MG Fantasy: Motley Education by S.A. Larsen

Motley Education by S.A. Larsen
Publisher: Leap Books, LLC. 

Number of Pages: 325

Published:  September 15th, 2016

Source: In exchange for an honest review, a review copy was received from the author.

Why I wanted to read this:  MG Fantasy with Norse Mythology, and a School for the Psychically & Celestially Gifted.    

Opening Lines:  "A glow pulsated from beneath the stone doors of the tiny crypt.  Dark mist seeped from the hinges in a long hiss.  Rumbling vibrated the ground, and the wrought iron fence caging in the cemetery chattered. "

That opening scene happens about three months before the current events with Ebony and Fleishman,  I really liked the image and suspense that it creates.  

The two groups of students who go to Motley Junior High: School for the Psychically and Celestially Gifted are Sensories who can channel spirits and bend metals, versus Luminaries who read the stars or use charms, and potions.  Ebony really wants to be a Sensory, but she has been having difficulty in communicating with and seeing spirits. When Ebony is called upon to demonstrate her spirit tracking abilities to her class at Motley Junior High, she becomes increasingly nervous because of some mishaps she's had in the past.  She has all the right tools (her apprentice medallion, and celestial box), but things still go horribly wrong and Ebony is sent to meet with the headmistress where she is declared a "Seeker" or someone who is "undeveloped" in their skills.  Basically, Ebony is seen as a misfit.  She is given another opportunity to show her abilities by completing a special project for her Deadly Creatures & Relics class, transforming an object into something else.  But when her object, a stick goes missing, Ebony calls on her "go to guy" Fleishman for help.   As Ebony and Fleishman begin to work toward recovering her object, they learn that what she thought was just a stick is really an ancient relic needed to replenish the Well of Urd that nourishes the Tree of Life. 

Motley Education includes lots of Norse mythology and a main character which I really got into. There's a map, list of terms and mythical characters at the beginning, as well as some important facts and terms at the end of the book.   You can take a quiz to find out if you're a Sensory or Luminary and I even found a really neat Educational Guide that aligns with the Common Core.    Ebony is constantly being told that she needs to take her skills seriously and apply herself, despite her attempts to do just that.  Lots of her talents were hidden even from her and over the course of the story, she begins to grow into her craft.   I loved the Norse mythology and how it was incorporated into the story, all the talk of the Tree of Existence and these doorways that Ebony opened.  Hela even communicates with Ebony during a dream and the main villain, a dark elf named Daenir tries to manipulate Ebony into giving him the ancient relic.  There's a really interesting mix of the spirit world and Norse mythology which I particularly enjoyed.  Many of the characters from Norse Mythology make an appearance and the world building is wonderful including lovely details about the setting of Peru, Maine, and places like The Hall of Souls.  With plenty of humor and adventure, I would recommend this for someone who likes friendship stories, Norse mythology and a bit of a mystery.  

Favorite line:  " Growth comes through acceptance of one's self and situation, giving the ability to see into the bigger picture.  Don't long for what you think you should be. Concentrate on what you are now."        

MG Fantasy Dream Magic (Shadow Magic #2) by Joshua Khan

Dream Magic (Shadow Magic #2) by Joshua Khan
Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Number of Pages: 352
Publishing:  April 11th, 2017 

Source:  E-ARC from NetGalley

Why I wanted to read this:  Shadow Magic was one of the books that I read while judging for the Cybils this year that I absolutely adored.  This was my blurb for it when it went on to the final round,  13-year-old Thorn was just sold as a slave to the executioner of Gehenna, a kingdom famous for its dark magic. Lillith Shadow has just become Gehenna’s queen when her parents and brother were mysteriously killed and must learn to rule the land of the undead. When Thorn and Lily’s path cross in Gehenna, the two join forces to find the killer of Lily’s parents, while also trying to stop an assassin targeting Lily. Shadow Magic is an action-packed fantasy filled with all manner of creepy characters (dead and alive), including an enormous, and rather helpful, bat. It’s a captivating mystery full of magic, with touches of humor and characters to cheer for. It’s perfect for those who like fantasy with a delightfully Gothic twist.  (it even won for best Elementary/Middle-Grade Fiction). 

I was really excited to see that the sequel was coming out, and as soon as it was on NetGalley requested it.  With spring break quickly approaching,  I treated myself to a re-read of Shadow Magic and Dream Magic as well.   

Dream Magic takes place shortly after the events of Shadow Magic.  The would-be assassin has been caught and Lily and Thorn are acclimating to their roles in Gehenna.  In Shadow Magic, Lily tore open the Veil separating the land of the living from the dead and now has to deal with the consequences, zombies and spirits are roaming throughout Gehenna.   She has been meeting with her father's ghost who can only appear in the library and attempts to learn how to control her shadow magic.  While Lily is the ruler of Gehenna, she also has restrictions placed on her that keep her from using magic, including an ancient curse that forbids women from performing magic under the penalty of death. Yet, Lily is strong willed and uses her magic to save Thorn, even if it causes her people to fear her and leads to some unwelcome side effects.  Thorn meanwhile is searching the countryside with Hades for the source for the recent mysterious disappearances of people and attacks in the nearby villages, which is suspected to be due to trolls advancing on Gehenna.   Lily is then attacked and her precious skeleton key (which allows her to enter the library) is stolen by a mysterious man called the Dreamweaver, she and Thorn learn that he has an army of jewel spiders and plans to use them to gain control over Gehenna and exact revenge on Lily's family.     

I really wish this series was getting more recognition, it's such a lovely fantasy and delightfully creepy while having a nice balance between the darker story elements (zombies and jewel spiders that come crawling out of dead bodies and who's bite puts you into a dream state) with these humorous and light moments.  One of my favorites is a dinner party that Lily is holding and she has the zombies serving her guest's their soup.   I love how despite Thorn finding it strange that Lily grew up with zombies for a nursemaid, and can commune and command the dead, they have a warm fondness and friendship with each other.  There's even an epic sky battle aboard a cloud ship where Thorn and Hades are put into danger, and I'm hoping we'll learn more about their bond in the next book in the series.  Lily and Thorn struggle to help their friends, to do the right thing and there's the dynamics of two people who've lived very different lives.  Shadow Magic and Dream Magic were such a fantastic enjoyable read for me and I can see myself revisiting this series again.  I loved everything from the world, action, creepiness factor, to the characters, humor and the shadow magic itself.   I also appreciated that Khan didn't end either of these books with a cliffhanger and although they could stand alone, I still wanted to re-read them both.  There's some lovely detailed prose, with the description of the Old Keep of Castle Gloom being one of my favorites, "Seeds, drifting in from beyond the walls of Castle Gloom, had found fertile soil, and grown, undisturbed by mortals.  Ivy crept over the battlements, thick, black, and shimmering with ice.  Scarlet roses bloomed despite the snow, their heads hanging from worn statues like blood drops. Oak trees rose from the broken flagstones, their branches having brought down the walls and now spread out high and wide over the keep."   Did I mention that there are also really lovely illustrations?  Hope you get the opportunity to read this and if you have, feel free to comment and let me know what you thought.      

Many thanks to Disney-Hyperion and NetGalley for the E-Arc of Dream Magic, which in no way affected my opinion or review of this book.     

MG Realistic Fiction: Slacker by Gordon Korman

Slacker by Gordon Korman

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Number of Pages: 240
Published:  April 26th, 2016 

Source:  Library

Why I wanted to read this:  Slacker was a finalist for the Cybils MG Fiction award and I recall that Mrs. Yingling really enjoyed this book.  Plus when I saw that cover at the library, I just had to read this.  

Cameron Boxer isn't a hard worker unless you count working hard at not doing his homework.  He would much rather spend his time playing video games with his friends and training for the East Coast gaming championships is his top priority.  Yet, all this gaming is distracting him from everything else going on around him and it ends up having huge consequences when he practically burns the house down.  Cameron's parents then lay down the law and tell him he needs to get more involved in school social activities.  So, Cameron comes up with the idea for forming a fake school club to cover his tracks and the Postive Action Group is born.  Certainly, this will keep his parents off his back so he can keep on playing video games.  That is until word starts getting around about the club and people start really signing up.  Cameron even has the school counselor pressuring him as the club president to get the group involved in some community service projects.   Cameron's slacker days may be over unless he can come up with a way to break up the club.  But, Cameron may not have to do anything when the Positive Action Group draws the attention of a rival group and they become embattled in a huge turf war. 

 As soon as I checked out Slacker from the library, my kiddo couldn't resist picking it up and reading the first chapter to me.  That cover just says "read me."  We giggled and laughed as the "great ziti inferno" began to unfold.  Here's this kid who's mom gives him instructions while he's playing a video game mind you, there's lots of "yeah" "uh huh's" and then we know the rest, but the whole thing is just so amusing to read.  Each chapter alternates between the various characters and shows the motivations for their joining the group.  For example, Daphne wants to save Elvis, a beaver who was displaced when his home was destroyed, Mr. Fanshaw want's to use the group members to sell raffle tickets and Freeland Mcbean a.k.a String hopes the extra credit will increase his grades enough to get back on the team. There are chapters from fellow video gamers Chuck and Pavel and even Cameron's younger sister.  It maybe about video gaming initially, but Slacker also delves into the idea of not just having virtual friends, but that there are more things out there waiting to be explored.  Overall, I highly recommend this amusing read packed with kid appeal. 

Favorite lines:  "I have initiative,"  Cam defended himself.  "It takes a lot of work to do as little as I've done for the past thirteen years."      

MG Realistic Fiction/Contempory: Extraordinary by Miriam Spitzer Franklin

Extraordinary by Miriam Spitzer Franklin

Publisher: Sky Pony Press

Number of Pages: 268
Publishing:  April 4th, 2017 (paperback)

Why I wanted to read this:  Contemporary middle grade, friendship story.  I received a request for a review and this seems like a heartfelt story.  

Pansy and Anna have been best friends ever since they were little.  Anna is daring and brave, exactly the traits that Pansy wishes she had if she didn't chicken out of everything.  Like when Anna cut her hair for Locks of Love and joined the Girl Scouts so that she could go on the annual camping trip.  Things that they were supposed to do together until Pansy got too scared.  Pansy and Anna then had a huge fight and Anna went off to camp without her where she contracted meningitis and sustained a serious brain injury.   Since then Anna hasn't been the same and Pansy has been trying to be the sort of friend, the extraordinary friend that Anna would want her to be so that after her surgery Anna will be proud of her.  But, being extraordinary all of the time is very difficult and Anna's surgery is quickly approaching.   

I've read many a book on individuals who have sustained a brain injury during my time as a speech therapist.  Usually, the books were written by the person or a family member. Miriam Spitzer Franklin takes on the interesting perspective of am 11-year-old girl who's friend has the injury, a friend that she has just had a huge fight with. The story actually follows Pansy as she navigates her way through the beginning of fifth grade and much of her experiences have that middle-grade feel.  There are the math times table speed drills, learning to roller blade, and logging reading minutes and taking quizzes to be the top of the class.  Promises that Pansy had previously made to Anna, that she vows to now keep.  I enjoyed the addition of Anna's twin brother, Andy.  The three of them were friends and there are glimpses of how Andy is handling Anna's injury, which truthfully I would've loved to seen more of.  Pansy's attempts to be extraordinary are her ways of making up all of the things that she didn't do for her friend before her illness.  I quickly got wrapped up with Pansy and how she wishes that her friend could be the person she was, and how she hopes that the surgery to fix her seizures will return her to the person she once was.  A very compelling story and characters that you can relate to very quickly.   Franklin certainly takes care with the story and despite Pansy's confidence that the surgery will fix her friend, she doesn't give the reader those expectations.  Overall, this was a wonderful heartfelt story of friendship, a girl who wants to be extraordinary for her friend and coming to terms with the changes that occur following an injury such as this.  

Top Ten Authors I'm Dying To Meet

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish  This week's Top Ten is Ten Authors I'm Dying to Meet.  The Last time I did a list like this was in 2015.  I'm pretty sure it hasn't changed too much. 

1.  JK Rowling   

There is no way an author list wouldn't include JK Rowling for me.  I envision having tea, talking about Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.   

2.  Jacqueline West  

The author of one of my favorite series, The Books of Elsewhere and the YA, Dreamers Often Lie.  I'd love to talk to her about the differences between writing her MG versus YA and just chat about writing in general. Plus I want to know more about her upcoming book.  Curious minds want to know :) 

3.  Tara Dairman 

 Another MG favorite author.  I want to talk food, writing, about her experiences traveling around the world, she's traveled to like 74 countries.  

4.  Rick Riordan 

To talk about Mythology, his writing process, what kind of research he does, education, anything really.  

5.  Shelby Bach  

She's alway's been very kind and nice to her fans online.  Ever since her Ever Afters series ended, she hasn't been around much. Understandably of course, but I'm curious what she's been writing lately. 

6.  Brandon Mull  

This one is for my child and to say thank you for the Fablehaven series.  For Dragonwatch and the fun I know we will have reading this together.  

7.  Maggie Stiefvater  

I'm still probably much too shy to meet her, but it would be so cool to watch her draw.  I want to ask all the questions about her Ronan series of books that she is working on.  And also chat about All The Crooked Saints, her "dark" book.  I love the image of the two hands reaching toward each other with an owl in each.  Check it out.   

8.  Jonathan Stroud 

 I want to go on a ghost hunting tour with Jonathan Stroud, talk about making stories creepy and learn more about Bartimaeus.  

9.  Joshua Khan  

This is a new addition to the list, but I loved these two books.  He did an interview recently for Cybils and it was interesting to read about his inspirations for the main character and Lily's magic.  He sounds like someone who would be fascinating to talk with. 

     10.  John David Anderson 

    This is also a new addition, but I would love to talk to him about capturing that MG voice and his writing in general    

                        

I tried really hard to stop at ten, but I can't forget to add Leigh Bardugo, Natalie Lloyd,  Jennifer A. Nielsen,  Jessica Lawson & Shannon Messenger!  

So who would be on your list of authors that you're dying to meet?  Feel free to leave a comment in the link.  

YA Realistic Fiction, Romance: The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Number of Pages: 352
Publishing:  April 11th, 2017 

Why I wanted to read this:  This one is YA and is from the author of Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, which I loved. 

Source:  In exchange for an honest review, an  EARC was received from the publisher for free via Edelweiss Above the Treeline

From Goodreads:  "Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love. No matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful.

Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly's totally not dying of loneliness—except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie's new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. If Molly can win him over, she'll get her first kiss and she'll get her twin back. 

There's only one problem: Molly's coworker, Reid. He's a chubby Tolkien superfan with a season pass to the Ren Faire, and there's absolutely no way Molly could fall for him." 


Seventeen-year-old twins Molly and Cassie are really polar opposites.  Cassie is outgoing, fearless and has no problems dating.   Whereas,  Molly is on her twenty-six crush with no kiss in sight.    Molly's crushes are like when "you just finished running a mile, and you have to throw up, and you're starving, but no food seems appealing, and your brain becomes fog, and you also have to pee.  It's this close to intolerable.  But I like it.  More than I like it.  I crave it. Because there's nausea and fog, but there's also this:  an unshakable feeling that something wonderful is about to happen."  Molly is the kind of teenager that feels awkward, self-conscious about their weight, and anxious.  She's struggling with wondering what's wrong with her and what she needs to change in order to be found lovable, or even to be asked out on a date.   She also begins feeling like an outsider in her group of friends when they start talking about waxings and birth control, things she has nothing to contribute on.   Everything for Molly begins to change when her sister meets and begins to date Mina.   But, Molly's life is also changing. She begins to realize that she needs to put herself out there, take risks and to be less cautious. I loved her inner dialogue as she navigates her way around the two boys (Middle Earth Reid and Will) that she's become interested in and how we get to see her feelings/struggles "I'm probably paranoid, but now I can't stop thinking about this.  I get locked in this cycle sometimes.  I develop counterarguments in my head. Actually, gentlemen, I'm intrigued, not enchanted.  And I'm anxious, not sad."  The beginning of the book initially had a lot of moving pieces in introducing all the various characters, but then there was this point where I really began to empathize with Molly and wanting to know how things turn out for her.  The Upside of Unrequited is very diverse, with two moms, talk of sperm donations, Mina, who is pansexual, many POC, and gay/lesbian characters and I loved how Albertalli presents everything in a sort of matter of fact way.  The story covers everything from first jobs, crushes, the wanting of a boyfriend, to first kisses and loves.  But, what touched and saddened me the most was the way the two sisters were beginning to grow apart.  Overall, this was a very heartfelt, amusing, relatable story which I adored.   Heck, there's even talk of eggless cookie dough, grocery store competitions including one for the worst frosting flavor and all in all it was just a fun read.  

Favorite line:  
"Certain nights have this kind of electricity.  Certain nights carry you to a different place from where you started."  

TTT: Ten of the shortest books I've read

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish  This week's Top Ten Tuesday is a read in one sitting theme.  I chose ten of the shortest books I've read in one sitting.  Classics are perfect for this very reason, usually they average under 200 pages and  it's fun to re-read a favorite.  I'm also trying to catch up on those classics that I might've missed growing up.  

1.  Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary 1  92 pages    &     2. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White 

184 pages

3.  Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary 186 pages    &    4.  The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner   154 pages

5.  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis 186 pages     &   6.  Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt 139 pages

7. Bink & Gollie Best Friends Forever by Kate Di Camillo and Alison McGhee 96 pages 

 & 8.  Timmy Failure Mistakes Were Made by Stephan Pastis 294 pages

9.  Fortunately the Milk by Neil Gaiman 113 pages   &    10.  Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones  224 pages

Does the length of a book influence whether you'll read it or not?   War and Peace's length (1225 pages) still seems like a challenge to me.  I am curious whether the length affects children's perception of whether they'll read a book or not.  Feel free to leave a comment or link to your TTT.