C.J. Milbrandt's Blog, page 45
August 7, 2018
#amreading Daringly
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The Unknowns is a mystery with thriller tendencies and a misfit cast. I’ve never met a more mathematical read. I’ll confess to reading Viking It and Liking It because I needed a “V” book for my alphabet challenge. But the Time Warp Trio stories are a hoot. I’ve begun collecting this lower middle grade series. Masters of Disaster is full of zany plans that’ll make any mother cringe. Set in a bygone era. I love the charismatic ringleader’s tendency to speak in capitals.
August 3, 2018
The Ravenmaster’s Secret
The Ravenmaster’s Secret: Escape from the Tower of London
Elvira Woodruff
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Forrest Harper is the son of a guard at the Tower of London who holds the additional role of Ravenmaster. The boy’s best friends are Tuck, a raven he’s raised from a fledgling, and Rat, a boy who works for the Tower’s rat-catcher. Excitement surrounds news that they’re to have a new prisoner, a dangerous villain of a Scot taken in battle. Only the prisoner put into his father’s keeping turns out to be a girl no older t...
August 1, 2018
#MGCarousel – Summer Reading Bingo
Summer Reading! Time for a fresh sticky post for my August BINGO board, part of the Summer Reading Challenge for #MGCarousel at Elymnifoquent.com, where Elza and I blog about middle grade books.
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Play along! Grab your August bingo board here >>
Can’t read those tiny book covers? I’ve listed the titles/authors.
SQUARES COVERED [In order, row by row, top to bottom]:
BINGO!
Got one! I didn’t read as much as usual during July because of #CampNaNoWriMo, but I did manage one BINGO for #MGCarousel’s Summer Reading Bingo.
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Don’t miss out on the fun. Elza posted the August Bingo Board, and the new categories have loads of potential!
Camp NaNoWriMo – WIN!
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My writing group is tackling a short story project this year, and I used #CampNaNoWriMo to get my thoughts down. Naturally, my story concept took on a life of its own and got entirely out of hand. Now, it’s been structured as a 6-book mystery series in a historical setting. I’ll need to do a bit more research before I go any further with my notes, but I’m cautiously pleased. Maybe sometime down the line, I’ll be announcing its debut!
July 31, 2018
#amreading Variously
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Olive’s Ocean has a wistful, nostalgic ambiance. On the day before her family leaves for summer vacation, Martha is visited by the mother of a girl in her class who recently died. With Olive on her mind, Martha sees things a little differently. The Dagger Quick is a fast-past adventure of the swashbuckling variety. Vivid and thrilling. And Bliss is a family-centered story of the magical bakery variety. Recipes awry and heartwarming moments.
Are you following me on GoodReads? >>
July 30, 2018
BYWAYS: Behind the Header
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When Zane’s nose leads him to a sweet-smelling town, he, Jovan, and Brielle encounter WARNING signs everywhere. Something Wild is in the woods. We’ve taken a peek behind the Byways header on several of books in the series. In the case of Byways Book #9, Through the Notches: A Zane Johns Adventure, the header hides a special secret.
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Not one red unicorn, but two!
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July 27, 2018
Drizzle
Drizzle
Kathleen Van Cleve
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Polly Peabody’s family lives on what can only be called a magical farm. Their house is a castle. Nobody can drown in their lake. The insects are surprisingly intelligent. And it rains every Monday at 1:00 p.m., without fail. Which does wonders for their rhubarb crops. But events conspire, and it looks as if they might lose the farm.
Rhubarb and emerald rings. School bullies and best friends. Dragon flies and dark towers. Sabotage and saving the farm. Absolutely fun...
July 24, 2018
#amreading Poetry
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Through a series of autobiographical poems, Jacqueline revisits her childhood in Brown Girl Dreaming. Yes, it’s a peek into the civil rights moment, but even more, a celebration of family and beginnings and cherished things and stories. Beautiful. The Poet’s Dog is a short story about two lost children who are led to safety by a dog. And Inside Out & Back Again is the story of a Vietnamese family who leaves behind their war-torn home in Saigon. Poetic snippets give us glimpses of the home Ha...
July 23, 2018
BYWAYS: Illustrations
Every one of the Byways Books includes beautiful full-color art by my illustrator, Hannah Christenson. Here’s a sampling from Book #1, On Your Marks: The Adventure Begins.
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