She only has books

So this isn’t one of my usual book blogs (although I do have a couple I need to do) but I just wanted to reach out to you to say that it is ok to not be ok.

You’d have to have been living on Mars or under a rock if you hadn’t heard the news that a woman in her prime felt she had no other option but to end her life. This should never ever be the case for any man, woman or child whether they are a celebrity or not.

I have been shocked by how much Caroline Flack’s death has affected me and can only surmise that she was around my age and it is for the Grace of God that I was lucky enough to have people around who were only looking down on me because they were helping me up. I’m sure many of us have had times where we have felt so low that the thought of carrying on has caused physical pain but we have someone or something that pulls us back from the brink.

I was flicking/scrolling through social media yesterday and stumbled across people doing Random Acts of Kindness and it made me think what could I do. I have instilled in my children to never look down on anyone but to help in any way whether it be buying a hot drink for the homeless person, letting someone go before you in a queue or even just smiling and give a compliment to someone. I saw a publishing house doing a giveaway of a bundle of signed books to 5 lucky people and I was one of those lucky people. So I thought about Pay it Forward.

I decided to start my own Pay it forward to spread kindness and happiness. I set a limit of 10 people, never believing in a million years that I would get 10. Well I had to turn my phone off as I was getting notifications even at 1am! I woke up this morning to more than 10 people so thought I’d go to 24, 2 people a month for a year. Well, I hit that target too. I will send each and everyone of those people something over the year, it can be big, small, bought, handmade basically anything. All I asked in return was that they pay it forward too by asking their friends/followers to reply yes to and for them to Pay it Forward. This sends ripples of kindness throughout the twitterverse and hopefully beyond.

Please be kind people, you never know what is happening in the other persons life and how words and actions can affect, hurt and crush someone. Please also know that should you ever be standing on the precipice, contact me! I have have big ears to listen, broad shoulders to help carry your burden and a big heart to help heal the pain you are going through.

In the worlds of the very wise Albus Dumbledore

Apologies for the blog silence for a fair few weeks, work and illness seemed to take over as well as a book that I struggled to get in to but was determined to read.

Now Half term is here (Hooray!) I can get some serious reading and blogging in as well as some cake baking and crafting. I thought I’d start with this weeks #sixforSunday. Although I’ve only just started (Well September) on my MG journey I haven’t read many multiples of authors so I thought I’d do the authors I have read once but am looking forward to sequels as well as my go to authors.

Michelle Harrison – If you know me, you’d have known that this name would be in the mix. I’ve just finished her sequel to A Pinch of magic called A Sprinkle of Sorcery and it is just as good as I’d hoped. I have the Thirteen trilogy to read as well as The Other Alice (I started it and got side tracked by other things) to get stuck in to when I get a chance. I adore the characters in APOM and ASOS, the Widdershins girls are feisty, determined, brave, loyal, smart and I love her story writing. Not only that, she’s lovely to talk to too as well, she feels like a friend when we tweet and meet at signings – a thoroughly good egg.

Vashti Hardy – currently reading the second book in the Brightstorm adventures and loving it as well. All 3 of her books have strong girls in STEM theme which I love. We need more girls taking STEM subjects at secondary and above and her books show how amazing these female engineers are! I’ve been fortunate enough to meet Vashti too and she was a complete darling. I’m stalking her this Friday and Saturday for an event in Hove with my girls and then a Scholastic one with a colleague.

L.D Lapinski – I read her debut, The Strangeworlds Travel Agency, as an e-ARC and was just captivated by the language, descriptions, plot and intrigued by not who is perceived as the main character but the facilitator of the worlds. They are active on social media and I’ve enjoyed our exchanges and will definitely read the ‘Good Omens’ book recommendation they gave me.

Onjali Q Rauf – This lady is a force to be reckoned with. Her passion to help and protect those vulnerable members of society by bringing their plights to the fore within her books, is second to none. Both of her books are written so empathetically and I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve cried buckets whilst reading them. Not just because of what the characters are going through but also there is a sense of ‘there but for the grace of god’ and a reminder of how lucky I am. Another author that is active on social media but they also fundraise and travel to give refugees supplies that are desperately needed.

Sinéad O’Hart – Anyone who writes about someone who has a tarantula not only as a pet but who lives on top of the characters head is most definitely worth a read. Not only that, Sinéad has her very own (not real thankfully) Violet that travels with her on signings and adventures. The Star spun Web was the second MG book I read on my journey and it had me hooked. Sinéad also managed to start an ongoing argument/fight/disagreement with my colleague and I because as the Bath Literary festival, my colleague grabbed the last remaining copy of The Eye of the North and got it signed to her. I haven’t let her forget that 😂

Dominique Valente – Starfell was one of my favourites to read. The main character is someone who no one believes is old enough, clever enough, strong enough to achieve anything. The odd one out so to speak. She gathers a group of others that are treated the same way because they are different to their peers and they make a formidable team. On top of that, she created one of the best animal/monster characters is Oswin (just so you know, don’t ever call him a cat!) Willow Moss is due her next adventure soon and I can’t wait to see what she finds this time.

Out 2nd April 2020

I was lucky, again, to receive this as an e-ARC and when I requested it I wasn’t really sure what it was about but I just liked the fact it was about stars. I really should learn by now that books really aren’t like Ronseal (they don’t do exactly as it says on the tin).

It isn’t about stars per se, although Libby is a total star. I came away from reading this book with a knowledge on 2 subjects I never had before, Turner Syndrome and Cecilia Payne and I can only Thank Sarah for opening my eyes and I will be forever grateful for it.

This is about a young girl Libby who has Turner Syndrome. She lives with her mum, who owns a bakery, and dad who is an Art Teacher. she also has an older sister, Nonny, who she idolises and Nonny adores Libby. Their sisterly bond and love is beautiful and I hope that my girls have a bond half as good as these two as they really have something special. Nonny announces she is pregnant but as her husband has to work away in a horrible place for horrible people, she has come home to be looked after while he is away. Libby overhears conversations between her sister and her husband, Thomas, as well as ones she has with her parents and hears about a ‘financial black hole’.

I really don’t want to give any spoilers away so I’m not going to delve in to the plot etc as I really want you to do that and read it but it is so hard to not spill any of it.

You may still be wondering where the title comes from if it isn’t about actual stars. Well in a way it is, it is about an amazing woman called Cecilia Payne. English born but moved to America and was brought up there. Again, so as not to spoil the book, I’m not telling you about Cecilia but you’ll come away from reading this thinking How on earth did I not know about her!!!

This book had me captivated from start to finish. It weaves in so many things. Turner syndrome and it’s effects and life implications, dealing with class bullies who think it’s funny and clever to pick on others that are ‘different’, how to build a friendship when you don’t have any ‘real’ friends, Cecilia Payne, trying to get people to listen to you and your idea and what to do when they don’t as well as pregnancy and becoming the best Aunty in the world. The bonds of family run through this book and they are lovely. Even Nonny’s husband Thomas has that deep bond and connection with Libby.

Some of my favourite parts. apart from all the learning aspect of it, were the Hard Reading Words. These are dotted throughout the book and used at times when Libby feels they are appropriate and are what I would call powerful words that would score a bullseye on a dartboard rather than a 1. It certainly made me think about my language choices when in class. The other great part is Libby’s retort to Dustin, the bully when he makes fun of Eleanor Roosevelt during her presentation on her. I did have a hearty chuckle on that one.

All in all I would totally and utterly recommend this. It made me laugh, smile, grimace and scowl at times (Mr big shot publisher 😡) and even shed a couple of tears. Libby rocks, she is so strong, resilient, caring, brave, intelligent and as Thomas says, a hero.

I don’t always read the acknowledgements at the back but I did for this one and I’m so glad I did. Sarah, I salute you. You are everything I’ve described Libby as and more. Thank you for being you.

Please put this at the top of your to be bought pile and TBR, you really won’t be sorry.

Happy reading!

If there is ever a good thing that comes from being poorly and confined to bed, it is the ability to stay there all day and read. This is what I have done for most of the weekend and today too as I have lost my voice and have the lurgy.

I was scanning my TBR on my windowsill and this one jumped out at me. It’s one of the Authorfy club books they we’re using this term so I thought what a perfect day to read it.

I’m so glad I did. From the outset I knew I was going to like Chaya, I mean anyone, especially a young girl, who can break in to a Queen’s bed chamber and steal jewels from her bedside table right under the nose of the guards is some thief. However, Chaya isn’t any ordinary thief, she is the daughter of the Headman of one of the villages that lie at the foot of the Kings palace, but she is also a sort of a Robin Hood as she steals from the rich to help the poor people in her village. She also has the gift of the gab too which helps her get out of a few scrapes.

Chaya goes to see her best friend, Neelan, who works for a carpenter. He knows that this time she has gone too far, but as a best friend would, he helps her hide the jewels inside a secret compartment of a wooden box he has made.

On her way to school the next day, Chaya witnesses first hand the tyranny of the King and how he terrorises his people and she realises it is all her fault and must find a way to make things right. Except they go from bad to worse for Chaya and Neel, when the box they store the jewels in is bought by a rich merchant for his daughter, Nour.

This is where I stop with my plot details as it would be too much of a spoiler and I would hate for you to read this review and decide that you know what happens so there is no point reading it because that would be so remiss of me to have done that as it is definitely worth reading.

This is a story of friendship, both new and old, of perseverance of making rights wrong but also to escape, not just from their pursuers but from loneliness and exile too. It is also about how girls, no matter of race, colour, religion are warriors who stand up for what is right, who have the ability, the strength in courage and voice to be a powerful driving force. Chaya is one fierce, determined young lady.

Chaya, Neel and Nour all go on this incredible journey both metaphorically as well as physically. Whether it is one of acceptance, change or understanding they all learn something about themselves along the way and return as much different young people.

There are so many things I liked in this book, Neelan and his desire to protect everyone he loves and cares about whether that be his family or Chaya. He gave up school to earn money for his family and takes the rap for Chaya on many occasions. He is an honourable young man who is the sort of friend and son you would hope for. He definitely made me proud and I’m sure his family equally were.

I also loved the descriptions of all the exotic fruits, the trees and the plants. Some I had heard of before but some not and they made me want to jump on google and see what the looked like and if the description in my mind of them were as they actual were.

This book deserves all the praise it’s getting at the moment and is a worthy Book of the Month at Waterstones.

Happy reading

I was lucky enough to receive an e-ARC of this book that I had been coveting since I saw the absolutely beautiful cover LD shared on twitter. I mean, who couldn’t want to read a book with a cover like that!!!

This was pitched as a book for those that liked P.G Bell’s The train to impossible places series but this is so much more.

Flick is a 12 year old girl who has moved during the summer holidays to a new house with her mum, dad and baby brother. They have moved to have a better life away from the old area but as her parents have to work really hard, it falls to Flick to look after her baby brother a lot of the time. On one of the rare occasions she gets some free time, she decides to explore her new town. Once there, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to an old shop front. Once she steps inside, her life changes.

This is where we meet Jonathan, the young man who is old before his time. He comes across as quite standoffish and a bit rude and doesn’t really want to answer Flick’s questions about what all the suitcases are for. That is until she picks up a broken piece of an eyeglass and she sees magic. Not just any old magic but a schism of magic and magic floating all around. Jonathan is almost dumbstruck and decides to share everything about Strangeworlds, the secret society, the founders and the current Custodian.

Jonathan invites Flick to join the Society and gives her the journal to read the contains the pledge and all the information and asks her to read it and come back with her answer. Family priorities get in the way of her returning straight away but when she does Jonathan takes her on her first trip to another world through one of the suitcases.

The chapter where LD writes about Jonathan and his home life, I definitely got a lump in my throat and made me see him in a different light and it gave some explanation as to why he carried the weight of the worlds on his young shoulders. From then on, I had a bit of a soft spot for him.

This book takes us on a fantastic journey, visiting many new worlds and meeting some wonderful characters and I really don’t want to spoil it and include any spoilers but Jonathan’s revelation when they are in the City of Five Lights could ruin everything.

With Flick captured, the worlds changing and all the other Outposts and Custodians gone or missing, is this the end of Strangeworlds? Is Flick trapped in another world unable to return home and will Jonathan get the answers he needs?

As I read this as an e-ARC on my kindle, I didn’t have any pictures or visuals to go along with it but the language LD uses means that you can actually see the worlds. The Crystal world came to life through the fabulous words they used. Every single description was like looking at a painting of each world or place, even the waiting room with the ‘receptionist’. At points I was almost on a sensory overload with all the wonderful descriptions.

I wholeheartedly hope that there are further adventures for Flick and Jonathan as I can’t wait to be able to venture into the many worlds held in the suitcases, plus getting to the bottom of the mystery of the Lighthouse and Jonathan’s dad.

Happy reading

I can’t believe I am so late to the party with this one. It has been on my TBR for absolutely ages and to top that I was so lucky to win an American proof copy of it through #childreninread which has some brilliant illustrations that the UK version doesn’t.

Now I’ve arrived, I am most definitely doing a conga and dancing round my handbag in my stilettos at this party

From the get go I knew it was a book that I was going to enjoy, I just didn’t know how much. It all starts with the sad demise of Maudie and Arthur’s Dad who perished on his last adventure to the South Polaris in an attempt to be the first Explorer to reach it. Another Explorer, Eudora Vane tells the Lontown Geographical Society of the treachery by Ernest Brightstorm in deliberately sabotaging all other Sky-Ships and their crews attempts to reach the pole. As a result, the 2 orphan children are not entitled to the Insurance and lose everything. Just as things can’t get any worse, they do. Their Housekeeper sells them in lieu of lost income to a pair of filthy Slum dwellers who have ideas above their station to be used to earn money for them and keep house.

Both Maudie and Arthur know in their hearts that their Father would never do what he was accused off, despite the ‘evidence’ provided by Miss Vane (by name and nature) and try to think of a way to clear his name. This feeling is compounded even more when their fathers bird, Parthena arrives back in Lontown carrying his locket. Their chance happens when they see an advert for crew on Harriet Culpepper’s Sky-ship for the new expedition to the Southern most point.

When the twins sneak out for their interview, we also get to meet one of my favourite characters, Felicity Wiggety. All I could see was Miranda Hart, this tall lady with bizarrely enormous feet, who carries around a lucky ‘Silver’ spoon and can predict when something bad is about to happen thanks to ‘the tingling in her toes’ but she makes a marvellous cup of tea and marsh cakes.

On the journey that is fraught with disasters, unexplained happenings occurring to other Sky-Ships (except The Victorious, Eudora Vane’s sky-ship) we meet some truly wonderful characters. I absolutely adored the Thought Wolves. The very idea of some huge ferocious looking animals that are anything but, being able to communicate their inner most feelings to others and that actually the only person that is able to feel and hear the Thought Wolves is Arthur, I loved. This 12 year old boy who is able to be in touch with his sensitive side enough to be open and receptive to them was just brilliant. Everything about this book turns the usual stereotypes on their heads.

The descriptions and the language in this book are beautiful, you can picture every single thing from the vastness of the mountains, the ferocity of the storm, the wonders of the places they stop to refuel even the putrid sweet perfume that Madame Vane wears.

The sensitive way Vashti Hardy writes about the finding of not only the 12 graves of the crew but then the finding of the twin’s father deals with death and feelings that it brings in a way that children can relate and understand.

I could enthuse about this book for pages and pages but I’d probably lose you. All you really need to know is that it is a great book and that I am so glad I accepted the invite to this party and joined the crew of the Aurora.

The next adventure is out on 6th Feb called Dark Whispers and this time my acceptance is already written and waiting to post 😊

Happy reading.

#SixforSunday

#SixforSunday is hosted by Steph alittlebutalot (@eenalol) and is all about getting to know you through your books. Looking through my list it’s made me realise that I seem to gravitate to a certain type of book, which has actually surprised me.

You can probably all guess what my favourite book of 2019 was………. No prizes for guessing it was

What is there not to love in this book, I honestly can’t recommend it enough.

It got a bit harder from here on in and trying to narrow it down was quite tricky and there are some that missed out being on the list but only just.

I really loved this one. I wasn’t sure if it meant she loved space and had that in her heart or if she actually had a space in her heart and that was what intrigued me into reading it. I am so glad I did. It’s about Mabel Mynt (what a fab name!) who lives with her older sister, Terrible Topaz (what another great name) and Mum. Mum and Dad have split up and Mum has a new boyfriend who Topaz has named ‘Galactic Gavin’. Poor Mabel worries, she worries about lots of things and carries them all in her ‘worry suitcase’ inside her head. By the end of the book you realise what the title actually means. It’s a book that deals with real life issues of Parental Separation, Anxiety, Bullying and how to handle everything. This was another ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book for me.

This was one of my last reads of 2019 and WOW what a book! It is about Tally who is Autistic. She is going up to Secondary School and it explains how Tally sees the world. It is based on the diary of an Autistic girl called Libby. As someone who works in education with Autistic children, it really opened my eyes. I think everyone should read this and it should be in every classroom as it explains why some children behave the way they do and would hopefully go some way for all Autistic people being accepted and understood. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating

Having read The boy at the back of the class I knew this one would be good. It is so heart wrenching that I cried quite a few times. Towards the end I even had one of those moments when you inhale and sob at the same time. Onjali Q Raúf writes so sensitively about such important real life issues. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating.

The second MG book I read on my journey. A great read about Tess De Souza, her pet tarantula Violet and her ‘Uncle’ who comes to claim her from the orphanage. Tess leaves with the only thing that was left with her on the doorstep all those years ago, a ‘spinner’ that opens when aligned and shows an alternative dimension. Such a great read, full of adventure, friendship and all with a twist. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating.

I couldn’t not choose this one. I had to do a Year Group assembly with Yr4 and I didn’t know what to do so I started to read this. The 20 mins were up and there was a collective groan when I said we had to stop so much so that all the other Yr4 teachers said I could carry on. The illustrations in this are stunning and really compliment the story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating.

There were so many more I could have added like Christopher Edge’s ‘The longest night of Charlie Moon’, Emma Carroll’s Somerset Tsunami and Letters from the lighthouse and Abu Elphinstone’s Everdark to name a few.

There are so many in my TBR that I know that doing this next year will be even harder!

Happy reading. X

I was introduced to this by Book Craic, who you can follow with their MG reviews and all things bookish.

This is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words.  It asks three questions:

1.      What are you currently reading?

2.      What did you recently finish reading?

3. What do you think you’ll read next?

There has been a book on my list of books that I’ve wanted to get for a long time and even more so after Stormzy used it during his headline Glastonbury slot last year – Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman. It’s not something I would usually read and it is most definitely not MG, more YA, but something just appeals to me. I entered a draw to see if I could win a copy and I was contacted today to say that I have. It is most definitely going to sneak in to the top half of my TBR.

Happy reading folks.

Thanks to @eenalol at alittlebutalot.com, I thought I’d join in with my first ever #SixforSunday

I’d decided to not make resolutions as such this year – not into this New Year/New Me stuff but make changes to improve my life but as this is all about books, I’ll make an exception and do my 6 resolutions.

Resolution 1

To not beat myself up if I don’t get get time to read, especially at weekends. I have to be realistic and remember that I have 4 children as well as a partner who works weekends so sometimes all the running around, shopping, household chores fall to me.

Resolution 2

To actually read books on my TBR and not buy more. I am so guilty of seeing a new book and thinking that I need it, and I need it right now. No I don’t, having gone through my TBR I’ve got 30+ that I haven’t read. Obviously if I am gifted them, that doesn’t count, hee hee.

Resolution 3

To blog at least once a week. I may not finish a book every week but I’ve definitely read enough books that I would/could recommend and have loved reading so I can share those as well as my current reads.

Resolution 4

Achieve my book challenge. I set quite a conservative target of 50 books to read this year. I would love to do that and more but didn’t want to set too high a target and then not hit it and feel a failure.

Resolution 5

To write in my Bibliophine journal. I treated myself, as you do, to a beautiful journal where I can log all my books read, rate them and have something to look back on or share with my children or the children at school.

Resolution 6

To recommend, share and lend. What’s the point in reading all these books and keeping them all to myself? I adore being able to chat to the children at school about different books, what I’m currently reading and what I’ve read – that reminds me, I must pack 3 books I promised to lend out to some Yr 5’s (and their parents).

What I’m currently reading.

I was lucky enough to get an e-ARC (advance reading copy) of The Strangeworlds Travel Agency by L.D Lapinski. I’ve only just started it and it’s just getting exciting. For those of you that have read The Train to Impossible Places, it’s very reminiscent of that. I wonder if you can guess what drew to this book?!?!

You’ve probably seen this book advertised by Waterstones as one of their books of the Year and read/seen lots of reviews either on social media or in newspaper book reviews, and if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably wondered what all the hype is about.

I’d held off buying the book and didn’t put it on my extensive Christmas book request list but succumbed as I’d seen it reduced on one of the well know shopping sites and as I’d just been paid (hallelujah and about time) I thought I’d treat myself – any excuse hee hee.

It literally dropped through my letterbox today (cheers Mr Delivery driver for literally squeezing it through!) and I thought I’d have a peak at it before I get ready to go out tonight. Well, I got as far as the introduction and knew I couldn’t leave it there, I had to read all of it.

It tells the story of an unlikely band who become friends, and their journey. In a world where there is so much hate, negatives, criticism, egos and mental health issues, this book is the perfect tonic. It’s the alka seltzer for the bile that life throws us. It is full of what I would call ‘Pooh’isms, you know, the profound sayings that Winnie the Pooh or Piglet would say to each other in A.A Milne books.

Every turn of the page brought something new, whether it be one of the gorgeous illustrations or another conversation between the friends. Although the illustrations are basic & drawn in ink and the colours are not bright or bold, but understated, they do not detract from the book one iota. If anything, they enhance it’s beauty. It’s almost like one of those children you see who are beautiful but don’t know they are as they don’t highlight or show off their beauty. It shines from within them. That to me, perfectly describes this book. I can honestly say that my heart smiled whilst reading this and it was content and happy by the end.

In answer to my tag line, is it worth the hype – oh yes, it most certainly is and more.

Oh and I so agree with Mole – you’ll have to read it to see what I mean.