Deephaven by Ethan M. Aldridge

Available now

Ages 8-12, 288 pages

I was first introduced to Aldridge’s work with his graphic novel Estranged. The Kid selected that one during one of our many bookstore runs and I fell instantly in love with his art style. When I saw the news about Deephaven, I immeadiately went to all the usual ARC request sites and placed my request. Yes, I was sent an advanced digital copy and yes, life got in the way and I’m late getting the review out.

From the Publisher:

When Guinevere "Nev’" Tallow receives an acceptance letter to Deephaven Academy, an exclusive and secluded school, they know it’s the fresh start that they’ve been looking for.

But things are strange from the moment they arrive—the house itself seems to breathe, students whisper secrets in dark corridors, and the entire east wing of the academy is locked away for reasons no one wants to explain. And Nev knows something strange and ragged stalks the shadowy corridors, something that sobs quietly and scratches at the walls, waiting to be released.

With the help of another first-year student, Nev takes it upon themself to unravel the mysteries hidden in Deephaven's halls. But will they risk their fresh start to bring the academy’s secret to light?

Deephaven is a beautifully written coming of age story set in a magical boarding school. If you have a young fantasy reader in your life, this book is a perfect addition to their bookshelf. It's the perfect balance of compelling story, quiet character development, and a gentle spookiness perfect for young readers. There are several parts that involve some fantasy violence and scariness, but it’s all age appropriate and written with care for the readers.

You can feel the love and care Aldridge has put into his characters and their story. Nev is struggling with a complicated home life and knows that Deephaven could be their way to a happier life. But with a fresh start comes other complications that many readers will readily identify with: finding new friends, the stress of a new environment, and wanting to fit in. Anyone who has been the new kid knows how scary that can be.

I loved this book and if you want to add it your shelf, you can click on the cover above, or here, for ordering information.

Thanks to Edelweiss and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post may also contain associate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.

Holiday Book Gift Guide: 9 Spooky Middle Grade Books That I Love

Here’s a post from October with my favorite middle grade spooky books for your young spooky book fan!

It’s Spooky Reading Season! These are some of the most popular books going out at the Library right now, and, they also happen to be some of my favorite middle grade horror novels. I’ve done my best to add in any content warnings that I remember from my reading, but as always, you may want to preview before handing these off to kids. All are super spooky but some contain more humor than spook so there should be something for everyone.

CW: Parental death, grief, bullying, threats to children

Eleven year-old Ollie has been dealt a tragic blow that is affecting her relationships at home and at school. When a magical book finds it’s way to her through troubling means, Ollie becomes obsessed with the book and the characters found within. Ollie’s obsession becomes reality when a class field trip takes her to the graves of the very people she is reading about.

Now, Ollie and two of her classmates must battle unimaginable forces to save themselves and the lives of their classmates.

CW: Violence, Mild Violence, Discrimination, Disability

From the Publisher: When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?

Barnhill is an excellent writer and crafts beautifully written fantasy stories about family and friendship.

Charlie Hernández loves the myths and stories his abuela told him growing up. When he begins to turn into something similar to a creature from one his favorite stories, Charlie knows he’s in for an adventure. Charlie is quickly thrown into a world of brujas, magic, monsters, and danger!

This is a great pick for kids who are looking for action, adventure, and lots of magic!

CW: Cruelty to Animals, Mild Language, Mild Violence

When Mup’s father is kidnapped by witches, Mup and her mother must set off on a journey to rescue him from the evil queen who has outlawed magic. This evil queen also happens to be her grandmother…

For readers who love a character on a magical journey, as well as family and political drama.

CW: Parental death, majority of the book takes place in a funeral parlor, kid danger and peril

When Molly’s neglectful father passes away, Molly returns to her mother’s home to collect her inheritance. What she finds, is a brother who doesn’t want her around and his business partner who really wants her to leave. But Molly is persistent and she has a plan to get what she wants.

What she doesn’t anticipate is the business she so badly wants a stake in is a mortuary for monsters.

Yep. She’s about to find out the supernatural is all around her and she and her brother will have to work together to keep the monsters safe.

CW: death of a grandparent, racism, segregation, harassment, gun violence

After the death of their grandmother, eleven year-old twins Jezebel and Jay begin training in root work with their uncle. Their family has crafted small potions and charms for their community for generations but when a dark force begins to threaten their home and community, Jez and Jay discover their magic goes far deeper.

An excellent story that weaves history, culture, magic, and mystery seamlessly.

Portal fantasy! When her parents go missing after a series of mysterious letters are delivered to their home, Emily must gather her courage and clues to rescue them. Emily discovers a parallel London, full of magic, mystery, and the fae.

This is book 1 in a 3 book series so if your Reader loves it, there are more books!

A funnier take on the spooky tale

This is a much lighter and funnier take on the spooky story. Will Hunter is dealing with his parent’s divorce, a move to a new town, and a brand new school. On top of all that stress, he seems to be the only one who notices all the spooky stuff in his town. There are monsters where his teachers should be and weird stuff all over the town’s streets. Luckily for Will, he makes friends with the school outcasts and together, they work to solve the mystery of the super spooky shenanigans.

This book is a ton of fun and has a mysterious secret narrator!

This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.

Middle Grade Horror Review: Mine by Delilah S. Dawson

Available now

Reader Friends, kids these days don’t understand how good they have it. Mine by Delilah S. Dawson is legit scary!

CW: ghostly harm to children, very strained parental/child relationship, the dog is fine at the end

From the Publisher:

Lily Horne is a drama queen. It's helped her rise to stardom in the school play, but it's also landed her in trouble. Her parents warn her that Florida has to be different. It's a fresh start. No theatrics. But this time, the drama is coming for her.

The Hornes’ new house is awful. The pool is full of slime, the dock is rotten, and the swamp creeps closer every day. But worst of all, the house isn't empty . . . it's packed full of trash, memories, and, Lily begins to fear, the ghost of the girl who lived there before her.

And whatever is waiting in the shadows wants to come out to play.

Mine is extremely creepy and chilling. Lily and her parents have moved to swampy Florida, thousands of miles from her beloved Colorado, to live in a house that was too good of a deal to pass up. The reason it’s such a good price? The former tenant was a hoarder and the house is bursting at the seams with all of the trash and delivery boxes. Because the state of the house is so overwhelming, and the family’s storage container hasn’t shown up yet, the already tense relationship Lily has with her parents is at a near breaking point. We know something happened in Colorado that forced the family to move suddenly, and we’re led to believe Lily feels it’s her fault throughout the entire book. Lily’s dad starts his new job immediately and it’s up to Lily and her mom to clean out the mountains of trash and turn their disaster of a house into a home. So when creepy things start happening in the house, Lily’s parents have zero patience for her drama and insist it’s all in her head. Lily spends most of the story feeling ignored, hurt, and betrayed by her parents actions. Lily feels like a character that many kids will be able to relate with. She has to move unexpectedly, leave her friends behind, and finds herself alone and terrorized by a ghost that no one believes is there. Lily is also a smart and determined kid who knows she’s the only one who can save herself and she does.

If you have a middle grade reader who loves horror, this book is perfect. It’s chilling, atmospheric, and very creepy. If you’d like a copy of your own, you can find ordering information here:

As always, this post may contain affiliate links and I may earn from qualifying purchases. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

9 Spooky Middle Grade Books That I Love

It’s Spooky Reading Season! These are some of the most popular books going out at the Library right now, and, they also happen to be some of my favorite middle grade horror novels. I’ve done my best to add in any content warnings that I remember from my reading, but as always, you may want to preview before handing these off to kids. All are super spooky but some contain more humor than spook so there should be something for everyone.

CW: Parental death, grief, bullying, threats to children

Eleven year-old Ollie has been dealt a tragic blow that is affecting her relationships at home and at school. When a magical book finds it’s way to her through troubling means, Ollie becomes obsessed with the book and the characters found within. Ollie’s obsession becomes reality when a class field trip takes her to the graves of the very people she is reading about.

Now, Ollie and two of her classmates must battle unimaginable forces to save themselves and the lives of their classmates.

CW: Violence, Mild Violence, Discrimination, Disability

From the Publisher: When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms?

Barnhill is an excellent writer and crafts beautifully written fantasy stories about family and friendship.

Charlie Hernández loves the myths and stories his abuela told him growing up. When he begins to turn into something similar to a creature from one his favorite stories, Charlie knows he’s in for an adventure. Charlie is quickly thrown into a world of brujas, magic, monsters, and danger!

This is a great pick for kids who are looking for action, adventure, and lots of magic!

CW: Cruelty to Animals, Mild Language, Mild Violence

When Mup’s father is kidnapped by witches, Mup and her mother must set off on a journey to rescue him from the evil queen who has outlawed magic. This evil queen also happens to be her grandmother…

For readers who love a character on a magical journey, as well as family and political drama.

CW: Parental death, majority of the book takes place in a funeral parlor, kid danger and peril

When Molly’s neglectful father passes away, Molly returns to her mother’s home to collect her inheritance. What she finds, is a brother who doesn’t want her around and his business partner who really wants her to leave. But Molly is persistent and she has a plan to get what she wants.

What she doesn’t anticipate is the business she so badly wants a stake in is a mortuary for monsters.

Yep. She’s about to find out the supernatural is all around her and she and her brother will have to work together to keep the monsters safe.

CW: death of a grandparent, racism, segregation, harassment, gun violence

After the death of their grandmother, eleven year-old twins Jezebel and Jay begin training in root work with their uncle. Their family has crafted small potions and charms for their community for generations but when a dark force begins to threaten their home and community, Jez and Jay discover their magic goes far deeper.

An excellent story that weaves history, culture, magic, and mystery seamlessly.

Portal fantasy! When her parents go missing after a series of mysterious letters are delivered to their home, Emily must gather her courage and clues to rescue them. Emily discovers a parallel London, full of magic, mystery, and the fae.

This is book 1 in a 3 book series so if your Reader loves it, there are more books!

A funnier take on the spooky tale

This is a much lighter and funnier take on the spooky story. Will Hunter is dealing with his parent’s divorce, a move to a new town, and a brand new school. On top of all that stress, he seems to be the only one who notices all the spooky stuff in his town. There are monsters where his teachers should be and weird stuff all over the town’s streets. Luckily for Will, he makes friends with the school outcasts and together, they work to solve the mystery of the super spooky shenanigans.

This book is a ton of fun and has a mysterious secret narrator!

This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.

Ghost Girl by Ally Malinenko

Available Now

Zee Puckett loves ghost stories. She just never expected to be living one.

It all starts with a dark and stormy night. When the skies clear, everything is different. People are missing. There’s a creepy new principal who seems to know everyone’s darkest dreams. And Zee is seeing frightening things: large, scary dogs that talk and maybe even . . . a ghost.

When she tells her classmates, only her best friend Elijah believes her. Worse, mean girl Nellie gives Zee a cruel nickname: Ghost Girl.

But whatever the storm washed up isn’t going away. Everyone’s most selfish wishes start coming true in creepy ways.

To fight for what’s right, Zee will have to embrace what makes her different and what makes her Ghost Girl. And all three of them—Zee, Elijah, and Nellie—will have to work together if they want to give their ghost story a happy ending.

I absolutely adore this book! Filled with delightfully spooky elements, fierce friendships, and a complicated family life, Ghost Girl is a dark adventure perfect for middle grade readers. Zee is an outsider. Picked on by the class bully Nellie, Zee spends most of her time with her best friend Elijah. Together, the two of them can overcome anything, even the strange events that seem to coincide with the arrival of their new principal, Principal Scratch. People around town are acting strangely and suddenly, the rumors about Zee’s mother having the ability to speak to ghosts don’t seem so far-fetched. As tensions increase around town, Zee and Elijah must work together with an unlikely ally to save their town from the dark and sinister Principal Scratch.

This book is very relatable to young readers. There are many different types of families and living situations represented in Ghost Girl. Zee and her sister are living on their own after their father leaves town to look for work. Elijah has a mother who is battling mental illness and a father who is constantly criticizing him and desperately wants his son to live the same the childhood fueled by football that he had. Nellie, a spoiled bully, has parents who seem to be uninterested in her and pay her little attention, but do shower her in the latest clothes and tech.

I really enjoyed the creepy school principal elements. The author has imbued Principal Scratch with all the characteristics of a shady motivational speaker who is secretly trying to take over the town. Watching the principal quickly worm his way into the hearts and minds of the members of the town was eerie and disconcerting. The entire town is filled with a weirdness that is hard to put your finger on and helps to enhance the overall haunted feel of the story.

Ghost Girl is an excellent spine-chilling read for middle grade readers. It has the right amount of spookiness to draw readers in and a fast-paced plot that will keep them engage.

Thank you so much to Katherine Tegen Books for sending me a beautiful copy of this book. All mistakes and opinions are completely my own. Interested in putting this amazing book into the hands of your favorite middle grade reader? You can find ordering information here:

This post contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.

Root Magic by Eden Royce

Available Now

Reader Friends, this book is amazing. While it's audience is 8-12 year-olds, this 30-something, I have a couple years left, was absolutely enthralled from start to finish.

Set in 1963, Jezebel and her twin brother Jay have just lost their grandmother days before their eleventh birthday. Struggling with their grief, their small family has to deal with harassment from the local police and stares and whispers from the neighbors and classmates who don't understand their use of root magic. As Jezebel and Jay begin root magic lessons with their uncle, they discover there was more to the stories their grandmother would tell them, and the simple cures and potions their uncle mixes up for neighbors are just the beginning of their powerful heritage.

This books truly has everything. There is history, family drama, school drama, two children coming of age, magic, and adventure. These characters are written with such love and care you can feel it pouring from the page. Jezebel and Jay are very close and have a very realistic relationship. Many children will be able to see themselves in the studious and kind Jezebel as well as in the fun-loving and practical Jay. I really loved how the author showed the strain on their relationship when Jezebel was asked to skip a grade while her brother was not. While you know Jay is proud of his sister, it has to hurt to know that your twin is better at something than you. This dynamic is shown again as the twins discover more about their magical gifts and develop those gifts in different ways.

I loved how the author really focused on family and history in telling the adventures of Jez and Jay. Their deep connection to their family's practice in root magic grounds and guides both children. As the twins discover more and more about the magical world around them, knowing that they have a connection to their family gives them courage and hope to deal with some very scary situations.

If you have a middle grade reader who loves magic and adventure, this will be a perfect book for them. I absolutely love and adore it and I can't wait for more children to discover it.

If you would like to add this wonderful book to your collection, you can find ordering options here:

This post contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases. I read my Library's copy of this book and as always, request books from your Library. Librarians love to buy books.

The Mystwick School of Musicraft by Jessica Khoury

Available Now

361 pages

978-1-328-62563-2

If you have a Harry Potter fan in your life, they will love this book! Set in a magical school, students learn how to conduct spells using musical instruments. Literally playing songs to make trees grow and clouds to rain. I love it!

Amelia Jones has one goal: be admitted to the prestigious Mystwick School of Musicraft, the same school her mother attended. But Amelia’s grandmother doesn’t want her to have anything to do with magic, magic that may have caused her daughter’s death. Growing up without parents has been extremely hard on Amelia and she uses that grief to focus on her magic and being the best flute player the school has ever seen.

After a disastrous audition, Amelia is convinced she will never attend the elite magical school, but a last minute acceptance letter is her dream come true. Like any school, magical or not, making new friends can be tricky and trying to make new friends in such a competitive environment is nearly impossible. When Amelia finds herself at odds with her roommate, she doesn’t hold out any hope for a fun and exciting school year. A mysterious force appears to want Amelia to fail and the truth about her admittance nearly causes Amelia to be expelled. Amelia must use all of her gifts, and some help from higher powers, to make it through the school year, and save the school.

This is such a fun book! Mystwick really focuses on Amelia’s struggles to fit in at an elite school and find her true self. Her mother was a powerful musician and Amelia is constantly comparing herself to a mother she has never met and has set impossible goals for herself. Jessica Khoury has a created a story that shows the different ways that grief can affect children and the pressure that can be unknowingly placed on them.

Mystwick is full of fun school hijinks and pranks. There’s secret societies, impossible teachers, classes on mountain tops, and friendships that survive through thick and thin. Not going to lie, I bought this book for my Library based on the cover and title, and I’m so glad I did. It’s a really fun magical adventure that any middle grade reader will love.

If you would like a copy for yourself, you can find one here:

More from Jessica Khoury (Middle Grade):

Similar Titles:

Gloom Town by Ronald L. Smith

Available Now

Set in a fictional seaside village on the continent Europica, Gloom Town is an atmospheric and delightfully creepy story of magical planes, mythical creatures, and dark secrets. 

Desperately wanting to help his single mother with the family finances, Rory applies for a valet job at the mysterious Foxglove Manor. When he gets the job, his excitement over financial freedom quickly diminishes with every dark and lonely day on the job. Days spent dusting and cleaning are followed by cold nights and mysterious dinner parties. When Rory’s life is put in danger, he and his best friend Izzy must use their smarts and bravery to save themselves, and the whole of Gloom Town. 

This is a fantastic middle grade adventure with lots of spooky elements that can get a bit dark so it’d be best for those over ages 9 or 10. Rory and Izzy are great characters who are both relatable and interesting. Both children have been gifted some sort of magical power that they learn the true strength of their powers with each other’s help. Even with their special gifts, both children are incredibly brave and strong and show true loyalty to their families and each other. 

Rory and his mother are struggling to make it financially and that’s even with her working two jobs. Their desire for financial security is, unfortunately, going to be very relatable to many young readers. 

The story moves quickly with plenty of action to keep readers interested. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the town and the way that the townspeople are seen as a close knit community. Foxglove Manor is a dark and creepy mansion with mysterious suits of armor and creepy paintings and you could feel how cold and hungry Rory was while there. This would be great for those readers that a book with a strong sense of place and atmosphere. Ronald L. Smith is a multiple award winner including the Coretta Scott King award for his novel Hoodoo and his writing is a delight to read. I’m very excited to add this to our Children’s Department Spooky and Scary shelf. 

I don’t call it the Horror section, the grown-ups get weird about kids reading horror.  Call it Spooky and Scary and they don’t blink an eye. 

If you have a middle grade fantasy lover in your life, you can grab them a copy of Gloom Town, and help support the site, here:

More from Ronald L. Smith:

Books similar to Gloom Town:

As always, purchasing through the links helps support the site as I am a member of the Amazon Associates Program.

The Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander

The Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander

Available now

From the colorful and beautiful cover art to the page turning adventure inside, every single page of this book is delightful.  I especially like the extra touch on the back cover-our adventuress Lenora is holding a lantern and the cover is glossy where the light would shine out.  Very well done.

Lenora is lucky in many ways-she’s highly intelligent, has wealthy parents, and her nanny is completely inattentive.  You would think that riding around in a limo all day would be exciting, but to Lenora, it’s just like riding along with anyone else as they do errands for themselves and completely ignore you. You know, like grocery shopping?   All that changes when Lenora’s nanny visits the Library to find a book that will impress one of her friends. While there, Lenora sneaks off and is quickly caught up in a strange and wonderful adventure. Lenora finds herself working as a Fourth Assistant Apprentice Librarian under the watchful eyes of Malachi, the Chief Answerer.  From there, she helps out time-travelling robots, the King of Starpoint, ants, and tardigrades! Flying through space, being shrunk and unshrunk, and even riding an ant are just the beginning of Lenora’s adventures as a Librarian. But it’s not all fun and games. There are evil people lurking about in bowler hats and trench coats-that’s how you know they’re evil, it’s always a trench coat-and they are intent on stopping Lenora from succeeding at her job.  What they don’t know is that Lenora is fearless and determined. She doesn’t back down from any task and is willing to jump right in to save her patrons.

I ordered this for the Youth Department at the Library and I couldn’t wait to read it over my lunch break.  Ok, so I may have read half of it while the Boss was gone and then read the other half over my break, but really, does it matter?

It’s a fast paced story with a new adventure every few pages which will keep kids engaged.  Lenora is a really well written character-she’s smart, courageous, and willing to try anything once, but she’s also not a snotty brat who is really annoying.  As Lenora helps out her Patrons her name badge changes to add different titles such as “MOOSE Pioneer” and it was fun to see how her accomplishments would be worded on her badge after each adventure.  I’m hoping there will be more books after this that follow Lenora on to bigger and grander adventures-maybe even to train an apprentice herself. That would be cute.

If you would like this gem for the kid in your life, or yourself, you can grab one here:

Seventh Grade Vs. The Galaxy by Joshua S. Levy

Available March 5, 2019 from Lerner Publishing Group

Jack is your typical seventh grader except that his school is anything but typical.  Jack attends PSS 118, a middle school that is currently orbiting Ganymede, a moon of Jupiter.  

That’s right-middle school in space!

What could possibly go wrong when you put several hundred middle school aged children on  a ship in space? Just the ship suddenly launching into light speed and being attacked by mysterious aliens who are intent on brainwashing all the students and placing them in prison.

Are all of the highly dedicated and highly trained teachers going to save the day? Of course not! This is a middle grade science fiction adventure-the kids are going to save the day!

Jack’s dad was the science teacher on board the ship until he was caught making modifications to the ship’s engines without permission.  With the ship under attack, Jack discovers that those engine modifications weren’t the only thing that Jack’s dad altered. He also gave Jack special access to the computers in case of emergency.  It’s with this new discovery, and the help of his amazing friends, that Jack will try to save his classmates and teachers from the evil Minister.

This book was a lot of fun-there’s tons of action, snarky attitude, friendship drama, and crabby lunch lady robots.  I found Jack to be a very relatable character. He has a mom who left the family, is being bullied at school because of a mistake his father made, and is trying to find his place in the world.  All of this stress has placed a strain on his friendships with Ari and Becka and their relationships are tested over and over.

There is a lot that goes on this book that will interest young readers.  There’s time travel, alien shopping malls, and even an alien arcade. I really enjoyed the crabby lunch lady robots and their constant complaints about working conditions.  

This was a great story.  If you have a young reader who would be interested in this title, you can get a copy here:

Full disclosure time:  I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley.  Thank you to Netgalley and Lerner Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Cogheart by Peter Bunzl

I love steampunk!  The incredible inventions requiring cogs and steam valves, the fashion, the goggles, the explosions!  Airships galore! Steampunk is so much fun to read and I was very excited to come across a steampunk inspired story for middle grade readers.  

Cogheart introduces us to Lily Grantham, a young girl living at a horrible finishing school for young ladies learning all about how to be a respectable young lady and nothing about her dream job-becoming an airship captain and air-pirate. When she is told the horrible news of her inventor father’s disappearance after his airship crashes, Lily is sent home to live with her father’s housekeeper Madame Verdigris and the household staff that is almost entirely comprised of automatons.  But home is wasn’t she remembers. Many of the automatons have been run down and their maintenance neglected. The housekeeper is now in charge and has moved into her father’s rooms. Told she is now destitute due to her father’s poor management, Lily is devastated to learn all of her father’s automatons will be sold. While Madame Verdigris continues to search the house for valuables, Lilly learns her father had created a perpetual motion machine that would change the future of mechanicals and automatons.  Thinking she has found the secret, Lilly escapes her home and sets out to seek help from the only person she thinks she can trust, her godfather Professor Silverfish.

Along the way, Lilly finds an ally in Robert Townsend, the son of a clockmaker who discovers a mechanical fox being chased by ruthless gun-toting thugs.  After rescuing and repairing the fox, Peter discovers the fox belongs to John Hartman, father to Lily and that she is in great danger. Together, Lilly and Robert set out on a dangerous mission to find what really happened to Lilly’s father, save her family’s fortune and mechanicals, and find the mysterious device that has put them all in danger.

Packed full of action and adventure, Cogheart is a thrilling story of love, family, and the drive to protect those you care about.  There’s airship battles, evil mechanical men, and plenty of shady characters who cannot be trusted.  Lilly and Robert make a wonderful team and are both incredibly smart and brave. Lilly never saw the mechanicals as machines or servants, they were her friends and some, just like family. The relationship between Lilly and her mechanical friends really highlights the importance of being kind to everyone-especially those that are different from you.   

This was a really fun read and I highly recommend it for your favorite middle grade reader and steampunk lover in your life. It’s the first book in a trilogy and I’m excited to see what adventures Lilly and Robert have next!

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Full disclosure time:  I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley.  Thank you to Netgalley and Jolly Fish Press for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions are my own.

The Train to Impossible Places by P.G. Bell

When the world starts to get a bit heavy, I love getting lost in a good fantasy novel.  Make-believe worlds, magical systems, and creatures of all shapes and sizes can take you away from the real world for a time and give your mind that much needed break.  When things began looking particularly dire, like the latest round of news cycles, I knew I needed something really fantastic and most importantly, fun.

Enter, Middle Grade Fantasy!  This genre is one of my new favorites and my latest adventure was The Train to Impossible Places by P.G. Bell.  Reader friends, buckle up because this is one fun and wild ride!

When Suzy wakes up to strange noises in her house one night, she is shocked to find train tracks running through her home and her parents sound asleep on the couch.  The train tracks turn out to be for the Impossible Postal Express train that is owned and operated by trolls and delivers packages to all of the Impossible Places.

So what does Suzy do?  She jumps aboard of course! Thinking she will have an incredible adventure and be back home before her parents wake up, Suzy’s plans quickly head south when her first package begs her to be saved-yes, the package- from the evil witch.  Now in a race to save her mysterious package, her new friends, and the wondrous world of Impossible Places, Suzy must rely on her love of physics and wits to save the day. Along the way, Suzy will discover new friends, amazing new places, and help stop an evil mastermind who is meddling in the workings of other Impossible Places.  

Suzy is a wonderful character.  She’s smart, loves physics, is inquisitive and her bravery knows no end.  She is one of those really good kids that doesn’t come off as annoying or preachy-she just really seems to be a genuinely good kid and does her best to be a kind friend and fix her mistakes.  

I absolutely loved the descriptions of the Impossible Places!  All of the different worlds and the way the train tracks would adapt to each was really fun.  There are a few illustrations of the different worlds and the train that were wonderful-I wish they had been in color, but that’s just what I always prefer.  I really loved Suzy’s undersea adventure with the treasure hunters-super cute. The fact that a postal train will deliver a message in a bottle and gossip to sailor ghosts is just delightful.  

If you have an adventure loving reader who is looking for their next fantastical escapade, I would highly recommend this for independent readers-grades 4 & up. If you’re reading this aloud, it would be great for younger kids as well.  According to Amazon’s website, book 2 in the series should be available October 2019.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Full disclosure time:  I borrowed this copy from my local library. In fact, I ordered for my own Youth Department.  Always check your library first and if they don’t have it, recommend they buy a copy.  We really do like getting recommendations!

The Boy, The Bird & The Coffin Maker by Matilda Woods

Isn’t this a gorgeous cover?

I’m pretty sure I heard about this book from one of the dozen book-related podcasts I listen to but for the life of me, I can’t remember which one. The title was catchy and I remember some raving about wonderful writing but I couldn’t recall what the book was actually about. It came as part of a huge stack of Library holds and I was worried I wouldn’t get a chance to get around to it. Luckily, the Hubs had a meeting and The Kid was occupied and the chicken needed some time to roast which left just enough time to devour this little book about love, family, and believing in something bigger than yourself.

The Boy, The Bird & The Coffin Maker is about those three things-a little boy who needs a home, a loyal bird, and an old man who needs a family. When sickness hits the small magical village of Allora, where the fish literally jump out of the sea and into your arms, few are spared. Alberto, who used to be the furniture maker, becomes the coffin maker when his wife and three children die alongside many others in the village including the original coffin maker. Now all alone, Alberto devotes his time to ensuring the villagers all have a coffin and a funeral when they pass. After the death of a local woman, Alberto begins to notice food missing from his kitchen. When he finally catches the thief he is surprised by how young the culprit is and can’t figure out where the boy had come from. Could the recently deceased woman had a child? How did no one ever know? It turns out, Tito and his mother had been on the run for years trying to stay ahead of his cruel father. With Tito is a mysterious bird who won’t leave Tito’s side. But Tito won’t need to be alone if he can just learn to trust Alberto and start a new life as a coffin maker’s apprentice. When Tito’s father comes to Allora looking for his son, Alberto has to do all he can to keep Tito safe.

With this being such a slim, little book, I don’t want to give too much more away. The writing is absolutely gorgeous and I really loved this story. Alberto is a genuinely kind and compassionate person who wants what’s best for TIto. Opening up his home to Tito allowed him to finish grieving for his lost family and to find a purpose to continue on with his life. The mayor of the town is a wonderfully rich buffoon who hires Alberto to make him a the grandest and most expensive coffin. Their interactions were very funny and I loved how Alberto was always able to semi-politely run him off.

The character of Fia, Tito’s mysterious bird, was very interesting. Alberto has no idea what type of bird she is and after injuring her wings, she doesn’t fly as well as she should. At the beginning of the story, Fia fits inside Tito’s shirt pocket. Throughout the story she steadily grows larger and larger until at the end, she becomes so large her wings span half the room. It’s with her discovery of a ruby flower that Alberto and Tito have a way to escape Tito’s father.

The writing was absolutely wonderful and I really enjoyed this story. While it’s a middle grade novel, don’t shy away from it if you completed middle school a few decades ago-it’s a great book.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Matilda Woods has another book, The Girl Who Sailed the Stars, set to be published in June of 2019.

Full disclosure- I borrowed this copy from my local library.  Always check your library first and if they don’t have it, recommend they buy a copy.  We really do like getting recommendations!

Sunday Library Love

Like many people this time of year, it’s been a crazy couple of weeks around here. On the heels of a chaotic Halloween week we attended the first of several winter holiday parties and need to plan future ones that we’re hosting. Meetings, school events, and just everyday housework always seem to be more work when it’s cold outside. The dining room construction is at the true messy stage and it’s starting to impact my last minute jelly making for Christmas gifts.

But it’s not all work. We had business to attend to in the same town as our favorite comic book store so of course a visit was in order. We finally got to meet the Bear at A Boy and His Tiger in Macomb. It’s an overall great shop-great service, great selection, and a great doggo. The Kid picked out a few new books and comics and I managed to keep myself to only one new book.

All of the home construction, holiday cooking, and constant clean up has had one amazing perk-I’ve listened to 3 audiobooks just this last week. All have been Library loans and paired with our overwhelming DVD selection-ALL my holds came in at once- from the Library, it’s been a Library Love type of week. That’s right-we rarely purchase or rent movies, we borrow nearly everything from the Library. Thanks to our wonderful interlibrary loan network, we have access to nearly every title and usually have a very short wait.

Listened to:

Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue

This was great on audio-the narrator was really good and there is no way I would have pronounced the main character’s names correctly. From the Publisher: Jende Jonga, a Cameroonian immigrant living in Harlem, has come to the United States to provide a better life for himself; his wife, Neni; and their six-year-old son. In the fall of 2007, Jende can hardly believe his luck when he lands a job as a chauffeur for Clark Edwards, a senior executive at Lehman Brothers. Clark demands punctuality, discretion, and loyalty - and Jende is eager to please. Clark's wife, Cindy, even offers Neni temporary work at the Edwardses' summer home in the Hamptons. With these opportunities, Jende and Neni can at last gain a foothold in America and imagine a brighter future.

However, the world of great power and privilege conceals troubling secrets, and soon Jende and Neni notice cracks in their employers' façades. When the financial world is rocked by the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the Jongas are desperate to keep Jende's job - even as their marriage threatens to fall apart. As all four lives are dramatically upended, Jende and Neni are forced to make an impossible choice.

Who Thought This was a Good Idea?  By Alyssa Mastromonaco

Read by the author, this was another great listen that I’ve been wanting to read for a long time.  Funny, honest, and not at all gossipy, this book takes us behind the scenes of political campaigns, the inner workings of the White House, and how incredibly stressful it is to work in Washington.  Mastromonaco gives advice throughout the book on how to prepare for job interviews, the do’s and don’ts of negotiations, and how to not be your own worst enemy. It’s a lot like listening to a really great friend over a glass of wine.  A definite listen for those who would like to reminisce about the time we had intelligent, capable, and caring people in the White House.

Some Enchanted Eclair by Bailey Cates

If you want mouthwatering descriptions of food, some light witchcraft, a murder mystery, and southern accents-this is your series. From the Publisher: When Hollywood invades Savannah's historic district to film a Revolutionary War movie, magical baker Katie Lightfoot and her witches' coven, the Spellbook Club, take a break from casting spells for casting calls. One of the witches snags a part as an extra, while Katie's firefighter boyfriend, Declan, acts as on-set security. Katie and her Aunt Lucy decide to stay out of the action, but after the movie's "fixer" fires the caterer, the Honeybee Bakery comes to the rescue, working their magic to keep the hungry crew happy. But when someone fixes the fixer - permanently - and a spooky psychic predicts Katie will find the killer, the charming baker and her fellow conjurers step in to sift through the suspects - before someone else winds up on the cutting room floor.

Watched:

Paddington 2

Super cute and funny.

Father Figures-The Boys picked this one.

Yeah, The Boys picked this one too.

Read:

Charlie Hernández & The League of Shadows by Ryan Calejo

This was a really great middle great adventure filled with Latino and Hispanic mythology.  I purchased it for the Library and snuck it out before the kids saw it.