C.J. Milbrandt's Blog, page 47
June 22, 2018
The Key to Extraordinary
The Key to Extraordinary
Natalie Lloyd
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A family in which the women all share a sense of destiny. A mountain village with a sense of history and a touch of magic. Brushes with sadness, with belonging, with adventure, and with hope. A celebration of friendship that lifts the heart and gives it that special flutter.
Beautiful storytelling from a kindred soul. A treasure, indeed.
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June 19, 2018
#amreading Fables & Fairy Tales
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The Dire King is the finale of the Jackaby series, where fabled creatures are coming out of the woodwork. (I adored the first two books in this series and would recommend those. Not as pleased with the concluding volumes.) Iron Hearted Violet is a princess story with an ominous tone. There are secrets in the castle that shouldn’t have been uncovered … and terrible consequences to those who listen to the whispers coming from the castle mirrors. And The Fairy Tale Detectives is the first in Th...
June 18, 2018
BYWAYS: Brielle Trenton
Rounding out Zane’s Team. In Byways Book #3, Over the Bridge, they catch wind of a blacksmith who wants to move west, which brings them to Trenton Forge. The rumors are true, but an important detail was left out. Brielle Trenton is a young woman. And Zane can’t believe Jovan thinks it’s a good idea to travel with a girl. Especially one as pushy as Bree.
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June 15, 2018
Circus Mirandus
Circus Mirandus
Cassie Beasley
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Michah’s grown up with his grandfather’s stories about a magical circus, and he believes them all. Especially the ones about the Man Who Bends Light, who once promised Grandpa Ephraim a miracle. Sassy parrots and odious aunts. New friends at school and tying knots. Sleeping in tree houses and ice cold orange sodas. Desperate hopes and music on the wind.
I cannot say enough good things about this book. Very much my kind of story. Loved it!
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June 12, 2018
#amreading This and That
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The Hollow Boy is the third book in the Lockwood & Co. series, an edge-of-the-seat adventure in which ghosts haunt England and can kill with a touch. Aquamarine is a lower middle grade summer story about a mermaid who becomes stranded in a water park’s swimming pool. And The Case of the Gypsy Good-bye is the sixth and final installment in the Enola Holmes series. (Very much my favorite book discovery of 2017 and destined to be reread at regular intervals.)
June 8, 2018
The Screaming Staircase
The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co., #1)
Jonathan Stroud
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After a horrifying debacle at her previous job, Lucy strikes out on her own, applying for a new position in London. Her search lands her at Lockwood & Co., where her psychic abilities are a complement for Anthony’s and George’s. Not that this guarantees everything will go smoothly.
Emanations and eradication. Ghost lamps and restless spirits. Iron shavings and silvered glass. Old murders and lingering presences. All the hauntings...
June 5, 2018
#amreading Strangeness
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In Poppy Mayberry, The Monday, we learn that in the city of Nova, every child is born with the potential of developing a weekday power (telepathy, teleportation, telekinesis, etc) depending on what day of the week they’re born. Xander and the Lost Island of Monsters takes a twist on Japanese folklore. And Rowan Hood Returns is the final installment in Nancy Springer’s series. (I didn’t like this one so much, but the first book in the set is amazing.)
June 1, 2018
Water Keep
Water Keep (Far World, #1)
J. Scott Savage
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Marcus is bullied because he’s different—orphaned, branded, crippled. But he’s also indomitable, quick-witted, and has a strange talent that can only be described as magic. When the Dark Circle finds him in his Arizona boarding school, their kidnapping attempt is foiled by a girl Marcus has only seen in his dreams. Kyja pulls him into Far World, a place where everything and everyone has magic … except her.
Talking animals, singing flowers, shape-shi...
May 31, 2018
#MGCarousel – Summer Reading Bingo
Summer Reading! Time for a fresh sticky post, where I’ll keep my June 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 June bingo board here >>
#BookADayMay Success!
30 Days, 30 Books. Challenges are fun, if only because they push us to try. Accomplishing the goal is icing on the proverbial cake. Elza and I set out to read a book a day in May … and I’m happy to report my success.
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Truth be told, I even went a bit over (with three additional mysteries), but most of these titles are from the middle grade shelf. I discovered some new favorites in May. What have you been reading lately?
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Join Elza & me for…
Summer Reading Bingo
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