NewsPrints Series

Summary: Blue is an orphan who disguises herself as a newsboy. There's a war going on, and girls are expected to help the struggling economy by selling cookies. But Blue loves living and working at the Bugle, the only paper in town that tells the truth. And what's printed in the newspapers now matters more than ever.

But Blue struggles with her secret, and worries that if her friends and adopted family at the Bugle find out that she's a girl, she'll lose everything and everyone she cares about. And when she meets and befriends Crow, a boy who is also not what he seems, together they seek the freedom to be their true selves... and to save each other.

Thoughts: I fell in love with the first book, just really adored the art and the characters. The second one ran around a lot and was occasionally hard to follow, especially when it brought in a character purely for gender association but really didn't develop them enough to make much impact in the overall story, but still good. All in all a good series, I was a little disappointed the sequel tried to pack so much into the story that, while it managed, it lost some of the beauty that the first created. Still, a great read with a great cast, nice art, and good writing.

Content: Some tough topics in the sequel like gender and equality along with some deep (not graphic but insightful) points on war. So, clean for al ages but children may need help understanding some of the topics discussed here. 

The Spiderwick Chronicles

Summary: After finding a mysterious, handmade field guide in the attic of the ramshackle old mansion they’ve just moved into, Jared; his twin brother, Simon; and their older sister, Mallory, discover that there’s a magical and maybe dangerous world existing parallel to our own—the world of faerie.

The Grace children want to share their story, but the faeries will do everything possible to stop them...

Thoughts: It took me forever to find the whole series and decidedly less time to read them. I'll be honest, I've found I have a hard time being impressed by most modern settings with fairies, sometimes they just feel like they're trying too hard. The Spiderwick Chronicles is definitely not that. Composed in five short books, they manage to pack a whirlwind of adventure and magic that I did not expect. Needless to say, I loved them immediately! Great writing, great storytelling, even better cast, and soaked in magic!

Content: Magic and some mildly frightening scenes with encounters with the fairy world. All in all though, good for all ages. 

The Girl Who Drank The Moon

Summary: Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is kind. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey.

One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. As Luna’s thirteenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to emerge--with dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Deadly birds with uncertain intentions flock nearby. A volcano, quiet for centuries, rumbles just beneath the earth’s surface. And the woman with the Tiger’s heart is on the prowl . . .

Thoughts: This was a mystic and beautiful tale of growing up and family. I really enjoyed the writing style and I was actually fairly surprised by how some of the characters developed in here. Honestly, the character development was the best part of the story as I could rarely predict where they were going next. The plot was good and the setting was intriguing, but it was the strange cast that really keeps you hooked until the end and they don't disappoint!

Content: Magic and some mildly dark plots (abandoning children, attempted murder, near-death experiences), written to still be clean for most ages. 

Immortal Rain Series

Summary: Rain Jewlitt, known as the Methuselah, is a spaced-out, immortal, 624-year-old man dressed in priest's clothes. He's got eternal youth and a large price on his head... put there by those questing after the secret of his immortality.

Machika Balfaltin is a tomboyish, energetic 14-year-old girl who, upon the death of her grandfather, sets out to kill Methuselah, the one bounty her assassin grandfather, Zol the Grim Reaper, couldn't kill. Instead, however, Machika ends up being saved by Rain again and again from other aspiring bounty hunters attacking them both.

Thoughts: This 11 volume manga series was a pretty interesting take on the "hunting an immortal" trope. Reminiscent of Trigun, it follows a laid back immortal trying to just get by in a really long life, his mortal enemy (quite literally), and a kid who has to decide what she she stands for. I really enjoyed the cast and the story itself, with a pretty interesting setting though not enough to go off of to call it world-building. A pretty good read all in all!

Content: Violence, a couple inappropriate sketches of women and implied sexual scenes. Generally clean, good for teens and up. 

Brave Story

Summary: Young Wataru Mitani's life is a mess. His family has problems they never told him about, a new student at school upsets everything he knows about the world, and a girl's voice rings in his mind all hours of the night. Desperately he searches for some way to change his life; a way to alter his fate.

To achieve his goal, he must navigate the magical world of Vision, a land filled with creatures both fierce and friendly. And to complicate matters, he must outwit a merciless rival from the real world.

Wataru's ultimate destination is the Tower of Destiny where a Goddess of fate awaits. Only when he has finished his journey and collected five elusive gemstones will he possess the Demon's Bane; the key that will unlock his future.

Charity, bravery, faith, grace and the power of darkness and light: these are the provinces of each gemstone. Brought together, they have the immeasurable power to change Wataru's life. 

Thoughts: This is a story rivaling many classics in size (it's huge) and content. A heartbreaking story of divorce and family issues seen through the eyes of a twelve-year-old boy, Brave Story packs a punch. Masterfully told, we follow Wataru through his real-world troubles and his Vision-world troubles as he searches for a way to fix his broken family and make sense of his life. The world-building was a little shaky but the characters are great and the story keeps you pretty entertained despite being so big. It's moving and gripping with a culmination that places it with the classics. 

Content: There are some dark moments, magic, and a few mature plots lines like Wataru's father was cheating on his mom, but it is all told through a twelve-year old's point of view so it remains pretty clean. Overall, good for middle-grade and older.  

Furthermore

Summary: Born as blank as canvas in a world brimming with colour and magic, Alice's pale skin and milk-white hair mark her as an outcast. Because, for the people of Ferenwood, colour and magic are one and the same. And since the disappearance of her beloved father, Alice is more determined than ever to prove herself and her own magical abilities.

To do so she'll have to travel into the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, with the help of a fiercely annoying boy named Oliver. But nothing in Furthermore is as it seems, and it will take all of Alice's wits to find her father and return him safely home.

Thoughts: Aaaaand here we are with another Alice in Wonderland retelling, the last for a bit, promise. But I wasn't kidding when I said I like retellings and Furthermore delivers with an especially unique twist in that it has absolutely nothing to do with our world. Even the world Alice originates from is new and interesting. The double-sided world-building was fascinating as well as the intriguing plot that constantly has you wondering what's around every plot twist. Furthermore offers a whole other look into the mysteries of Wonderland and, despite being a retelling, is interestingly original. 

Content: Magic and some mildly creepy scenes. Otherwise, good for all ages!

Happy New Year!

Hope you all are ready for 2021! I know I am, lots of big developments to happen this year, particularly a  brand new to-be-read list. Brace yourselves! 

Playing Hearts

Summary: It begins the way it has always begun: with a card on Mabel’s pillow. But Mabel has been in Underland before, and she’s not so anxious to go back. No matter what name it takes, Underland is always bizarre, always mad, always dangerous.

There’s the Queen of Hearts, terrifying, powerful, and possibly insane. There’s Hatter, purple-eyed and undoubtedly mad. March Hare has always been one sandwich short of a picnic, and Sir Blanc is missing his wits.

And then there’s Jack. Jack the aristocratic son of the Queen. Not quite mad, but not far off. Disinclined to help anyone but himself. A liar. And, thanks to an ancient ceremony performed by the Queen, Mabel’s fiancé.

Fall into the rabbit hole with Mabel as she climbs through tea-pots, battles the Jabberwock, and attempts to overthrow the Queen of Hearts herself.

Don’t lose your head.

And whatever you do, don’t be late...

Thoughts: As mentioned previously, I love retellings, especially of Alice in Wonderland. Also, in case you didn't pick it up in previous posts (here and here) I really love W.R. Gingell's writing style, she manages to capture a great sense of humor along with some very real and loveable characters. This story is no different and masterfully weaves a new take on an old story that had me pretty captivated the whole time. I really appreciated the world-building in here, despite not being a big book, Playing Hearts does a good job of shaping Wonderland and it's systems of rules and madness. I really loved it and highly recommend for any and everyone who wants some a new twist on Alice and her Wonderland. 

Content: Magic and violence, clean for most ages but will probably be most enjoyed by teens and adults. 

Merry Christmas (almost) and happy holidays! Wishing a joyous season to you all!

100 Cupboards

Summary: Twelve-year-old Henry York is going to sleep one night when he hears a bump on the attic wall above his head. It's an unfamiliar house—Henry is staying with his aunt, uncle, and three cousins—so he tries to ignore it. But the next night he wakes up with bits of plaster in his hair. Two knobs have broken through the wall, and one of them is slowly turning...

Henry scrapes the plaster off the wall and discovers doors—ninety-nine cupboards of all different sizes and shapes. Through one he can hear the sound of falling rain. Through another he sees a glowing room—with a man strolling back and forth! Henry and his cousin Henrietta soon understand that these are not just cupboards. They are, in fact, portals to other worlds.

Thoughts: This was a fairly creepy and fascinating book. A bit like The Magician's Nephew meets a Goosebump story, 100 Cupboards has a vaguely classical feel to it combined with a uniquely creepy element, it tackles the idea eagerly that not every world would be friendly and not everyone will wish you well on your journeys. Good writing, good characters, and a better plot to keep you entertained, this was a fun read!

Content: Pretty creepy at times, good for older middle-graders, at least twelve and up!

Momo

Summary: After the sweet-talking gray men come to town, life becomes terminally efficient. Can Momo, a young orphan girl blessed with the gift of listening, vanquish the ashen-faced time thieves before joy vanishes forever?

Thoughts: From the author of The Neverending Story, Momo is a sweet and curious tale about time, magic, friendship, and community. I really enjoyed this story and highly recommend it as a read-aloud for families!

Content: Some magic but otherwise a clean tale for all ages. 

The Supernaturalist

Summary: In the future, in a place called Satelite City, fourteen-year-old Cosmo Hill enters the world, unwanted by his parents. He's sent to the Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys, Freight class. At Clarissa Frayne, the boys are put to work by the state, testing highly dangerous products. At the end of most days, they are covered with burns, bruises, and sores. Cosmo realizes that if he doesn't escape, he will die at this so-called orphanage. When the moment finally comes, Cosmo seizes his chance and breaks out with the help of the Supernaturalists, a motley crew of kids who all have the same special ability as Cosmo-they can see supernatural Parasites, creatures that feed on the life force of humans. The Supernaturalists patrol the city at night, hunting the Parasites in hopes of saving what's left of humanity in Satellite City. Or so they think. The Supernaturalist soon find themselves caught in a web far more complicated than they'd imagined when they discover a horrifying secret that will force them to question everything they believe in.

Thoughts: This was a fun sci-fi story about a bunch of street kids and dystopian style city. Colfer's writing style is engaging and fun with good characters and an interesting plot. A great read for fans of the sci-fi genre, especially in regards to world-building.

Content: Some mild language, violence, and creepy scenes. Good for middle-grade readers and up. 

The Guardians Series

Summary: Of course you know the Guardians. You’ve known them since before you can remember: Santa, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, the Easter Bunny, Jack Frost. But...where did they come from? And what nefarious evil-doer forced to band together to protect the children of the world?

Thoughts: So, this series came out after the movie Rise of the Guardians that it's connected to. I put off reading these books for years because it looked like another scheme to milk the franchise and that usually produces underdeveloped stories meant to sell, not engage. Eventually, though, I caved on a rainy day and rented the first book from the library. Currently, my only regret is that I didn't just buy it outright. These books are amazingly well written, beautifully illustrated, and full of riveting plot and fascinating characters. This series is written with the beautiful, dreamy quality of fairytales and classics. I cannot recommend them enough, they are the type of books you read a million times and grow old with. This is one story broken up into a series so the books are meant to be read in order to fully enjoy them. 

Content: Magic and some frightening scenes. Otherwise, good for all ages!

Bed-Knob and Broomstick

Summary: When prim and proper Miss Price from next door falls off her broomstick, Carey, Charles and Paul discover that she's actually a witch. In order to keep them quiet, Miss Price gives the three children a gift - an enchanted bedknob that will whisk them off anywhere they want, for as long as they keep her secret. And so their adventures begin...

Thoughts: This is a classic story who's movie may be more well known than the book. Though I did grow up on the film, I only had the chance to read the book recently and it was adorable! Good writing, funny story, and endearing characters! Right up there with E. Nesbit!

Content: Magic and witches but otherwise good for all ages! 

Breadcrumbs

Summary: Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. They had been best friends since they were six, spending hot Minneapolis summers and cold Minneapolis winters together, dreaming of Hogwarts and Oz, superheroes and baseball. Now that they were eleven, it was weird for a boy and a girl to be best friends. But they couldn't help it - Hazel and Jack fit, in that way you only read about in books. And they didn't fit anywhere else.

And then, one day, it was over. Jack just stopped talking to Hazel. And while her mom tried to tell her that this sometimes happens to boys and girls at this age, Hazel had read enough stories to know that it's never that simple. And it turns out, she was right. Jack's heart had been frozen, and he was taken into the woods by a woman dressed in white to live in a palace made of ice. Now, it's up to Hazel to venture into the woods after him. Hazel finds, however, that these woods are nothing like what she's read about, and the Jack that Hazel went in to save isn't the same Jack that will emerge. Or even the same Hazel.

Thoughts: The Snow Queen is one of my favorite fairytales and I'm constantly looking for retellings, similar to Alice in Wonderland. One retelling that came highly recommended was this book. Honestly, it was hard to get into the story in the beginning as it started off pretty slowly. Once it finally picked up though, it was a pretty good story and a fascinating retelling, really capturing the fairytale feel of the original story. I definitely recommend it!

Content: Some creepy scenes and magic. Otherwise, clean for all ages. 

The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance

Summary: Murder, mystery, and adventure aren’t your typical birthday presents . . .
But for Theo, anything that breaks up his ordinary routine is the perfect gift.
A mysterious “illness” and Theo’s guardians force him into a life indoors, where gloves must be worn and daily medical treatments are the norm. When Theo discovers a suspicious package on his birthday, one person from the past will unlock the secret behind Theo’s “illness” and change his life forever.
Thoughts: There's not a lot I can say about this book without giving away plot. Suffice to say we really enjoyed this book! Great mystery, good writing, and engaging characters make this a must-read!

Content: Some mild language and creepy moments. Otherwise good for most ages!

The Iron Trial

Summary: Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial.

Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.

All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him.

So he tries his best to do his worst - and fails at failing.

Now the Magisterium awaits him. It's a place that's both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future.

The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come . . .

Thoughts: despite falling into a fairly common section of middle-grade literature with wanna-be's for Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, this book actually stands on its own feet pretty well. An interesting plot and good writing barely make this story stand out, what does put it in the spotlight is the curious cast of characters. The main three, especially, are fun to follow in this book but hold a lot of potential for the rest of the series. All in all, a good book that leaves you curious to see where it goes next.

Content: Magic, mild violence, and a few mildly creepy scenes put this book on the older side of middle-grade books, thus, generally ok for most ages. 

Hannah Coulter

Summary: Hannah, the now-elderly narrator, recounts the love she has for the land and for her community. She remembers each of her two husbands, and all places and community connections threatened by twentieth-century technologies. At risk is the whole culture of family farming, hope redeemed when her wayward and once lost grandson, Virgil, returns to his rural home place to work the farm. 

Thoughts: Hannah Coulter is the bittersweet tale of a life gone by. We see Hannah's childhood and early adult life during war times and how the world recovered afterward from the loss and damage left behind. We see a quiet tale of times changing and how the land and people change with it, moving on and coming full circle at the same time. A moving book that is well written, with the background of life itself more of a focus than the specific people. The cast is still well developed and enjoyable, almost guaranteed to make readers cry.

Content: War, adult relationships, and other hard topics plus writing style make this a good read for adults. 

A Glory of Unicorns

Summary: An award-winning author compiles twelve stories from popular fantasy writers to demonstrate the importance of magic in everyday life and show how unicorns are a prime source of this power.

Thoughts: So rarely do we see any modern stories depicting unicorns without wings or sparkly rainbows. I love this book because of its compilation of vastly different stories, and poems, that all depict accurately interesting unicorns. 

Ok, rant over. Really though, this book is great. There's a little something here for every fantasy fan and we highly recommend it!

Content: Some mild violence and language in some of the stories and magic in just about everything. Still good for most ages!

Alex and the Ironic Gentleman

Summary: Often mistaken for a boy because of her haircut and name, Alex Morningside is an inquisitive girl of ten-and-a-half who attends the prestigious Wigpowder-Steele Academy. Unfortunately, though she loves to learn, Alex just can’t bring herself to enjoy her classes. Her teachers are all old and smelly and don’t seem to know about anything that has happened in the world the past thirty years, and her peers…well they are quite simply ridiculous. Luckily for Alex, the new school year brings an exciting new teacher. Mr. Underwood makes lessons fun and teaches her how to fence. But Mr. Underwood has a mysterious family secret - the swashbuckling and buried treasure kind - and not everyone is glad he has come to Wigpowder-Steele. When the infamous pirates of a ship called the Ironic Gentleman kidnap Mr. Underwood, Alex sets off on a journey to rescue him, along the way encountering a cast of strange and magical characters, including the dashing and sometimes heroic Captain Magnanimous, Coriander the Conjurer, the Extremely Ginormous Octopus, and the wicked Daughters of the Founding Fathers’ Preservation Society.

Thoughts: This was a funny and cute story about a small girl and a crazy adventure. Good writing and interesting characters carry the story along. My one problem with the story is that it starts off fairly realistic with an almost real-world setting, but quickly spirals into fantasy and some of it felt a little disjointed with the rest of the story. But, had I been aware of it beforehand, I may have enjoyed it more. I still recommend giving it a try for a fun, lighthearted, read.

Content: Some mild violence. Otherwise, good for all ages!