BBNYA Spotlight | MURDER IN VELVET by Sarah Wynne

About the Book:

MURDER IN VELVET
BY SARAH WYNNE | SEPTEMBER 1, 2023
GENRE: MIDDLE GRADE

13-year-old Grace loves her new charity shop coat. In fact, it’s perfect. Except for one tiny thing. When she wears it, she sees visions of the previous owner’s life ... and their murder! Grace and her best friend, Suzy, decide to investigate but digging up the past reveals secrets some people want to keep hidden. Can Grace stay one step ahead and solve a fifty-year-old murder or will she become the killer’s next victim? A gripping story of secrets and murder for fans of fast-paced middle grade thrillers.

AMAZON | GOODREADS | THE STORY GRAPH

[The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) is celebrating the books that made it to the semi-finals with a mini spotlight blitz tour for each title.

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 16 finalists and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.]

About the Author:

Sarah Wynne is from Chester in the northwest of England and lives with her husband, son and their little white ball of chaos, Daisy the dog. She spent over 10 years working as a primary teaching assistant but now writes full-time and provides editorial services to writers of children’s fiction. When she’s not writing she’ll usually be found with her nose in a middle grade book (or researching which book to read next or talking about books!).

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*Content sent by the BBNYA for this blog's publication.
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Blog Tour | Terra Electrica: The Guardians of the North by Antonia Maxwell

About the Book:

TERRA ELECTRICA: THE GUARDIANS OF THE NORTH
BY ANTONIA MAXWELL | PUBLICATION: JULY 4, 2024
NEEM TREE PRESS | GENRE: MIDDLE GRADE

Book 1 in an action-packed dystopian adventure series set in the near-future post-melt Arctic.

The last ice cap has melted, and the world is on the brink of collapse. A deadly force—Terra Electrica—has been unleashed. It feeds on electricity. It is infecting civilization.

In this chaotic, rapidly changing reality, 12-year-old Mani has lost her family and community to the Terra Electrica. Armed only with some ancestral wisdom and a powerful, ancient wooden mask she was never meant to inherit so soon, she suddenly finds herself responsible for the fate of the world.

Can Mani piece everything together and harness her newfound powers in time to save humanity?

Amazon
Goodreads

"This is a wonderful mix of adventure, nature and the importance of understanding the limits of science."
-Margaret Pemberton
"Reading the apocalypse from a child’s point of view gives a very different feel to most dystopian novels."
-Fayth Brady
"Terra Electrica was an easy, adventurous read about a young girl who just wants to find the love and safety of a home as she once knew it."
-Rejitha


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About the Author:

Antonia Maxwell is a writer and editor based in North Essex and Cambridge, UK. With a degree in Modern Languages and a long-standing career as a book editor, she has a lifelong curiosity for language and words, and a growing fascination in the power of story – the way it shapes our lives and frames our experience.

*Content sent by @TheWriteReads for this blog's publication. This is a free ad.

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Blog Tour | THE WHISTLERS IN THE DARK by Victoria Williamson

The Whistlers In The Dark
by victoria Williamson
Publication: September 21, 2023
Genre: Middle-Grade Fiction
Rating: ★★★★

Scotland, 158 AD, is a divided country.

On one side of the Antonine Wall, thirteen-year-old Felix is trying to become a good Roman soldier like his father. On the other, twelve-year old Jinny is vowing revenge on the ‘metal men’ who have invaded her Damnonii tribe’s homeland. At the Damnonii’s sacred circle of standing stones, her planned attack on Felix goes badly wrong, awakening a legend that threatens to bring fire and destruction down on them all.

Can Jinny and Felix overcome their differences and soothe the stones back to sleep before it’s too late?

If you are looking for a historical fantasy that will transport you to ancient Scotland, you might want to check out The Whistlers in the Dark by Victoria Williamson. This is a Middle Grade novel that follows two young protagonists, Jinny and Felix, who live during the Roman occupation of Scotland, near the Antonine wall. Felix and the fort must deal with the threat of the local tribes, who are not happy with the Roman occupation, Meanwhile, Jinny is vent on revenge and keeping the Romans off their land. Until the standing stones came alive one night.

THE WHISTLERS IN THE DARK is a story of friendship, forgiveness, and adventure. Jinny and Felix have different backgrounds and motivations, but they learn to overcome their prejudices and work together to face their enemies. The novel is based on historical facts and legends, and it gives a vivid picture of life in Roman Britain and the culture of the Scottish tribes. The author also incorporates some elements of fantasy, such as the whistlers, who are inspired by Scottish folklore and add a touch of magic and mystery to the plot.

I enjoyed reading this novel because it was engaging, entertaining, and educational. I liked how the author balanced the historical and the fantastical aspects, and how she created realistic and relatable characters. I also appreciated how she addressed some important themes, such as revenge, loyalty, courage, and tolerance. The Whistlers in the Dark is a novel that will appeal to readers who love history, fantasy, and adventure. It is a fun and exciting read that will make you curious about Scotland's past and present.

*Huge Thanks to @The_WriteReads / @WriteReadsTours for letting me join this blog tour.

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About the Author

   

Victoria Williamson is an award-winning author who grew up in Scotland surrounded by hills, books, and an historical farm estate which inspired many of her early adventure stories and spooky tales. After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real-life adventures, which included teaching maths and science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with additional support needs in the UK. Victoria currently works part time writing KS2 books for the education company Twinkl and spends the rest of her time writing novels, and visiting schools, libraries and literary festivals to give author talks and run creative writing workshops.

Her latest novel, The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams, is a middle grade fantasy inspired by classic folklore. Twenty percent of the author royalties for this book are donated to CharChar Literacy, an organisation working to improve children’s literacy levels in Malawi.

You can find out more about Victoria’s books, school visits and free resources for schools on her website: www.strangelymagical.com

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Blog Tour | NORAH’S ARK by Victoria Williamson

NORAH’S ARK
by Victoria Williamson
Publication: August 29, 2023
Publisher: Neem Tree Press
Genre: Middle-Grade
Rating: ★★★★★

Two very different lives. One shared hope for a brighter future. No time to waste. The flood is coming...

Eleven-year-old Norah Day lives in temporary accommodation, relies on foodbanks for dinner, and doesn't have a mum. But she's happy enough, as she has a dad, a pet mouse, a pet spider, and a whole zoo of rescued local wildlife to care for. Eleven-year-old Adam Sinclair lives with his parents in a nice house with a big garden, a private tutor, and everything he could ever want. But his life isn't perfect - far from it. He's recovering from leukaemia and is questioning his dream of becoming a champion swimmer. When a nest of baby birds brings them together, Norah and Adam discover they're not so different after all. Can Norah help Adam find his confidence again? Can Adam help Norah solve the mystery of her missing mother? And can their teamwork save their zoo of rescued animals from the rising flood? Offering powerful lessons in empathy, Norah's Ark is a hopeful and uplifting middle-grade tale for our times about friendship and finding a sense of home in the face of adversity.

I owe the privilege of reading this book from @The_WriteReads / @WriteReadsTours, and Neem Tree Press. This is my stop for NORA’S ARK Blog Tour.

I am a huge fan of Middle-Grade books. They can help pre-teens in processing their emotions and developing empathy. And books like Norah’s Ark are not only for kids, it’s for adults too. That’s why I cannot recommend it highly enough. Middle-Grade books are game changer for parents and guardians. It holds up a mirror, we can see how our kids view us.

Eleven-year-olds Norah and Adam, have an affinity for animal rescue. However, while Adam lives in the affluent side of the community, life is hard for both Norah and her dad. Renting a temporary room at a B & B, living on government assistance and food banks, they are keen on waiting when “luck” will come their way again. The Sinclair’s is not a happy nest either. After months of fighting with leukaemia, Adam’s family has drifted apart, and Adam wants nothing more than to stitch his family back together again.

I love that this is a first-person narrative, coming from both Norah and Adam, because it becomes more personal and sincere. I am currently living in a city where homelessness and food bank shortages is a current big issue. And I am grateful to this book for spreading awareness. With such hard-hitting topics, I commend Victoria Williamson for making this book a light and easy read.

My recommendation is that YOU gift yourself with a copy of this book, NOW.

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About the Author:

Victoria Williamson is an award-winning author who grew up in Scotland surrounded by hills, books, and an historical farm estate which inspired many of her early adventure stories and spooky tales. After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real-life adventures, which included teaching math and science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with additional support needs in the UK. Victoria currently works part time writing KS2 books for the education company Twinkl and spends the rest of her time writing novels, and visiting schools, libraries and literary festivals to give author talks and run creative writing workshops.

Victoria’s previous novels include The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, The Boy with the Butterfly Mind, Hag Storm, and War of the Wind. She has won the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award 2020/2021, The YA-aldi Glasgow Secondary School Libraries Book Award 2023, and has been shortlisted for the Week Junior Book Awards 2023, The Leeds Book Awards 2023, the Red Book Award 2023, the James Reckitt Hull Book Awards 2021, The Trinity School Book Awards 2021, and longlisted for the ABA South Coast Book Awards 2023, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2020, and the Branford Boase Award 2019.

Her latest novel, The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams, is a middle grade fantasy inspired by classic folklore. Twenty percent of the author royalties for this book are donated to CharChar Literacy, an organisation working to improve children’s literacy levels in Malawi. You can find out more about Victoria’s books, school visits and free resources for schools on her website: www.strangelymagical.com

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Book Review | THE PAWNSHOP OF STOLEN DREAMS by Victoria Williamson

THE PAWNSHOP OF STOLEN DREAMS
by Victoria Williamson
Publication: May 11, 2023
Publisher: Tiny Tree Books
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★★

In a strange little village called Witchetty Hollow, eleven-year-old Florizel is the first to run into the curious visitors who've come to open a brand-new Daydream Delicatessen and sack-baby factory.

At first, it seems the daydream confection and cheap sack children are the best things that could have happened to the poor folk of the Hollow - after all, who has the money to rent their child from Storkhouse Services these days? But after a few weeks, Florizel starts to notice something odd happening to the adults of the town. First, they seem dreamy, then they lose all interest in their jobs and families. Soon they're trading all their worldly goods in the newly opened Pawnshop for money to buy daydreams. With no money for rent payments, the children of Witchetty Hollow are being reclaimed by Storkhouse Services at an alarming rate. Florizel needs to act.

A magical tale of intrigue and adventure from award-winning children's author Victoria Williamson.

THE PAWNSHOP OF STOLEN DREAMS follows the adventures of eleven-year-old Florizel, as she uncovers the sinister business established by Gobbelino Corporation at Witchetty Hollow.

Victoria Williamson weaves an eerie tale of adventure, friendship, and everything thought-provoking. In this richly imagined world, daydreams are a commodity and children are rented out to families. Only the rich can afford the talented and promising kids, and so, Florizel must play dull-witted to keep the rent low and remain with Gammer Oakenshaw. Being bullied for her low grades, unkept clothes, and strange lunches for school, she has always kept her head down… until Burble, an actual sack-boy.

For a Middle Grade, this book challenges some very intense topics. And yet, Williamson never strayed from her whimsical prose. This book is like Matilda on one hand, and Pinocchio on the other. After so many years, I didn't realize I could adore another made-believe boy. 'Tis absolutely hard to review without giving away any spoilers. With its unique concept and (absolutely) brilliant cover, this story will stay with the reader for a long time. 

If you keep a list of eerie books for Middle Grade like Coraline, A Monster Calls, or The Book of Lost Things, I highly recommend that you add this book too. 

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*Big thanks to @TheWriteReads and Tiny Tree Books, for letting me join this blog tour and for giving me access to an e-book in exchange for this honest opinion.

About the Author:

Victoria Williamson is an award-winning author who grew up in Scotland surrounded by hills, books, and an historical farm estate which inspired many of her early adventure stories and spooky tales. After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real-life adventures, which included teaching maths and science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with additional support needs in the UK. Victoria currently works part time writing KS2 books for the education company Twinkl and spends the rest of her time writing novels, and visiting schools, libraries and literary festivals to give author talks and run creative writing workshops.

Victoria’s previous novels include The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, The Boy with the Butterfly Mind, Hag Storm, and War of the Wind. She has won the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award 2020/2021, The YA-aldi Glasgow Secondary School Libraries Book Award 2023 and has been shortlisted for the Week Junior Book Awards 2023, The Leeds Book Awards 2023, the Red Book Award 2023, the James Reckitt Hull Book Awards 2021, The Trinity School Book Awards 2021, and longlisted for the ABA South Coast Book Awards 2023, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2020, and the Branford Boase Award 2019.

Her latest novel, The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams, is a middle grade fantasy inspired by classic folklore. Twenty percent of the author royalties for this book are donated to CharChar Literacy, an organization working to improve children’s literacy levels in Malawi.

You can find out more about Victoria’s books, school visits and free resources for schools on her website: www.strangelymagical.com

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Blog Tour | OCTAVIA BLOOM AND THE MISSING KEY by Estelle Grace Tudor

OCTAVIA BLOOM AND THE MISSING KEY
by Estelle Grace Tudor
Series: Through the Fairy Door
Publication: July 20th 2020
Publisher: Inlustris
Genre: Middle-Grade / Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★★

One tiny discovery can have enormous consequences...

Almost 10-year-old Octavia Bloom is looking for adventure, but when it comes it's in the shape of a tiny fairy door.

Dragging her reluctant sister and cousins into the mystery, Octavia discovers her family are hiding not ONE but TWO life-changing secrets.

Why is her mother searching for an elusive flower? And does she have what it takes to reunite her fractured family?

Octavia's certain the answers lie behind the fairy door, if only she could just find the key...

Bravery, secrets & magic intertwine in this fantastical adventure.

AMAZON CA | AMAZON US | AMAZON UK

I received this book to read and review as part of the 2021 BBNYA competition and the BBNYA tours organized by the TWR Tour team. All opinions are my own, unbiased and honest.

BBNYA is a yearly competition where Book Bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors. If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website www.bbnya.com or twitter @bbnya_official.

The sign-ups will soon be open for the 2022 BBNYA competition, be it for authors to enter their books, or for bloggers wanting to be part of the new panel, so keep your eyes peeled!!

...

If my daughter’s still a preteen, we would pore over this book and most likely gobble up the whole series in a few days too. Come to think of it, nothing is stopping us now to do exactly that.

Hi there. This is my stop for the OCTAVIA BLOOM AND THE MISSING KEY blog tour, hosted by @TheWriteReads.

Estelle Grace Tudor’s take on Fairy Land has all the elements of magic and heroes. She added layers and details, making this very enchanting and exciting. There are also elements of family and sibling connection, of love and bravery, of self-confidence and accepting trust. Seriously, this book is great for family reading time, and a huge source of encouragement. Tudor gave each character a unique identity and any child will instantly make an attachment. And, I don’t think there’s any child who would say no to blooming unicorns, talking animals for companions, and a fantastical adventure.

This story started with an unexpected door that magically appeared in an attic. A door that opens to endless possibilities and imagination. And I cannot wait to go back in.

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About the Author:

When not searching the backs of wardrobes for Narnia, the bottom of the garden for fairies or exploring yet another Castle, Estelle can be found with her nose in a book or a pen in her hand.

Having previously worked at Cardiff Castle, she now writes full time while looking after her four children. She lives on the beautiful South Wales coast with her husband, children and crazy dog.

*This post is a part of the monthly linkups organized by Lovely Audiobooks! You can click here to check it out and be a part of it.

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Book Review | SPARK AND THE GRAND SLEUTH by Robert Repino

SPARK AND THE GRAND SLEUTH
Robert Repino
Publication: March 23, 2021
Publisher: Quirk Books,
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★

An army of toys, a menacing threat, and a thrilling adventure collide in the high-stakes sequel to Spark and the League of Ursus.

Spark may be a cute and cuddly teddy bear, but she’s also a fierce protector. Weeks after rescuing her human owner—a budding young filmmaker named Loretta—from a hideous monster, everything seems to be returning to normal. But then Spark is summoned before the mysterious Grand Sleuth, the high council of teddy bears, who task her with a dangerous mission: locating the portal to the monster’s world.

During her daring quest, Spark discovers a terrible secret that changes everything. In order to keep Loretta and their whole town safe, she must enlist the help of her loyal toy friends and team up with an unexpected ally. As the menace grows, Spark realizes that Loretta has a hidden power that may be the key to saving them all . . .

Spark and the League of Ursus had a bittersweet ending. Before the dust can completely settle though, Spark is bidden to appear before the Grand Sleuth, the same high council of teddy bears who never came to aid Spark and her Juro during their encounter with Jakmal. Being summoned, though, means the danger is still lurking. Spark knows the fight isn’t over yet.

Tasked with locating the last portal to the monsters’ world, Spark struck an unlikely friendship with someone who holds the secrets to a catastrophic evil that is about to descend on their town and endanger the very person she loved dearly –Loretta.

I love the themes in this series –the familial relationship and friendship that it inspires. I love how kids get to be kids and grow. I also love Spark’s wise leadership –no bravado. Instead, she is humble in acknowledging everyone else’s ability and conscious of their discomforts, while being encouraging in every moment possible.

Action-packed and suspenseful, SPARK AND THE GRAND SLEUTH is a story of compassion, forgiveness, loyalty, and friendship. This middle-grade fantasy is perfect for anyone who held a cuddly teddy bear and understands that they are loved.

Download the Book Activity Guide here.

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About the Author:

Robert Repino is the author of the War with No Name series for adults and The League of Ursus duology for children. He lives in New York, where he works as an editor at a scholarly press and teaches at the Gotham Writers’ Workshop. Robert had two special teddy bears when he was growing up: Bear and Blue Bear.

*Thanks to Quirk Books for the egalley in exchange for this unbiased review.
*This post is a part of the monthly linkups organized by Lovely Audiobooks! You can click here to check it out and be a part of it.

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Book Review | THE MYSTERIOUS DISAPPERANCE OF AIDAN S. by David Levithan

   

THE MYSTERIOUS DISAPPERANCE OF AIDAN S.
by David Levithan
Publication: February 2, 2021
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Genre: Middle-Grade Fiction
Rating: ★★★★

Aidan disappeared for six days. Six agonizing days of searches, and police, and questions, and constant vigils. Then, just as suddenly as he vanished, Aidan reappears. Where has he been? The story he tells is simply. . . impossible. But it's the story Aidan is sticking to.

His brother, Lucas, wants to believe him. But Lucas is aware of what other people, including their parents, are saying: that Aidan is making it all up to disguise the fact that he ran away.

When the kids in school hear Aidan's story, they taunt him. But still Aidan clings to his story. And as he becomes more of an outcast, Lucas becomes more and more concerned. Being on Aidan's side would mean believing in the impossible. But how can you believe in the impossible when everything and everybody is telling you not to?

I look forward to reading Middle-Grade books the same way I anticipate an actively participated lecture. Learning from the students -bringing out their expectations and takeaways- is a constant gratification. This book is not different from that.

Aidan went missing for six days. The whole town went looking for him. They scoured the woods, asked people, and even the police were baffled. Until one day, his brother Lucas found him in the attic, wearing the same pajamas.

At the onset, this book may seem about Aidan and his Narnia-like adventure –the place, the people, and the creatures. Looking deeply, this is about a family moving on from a tragedy. As a mother myself, I understand his parent’s fear. The possibility of losing a child is a nightmare no parent would choose to go through. And more often than not, fear leads to anger and impatience. (Thanks, Yoda.) Similar to any post-tragic events, support is vital. I respect how flawed and honest Aidan’s parents are. And I admire their humility to seek help from others and see the importance of working as a team. I appreciate Aunt Brandi and Officer Pinkus for letting Aidan be true to himself. Above all, I love Lucas’ composure in all these, his understanding that Aidan needed a sympathetic listener more than anything.

This book is also about community and our level of tolerance for one another. Moreover, this is about feigned benevolence -on how we can hold a prayer vigil for a lost boy today and then viciously demand the truth the next day.

It was a bittersweet ending, but overall, I believe the takeaway is more than an engaging read. It was enlightening.

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About the Author:

   

David Levithan is an American children's book editor and award-winning author. He published his first YA book, Boy Meets Boy, in 2003. Levithan is also the founding editor of PUSH, a Young Adult imprint of Scholastic Press.

*Thanks to Knopf Books for Young Readers​ and Netgalley for the egalley in exchange for this unbiased review.
*This post is a part of the monthly linkups organized by Lovely Audiobooks! You can click here to check it out and be a part of it.

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Book Review | SPARK AND THE LEAGUE OF URSUS by Robert Repino

SPARK AND THE LEAGUE OF URSUS
by Robert Repino
Publication: April 21, 2020
Publisher: Quirk Books
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy
Rating: ★★★½

Spark is not your average teddy bear. She’s soft and cuddly, sure, but she’s also a fierce warrior. At night she fulfills her sacred duty: to protect the household from monsters. But Spark’s owner Loretta is growing up and thinks she doesn’t need her old teddy anymore.

When a monster unlike any other descends on the quiet home, everything changes. Children are going missing, and the monster wants Loretta next. Only Spark can stop it. She must call upon the ancient League of Ursus—a secret alliance of teddy bears who are pledged to protect their human friends. Together with an Amazon-princess doll and a timid sock monkey, the bears are all that stands between our world and the one that lies beneath. It will be a heroic chapter in the history of the League . . . if the bears live to tell the tale. -Publisher

Through Sir Reginald, Spark learned all about the League of Ursus. And with her mentor to train her, she had the confidence and readiness any protector should have. But the monster that appeared in Loretta’s bedroom is something different altogether. It comes in the night, while the kids are sleeping, crawling from the darkest corner of the room. It has a distinct power to open portals in different locations and cancel all the sounds in any place it occupies. And while most monsters only feed on their prey’s fear, this one drags them away where no one has gone before.

Robert Repino gave life to a story most kids hold on to -that their teddy bears are more than just toys -they are loyal companions. Bears serve. Bears watch. Bears Protect. Always and forever. Spark knows the oath by heart, and she means to do everything to protect Loretta, her dusa. The very premise raised plenty of questions. How did the teddy bears realize that they are protectors? Instead of addressing it, the story chose to focus on the deep love these bears have for their humans until their final light, on kids standing strong for their siblings, that friendship matter, that being afraid is not cowardice, and that compassion should still rule at the end of the day.

SPARK AND THE LEAGUE OF URSUS has enough scare and challenges to entertain its middle-grade audience. A perfect read for Friday the 13th. Spark is the kind of friend kids would like to have. Also, Matthew and Loretta’s motto is something everyone should hear – “Keep dreaming, and keep trying!”

Book #2, Spark and the Grand Sleuth, is out on March 23, 2021.

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About the Author:

Robert Repino is the author of Mort(e), Culdesac, and D’Arc, which make up the critically acclaimed War with No Name series (Soho Press). He holds an MFA in creative writing from Emerson College and teaches at the Gotham Writers’ Workshop. He lives in New York City where he works as an editor at an academic publisher. This is his middle-grade debut. Robert had two special teddy bears when he was growing up: Bear and Blue Bear.

*Thanks to Quirk Books for the printed copy in exchange for this unbiased review.
*This post is a part of the monthly linkups organized by Lovely Audiobooks! You can click here to check it out and be a part of it.

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Book Review | WARREN THE 13TH AND THE 13-YEAR CURSE by Tania del Rio, Will Staehle

   

   Warren the 13th and the 13-Year Curse by Tania del Rio
Illustrator: Will Staehle
Series: Warren the 13th, Book #3
Publication Date: October 1, 2019
Publisher: Quirk Books
Genre: Middle-Grade Adventure
Rating: ★★★★★

An illustrated middle-grade fiction series with Gothic and Victorian overtones featuring the misadventures of a cursed 12-year-old bellhop trying to save his family's hotel from the clutches of evil.

At the conclusion of the second book in the Warren the 13th series, The Warren Hotel had transformed into a giant ship and set sail for the open seas! When Warren 3 opens, Warren is adjusting to the demands of running a floating hotel and is planning his 13th birthday party when disaster strikes--the hotel is shipwrecked on a strange island. To make things worse, his octopus-like friend Sketchy is kidnapped by a traveling circus! Warren and his friends must solve a series of riddles to find the next location of the circus and rescue their friend before it's too late. Along the way, they meet a new cast of characters, including some elderly pirates, a sea witch, a talking clam, and a giant sea monster. As Warren pursues Sketchy's kidnappers, he will learn the truth of his friend's mysterious origins--as well as one final secret of the Warren Hotel.-Goodreads

...

This is the 3rd book in the series, but it works perfectly as a standalone story. After reading the first two books, I’ve been very curious about what happens next for Warren. The story launched from where book #2 left off and the Warren Hotel was having a grand time sailing away. But now at 13, there’s a curse hovering above Warren’s head.

These books are placed as Middle-Grade Fiction. Nevertheless, Tania del Rio made these books relatively easy and perfect for a read-aloud that even younger Middle-Graders can enjoy them. Or even if your kids aren’t proficient readers yet, Will Staehle’s two-toned illustrations can boost their imagination effortlessly. The gothic feel they imbue is rather perfect for the story.

WARREN THE 13TH AND THE 13-YEAR CURSE is a great adventure filled with diverse characters (even nasty pirates) that have rare surprises up their sleeves and an impressive rescue mission. Despite his probable curse, Warren remains resolute, optimistic, and completely kind. His character brings out the good in people and that’s what I love most about these books. People never thought twice helping Warren or doing kindness for him in return.

Warren the 13th series is filled with adventures and with people you very much want your kids to meet. If you haven’t started on them yet, please get your copies soon. I heartily recommend these books.

>*Thank you for sharing this amazing ride, Will and Tania. I'll miss Warren, but I also know that he's off to new adventures. Instead, I'll bid him and both of you farewell.

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About the Author and Illustrator:

Tania Del Rio is a professional comic book writer and artist who has spent the past 10 years writing and illustrating, primarily for a young audience. Her clients include Archie Comics, Dark Horse, and Marvel; she is best known for her work writing and drawing the 42-issue run of Sabrina the Teenage Witch. She is also the author of the WARREN THE 13TH series published by Quirk Books. She lives in Los Angeles.

Will Staehle grew up reading comics and working summers at his parent’s design firm in Wisconsin. He was Art Director for HarperCollins Publishers in NY, the VP of Design at JibJab in LA, and has been labeled by Print Magazine as one of the Top Twenty Under Thirty New Visual Artists, an Art Director’s Club Young Gun, and has also exhibited a solo show of work at the Type Director’s Club. Will’s work has appeared in various design annuals and he’s also contributed to the AIGA’s 50 books / 50 covers exhibit.

Currently, Will resides in Seattle, WA — where he runs Unusual Co. He uses his design and illustration background to create bold covers, stylized posters, quirky websites, and mini-comics to ensure that he gets as little sleep as possible.

*Thanks to Quirk Books and Netgalley for the digital copy
in exchange for this unbiased review.
*This post is a part of the monthly linkups organized by Lovely Audiobooks!
You can click here to check it out and be a part of it.

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OVER SEA, UNDER STONE by Susan Cooper

“But the grail may not leave this land,
but must wait the Pendragon,
till the day comes.”

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Book Review | SPEECHLESS by Adam P. Schmitt

November 6, 2018;
Candlewick Press

How do you give a eulogy when you can't think of one good thing to say? A poignant, funny, and candid look at grief, family secrets, difficult people, and learning to look behind the facade.

I highly recommend this book.

Jimmy is at his first wake. If that isn’t shocking enough for a 13-year old boy, he was just informed that tomorrow he has to deliver his first eulogy. His first. In front of everyone in a church full of grieving people. He tried every pleading to get away from it but shot down every time.

Jimmy’s been racking his brains for what to say about his cousin, Patrick if there’s anything good at all. Searching, he recalled every special moment his cousin had somehow wrecked. All his 13 years, he had to put up with Patrick. So, giving this eulogy is not merely nerve-racking for Jimmy, it is an imposition. An imposition preceded by so many before it. 
It made him angry and defiant. 
It made him question his family. 
It made him realize who Patrick was. 
And how they aren’t so different after all.

One of the many reasons I love Middle-Grade books is that they give me a whole new set of lenses to look through. Viewing things from a child’s perspective is always unique and reawakening. Giving a eulogy for an unlikable person who died is a very unusual subject for children, but induces a profound awareness for any reader –including parents, relatives, friends, even for educators.

SPEECHLESS is a very well-written, memorable story.

Book details:

Title:  Speechless

Author: Adam P. Schmitt

Publication: November 6, 2018; Candlewick Press

Genre: Fiction, Middle-Grade

Rating: ★★★★★

*Thank you Candlewick for this galley in exchange for an honest review.

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Book Review | BAD LUCK by Pseudonymous Bosch

February 9, 2016
Little, Brown Books

Reader, beware! This is a BAD book. A VERY BAD book that will bring you nothing but BAD LUCK. Luckily no one would want to read it as it is extremely BORING and contains NO ADVENTURE whatsoever. No magic. No betrayal. And NO DRAGONS. No flying dragons. No fire-breathing dragons. No dragon hunters. ABSOLUTELY NO DRAGONS. The only reason anyone would DARE read this book is if they are VERY BAD and never do what they’re told. And you always do what you’re told. Don’t you? -Goodreads

Another summer at Earth Ranch, meanwhile Clay is still struggling to understand what he is doing there when he has no magic to pride himself on. But then, things got thicker at Price Island when a cruise ship dropped anchor just right across Mount Forge. A crew of men claims to be searching for a boy who fell off the ship. Or are they, really?

This is the second book in the Bad series. I have not had the pleasure of reading the first book, but I had a marvelous time reading the Secret series almost two years ago. So when I spied this on NetGalley, I needed to grab it at once. Besides, the plot is very easy to follow and the constant need to know what’s next is pounding.  The author’s usual digressions, footnotes, and constant shift from third-person to 1^st-person narrative made this even more fun and easy access to any middle-grade (or adult).

Nothing short of entertaining, this book is a brilliant mix of wit, magic, thrill, and adventure. I do suggest you grab a copy when it comes out on February 9, 2016.

Book detail:

Title:   Bad Luck

Series:   The Bad Books #2

Author:   Pseudonymous Bosch

Publication:  February 9, 2016; 
                        Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Genre: Middle-Grade Fiction

Rating:  ★★★★★


*Thanks to Little, Brown Books and Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for this honest review.

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