I had a wonderfully relaxing break over Easter with lots of reading and catching up. I also went to Cornwall for the first time for our 10th Wedding Anniversary which was just wonderful. School, as always, is busy with the final preparations for SATs.
Books I’ve read:
I think this has been my best reading month in a long time. I read 22 books: 17 physical copies, 1 e-book and 4 audiobooks. I’ve written reviews for 13 of these.
NetGalley:
My feedback ratio is at 97%. I have requested and been approved to read one book in April.
Books sent by publishers:
I am grateful to have been sent twelve books by Publishers this month.
Books bought:
I’ve bought 9 books in March – and I’ve read read two of them: Shadow Girl and The Doll Twin.
How has your reading month been? Have you read any of these?Have you any of them on your TBR?
Written by Sarah Driver Cover Illustration by Diana Renzina Published by Farshore
Dreamstalkers: The Night Train is a mesmerising, magical adventure that took me on an unforgettable journey into a world of disappearing dreams and roaming nightmares aboard the Night Train as I entered the world of the Dreamstalkers …
Twelve-year-old Bea Grimspuddle lives in a cottage on Thunderheart Tor with her mum, Ula and her long-eared owl, Pip. Sitting in an ancient dragon-skull, Bea views the wild moors below pondering why her dreams have disappeared. When she sees a girl from the settlement, Martha Hearthsweep, approaching her cottage, she races towards home where she discovers that everyone’s dreams have disappeared … and in their place nightmares have escaped into the living world. This scourge of nightmares threatens to destroy Thunderheart, forcing those living there to abandon their home.
When Bea breaks the news that they must leave to her mother, she discovers that Ula has been keeping secrets from her, secrets that may reveal the reason behind her mother’s sickness. But before Bea can persuade her mother to leave, a mysterious steam train arrives outside the cottage, and Bea finds herself boarding the Night Train …
And so begins the most incredible adventure as Bea, Pip and Martha journey aboard the Night Train to Silvervein where they are thrown into the mysterious world of the Dreamstalkers, a secret guild of mages, who are responsible for keeping the balance between dreams and nightmares. But what happens when the balance is broken and someone is intent on usurping dreams and inflicting nightmares for their own gain? Can Bea connect with her wild magic, enter the world of the Dreamstalkers and find a way to save her mother before the nightmares stalking her catch up with her, destroying her hopes and dreams?
This is an adventure that really immersed me in a fascinating, intricate world with the most incredible, cinematic world-building: a world of dreams and nightmares; of magic and secret guilds; of music and theatre; of mythical creatures, sentient locomotives and malefic rivers; and of wild mountains, moors and wandering towers. I absolutely loved exploring Silvervein and the world of the Dreamstalkers with Bea, learning about their history, their remarkable magical abilities, and their terrible exploitation. Utterly absorbing!
I was completely captivated as I eagerly followed Bea on her quest, not only mesmerised by the world I found myself in, but on the edge of my seat as the increasing danger for Bea and her friends reached a crescendo, as secrets were revealed and as friends and foes were unmasked.
Bea is a wonderful protagonist and I liked her all the more because of her fallibility. She has been ostracised by her peers and finds friendship with her adorable, long-eared owl, Pip – their close bond is wonderfully heart-warming. Her developing friendship with Martha is by no means easy and at times it is fractious and difficult laced with jealousy and hurt. Bea is trying to find her place in the world, who she really is, whilst finding the courage and strength to fight against a terrifying foe who seeks to control the world that she wants to become part of. I really liked that she is a complex young girl which makes her feel more genuine and someone who readers can relate to.
A captivating, magical adventure into an unforgettable world where nightmares roam, but dreams may be realised … perfect for young adventurers of 9+.
Thank you for the Publisher, Farshore, for providing me with an early copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
I took part in this Challenge last year and thought it was a great way to focus me on reading backlist titles that have been on my bookshelves for a while. Whilst I didn’t meet my target of 55 books, I did read 42 and am going to add the ones I didn’t get to on to this year’s challenge.
The Beat the Backlist Challenge is in its eighth year and was started by Austine Decker. Details of how to take part are on the blog but the rules are simple:
The book must have been published in 2023 or earlier.
You have to start and finish the book in 2024.
And that’s it!
The 2024 challenge runs from 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024.
My target for this year is 46 middle-grade books.
The first 13 are the books I didn’t get to last year:
The next 33 are the books I bought last year, but which I haven’t read yet:
I’m hoping that I can meet the challenge this year – as well as reading lots of new releases this year!
I’ve seen a few people doing Most Viewed posts this year, so thought I’d have a look at mine for the year. They are all Reviews so I’ve linked my review to each of the posts with a quick intro from my review.
10.
Seed is a spectacularously heart-warming, humorous, adventure that swept me into a world where the impossible might just become possible; where hope grows nurtured by kindness; and where nature has the power to fulfil dreams …
9.
The Book of Stolen Dreams is an exceptionally powerful fantasy adventure that immediately drew me into the magic of the story with the intriguing introduction, and kept me gripped throughout. A story of love, courage and sacrifice in the face of hatred, cruelty and fear: a story that reverberates the past and the present with the hope of a better future.
8.
The Middler is an absolute marvel of a story which completely and utterly engrossed me: I absolutely could not put it down, and read it in one sitting, as I was so invested in both the characters and the plot.
7.
The Song Walkeris an absolutely stunning, transcendent, and deeply moving story: a story of friendship, of courage and of hope set in the fierce beauty of the Australian Outback that held me spellbound throughout. I have no doubt whatsoever that this will be one of my books of 2023!
6.
Until the Road Endsis a powerful and heartfelt adventure set during World War II, a story of the enduring strength of friendship, and the incredible journey a devoted dog will take to be reunited with his friend when she most needs him. Heart-breaking, hopeful and a testament to the courage of the animals who became wartime heroes.
5.
When I first started teaching, I bought a copy of Oscar Wilde Stories for Children which contained my favourite tale ever. This new paperback picture book edition of The Selfish Giantis absolutely stunning with large, detailed oil paintings on one page and accompanying text on the other. There is a small square image tile introducing the text, and I loved seeing how this related to the larger artwork.
4.
Letters from the Lighthouse is an absolutely gripping historical mystery set during the Second World War, and one which I read in one sitting as I just couldn’t put it down!
3.
Oh yes! Vashti Hardy has done it again! Crowfall is a thrilling, irresistible corker of an adventure that utterly absorbed me from start to finish. I’m so glad I settled down to read this on a Sunday afternoon as it is most definitely a compelling page-turner that I devoured in one sitting.
2.
What an incredible, impossibly amazing adventure! I was absolutely gripped by Impossible Creatures from the opening lines until the final page. A powerful, stunning epic fantasy that swept me into a magical world that I didn’t want to leave. This is a story that melts into your heart and leaves an indelible mark – utterly breath-taking!
1.
The Kid Who Came from Spaceis a completely absorbing science-fiction read which is very cleverly written in four parts from a dual narrative with extra information being presented as newspaper reports. The short chapters kept me wanting just one more chapter – a genuinely compulsive read!
What has been your most viewed post this year?Was it a review, or something else?
I love reading books set during the Christmas period/about Christmas in the lead-up to and over the Christmas holidays, so I thought I’d share some of my favourite reads over the last few years. I have a selection of new books to read over this Christmas.
Where I have written a blog post of these, I have shared it alongside the synopsis from Waterstones.
Ever since her sister, Agnes, died, Pearl has a tradition every time it snows. She makes a person out of snow. A snow sister. It makes Christmas feel a little less lonely.
On Christmas Eve, her father receives a letter about a long-lost relative’s will. Is their luck about to change? In anticipation of a better Christmas, Pearl goes to beg credit at Mr Noble’s grocery to get ingredients for a Christmas pudding. But she is refused, and chased down the street where she is hit by a hansom cab. The snow is falling so hard that they can’t take her home. She’ll have to stay at Flintfield Manor overnight, in a haunted room… Will Pearl make it home for Christmas?
It’s the Christmas holidays and Thea is looking forward to spending them with her father. She can tell him all about her plans to become a writer, and maybe he’ll buy her the typewriter she’s been dreaming of.
But when Thea arrives in snowy Norway, everything feels… wrong. Her father is as distant as ever and now she has to share him with his new family: his girlfriend Inge and her children. Then Thea makes a surprising discovery. Deep in the snowy woods by the house, is a bear. He’s scared and hungry and he desperately needs Thea’s help.
When the town hears about a bear living in the woods, Bear’s life is in even greater danger. Thea needs to show everyone that he’s not dangerous – he’s a good bear – if she’s to save him.
After a tumultuous term in Paris, Libby and Connie are looking forward to a quiet holiday at Connie’s family home. But before long they find themselves caught up in another mystery, this time set against the dramatic backdrop of the Scottish Highlands and Edinburgh.
For Aiden, Chloe, Ava and Josh, holidays at their grandparents’ cottage mean wild beaches, no curfew, Bella the dog, and most of all – adventure!
The lead actress in Frost Castle’s winter play is sure she’s cursed! A break-in, a car accident, and now her precious locket is missing. But the cousins suspect a ruthless thief. With a blizzard raging outside and a legendary ghost in the castle corridors, unmasking this villain will take all their bravery and skill…
Eleven-year-old Emily doesn’t think Badger Cottage will ever be home. But there is something out there that needs her; a bright pair of eyes in the darkness. In the middle of a fierce battle between conservationists, who want to to rewild the lynx in the woods, and the local farmers, Emily tries to shield a baby lynx she calls Lotta, afraid it will be killed by the person who killed its mother. But can Emily work out who the illegal hunter is in time, and who can she trust?
A magical story of snow and stars by Catherine Fisher. The Clockwork Crow is a mysterious gothic Christmas tale set in a frost-bound Victorian country mansion. When orphaned Seren Rees is given a mysterious package by a strange and frightened man on her way to her new home, she reluctantly takes it with her. But what is in the parcel? Who are the Family who must not be spoken of, and can the Crow help Seren find Tom, before the owner of the parcel finds her?
George is about to spend his third Christmas without his mum. Since she died, George’s life has felt dull and grey; his dad has thrown himself into his work and has no time for family, and definitely no time for Christmas.
Then, George stumbles across Marley’s Curiosity Shop. There he finds a mysterious snow globe, which – though George can’t quite understand how – appears to show a scene from George’s past. A Christmas in which he and his family were together, and happy…
That night, George and his dad are swept on an adventure to three Christmases – past, present, and future. With help from new friends, and just a touch of magic, can they begin living life in full colour again?
When Oscar and Molly rush outside to investigate a crash in the night, they’re not expecting to find a dazed Angel Gabriel wandering around their grandparents’ back garden. And they’re certainly not expecting to find themselves in a race to save Christmas.
But if they don’t track down a missing shepherd, wise man, donkey and the actual Mary and Joseph, who’ve all crash-landed in Chipping Bottom, not only will Christmas cease to exist, but they will too.
Wish it could be Christmas every day? Well, for nine-year-old Holly Carroll and her family, it is! Living her merriest life in a house with year-round fairy lights and Christmas trees, a carol-singing toilet and a diva donkey who thinks he’s a reindeer, home-schooled Holly tries to spread cheer wherever she goes.
But when she goes to a new school with a singing Santa backpack and first day Christmas cards (during a heatwave in September!), she realises not everyone shares her enthusiasm for spreading cheer. In fact, when the neighbours try to remove the Carrolls from the street and Holly discovers a group of children that may not get a Christmas at all, her snowglobe world begins to crack. Is the world’s most Christmassy girl about to lose her Christmas spirit?
It’s 1952 in smog-shrouded London. Christmas might be fast approaching, but with her mum away and Uncle Frank busy running the post office, Penny Black is lonelier than ever. All that changes when Penny discovers a small, fluffy, funny, springy and – most importantly – talking creature in the post office one night, trying to make off with a letter. But Wishyouwas is no thief.
He’s a Sorter, and he soon introduces Penny to a fascinating secret world hidden in the tunnels underneath the city’s streets. Self-appointed guardians of lost mail, the Sorters have dedicated their lives to rescuing letters that have gone astray and making sure they get delivered to their rightful owners. Penny is determined to protect the Sorters, but how long will she be able to keep them safe with Stanley Scrawl, the sinister Royal Mail Rat Catcher, on the prowl? Can Penny save the Sorters and deliver a joyful Christmas?
Sometimes at the darkest hour, hope shines the brightest…
When Col’s childhood imaginary friends come to life, he discovers a world where myths and legends are real. Accompanied by his guardians – a six-foot tiger, a badger in a waistcoat and a miniature knight – Col must race to Blitz-bombed London to save his sister.
But there are darker forces at work, even than the Nazi bombings. Soon Col is pursued by the terrifying Midwinter King, who is determined to bring an eternal darkness down over everything.
It’s a dark and lonely Christmas Eve in the dining room of ancient Soul’s College. The kitchen boy, 11-year-old Lewis, has helped prepare a highly unusual meal, made with unrecognisable ingredients, cooked by a mysterious chef. And then the guests arrive … and carnage ensues. They are ex-students of Soul’s College, and they are all completely demented. They demand bottle after bottle of wine, flinging their cutlery and howling like banshees until … silence. The Dean of Soul’s College has arrived, and the evening’s ceremonies must begin.
For this is the annual meeting of a secret club for those who despise children, warmth, happiness, and above all Christmas. Each member must try to outdo the others by telling the most terrible, disgusting story they know.
Without hope there would be no magic.
Once upon a time, Father Christmas didn’t come to visit children every year. In fact, it nearly came to pass that there was no Christmas as we know it.Father Christmas had a lot to deal with; there were troubled elves, reindeers that kept falling from the sky, and more than a few angry trolls for him to contend with.
The reason? There was not enough magic in the world. Magic is born of hope – and if the children of the world couldn’t see any magic, then why would they hope for it?
It is Christmas Eve and all is not well. Amelia Wishart is trapped in Mr Creeper’s workhouse and Christmas is in jeopardy. Magic is fading. If Christmas is to happen, Father Christmas knows he must find her.
With the help of some elves, eight reindeer, the Queen and a man called Charles Dickens, the search for Amelia – and the secret of Christmas – begins …
It’s Christmas, and the snow is falling in Cambridge, where the detective duo Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are spending the festive period.
But Hazel’s hopes of relaxing amongst the beautiful spires, cosy libraries and inviting tea-rooms are dashed by the danger lurking in the dark stairwells of Maudlin College.
Two days before Christmas, there is a terrible accident.
At least, it appears to be an accident – until the Detective Society look a little closer, and realise a murder has taken place.
Faced with several irritating grown-ups and fierce competition from a rival agency, they must use all their cunning and courage to find the killer (in time for Christmas Day, of course).
Whether you’re looking to find a Christmas mystery, a heart-warming treat, a rib-tickling read, an engrossing fantasy or a little horror, I hope there is something from this list that will appeal.
Book Craic 