middle grade book – GoodeyReads

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Middle-Grade Paranormal
Length: 304 pages
Author: Victoria Schwab
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: March 2nd, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Where there are ghosts, Cassidy Blake follows … unless it’s the other way around?

Cass thinks she might have this ghost-hunting thing down. After all, she and her ghost best friend, Jacob, have survived two haunted cities while travelling for her parents’ TV show.

But nothing can prepare Cass for New Orleans, which wears all of its hauntings on its sleeve. In a city of ghost tours and tombs, raucous music and all kinds of magic, Cass could get lost in all the colourful, grisly local legends. And the city’s biggest surprise is a foe Cass never expected to face: a servant of Death itself.

Cass takes on her most dangerous challenge yet.

FAV OF THE SERIES.

Really liked this one! A very quick audio read that I felt more invested in than the previous books. I attribute that mostly to the fact that I’ve really gotten to know and love all of these characters. Cassidy is such a great, younger main character. I love how strong she is and committed to her friends. Jacob is always there for Cassidy and I love that he started finding a common ground with Lara! The characters are the best part of the book.

The setting was fantastic!! Since I’ve visited New Orleans I felt it come even more alive through the writing. The depictions of The French Quarter and surrounding areas brought me there. All of the ghosts were creepy (and sometimes charming). A great spooky atmosphere without being over the top (since it is meant for a younger audience).

An enjoyable read as always. They make me smile and reaffirm that power of strong friendships.

Overall audience notes:

Middle grade paranormal
Language: none
Romance: none
Violence: being attacked by ghosts
Trigger/Content Warnings: slavery and racism (in reference to the history of some of the New Orleans locations)

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Book Review: The War That Saved My Life (The War That Saved My Life #1) by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

November 4, 2021July 14, 2021 GoodeyReads

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: MG Historical Fiction
Length: 316 pages
Author: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Publisher: Dial Books
Release Date: January 8th, 2015
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

An exceptionally moving story of triumph against all odds set during World War 2, from the acclaimed author of Jefferson’s Sons and for fans of Number the Stars.

Ten-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.

So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?

This masterful work of historical fiction is equal parts adventure and a moving tale of family and identity—a classic in the making.

TEAR INDUCING.

This book hits hard. Personally as a Mom, this hit even harder. I was wrapped up in many many emotions by that ending and found this book utterly captivating in its poignancy.

I love how many things were handled. Ada is clearly suffering from the abuse she dealt with living with her Mom. When she and her brother end up with Susan things start to slowly turn around. This wasn’t some flip of a switch and everything was sunny. It was hard work and Susan showed so much compassion and patience that it made my heart burst.

This is a middle-grade book that is without a doubt appropriate for all ages. The depth of the writing and characters made everything feel so real. I felt like this gave another angle to World War 2 and what was happening with a lot of the children at that time. Ada had incredibly growth throughout the novel and wow did I want to hug her so many times. I love that she found a passion she could enjoy and a friend or two to lean on.

Watching Susan, Ada and Jamie find a way to heal together through grief and depression brought my soul hope. This is really a story for all and I am definitely reading the next book. I need more of this story and these characters.

Overall audience notes:

Middle grade historical fiction
Language: none
Violence: war themes
Trigger/Content Warnings: physical and emotional child abuse, ableism, depictions of grief and depression, PTSD (from abuse), depiction of anxiety and panic attacks

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Book Review

Book Review: City of Ghosts (Cassidy Blake #1) by Victoria Schwab

February 22, 2021September 15, 2020 GoodeyReads

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Middle-Grade Paranormal
Length: 285 pages
Author: Victoria Schwab
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: August 28th, 2018
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

They’re here.
They’re watching.

Cass can pull back the Veil that separates the living from the dead.

When Cass’s parents start hosting a TV show about the world’s most haunted places, the family heads off to Edinburgh. Here, graveyards, castles and secret passageways teem with restless phantoms.

But when Cass meets a girl who shares her “gift”, she realizes how much she still has to learn about the Veil—and herself. And she’ll have to learn fast. The city of ghosts is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

DELIGHTFUL AND SPOOKY.

And a fantastic audio book!! I really enjoyed this. I haven’t read a middle grade book in a long while and this reminded me why I like adding these into the mix. This was fun in a creepy way, and had cute friendship moments that I adored.

I thought Cass was a great main character. The writing was amazing in that I felt like she was definitely younger, but it never became annoying or drew me out of the story. I wanted to be her friend, cheer her on, and keep reading this story. The dynamic between her and Jacob was so sweet. I’m curious how that relationship will grow and evolve over the books (tears coming? MAYBE).

The plot was complex in its simplicity and I feel that really sways to middle grade. You knew exactly where things were going, but because of the writing and set-up, enjoyed the ride it took you on.

I just love Schwab’s books. And this is her first middle grade book I’ve read. After this, I have plans to read more of these!

Overall audience notes:

Middle grade paranormal contemporary
Language: none
Romance: none
Violence: a little physical, nothing intense

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Book Review

Book Review: The Whispering Skull (Lockwood & Co. #2) by Jonathan Stroud

August 29, 2019August 2, 2019 GoodeyReads

Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: Young adult paranormal mystery
Length: 435 pages
Author: Jonathan Stroud
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: September 16th, 2014
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the six months since Anthony, Lucy, and George survived a night in the most haunted house in England, Lockwood & Co. hasn’t made much progress. Quill Kipps and his team of Fittes agents keep swooping in on Lockwood’s investigations. Finally, in a fit of anger, Anthony challenges his rival to a contest: the next time the two agencies compete on a job, the losing side will have to admit defeat in the Times newspaper.

Things look up when a new client, Mr. Saunders, hires Lockwood & Co. to be present at the excavation of Edmund Bickerstaff, a Victorian doctor who reportedly tried to communicate with the dead. Saunders needs the coffin sealed with silver to prevent any supernatural trouble. All goes well-until George’s curiosity attracts a horrible phantom.

Back home at Portland Row, Lockwood accuses George of making too many careless mistakes. Lucy is distracted by urgent whispers coming from the skull in the ghost jar. Then the team is summoned to DEPRAC headquarters. Kipps is there too, much to Lockwood’s annoyance. Bickerstaff’s coffin was raided and a strange glass object buried with the corpse has vanished. Inspector Barnes believes the relic to be highly dangerous, and he wants it found.

EXCELLENTLY SPOOKY.

I think I can easily say this one was better than the first. I loved getting to know these characters more and having already established themselves I was further invested in the story.

The banter and team dynamics of Lockwood & Co. is what keeps me coming back for more. They are fantastic. It reminds me of the Jackaby series I’m currently reading right now. Everyone cares of each other, but they are also not afraid to give it to another if necessary to put them back in line. A close knit group that makes me so happy every time they’re together.

I love Lucy’s inner dialogue. This girl tells it like it is. Not everyone is handsome or beautiful and things are not always going the right way. I love how she puts her world together and is smart and strong-willed. I didn’t initially like that it was from her perspective, but book two has convinced me that this is the way to go.

Since I’m personally not a big horror fan, this is right at the level that I can love. It’s creepy, spooky, and I felt it should be fall every time I picked this up. The ghosts are definitely a bit haunting and the descriptions really bring them to life.

Even when you can kind of tell what’s going to happen and who the main culprit is in the the given scenario, there’s still enough pieces missing to keep you interested. I found myself second-guessing and freaked out at what was happening. Some moments where I know I was shouting wild thoughts hoping that everything worked out in the end.

Overall audience notes:

Young adult paranormal mystery + fantasy
Language: none
Romance: none
Violence: swords, descriptive ghostly apparitions, description of murders and corpses, murder, explosions