Pause for WWW Wednesday – 31/07

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Taking on a World Of Words that simply asks three questions.

I have had a good week!!

What are you currently reading?

The Frozen Sea – Piers Torday

Turns out I’m a bit wobbly about The Lost Magician (See below) but I was sent this book (out in September) to review and I’m interested to see how a new generation may change the stories in the Folio.

What did you recently finish reading?

Cover by Jamie Gregory

The True Colours Of Coral Glen– Juliette Forrest

This definitely fits in the Books that Surprised me category with its mix of colour and horror- not for the faint-hearted but certainly a book to delight Little Darklings.

Illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller, Typography by Joel Holland

Princess Of Pets: The Lost Puppy– Paula Harrison Illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller

We enjoyed the Naughty Kitten earlier this year, and I have to say this was even better and a good social message about greed too.

So excited to hear there’s going to be a wintery story later in the year featuring a reindeer!!

Illustration by Jedit

Under Earth- Ellen Renner

This book is epic!! It takes all the angst and contemplation of the first book and throws Storm into a tumultuous situation negotiating greedy traders with shining but rotten lifestyles and a Fire-Witch on a mission to murder Storm and a glimpse of the Drowned Ones on the horizon. I want book 3 NOW!!

Cover by Helen Crawford White

The Girl Of Ink & Stars- Kiran Millwood Hargrave

This was a great read! I loved the traditional quest aspects of the story and the artsy blend of ink stained imagery and poetic lyrical style. Great to see how this immensely talented author has grown

Cover by Kelsey Buzzell

The Switching Hour– Damaris Young

This book is going straight in the favourites vault. Stranger Things meets Labyrinth as Amaya has 3 days to get her baby brother back before the Dream Eater makes everyone forget him so she sets across a sunscorched drought ravished land with nothing but love and determination to protect her.

The Curse Of The School Rabbit- Judith Kerr

This is such a super cute illustrated short story about a little boy basically having a massive strop about his sister offering to babysit the class rabbit (which weed on him once)while the teacher is away on an emergency and the consequences that ensue.

Review coming shortly

Cover by Leo Nickolls

Check Mates– Stewart Foster

Oh goodness this book hit hard on several points about Silent grief, ADHD and finding your passion and having the guts to stick to it even when your friends tease you.

I cried buckets at several points and wanted to give several of Felix’s teachers a piece of my mind!! 😡

Illustration by Daniela Terrazzini Typography by Sarah J Coleman

Anna at War Helen Peters

Ok I basically cried my way through this book it was heartbreakingly wonderful. Telling the story of 12 year old Anna Schlesinger whose parents get her on a Kindertransport to escape Germany with the Kristallnacht, Kindertransport and reactions from the community in Britain is based on rigorous research and testimony- which as a historian I appreciated deeply and as a parent got very emotional.

Then there is the gorgeous old fashioned ‘spy in the barn’ subplot which is wonderfully uplifting and exciting at the same time.

Illustration by Ben Mantle

The Lost Magician- Piers Torday

This is basically a Narnia reboot for the modern audience and Torday is pretty clear about that. Stripped away are the Evangelistic Christian imagery and replaced with a fervour for reading and a battle between fiction and non-fiction overshadowed by the fear of Not Reading at All. A bit wobbly about this one but there’s the sequel before I make up mind

What do you think you’ll read next?

Illustrations by Ben Mantle

The Land Of Roar by Jenny MacLachlan with illustrations by Ben Mantle

This is another Portal Magic book which is a genre I do love but there’s a touch of ‘Age of Not Believing’ about this one AND it’s illustrated throughout in the vein of The Dragon in the Library or Starfell meaning it captures the attention of children like Littlefae (but older) who may not be quite ready to give up pictures in their stories (and why should they!)

And I would love to get some more  20 Books Of Summer before the end of August.

Have you read any of these?

What are you reading?