d like to!
However, I have made a pledge to myself that I will not work at
the weekend unless I absolutely have to, and this has really helped me relax
at the weekend, and enjoy some down time.
I’ve been using WordPress since April when I started
my blog, but today I learned that I’m still such a beginner! My media was getting very large, so I
decided I would delete some images from it!
BIG MISTAKE! I have now
learned that deleting media is not a good idea as it deletes it from my posts. I bet everyone else knows this, so why didn’t
I know ? Let’s just say, I had to spend
quite a long time re-loading images and updating posts! I won’t make that mistake again!
BOOKISH EVENTS
Bath Children’s Literature Festival
I went to the Bath Children’s Literature Festival for the first
time on Sunday 29th September.
I went to hear the wonderful Irish authors Sinead O’Hart and Catherine
Doyle talk about some of my favourite books, The Eye of the North, The
Star-Spun Web, The Storm Keeper’s Island and The Lost Tide Warriors.
The Eye of the North was the children’s book that got me hooked on
children’s books as an adult. They
really were inspiring to listen to as they talked about how their first books
just sort of ‘popped’ into their heads, Catherine’s inspiration for Malachy
coming from her Grandfather and Sinead being just like Emmeline. The strangest question came from a child who
asked ‘How would you like to die?
They both handled this really well and with good humour.
I got to meet them and have my class books signed by them. They were very friendly and ‘knew’ me from Twitter!
Reading Rocks
On Saturday 5th October, I went to my first Reading
Rocks, South which is an annual event attended by those in education who
have a passion for reading children’s literature. It was a fantastic day – meeting new people,
catching up with those I knew, listening to some inspirational speakers and buying
yet more books!
The two speakers who really stood out for me were Jane
Considine who has a real passion for reading which absolutely shines
through in every word she says – she is also extremely funny! The image she showed from an old Sex Ed book
for children was not fit for sight at 10am!
Afterwards, I met her at her book signing – she immediately noticed that
I was not from ‘around these parts’. We
had a lovely chat about Irish-isms as her Gran was from Southern Ireland.
The other speaker was one of my favourite authors, Vashti Hardy, who gave a wonderful talk about her books, which included references to STEM and gender stereotyping. She also spoke about her own bookish influences growing up. I was very excited to meet her afterwards and have Brightstorm signed by her. She also recognised me from Twitter!
BOOK, BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS
I might have slightly overdone it with book purchases, but it’s really not my fault – I blame the release of an incredible number of amazing children’s books on Thursday 3rd October. Not sure what excuse I can make for my other purchases. Oh yes! Believathon is coming up in November and I want to make sure I have plenty of books to choose from!
My September/October (so-far) purchases:
1. Uki and the Outcasts by Kieran
Larwood
2. Guardians of Magic by Chris
Riddell
3. Skeleton Keys: The Unimaginary Friend by Guy Bass
4. The Girl Who Speaks Bear by Sophie
Anderson (I also won a copy of this
one on Toppsta)
5. The Boy Giant by Michael
Morpurgo
6. The Princess Who Flew with Dragons
by Stephanie Burgis
7. The Time of Green Magic by Hilary
McKay
8. The Great Brain Robbery by P
G Bell
9. The Velvet Fox by Catherine
Fisher
10. Frostheart by Jamie Littler
11. The Star Outside my Window by Onjali
Q Rauf
12. The Somerset Tsunami by Emma Carroll
The Discovery Centre Library
Normally I go to a closer library rather than the main town
library, but this time I went to our main library and it is just gorgeous. I was amazed by the incredible selection of
books and the huge papier mache of the BFG!
I got just a few shorter books from there!
1. The Road to Ever After by Moira
Young
2. The Snow Sister by Emma
Carroll
3. Owen and the Soldier by Lisa
Thompson
4. A Most Peculiar Toy Factory by Alex Bell
NetGalley
I’ve finally got my 80% badge! I have requested and been approved for a few
books. My successful requests were:
1. The Mercies by Kiran
Millwood Hargrave. This is her first
adult novel which I’m very excited to
read as I’ve adored both her middle-grade and young adult books.
2. The Little Fir Tree: From an
original story by Hans Christian Andersen by Christopher Corr. I remember the Hans Christian Anderson story in
a whole school assembly a few years ago, so I really wanted to read this one.
3. Guardians of Magic by Chris
Riddell. I was approved for this one after
the publication date by which time I couldn’t resist buying it!
This was a longer post than I thought it would be. Thank you if you stuck it to the end!
The October theme for Six for Sunday, hosted by A Little But a Lot is Autumn Feels and today’s prompt is for Books with Leaves on the Cover. I was surprised by how many books I had with leaves on the cover. These are the six I’ve chosen:
This tense story is set in a wood where three children become lost …
This is the incredible story of a young girl who has come to Britain on the kindertransport …
This is the story of a dangerous, enchanted forest …
This one is on my TBR – it sounds like a really magical read …
Another one on my TBR. I love the front cover … and I’m always intrigued by stories about witchcraft.
This is my latest purchase. It is the follow-up to The Clockwork Crow.
Book Craic 