Two Middle-Grade Mini Reviews: Flights and Chimes and Mysterious Times and The Tell-Tale-Start

Author: Emma Trevayne
Genre: Middle Grade- Steam Punk
Publication Date: 20
Page Count: 306
Rating: 3/5

Add on Goodreads

Jack is bored with London. He is bored with his parents who don't pay attention to him and longs for an adventure, until he stumbles upon one in the form of a mysterious man who does parlor tricks to entertain his mother and her friends. The adventure comes after Jack steps through a doorway and finds himself in an unusual place named Londininum, where everyone is at least a little bit made of metal and The Lady rules all. 

This was a really fun middle grade read. It was the perfect mix of whimsical and dark, and the steam-punk elements worked perfectly to build the atmosphere. My favorite part about this book was the art! I loved the cover art and the illustrations inside and thoroughly wish there would have been more.

The world was enticing and is a setting I would have loved to read more about. Jack was nothing out of the ordinary, but the side characters from Londininum were very interesting and well developed. The atmosphere was thick and encompassing, but the plot was just alright for me.

I really enjoyed this book and found it a fun middle grade adventure. I am interested in checking out Emma Trevayne's other works. 

Author: Gordon McAlpine

Genre: Middle Grade

Publication Date: 2013

Page Count: 208

Rating: 3/5 

Add on Goodreads

Edgar and Allan Poe are the great-great-great-great grandnephews of the famous writer Edgar Allan Poe and they just so happen to be connected through some freaky physics. The twin brothers can hear each others' thoughts and that means they have the potential to be super useful for a not-so-good science professor...

This story was super cute. I loved the elements of classics literature that made an appearance and the humor is great. This was a super fast read, and I have since moved on to book two. Like the above book, this one has some really great art, but of a different style. I loved the sketch- type art in this one and thought it went perfectly with the story, I think this is one that can be enjoyed by both kids and older readers as it's a lot of fun. 

I have been gravitating towards middle-grade lately as I have been pressed for reading time. Both of these books were quick reads but I really enjoyed them and found them to be a lot of fun.   

Book Outlet Haul!

I made a HUGE Book Outlet Haul the other day because they had so many books that were on my wishlist! Of course school has started so my time for reading and blogging is short, but I'm really looking forward to reading all of these as soon as I can. This haul consists of adult fiction and middle grade fiction. I have been loving middle grade lately as it is so quick to read when I don't have a lot of time to dedicate to reading.

Adult Fiction 

Almost Famous Women, Megan Mayhew Bergman

short story collection about women that were close to famous men/women but 

were not famous themselves

Radiance, Catherynne M. Valente

"decopunk pulp SF alt-history space opera mystery set in a Hollywood"

from Goodreads 

How to be Both, Ali Smith

A novel told in two parts, one taking place in Italy during the Renaissance, 

the second in the 1960s.  

 At the Water's Edge, Sara Gruen

A historical fiction hunt for the Loch Ness Monster. 

A Love Like Blood, Marcus Sedgwick

A vampire story that takes place in the 1940s.

Sedgwick is one of my all-time favorite authors and is an auto-buy for me.

Middle Grade Fiction

The Tell-Tale Start, Gordon McAlpine

I'm reading this cute middle grade about the great-great-great-great nephews of

Edgar Allan Poe aptly named, Edgar and Allan Poe.

Once Upon a Midnight Eerie, Gordon McAlpine

Book two in this series. There are three out currently.  

The Case of the Missing Moonstone, Jordan Stratford

A young Mary Wollstonecraft solves mysteries with literary 

connections in this series.  

Kat, Incorrigible, Stephanie Bergis 

This is a Jane Austen-esque middle grade series, but with magic! 

Have you read any of these? Thoughts? What was the last book you bought? 

Reading Update, Life Update, Summer Plans, Oh My!

For the last few months of the semester I had ZERO time to do anything beside school so I took a little blogging break. I didn't stop reading, but my reading slowed down a lot. I thought I would just update you with the reading I've done in the past few months, the end of my semester, and some things I want to get up on the blog this summer. 

Reading Update:

So since my last review on the blog I've finished four things: a play, a middle grade novel for school, a murder mystery, and a reread. I'm way behind on my Goodreads challenge, so hopefully I can catch up this summer but I'm not too worried about it. 

 

I listened to Lady Windermere's Fan on audio while driving back to my apartment from my parents house and of course I loved it. I have written about my love for Oscar Wilde many times. This play is witty, laugh out loud funny, and a great social commentary. I highly recommend picking up one of Wilde's plays if you have not yet. I gave Lady Windermere's Fan 5/5.
I picked up The Opening Night Murder because I knew I needed something light I could read for ten minutes and then put down for two days because of school. This one takes place in the reconstructed Globe Theater and revolves around a single mother main character. This one started off a little slow with a lot of set up, but it was enjoyable and the characters were likeable so I didn't mind. I have another one in this series on my shelves that I might get to this summer. I gave this one 3/5.

 

I read One Crazy Summer for my teaching literature class and thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the historical setting, 1968 America, and the Civil Rights themes in this one along with the humor and mother- daughter and sister relationships. Highly recommend you check this one out. I gave this one 4/5.

Lastly, I reread Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets because I have been itching to ever since reading the illustrated first novel in December. I picked this one up when I was feeling a little down and it was the perfect pick me up. I love these novels and it has been a very long time since I have reread them, particularly the first few in the series. I cannot put into words how excited I am for all of the illustrated editions coming out. Of course, this reread got 5/5

End of the Semester Chaos:

The end of the semester was packed with papers and projects and I am so glad to have it all done! If you remember earlier I mentioned I was writing a paper on women codebreakers in WWII at Bletchley Park (for more on these ladies see the interesting links post and interesting books post) and I am happy to say that my paper won the best 300-level history paper for the 2015-2016 academic school year! That was a really great honor and I loved studying this topic and learning more about these amazing women. I know I will be reading everything I can about them for the rest of my life. 

Summer Plans:

I am taking a summer class and have three certification tests to take this summer, so it will be a working summer for me. I'm still thinking (and hoping) that I will have lots of time to read and blog. I would like to get up an average of three posts a week, it's just a matter of me getting organized and scheduling ahead. I have lots of posts that I have been wanting to write up for ages but haven't had the time to. I want to get up more of my lengthy series posts including poetry spotlight and literary look, and of course I want to read and post more for the Classics Club's Women's Literature Event as I haven't had much time to do anything with that this semester. 

What have you guys been reading? Are you on summer break? How was the last few weeks of the semester for you?  Any posts you want to see?

On My TBR (4): Apartment Edition

I have done three previous versions of this post (linked below) but they were all with books from my TBR at my parents house. Now that I'm back at my apartment I have a whole new set of unread books at my disposal.

On My TBR (3)
On My TBR (2)
On My TBR (1)

On my TBR I have a book that is... 

Adult Fiction:

Middle Grade Historical Fiction:

A Short Story Collection:

A Retelling: 

By a Favorite Author: 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books on My Spring TBR

Spring is here! I'm so happy that the weather is warming up. The sun-shine and open windows have made me want to read and make art all day- and that's exactly what I would be doing if I didn't have eight more weeks of school left. But I've complied a list of the ten books I really want to read this Spring. Let me know what's on your Spring TBR, and what you are doing with the nice weather. (Hopefully you have some).

P.S. It's totally supossed to snow again later this week, but I am just ignoring this fact in hopes that it will go away.
Hosted by: The Broke and the Bookish

 

1. And Then There Were None, Agatha Christie
I've been staring longingly at this one since I bought it- I've been craving some classic murder lately.

2. The Sin Eater's Daughter, Melinda Salisbury
I pre-ordered this one on my Nook for really cheap and the premise sounds really interesting. I'm thinking this one will be a quick and entertaining read.  

3. The Winner's Crime, Marie Rutkoski 
I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I'm eager to get to the sequel. These covers are beyond amazing- and I can't wait to see where Kestrel's character development goes. Actually, I'm thinking I might reread the first one before reading this one too- so add that one to this list too please.

 

4. Ghosts of Heaven, Marcus Sedgwick
I love Sedgwick and I haven't read his newest book yet, and that needs to change! This one sounds like it has a really interesting form, just like Midwinterblood, so of course I'm excited!

5. The Blood of Olympus, Rick Riordan
I can't believe I haven't read this one yet! I just keep forgetting about it- so I'm pushing it to the front so I can finish this series.

6. The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger
This is one of the rereads off of my 2015 Rereads and Classics List. I'm in the perfect mood to read about and share Holden's angst-y view of the world.

 

7. Ask the Passangers, A.S. King
I really enjoyed Everybody Sees the Ants by King and this one has been sitting on my Nook for a while. I'm thinking this one will go pretty quick, and I really enjoy King's writing.

8. White Crow, Marcus Sedgwick 
Another Sedgwick I own but have yet to read. Have I mentioned I love his writing yet?

9. The Raven Boys, Maggie Stiefvater
I have been meaning to read this one for ages! Now is the time- it will happen soon.

10. All of the Poetry!! 
I have been in the biggest poetry mood lately, so I want to read all of the poetry on Earth! I have a few collections and some poets that I really want to check out, and of course I plan to write about them all. 

Just Added (4)

Here's a look at the latest books I've added to my Goodreads TBR! Make sure to add me so I can see what you're reading!

A Dangerous Woman: The Graphic Biography of Emma Goldman, Sharon Rudahl  

Summary from Goodreads:

A wonderful retelling of the famous anarchist and radical icon Emma Goldman's extraordinary life, this graphic biography embodies the richness and drama of Goldman's story in a wholly original way.

A Dangerous Woman depicts the full sweep of a life lived to the hilt in the struggle for equality and justice. Emma Goldman was at the forefront of the radical causes of the twentieth century, from leading hunger demonstrations during the Great Depression—"Ask for work! If they do not give you work, ask for bread! If they do not give you work or bread, take the bread!"—to organizing a cloakmakers' strike, from lecturing on how to use birth control to fighting conscription for World War I, while her soulmate, Alexander Berkman, spent fourteen years in jail for his failed attentat against industrialist Henry Clay Frick.

Sharon Rudahl's lovely, energetic illustrations bring Goldman's many facets and passions to new life; her work belongs with the critically acclaimed graphic nonfiction of Alison Bechdel's Fun Home and Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis. Featuring a foreword by Alice Wexler, A Dangerous Woman is a marvelously compelling presentation of a woman devoted to revolutionizing her age. 

Why I added it: I love nonfiction graphic novels (the last one I read was The Beats on the Beatnik Generation) and I'm really eager to try a biography in graphic novel form. I don't know anything about Ms. Goldman, so this should be an interesting read. 

The Case of the Missing Moonstone, Jordan Stratford 

Summary from Goodreads: 

Jordan Stratford imagines an alternate 1826, where Ada Lovelace (the world’s first computer programmer) and Mary Shelley (author ofFrankenstein) meet as girls and form a secret detective agency!

Lady Ada Byron, age eleven, is a genius. Isolated, awkward and a bit rude—but a genius. Mary Godwin, age fourteen, is a romantic. Adventurous, astute, and kind, Mary is to become Ada’s first true friend. And together, the girls conspire to form the Wollstonecraft Detective Agency—a secret constabulary for the apprehension of clever criminals. Their first case involves a stolen heirloom, a false confession, and an array of fishy suspects. But it’s no match for the deductive powers and bold hearts of Ada and Mary.

Mystery fans will love this tween girl riff on Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. History buffs will be delighted to see all the real figures who play a role in this story and appreciate the extensive backmatter that helps separate truth from fiction. Parents and educators hoping to promote the STEM fields for girls will be thrilled to have a series where two girls use math, science, and creative analytical thinking to solve crimes. But most espicially--emerging readers will love this series filled with humor, action, intrigue and wonderful artwork from Kelly Murphy.

Why I added it: This book has a list of perfect ingredients: middle grade. Mary Shelley, Willkie Collins, Ada Lovelace, mystery, history and girl power!  

The Tortoise and the Hare, Elizabeth Jenkins

Summary from Goodreads:

A love story with a difference, this exquisite novel subtly demonstrates that in affairs of the heart, the race is not necessarily to the swift—or the fair. It comes with a beautiful cover by Florence Broadhurst.

The magnetic Evelyn Gresham, 52, is a barrister of considerable distinction. He has everything life could offer—a gracious riverside house in Berkshire, a beautiful young wife, Imogen, who is devoted to him, and their 11-year-old son, a replica of his father. Their nearest neighbor is Blanche Silcox, a plain, tweed-wearing woman of 50 who rides, shoots, fishes, and drives a Rolls Royce—in every way the opposite of the domestic, loving Imogen. Their world is conventional country life at its most idyllic: how can its gentle surfaces be disturbed?

Why I added it: Look how beautiful this Virago edition is! I'm so jealous of the U.K's many choices for beautiful book publishers and how easily they can get their hands on the many different Penguin Publishing editions! Anyways, I heard about this book on a booktube channel and the premise really caught my eye; it sounds like a book that I would love! Plus I've really been wanting to read more classics by women, and especially women who seem to have been forgotten.  You can see the current list of women writers I'm working on reading here. 

Just Added (3)

I've been busy with school and and just got hooked on Scandal so I haven't been doing a lot of non-required reading, so I thought today was a great time for another installment of Recently Added; so as usual here are the last three books I've added to my Goodreads TBR. 

The House of Hawthrone, Ericka Robuck

Release Date: May 5, 2015

 Summary from Goodreads:

Beset by crippling headaches from a young age and endowed with a talent for drawing, Sophia is discouraged by her well-known New England family from pursuing a woman’s traditional roles. But from their first meeting, Nathaniel and Sophia begin an intense romantic relationship that despite many setbacks leads to their marriage. Together, they will cross continents, raise children, and experience all the beauty and tragedy of an exceptional partnership. Sophia’s vivid journals and her masterful paintings kindle a fire in Nathaniel, inspiring his writing. But their children’s needs and the death of loved ones steal Sophia’s energy and time for her art, fueling in her a perennial tug-of-war between fulfilling her domestic duties and pursuing her own desires.
 
Spanning the years from the 1830s to the Civil War, and moving from Massachusetts to England, Portugal, and Italy, The House of Hawthorneexplores the tension within a famous marriage of two soulful, strong-willed people, each devoted to the other but also driven by a powerful need to explore the far reaches of their creative impulses. It is the story of a forgotten woman in history, who inspired one of the greatest writers of American literature…

Why I'm Excited: I love reading fictional accounts of author's wives, they are a guilty pleasure of mine, and this one looks good. Who knew Nathaniel Hawthorne was a passionate romantic! 

Emma: A Modern Retelling, Alexander Smith

Release Date: April 7, 2015 

Summary from Goodreads: 

The summer after university, Emma Woodhouse returns home to the village of Highbury, where she will live with her health-conscious father until she is ready to launch her interior-design business and strike out on her own. In the meantime, she will do what she does best: offer guidance to those less wise in the ways of the world than herself. Happily, this summer brings many new faces to Highbury and into the sphere of Emma's not always perfectly felicitous council: Harriet Smith, a naive teacher's assistant at the ESL school run by the hippie-ish Mrs. Goddard; Frank Churchill, the attractive stepson of Emma's former governess; and, of course, the perfect Jane Fairfax. This Emma is wise, witty, and totally enchanting, and will appeal equally to Sandy's multitude of fans and the enormous community of wildly enthusiastic Austen aficionados.

Why I'm Excited: I love Austen, and I want to start in on some of the retellings that have come out in the past few years.

Our Endless, Numbered Days, Clarie Fuller

Release Date: March 17, 2015

Summary from Goodreads:

Peggy Hillcoat is eight years old when her survivalist father, James, takes her from their home in London to a remote hut in the woods and tells her that the rest of the world has been destroyed. Deep in the wilderness, Peggy and James make a life for themselves. They repair the hut, bathe in water from the river, hunt and gather food in the summers and almost starve in the harsh winters. They mark their days only by the sun and the seasons.

When Peggy finds a pair of boots in the forest and begins a search for their owner, she unwittingly unravels the series of events that brought her to the woods and, in doing so, discovers the strength she needs to go back to the home and mother she thought she’d lost.

After Peggy's return to civilization, her mother begins to learn the truth of her escape, of what happened to James on the last night out in the woods, and of the secret that Peggy has carried with her ever since.

Why I'm Excited: This sounds so interesting and unique! And I love the cover. 

Stacking the Shelves and Weekly Wrap Up: New Semester: Week One

Well, I survived my first week of the new semester! Woohoo! I'm already celebrating with ice cream. I didn't buy much this week, and I didn't have much of a chance to do reading outside of textbooks, so I'm behind on blogs and fun reading- but I'm hoping to catch up this weekend. It's a long weekend as Monday is MLK day.

What I Bought:

 

Deep Blue, Jenifer Donnelly-- This was 99 cents on my Nook, and I've been eyeing it for a while now, so I went for it. It's the first in a series about, you guessed it, mermaids!  
The Spindlers, Lauren Oliver-- Forgot to add this to last week's post, but I got this from Book Outlet. It's the first in a Middle Grade series and it looks really cute!
The Chaperone, Laura Moriarty--Also from that Book Outlet order mentioned above. It takes place in the 1920's, and has a female protagonist in her 20's- that's all I know.

What Happened This Week:
Monday- I started the week by reviewing the Young Adult, Science Fiction retelling of Austen's Persuasion- For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfruend.

Tuesday- The top ten 2014 Releases I Haven't Read Yet (But Really Want to)

Wednesday- Waiting on Wednesday Love Hurts by Malorie Blackman

Thursday- My Favorite Epigraphs: Part Two

Friday-I reviewed, and loved, The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters

Last Week's Wrap-Up 

What's Happening Next: 
I will get some more pre-scheduling done this weekend, hopefully, so I won't have to worry about writing up posts during the week. I've got a graphic novel review coming up, and beyond my weekly memes... I'm not sure. So next week will be a surprise.

Which leads me to a question? How do you guys blog? Do you write your posts ahead of time? The Night before? The morning of? Let me know, I'm interested to know.

Stacking the Shelves Hosted by: Tynga's Reviews
The Sunday Post Hosted by: The Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Just Added (2)

Here's my second post showcasing the last three books I've added to my Goodreads TBR (don't forget to friend me so I can see what you're reading).
And here's my first Just Added Post.

City of Women, David R. Gillham

Summary from Goodreads: 
 It is 1943—the height of the Second World War—and Berlin has essentially become a city of women.
Sigrid Schröder is, for all intents and purposes, the model German soldier’s wife: She goes to work every day, does as much with her rations as she can, and dutifully cares for her meddling mother-in-law, all the while ignoring the horrific immoralities of the regime. But behind this façade is an entirely different Sigrid, a woman who dreams of her former lover, now lost in the chaos of the war. Her lover is a Jew.

But Sigrid is not the only one with secrets. 

A high ranking SS officer and his family move down the hall and Sigrid finds herself pulled into their orbit.  A young woman doing her duty-year is out of excuses before Sigrid can even ask her any questions.  And then there’s the blind man selling pencils on the corner, whose eyes Sigrid can feel following her from behind the darkness of his goggles.

Soon Sigrid is embroiled in a world she knew nothing about, and as her eyes open to the reality around her, the carefully constructed fortress of solitude she has built over the years begins to collapse. She must choose to act on what is right and what is wrong, and what falls somewhere in the shadows between the two. 

Why I added it: I've been in the mood for adult historical fiction lately, and this one caught my eye while browsing Goodreads. This one sounds full of emotion and drama, and WWII is a great backdrop for those two elements. I haven't heard anything about this one, but it has a good rating on Goodreads. 

Radiance, Catherine M. Valente 

Summary from Goodreads

Radiance is a decopunk pulp SF alt-history space opera mystery set in a Hollywood—and solar system—very different from our own, from the phenomenal talent behind the New York Times bestselling The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making.

Severin Unck’s father is a famous director of Gothic romances in an alternate 1986 in which talking movies are still a daring innovation due to the patent-hoarding Edison family. Rebelling against her father’s films of passion, intrigue, and spirits from beyond, Severin starts making documentaries, traveling through space and investigating the levitator cults of Neptune and the lawless saloons of Mars. For this is not our solar system, but one drawn from classic science fiction in which all the planets are inhabited and we travel through space on beautiful rockets. Severin is a realist in a fantastic universe.

But her latest film, which investigates the disappearance of a diving colony on a watery Venus populated by island-sized alien creatures, will be her last. Though her crew limps home to earth and her story is preserved by the colony’s last survivor, Severin will never return.

Aesthetically recalling A Trip to the Moon and House of Leaves, and told using techniques from reality TV, classic film, gossip magazines, and meta-fictional narrative, Radiance is a solar system-spanning story of love, exploration, family, loss, quantum physics, and silent film.

Why I added this: What?! This sounds crazy and amazing. This sounds totally unique, the cover is gorgeous, and it's a space opera mystery! It's set to be released on August 18. 2015. 

The Invisible Library, Genevieve Cogman 

Summary from Goodreads

Irene is a professional spy for the mysterious Library, which harvests fiction from different realities. And along with her enigmatic assistant Kai, she's posted to an alternative London. Their mission - to retrieve a dangerous book. But when they arrive, it's already been stolen. London's underground factions seem prepared to fight to the very death to find herbook.

Adding to the jeopardy, this world is chaos-infested - the laws of nature bent to allow supernatural creatures and unpredictable magic. Irene's new assistant is also hiding secrets of his own.

Soon, she's up to her eyebrows in a heady mix of danger, clues and secret societies. Yet failure is not an option - the nature of reality itself is at stake.  

Why I added it: This sounds like such a fun action-packed story full of book- love featuring a butt kicking female character- what's not to love. I love the idea of an alternative London and kick-butt Librarians.  

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten 2015 Debuts I'm Excited About

All of the people on this list are NOT debut authors, but these books are their debut into either Young Adult or Middle Grade. This List took me a while to put together because I got super distracted searching through Goodreads for them and just about doubled the length of my TBR list. Oops! 

Hosted by: The Broke and the Bookish

Book Tittles Link to Goodreads!

                                 

1. Tangled Webs, Lee Bross-- Historical fiction dramas are my guilty pleasure. This one looks so entertaining and fun. 

Release date: June 23rd

2. Lock and Mori, Heather Petty-- Female Moriarity teams up with classmate Sherlock Homes in a modern day London high school to solve crime, and it's the first in a trilogy; this sounds perfect.

Release date: September 15th

3. In a World Just Right, Jen Brooks-- I'm really intrigued by the concept of alternate realities in this book.

Release date: April 28th

4. 5 to 1, Holly Bodger-- This books sounds really interesting. It's dystopian set in India and I'm speculating feminist themes- quite a unique combination for YA. 

Release date: May 12th

5. Red Queen, Victoria Aveyard-- Everyone and their dog is excited for this one! 

Release Date: February 10th 

6. The Invisible Library, Genevieve Cogman-- I'm not sure if this one is Middle Grade or YA, but it has a kick-ass female librarian spy and an alternate London so I'm super excited for this one.

Release date: January 15th 

7. Only Ever Yours, Louise O'Neil -- This YA debut sounds pretty intense and thought provoking. In this world, girls are created for and live for the pleasure of men. I'm really excited to see more YA books that are heavy on feminist themes, and that are raising awareness about our current gender issues. 

EDIT: I released this one is already out after making this post, but I'm still excited to read it, so I thought I would keep it on the list!

8. Monstrous, MarcyKate Connolly-- This one is described as a mix of Frankenstein and The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales; a girl with wings and a tail spends her life hiding and only coming out at night, until she is accidentally seen by a human boy and they become friends. 

Release date: February 10th 

9. Beastkeeper, Cat Hellisen-- A Middle Grade debut that contains secret magic, family curses, and the ruins of a castle. 

Release date: February 3rd 

10. Watch the Sky, Kirsten Hubbard-- This one sounds kinda bizarre, but amazing bizarre. A young boy's stepfather is determined the end of the world is approaching and makes his family dig a huge hole for a shelter in their backyard- but is that the real reason their digging?  

Release date: April 7th 

Also check out my other 2015 lists;

Top Ten Sequels I'm Anticipating

Top Ten 2015 Releases I Can't Wait For 

Goals For 2015

And leave me your link below!