Tag: genre: middle grade

• Book Review: “The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street” by Karina Yan Glaser

  Posted at 6:35 am by Laura, on January 9, 2018

  The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser

  Publisher: HMH BFYR
  Published: October 2017
  Genre: middle grade, contemporary
  ISBN: 9780544876392
  Rating: ★★★.5

  The Vanderbeekers have always lived in the brownstone on 141st Street. It’s practically another member of the family. So when their reclusive, curmudgeonly landlord decides not to renew their lease, the five siblings have eleven days to do whatever it takes to stay in their beloved home and convince the dreaded Beiderman just how wonderful they are. And all is fair in love and war when it comes to keeping their home.

  The five Vanderbeeker siblings adore their home in Harlem. It’s close to their parents’ work, it’s close to school, their best friends live nearby, all the coolest people (the mailman, the baker, their elderly neighbors next door) greet them each day — what’s not to love? Well, The Beiderman — Mr. Beiderman, as Dad keeps reminding them — is not too great. He’s not letting the Vanderbeekers renew their lease, and he’s kicking them out of the building before Christmas!

  This book is, in many ways, a love letter to Harlem, to neighborhood camaraderie, to homes that are more than a space to live in with a roof over your head. It’s a great story about family and perseverance, silly antics, imaginative and creative children, friendship, and neighborly love. Even though it’s set during the Christmas season, it’s perfect for any time of year.

  The siblings believe The Beiderman is a crochety old man because he has never known joy in his life. So what he needs this Christmas is some good ol’ cheering up — and that’ll make him renew their parents’ lease. They come up with all sorts of clever, funny, and silly ideas, from bringing up tea to delivering scheming notes a la noir crime, to delivering a kitten in a box to playing a violin with such passion and determination it makes the man cry.

  The Beiderman’s history comes about in pieces, fitting together like a puzzle till the very end with the violin music, and — like most Grinch/Scrooge tales — a change of heart and understanding of character. It’s a good, heartwarming story, bound to be a favorite for middle grade readers. There’s a character for everyone in here!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: holiday, genre: middle grade, review, rock my TBR

• Book Review: “The Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City” by Jodi Kendall

  Posted at 6:25 am by Laura, on November 15, 2017

  The Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City by Jodi Kendall

  Publisher: HarperCollins Childrens
  Published: October 2017
  Genre: middle grade, contemporary
  ISBN: 9780062484536
  Rating: ★★★★

  Josie Shilling’s family is too big, their cramped city house is too small, and she feels like no one’s ever on her side. Then, on Thanksgiving Day, her older brother, Tom, brings home a pink, squirmy bundle wrapped in an old football jersey—a piglet he rescued from a nearby farm. Her name is Hamlet.

  The minute Josie holds Hamlet, she feels an instant connection. But there’s no room for Hamlet in the crowded Shilling household. And whoever heard of keeping a pig in the city? So it’s up to Josie to find her a forever home.

  Josie’s brother brings home a runt piglet at Thanksgiving. This would’ve been okay if her family wasn’t so large, cramped in a fairly small townhouse in a big city with very little yard space and money to stretch. Josie doesn’t want her family to send the piglet back to the farm, and promises to find a home for little Hamlet before New Year’s Day. She wants to keep Hamlet, and does her very best to juggle all her usual responsibilities with chores, homework, and gymnastics practice. But as New Year’s Day draws near, and Hamlet grows larger, and the family faces big changes, Josie begins to wonder if she’ll ever find a nice home for Hamlet.

  This modern-day homage to Charlotte’s Web is absolutely perfect. It can stand completely on it’s own, or be read alongside the classic. The heart of the story is about love, family, sacrifice, and friendship. It rings true to any reader — a middle grade reader juggling school and extracurricular activities, the middle child who just wants to be noticed and appreciated, the teenager who wants to do right for all parties involved, and the adult continuing to experience all these things and recalling the big responsibilities, wishes, and dreams from childhood. It’s great for the whole family, especially during the holiday season.

  Kendall portrayed the big family lifestyle in a cramped home in the city so well. At times it felt claustrophobic, and others it felt warm and cozy. The family has their ups and downs, bickers and mishaps mixed with support and love. Nothing is picture perfect, but it takes little moments for Josie to realize her family does see her and her accomplishments, that she’s not lost in the noise. She has her insecurities and dreams, and it’s so neat seeing how they grow and change during her gymnastics season and taking care of little Hamlet.

  A heartwarming middle grade perfect for the whole family this holiday season.

  Thank you, HC Children’s editorial, for providing this ARC.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017 | 1 Comment | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: middle grade, review

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 3:30 am by Laura, on September 18, 2017

  The Case of the Counterfeit Criminals by Jordan Stratford

  Publisher: Knopf BFYR
  Published: January 2017
  Genre: middle grade, mystery, historical fiction
  Rating: ★★★.5
  Summary: The Wollestonecraft Girls embark on their most important case yet–the famed dinosaur fossil hunter Mary Anning is being blackmailed. Her precious dog has been snatched and the kidnappers are demanding that Miss Anning authenticate some fake dinosaur bones up for auction at the British Museum in order to get him back. Ada and Mary have just three days to track down the fossil fakers, find the dog, and save the integrity of science! The game is truly afoot in this quirky caper involving blood-sucking leeches, an asthmatic pug, smoke bombs, secret elevators, diabolical disguises, and wicked word-play.

  Mini Review: I love middle grade detective fiction, and the Wollstonecraft Detective Agency series is no exception! Featuring Mary Shelley and Ada Byron as little girls (anachronistically), with partner in crime Charles Dickens, they solve what appear to be little instances of crime (stolen dog) but are actually major connections to criminal rings (there’s a clever Moriarty character cropping up!). The books were originally inspired by the novels of Charles Dickens’s protege, Wilkie Collins. Now they are taking on a life of their own and it’s so thrilling to watch! I highly recommend this series for little history nerds, fierce feminists, readers with quick wit and sense of humor, and little detectives in the making. See reviews for The Case of the Missing Moonstone and The Case of the Girl in Grey.

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  This qualifies as book 12 of 12 in the Rock My TBR challenge.

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  A Cold Legacy by Megan Shepherd

  Publisher: Balzer + Bray
  Published: January 2015
  Genre: young adult, gothic, science fiction
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: After killing the men who tried to steal her father’s research, Juliet—along with Montgomery, Lucy, Balthazar, and a deathly ill Edward—has escaped to a remote estate on the Scottish moors. Owned by the enigmatic Elizabeth von Stein, the mansion is full of mysteries and unexplained oddities: dead bodies in the basement, secret passages, and fortune-tellers who seem to know Juliet’s secrets. Though it appears to be a safe haven, Juliet fears new dangers may be present within the manor’s own walls. Then Juliet uncovers the truth about the manor’s long history of scientific experimentation—and her own intended role in it—forcing her to determine where the line falls between right and wrong, life and death, magic and science, and promises and secrets. And she must decide if she’ll follow her father’s dark footsteps or her mother’s tragic ones, or whether she’ll make her own.

  Mini Review: This book gave me graduate thesis flashbacks. I spent a whole year immersed in gothic literature (classic and YA) with a fine tooth comb, loving every second of my nightmares that followed. A COLD LEGACY continues the “twist on classic gothic novels” trend Shepherd began with The Madman’s Daughter by following the Frankenstein narrative. The other two books worked as parallels to the inspired classics, but this time the characters meet Dr Frankenstein’s descendants and friends, who want to continue the “cold legacy” of his experimentation. Scottish moors, creepy children, reanimated corpses, oh my! I appreciated the parallels to the original narrative, and found all the high drama twists and turns appropriate to gothic fiction. Juliet’s internal battle and her devotion to two boys continued (and I was so over it in Her Dark Curiosity), but the final chapters left the reader with a solid ending and hope for the remaining characters.

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  This qualifies as book 13 of 12 in the Rock My TBR challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017, Rock My TBR | 1 Comment | Tagged books, genre: gothic, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, genre: mystery, genre: sci-fi, genre: young adult, mini review, review, rock my TBR

• Book Review: “The Silver Gate” by Kristin Bailey

  Posted at 3:30 am by Laura, on March 2, 2017

  The Silver Gate by Kristin Bailey

  Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
  Published: January 2017
  Genre: middle grade, fantasy, historical
  ISBN: 9780062398574
  Rating: ★★★★

  In shepherd boy Elric’s tiny village, people think children like his younger sister, Wynn, are changelings-left by fairies and doomed to curse all around them. As a baby, Wynn was born with developmental delays, and according to the rules, she was supposed to be abandoned in the woods.

  Instead Elric’s mother saved his sister and hid her away for eleven years. They live in secret and fear of being discovered, yet their home is full of love, laughter, and singing. Wynn and Elric’s favorite song is about the Silver Gate, a beautiful fairy realm where all children are welcome.

  But when their long-absent father returns to sell Wynn to the Lord’s castle as a maid, Elric realizes that folk songs and fantasies can’t protect them from the outside world. They have to run away. Still Wynn believes there’s only one place they’ll ever be safe, and it lies beyond the Silver Gate.

  The road to freedom is long and treacherous. If they have any hope for survival, Elric and Wynn must learn to depend on each other above everything else-and discover the magic that always reveals itself when it seems like all is lost.

  When Elric discovers his father sold his sister Wynn to the Lord’s castle as a lowly maid after their mother’s death, Elric convinces Wynn to run away with him under the pretense of a game: to search for the Silver Fate, a place made up in the fairytales their mother told them. But as they continue their journey across the land in hopes of finding refuge in a convent or village, the siblings begin to realize just how difficult life can be on their own. But Wynn believes in the Silver Gate, she believes in the magic, and it’s up to Elric to open his eyes and see it too.

  “I will not expose this abbey to an unfit soul.” The abbess turned her hard glare back to Wynn, as if she could crush her with the power of her words. “We have taken a vow of poverty. What resources we have must be devoted to God and the good women who come here from noble families to pursue their devotion and study. We must not waste.”

  I was only 60 pages into this when the siblings’ relationship made me cry. It’s so beautiful, heartfelt, and strong. Elric is of course frustrated with his younger sister just like any older sibling would be — but he has such a deep love for her that it just ripped me apart. Add on another important layer to this story: Wynn has Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome. One in every 125,000 births have this. These individuals have learning disabilities and physical defects that mark them as “other.” Toss in this novel’s setting — Celtic in origin, Middle Ages — and society rejects these individuals as halfwits or changelings. So to see this sibling relationship, and feel it every step and struggle throughout their journey…oh gosh. Tears. Everywhere.

  “I can’t believe,” he admitted in a soft voice as he stroked his thumb over the surface of the stone. “If I believed in fairies, that would mean they switched you for another baby. It would mean you’re not my sister.”

  Wynn is the true hero of this story. She urges her brother and the reader to believe — mind, body, and soul — in the power of the imagination, in magic, in make-believe. She may not be able to build a fire, she doesn’t pack the right things, it’s hard for her to remember things if she doesn’t ruminate on them over and over, and she may not speak very well, but her mind and creativity is her saving refuge. Her insistence that the Silver Gate is more than the stuff of bedtime stories and folk songs shows just how powerful magic can be. What a beautiful, smart girl.

  And what a beautiful, smart, rich, heart-wrenching story of love, sacrifice, and imagination!

  This qualifies as book 3 of 5 library books in 2017.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017 | 1 Comment | Tagged books, genre: fantasy, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade

• Anthology Review [1]: Middle Grade

  Posted at 4:55 am by Laura, on November 5, 2016

  What better way to expose yourself to other writers than to read anthologies? Anthology Review is an effort to read the anthologies in my personal library while also reading snippets of new-to-me authors’ writing.

  This month’s topic: Middle Grade

  Mystery & Mayhem edited by Katherine Woodfine

  Publisher: Egmont UK
  Published: May 2016
  Genre: middle grade, mystery
  ISBN: 9781405282642
  *Rating: ★★★.14

  Twelve mysteries. Twelve authors. One challenge: can YOU solve the crimes before the heroes of the stories?

  These are twelve brand-new short stories from twelve of the best children’s crime writers writing today.

  These creepy, hilarious, brain-boggling, heart-pounding mysteries feature daring, brilliant young detectives, and this anthology is a must for fans of crime fiction and detection.

  Read 7/12 stories, with six of those receiving 3 stars or more. DNF’d 5/12 stories.

  Previously Read Authors: Robin Stevens, Katherine Woodfine, and Frances Hardinge

  Frances Hardinge’s poison mystery was very Dickensian in nature, featuring a grimy, foggy London, the street urchins lingering near the docks, and the death of a sketch artist/painter. She writes Victorian England so well, you could easily imagine yourself reading a novel written by a Victorian author, not a modern one! She’s a classic, and so is her short story.

  Katherine Woodfine shared a mystery from the point of view of one of her primary characters in the Clockwork Sparrow series, and it was such jolly good fun (*wink*) to go on a quick adventure with them. My familiarity with her characters certainly assisted in my enjoyment of the short story.

  Robin Stevens surprised me — in a good way! — but not taking this opportunity to share a mystery from one of her primary characters in the Murder Most Unladylike series. Instead, she wrote from a new character’s perspective and masterfully dropped little clues here and there, ones that are barely discernable unless you’re a natural observer and perfect young detective in the making. I liked seeing her use her skills with different characters and settings.

  New-to-Me Authors I Should Read More: Elen Caldecott, Harriet Whitehorn, Susie Day

  Elen Caldecott’s characters came from her Marsh Road series, and I’m convinced I’ll like that series just from this little glimpse of the characters. Though the mystery felt like an afterthought, the characters were fun and I loved the atmosphere!

  Harriet Whitehorn’s story felt a little rushed (expected for a short story!), but I thoroughly enjoyed how Christie-like it felt. I’m eager to read more by her and see how she develops her stories to a novel-length format.

  I really enjoyed Susie Day’s voice, and how observant the main character was. Though I think I needed to know a bit of French to catch on to the clues, it was such a quick, enjoyable read I nearly devoured it. More from Day, please!

  ~

  Have you read this anthology? Have you read another anthology in this genre or category that you’d recommend?

  ~

  *ratings are based on the average rating per rated short story

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016, Rock My TBR | 0 Comments | Tagged anthology, book review, genre: middle grade, genre: mystery, review

• Book Review: “The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow” by Katherine Woodfine

  Posted at 4:15 am by Laura, on June 27, 2016

  The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine
  

  Publisher: Egmont
  Published: June 2015
  Genre: middle grade, mystery, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9781405276177
  Rating: ★★★★

  You are cordially invited to attend the Grand Opening of Sinclair’s department store!

  Enter a world of bonbons, hats, perfumes and MYSTERIES around every corner. WONDER at the daring theft of the priceless CLOCKWORK SPARROW! TREMBLE as the most DASTARDLY criminals in London enact their wicked plans! GASP as our bold heroines, Miss Sophie Taylor and Miss Lilian Rose, CRACK CODES, DEVOUR ICED BUNS and vow to bring the villians to justice…

  Sophie is thrilled to start her first job at what the newspapers are calling the finest department store in London, opening in just a few more days. On the night before the grand opening, a priceless jeweled clockwork sparrow is stolen from one of the exhibition rooms, and Sophie is the last person seen in that room. With evidence piling up against her, Sophie seeks help from porter Billy and model Lil to solve the mystery.

  I adore middle grade mysteries! They’re so much fun, and English authors know just how to write enjoyable detective fiction for the young and young-at-heart. I hope the US audience will get a chance to read Woodfine’s work, because it’s such a delight!

  This felt like a mixture of the quick wit in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and the glittering eye-candy of Mr. Selfridge and The Paradise. Sophie is a sweet character and determined to do well in the department store, but she’s met with opposition everywhere she turns. She used to live in a fine home, but circumstances have brought her down to the working class. She doesn’t mind, but she wishes the other shopgirls would treat her as an equal. When it came time to defend herself, Sophie was reasonably distraught, but the majority of the legwork in the mystery-solving was conducted by Billy (who is sweet on her and loves detective comics) and mannequin (model) Lil, who is very much like Phryne Fisher in how she goes about cracking cases! Even Joe, the homeless “lost boy” trying to escape a gang (which comes into play later, of course!) has clues to share to solve the mystery.

  I cannot write a review without mentioning the setting! Sinclair’s is a beautiful and fascinating department store. Pets, food, clothes, toys, trinkets, you name it and it’s there! Department stores aren’t quite like this anymore — a full-on experience and assault to the senses. It makes the mystery even more intriguing and electrifying when a tiny but important clockwork sparrow is stolen. Of all the sparkling items and expensive china and luxurious fabrics, this sparrow is what turns the department store upside down. In the author’s note, Woodfine suggest the store is a bit like the 6-story Waterstones in Piccadilly. Having been there twice now, I’d have to say that’s exactly how I picture Sinclair’s!

  If you get the chance, you need to get your hands on this adorable MG mystery. It’s a must-have for your detective collection.

  EDIT 10:45am: Just heard from Woodfine that the book will be published in the US!

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  This book qualifies as book 8 of 12 of the “Rock My TBR” Challenge, hosted by Sarah @ The YA Book Traveler, in an effort to read more books off my overflowing TBR bookcase.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016, Rock My TBR | 3 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, genre: mystery, review, rock my TBR

• Book Review: “Arsenic for Tea” by Robin Stevens

  Posted at 5:05 am by Laura, on February 10, 2016

  Arsenic for Tea by Robin Stevens
  Poison is Not Polite (US)

  Publisher: Corgi Children’s (UK) / Simon & Schuster (US)
  Published: January 2015 (UK) / April 26, 2016 (US)
  Genre: middle grade, mystery, historical
  ISBN: 9780552570732 (UK) / 9781481422154 (US)
  Rating: ★★★★

  Schoolgirl detectives Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are at Daisy’s home, Fallingford, for the holidays. Daisy’s glamorous mother is throwing a tea party for Daisy’s birthday, and the whole family is invited, from eccentric Aunt Saskia to dashing Uncle Felix. But it soon becomes clear that this party isn’t really about Daisy at all. Naturally, Daisy is furious.

  Then one of their party falls seriously, mysteriously ill—and everything points to poison.

  With wild storms preventing anyone from leaving, or the police from arriving, Fallingford suddenly feels like a very dangerous place to be. Not a single person present is what they seem—and everyone has a secret or two. And when someone very close to Daisy looks suspicious, the Detective Society must do everything they can to reveal the truth… no matter the consequences.

  Hazel Wong is invited to Fallingford to spend the Easter holidays with Daisy Wells and her family. Daisy’s mother plans a birthday tea party for Daisy, but the girls know Lady Hastings is really throwing this tea for her “special guest” — one who seems to have upset the governess, Daisy’s brother’s friend, Lord Hastings, and Daisy’s favorite Uncle Felix. When the special guest quickly falls ill and dies, it’s up to Daisy and Hazel to solve the mystery before the police arrive in the middle of a wild storm, even if it means confronting nasty truths about the Wells family.

  I fell in love with the Wells & Wong Detective Agency / Murder Most Unladylike series last summer, and was thrilled to find the as-of-December-2015 completed series in Waterstones. Middle grade detective fiction is probably my favorite kind of mystery to read. They’re quick, fun, witty, and never bogged down with details. Toss in the very Conan Doyle/Christie feel to it, and you have an immediate reader in me!

  In the last book, I mentioned how well-rounded Hazel was as a character. It was easy to like her and understand her — her patience, thoughtfulness, insight. She’s governed by her emotions a bit more than Daisy is (you really can call her the Watson of the two, as Daisy herself calls Hazel Watson), but it’s her gut feelings that guide them down the right path. In this book, we see more of Daisy and understand her and all her quirks. From her silly father to her charming, intelligent uncle, her need to impress mixed with her desire to explore warring with one another when her mother enters and leaves a room, the reader (and Hazel) is able to see how Daisy became Daisy based on the people in her life.

  Not only this, but the murder happened in her house on her birthday. Which means one of the guests, likely a family member, committed the crime. Daisy is so wrapped up in the details of the case that when it finally hits her it could be a relative of hers, one she loves dearly, she cracks. Witnessing this “weakness” in her character brought me closer to these two girls. They may be little detectives solving cases like one would in a novel, but it’s all fun and games until it really hits home how dark, dangerous, and scary this can be.

  It’s hard to review a mystery book without accidentally spoiling the details of the plot! So I’ll leave you with this: Arsenic for Tea is a delightful, incredibly English detective mystery for the little Holmes or Marple in your life.

  

  This book qualifies as book 2 of 12 of the “Rock My TBR” Challenge, hosted by Sarah @ The YA Book Traveler, in an effort to read more books off my overflowing TBR bookcase.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016, Rock My TBR | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, genre: mystery, review, rock my TBR

• Book Review: “The Case of the Girl in Grey” by Jordan Stratford (ARC)

  Posted at 4:50 am by Laura, on January 12, 2016

  The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency: The Case of the Girl in Grey by Jordan Stratford

  Publisher: Knopf BFYR
  Publishing Date: January 26
  Genre: middle grade, historical fiction, mystery
  ISBN: 9780385754446
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★.5

  The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency was supposed to be a secret constabulary, but after the success of their first case, all of London knows that Lady Ada and Mary are the girls to go to if you have a problem.

  Their new case is a puzzle indeed. It involves a horrible hospital, a missing will, a hasty engagement, and a suspiciously slippery servant.

  But Mary’s stumbled onto a mystery of her own. She spotted a ghostly girl in a grey gown dashing through the park. A girl who is the spitting image of their new client.

  The two cases must be linked . . . or else there’s a perfectly supernatural explanation.

  Ada and Mary have two new detectives in their agency — their sisters — whether they like it or not. But the sisters prove to be of assistance when another case crops up, one that requires understanding the class system and social etiquette. But Mary is certain this case may be linked to an almost supernatural one she and Charles stumbled upon: a girl in grey, quite distressed, and one who seems to know a thing or two about the case the Wollstonecraft Detective Agency is working on.

  I love how Stratford manages to share bits and pieces of the true Ada and Mary (and Charles and Claire and Percy) in his mystery novels for MG readers. We know what these children and young adults become later on in life, and though there’s some fudging with the timelines, it’s all excellently written and fun.

  This case echoes another Wilkie Collins book, The Woman in White. It also has more character development for our adorable protagonists. Ada is obsessed with codes, which becomes incredibly helpful in solving this case. Mary is growing up and it appears she’s becoming chummy with Percy (*squeal*). But you can always rely on Ada to be awkward with people and for Mary to point it out and smooth over. Some things never change.

  Cute, clever, and darker than the first, this next installment of the Wollstonecraft mystery series is a bit more gothic and a tad less humorous. As I’m familiar with Woman in White, I knew within the first 30 pages which direction the book was going, but it’s still an excellent introduction to gothic for MG readers. Can’t wait for more!

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from Knopf BFYR for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: gothic, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, genre: mystery, review

• Book Review: “The Boundless” by Kenneth Oppel

  Posted at 4:33 am by Laura, on November 30, 2015

  The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel

  Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
  Published: May 2015
  Genre: middle grade, adventure, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9781442472891
  Goodreads: 3.87
  Rating: ★★★

  The Boundless, the greatest train ever built, is on its maiden voyage across the country, and first-class passenger Will Everett is about to embark on the adventure of his life! When he ends up in possession of the key to a train car containing priceless treasures, he becomes the target of sinister figures from his past.

  In order to survive, Will must join a traveling circus, enlisting the aid of Mr. Dorian, the ringmaster and leader of the troupe, and Maren, a girl his age who is an expert escape artist. With villains fast on their heels, can Will and Maren reach Will’s father and save The Boundless before someone winds up dead?

  The Boundless is the longest train in the world, and it’s taking its maiden voyage across Canada with Will’s father as the driver. Will and his father weren’t always first-class passengers though. Mr Everett was once a breakman, assisting on the railroad  and hopping between cars. He and Will lived through a devastating avalanche, one with events that’s coming back to haunt Will on The Boundless. To save himself before he or his father gets murdered, Will must join the traveling circus on the train before it’s too late.

  There’s something about train stories I find fascinating and incredible. It’s both a stable and moving setting, a character on its own. When you have a train that’s 7 miles long like The Boundless, you know suspense is going to be a part of the story. Any time the train is moving, so is the plot. Any time the train stops, an insurmountable build-up of tension occurs, and you can’t help but hold your breath in anticipation of what’s to come. This book is steeped in Canadian cultural history, so that and the mountains and forests the train zooms past is as much of a character as the train, too.

  Will and Maren, a girl in the traveling circus, are caught up in two different plots that have one ultimate goal: to save or kill Will’s father. They’re busy running from the villains — disguised breakmen angered by events that happened three years prior in the avalanche — as well as nabbing a unique, magical canvas for the ringmaster Mr. Dorian (I couldn’t help but wonder if there was a bizarre Dorian Gray connection…there isn’t). If they can find the canvas, they can save Will’s father. If they cannot, the breakmen just might harm all the passengers on The Boundless.

  One issue I had with the book is how black-and-white the villains were. They’re your standard big bulky bullies with guns and knives and clubs, chasing after children and grunting and refusing to shave or clean up. Gruff, scruffy men. Your typical DANGER, I AM BAD kind of character. I was hoping for something with a bit more depth, so I’m not sure if it’s the thriller part of this novel that prevented the full potential, or if it’s because this is middle grade. However, there was something about this novel I absolutely adored: Will’s love for art. He sketches and paints, he’s an artist with ambitions to study art in school and receive an art education. He’s a sensitive soul with a curious mind in awe with the world around him. While Mr Everett tries to dampen his son’s artistic spirit, saying it’s “feminine” and not “masculine” enough of a profession, Will refuses to listen and chases after his dreams. That was absolutely lovely to read.

  A good middle grade thriller with a dash of magic and a whole lot of great Canadian history. Definitely pick this up if you need a speedy read in the cooler months. Time will zoom by!

  This qualifies as book #3 in my autumn reading challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: action/adventure, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Flights and Chimes and Mysterious Times” by Emma Trevayne

  Posted at 6:45 am by Laura, on October 28, 2015

  Flights and Chimes and Mysterious Times by Emma Trevayne

  Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
  Published: May 2014
  Genre: middle grade, historical fiction, steampunk
  ISBN: 9781442498792
  Goodreads: 3.65
  Rating: ★★★

  Ten-year-old Jack Foster has stepped through a doorway and into quite a different London.

  Londinium is a smoky, dark, and dangerous place, home to mischievous metal fairies and fearsome clockwork dragons that breathe scalding steam. The people wear goggles to protect their eyes, brass grill insets in their nostrils to filter air, or mechanical limbs to replace missing ones.

  Over it all rules the Lady, and the Lady has demanded a new son—a perfect flesh-and-blood child. She has chosen Jack.

  Jack’s wonder at the magic and steam-powered marvels in Londinium lasts until he learns he is the pawn in a very dangerous game. The consequences are deadly, and his only hope of escape, of returning home, lies with a legendary clockwork bird.

  The Gearwing grants wishes—or it did, before it was broken—before it was killed. But some things don’t stay dead forever.

  Jack adores mechanical things. He takes apart clocks just to see the insides, and puts them back together in pristine order. His mother does not find that interesting, but an older man with strange glasses does, and implores Jack’s mother to allow him to take Jack as an apprentice. Little does Jack know that this man is an accomplice for the Lady of Londinium, and when Jack stumbles through a doorway into the smoky, clockwork city, he finds he’s the center of a dangerous plot.

  What a creative, whimsical tale. It reminded me a bit of Alastair Grim’s Odditorium with its steampunk elements and curious protagonists. I am not sure what I was expecting — despite the publisher’s summary stating it exactly on the jacket — but I enjoyed Jack’s adventure and character growth. This is a tale about a child who wanted nothing more than to be accepted and loved for his curious mind, but then then received it by way of dark intentions. It makes the last line of this book all the more powerful.

  All in all, this fits the bill for the kind of MG books I enjoy. One or two things irked me a bit and knocked down the rating, but they’re so nit-picky it’s almost not worth mentioning. Trevayne is an excellent storyteller, but the writing style took a while for me to fall into. That, in turn, influenced the pacing and plot of the story. While I really enjoyed Jack’s scenes with the mechanic and his wind-up girl (my favorites are with them, actually!), I itched for adventure and the Gearwing. By the time the Gearwing entered the picture, the plot sped along and raced to the end.

  If you’re looking for a standalone historical fantasy that makes for a quick read, Flights and Chimes and Mysterious Times is an enchanting book that you must try. Maybe you’ll fall more in love with the writing style, and sink so deeply into the book that Jack’s predicament and the tragedy of the Gearwing hits you right in the feels.

  This qualifies as book #2 in my autumn reading challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: fantasy, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, review

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• Hello, I’m Laura!

  I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent and librarian, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I have a passion for Victorian culture, Gothic lit, and music. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to knit, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm obsessed with popcorn. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!

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