This was such a fun book! I believe that this middle grade fantasy is a perfect read foThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was such a fun book! I believe that this middle grade fantasy is a perfect read for both younger readers and adults. We meet the sword Asperides right away once I realized a sentient sword would be one of the main characters, I knew that I was in for a good time. I was entertained by this fascinating tale from beginning to end.
Nack has been cast out by his family and hopes to prove his worth by completing a task to win back his place. I felt horrible for Nack since he was truly on his own with no place to go and even loses his sword right away. He decides to go on a knight’s quest where he finds Asperides and enters into a contract believing it is an angel sword. Nack was such a great character and I adored his interactions with Asperides. I found this story to be really exciting with quite a few surprises worked in. The characters all grow and change over the course of the story as they try to do what is right.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Mark Sanderlin did a great job with the story. I have listened to this narrator’s work on a couple of adult romance novels so it was fun to see him tackle a different genre. I thought that he did a great job with the various character voices which helped to bring the story to life. I do believe that his narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would definitely recommend this book to others. It was an entertaining story featuring wonderful characters that should appeal to a wide range of readers. I would not hesitate to read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Algonquin Young Readers....more
I am so glad that books like this one are available for middle-grade kids. I thought thThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I am so glad that books like this one are available for middle-grade kids. I thought that this book did an excellent job of addressing issues that young adults might face due to their sexuality or gender identity. I think that anyone wanting to understand these issues better would benefit from reading this book, regardless of age, sexuality, or gender identity.
This story is told from two points of view. Abigail (she/her/hers) recently lost her friends when they learned that she had a crush on a friend’s mom and is eager to go to Camp QUILTBAG where she hopes to meet kids who understand. Kai (e/em/eir) doesn’t really want to go but Kai’s parents want em to go after an incident at school left em wearing a sling. Kai and Abigail form a pact to try to win points for Kai’s cabin and seem to have a special connection.
I thought that this was a fun story filled with a wonderfully diverse cast of characters. I love that the adults in the story were supportive of the campers and were willing to listen to their concerns and make changes when needed. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in reading a story that touches on some of the issues that queer and transgender youth might face.
I received a copy of this book from Algonquin Young Readers....more
Myrtle is on the case in another great mystery! Myrtle is traveling with her Aunt HelenThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
Myrtle is on the case in another great mystery! Myrtle is traveling with her Aunt Helena rather reluctantly and it is really no surprise that things don’t go as planned. First, there is a jewel theft which is followed up by a murder. Myrtle is determined to get to the bottom of things in this surprisingly complex mystery. Myrtle and her governess, Miss Judson, definitely have their work cut out for them in this installment.
Myrtle is a fantastic character and I love the fact that the adults in her life are supportive and encouraging. Her Aunt Helena does have some pretty strong opinions about how a young lady should behave but it is evident just how much she really cares for Myrtle. This 12-year-old’s investigative skills are top notch and I am pretty sure that this crime would not have been solved if it were up to the adults in positions of power.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a fabulous job with the series. Bethan Rose Young does a wonderful job of bringing Myrtle and the rest of the cast to life. I am certain that her narration only added to my enjoyment of this story. I do recommend this delightful series to both middle-grade readers and adults. I cannot wait to read the next book!
I received a review copy of this book from Algonquin Young Readers....more
This was great! Myrtle was such an intelligent girl and I loved the fact that the adultThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was great! Myrtle was such an intelligent girl and I loved the fact that the adults in her life supported her and were a significant part of the story. The crime in this story was surprisingly complex and kept me guessing until the end. I was hooked by this story early on and found it almost impossible to set aside. Where were middle-grade books like this when I was younger?
12-year-old Myrtle is a fantastic character. She is more intelligent than most of the adults in the story and is always looking into something and constantly making observations. When a neighbor dies, Myrtle decides that she needs to look into it and she will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of things. The Victorian setting was incredibly well done and only added to the story’s charm.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a fantastic job of bringing this story to life. Bethan Rose Young did such a great job of representing this fun cast of characters. I found her voice to be very pleasant and didn’t want to stop listening. I cannot wait to read the next book in this fun middle-grade series!
I received a review copy of this book from Algonquin Young Readers....more
This was a fantastic haunted house story for the middle-grade set but it should appeal This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
This was a fantastic haunted house story for the middle-grade set but it should appeal to a wide range of readers. This is the second book in the Small Spaces series but it could be read as a stand-alone despite the fact that events from the first book are discussed. I really enjoyed the spooky feel that this story had and found that I was really eager to see how things would work out. All in all, I thought this was a well-done novel.
Ollie, Coco, and Brian are off on another adventure. This time they are headed to a ski resort with Ollie's dad and Coco's mom. There is so much snow that they are the only ones that are able to make it to the resort. Things at the resort are less than ideal because of the storm but they are determined to make the most of it. There is some excitement with the addition of a new guest that knows some of the less than positive history of the resort.
I loved the spooky atmosphere of this story. I was worried about these kids anytime they went off by themselves in the resort. Learning the things that happened in the building before it became a ski lodge only added to the creepy feel. Ollie, Coco, and Brian are all great characters and I love their friendship. They really do watch out for each other when it is necessary. I wasn't sure how things would work out but it was nice to know that these kids were in it together.
I would recommend this book to others. I started reading this series because I love Katherine Arden's writing and wanted to read more of it. I picked up this book because of how much I enjoyed the first. I found this to be a creepy and atmospheric tale filled with fantastic characters. I can't wait to see what happens to Ollie, Coco, and Brian next!
Initial Thoughts This was a fantastic haunted house resort book for the middle-grade set. Ollie, Coco, and Brian are all great characters and I am glad that parents were along for a portion of the adventure. Ollie and Coco really shared the spotlight in this one and it was fun to watch them figure everything out.
I enjoyed this middle-grade book quite a lot. After finishing The Winter of the Witch, This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I enjoyed this middle-grade book quite a lot. After finishing The Winter of the Witch, I was in a bit of book hangover so I decided to see what else Katherine Arden has written because I needed more of her writing just as soon as possible. When I found out that she had recently published a middle-grade novel, I was really quite eager to get my hands on it so I put in a request at my local library and waited for my turn with the book. I am so glad that I decided to check this book out.
I liked this book as an adult but I am pretty sure that as a child I would have absolutely loved it. I found this book to be a really quick read, reading it in its entirety on a single morning. I don't think that I put it down even once which says a whole lot about the book. The writing had a really wonderful flow as I would expect from this author.
Ollie is a rather spunky girl who has been through a whole lot. When she sees a woman throwing a book into the water, she feels like she needs to save it so she does. Her class takes a field trip to a local farm the next day where she runs into the same woman once again. That is when things really start to get strange.
I loved the atmosphere in this story. This is a really spooky story which could at times be rather intense. As the story progressed, we learned more about what Ollie has been through and I fell in love with her character. She really was a very brave girl. Two of her friends are with her and I really liked seeing how they worked together and grew close over the course of the story.
I would recommend this book to fans of middle-grade stories. This book featured a wonderful group of characters making their way through a difficult and often spooky situation. I loved how hopeful the book's ending was and enjoyed some of the more touching moments along the way. I definitely plan to read more of this series once it is available.
Initial Thoughts I enjoyed this book as an adult and I think that I would have loved it when I was younger. I have to admit that I decided to read this book simply because I love the author and was curious about her writing for a younger audience. This book did a fantastic job of creating wonderful characters and a rather creepy story. I am glad that I decided to give it a try.
I liked this book quite a lot. I don't read middle-grade books very often but I think tThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I liked this book quite a lot. I don't read middle-grade books very often but I think that may be something that I really need to change. I was drawn to this book as soon as I saw it and while that may due in part to the gorgeous cover, it was mostly the premise of the story that grabbed my attention. Every time I picked up this book, I quickly was lost in Iris's world. I really had a great time with this book.
Iris is a twelve-year-old girl who happens to be deaf. She goes to a regular school where she is the only deaf person with the assistance of her sign language interpreter. It took about all of five minutes for my heart to go out to Iris as she explained what it was like to live in a world where nobody understands you. She has no friends at school and keeps being paired up with a classmate who claims to know sign language but whose hand motions make no sense to Iris at all. She feels very alone.
Iris's attention is grabbed by a whale that she learns about in school that sings at a different frequency than the other whales and therefore can't communicate with them. Iris is a whiz at repairing old radios outside of school and she uses that knowledge to help find a way to communicate with that special whale named Blue 55. Blue 55 lives alone in the ocean with no one to talk to and Iris can relate much better than most people.
I fell in love with Iris almost immediately. I think that the author did a fabulous job of letting the reader really understand how isolated she felt. Iris is a very intelligent and determined girl and I liked the way she worked through the puzzle of helping the whale. I really enjoyed taking this journey with Iris and was pleased to see the progression of her relationships with her family in addition to her quest to save the whale.
I would recommend this book to others. I think that this was a wonderfully written story about a little girl and a giant whale that I won't forget anytime soon. I look forward to reading more of Lynne Kelly's work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Delacorte Press.
Initial Thoughts I really liked this book. I thought that the descriptions of Iris and her life at school were incredibly well done. My heart hurt for her because I felt how alone she thought she was. I thought that the whale's story was just as interesting and Grandma was great. All in all, this was just a very well done story....more
It has been almost forever since I picked up a book written for middle grade children. I decided This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life
It has been almost forever since I picked up a book written for middle grade children. I decided to grab this one largely because of the awesome cover and the fact that I am a complete nut when it comes to dogs didn't hurt. This ended up being a nice quick read that I think a lot of readers will really enjoy.
I was a little worried that this was going to be a sad book since the dog in the book was a little girl until she died but it really wasn't at all. We don't get to know Daisy until she dies in the accident and the afterworld was honestly a bit odd. The way that her transformation from little girl to dog was handled wasn't emotional. If anything, I felt Daisy's confusion about what was happening.
I did feel poorly for the dog in her first home where she isn't really treated as a member of the family. She is kept outside tied to a doghouse and really doesn't get a lot of quality time. She remembers her life as Daisy and wants to see her parents. She dreams of finding them. The only person that really treats her well is the homeless man at the park, Jack, who talks to her and pets her when he can.
When she finally gets the opportunity to escape, she does and finds her place with Pip, a homeless boy. Pip names her Ray and the story really takes off. These two have an incredible bond and it was nice to see how much they truly cared for each other. Pip and Ray embark on a journey to find Pip's father and hopefully a home.
This book had a lot of great moments. I liked the fact that it was told from the perspective of the dog, Ray. There were a lot of interesting characters and a few heartfelt scenes. I would recommend this story to middle grade readers that love a good animal story.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Candlewick Press via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts Interesting concept that should appeal to dog lovers. Middle grade readers should enjoy this one. ...more
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