Random Musings of a Bibliophile

Top Ten Tuesday  is a Meme hosted by  The Broke and the Bookish This week's TTT topic: Back to School Freebie (any school related topic) The topic I'm choosing is "School Stories" or books where school is the main setting. These are all MG books. Maybe I'll do YA school books next year. What are your favorite books with a school setting?

Some shorter musings on recent YA reads. The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June  by Robin Benway While recently browsing the shelves at the library, I came across this and realized it was the only book by Robin Benway I had not read so I checked it out. I don't know why I had never read it as we all know how I feel about sibling stories. April, May, and June are sisters born 13 months apart. Their parents are recently divorced and they've just moved. Each experiences a heightened "sense". April cans see flashes of the future. May can turn invisible. June can read thoughts. The sisters try to navigate their new life and the problems their powers bring them while not letting any of it tear them apart. I enjoyed this but think it would have been better without the fantastical powers. I know that probably sounds like nonsense since that means the entire plot would have to change and it would be an entirely different book. But I loved the sisterly bond and I ...

The call for judges for the 2016 Children and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards is out! The Cybils Award process happens in two rounds and they need a lot of volunteer judges to make this work. Do you: love children's and youth literature? read a lot of it? blog about it? like discussing it? want to get to know other kidlit enthusiasts? If so, you will find being a Cybils judge a lot of fun. I have been a Round One panelist the last three years (two in MG Speculative Fiction and one in MG Fiction) and can say I was able to all of the above and throughly enjoyed it.  If you are interested in this, you will find the application here .

Top Ten Tuesday  is a Meme hosted by  The Broke and the Bookish This week's TTT topic: Books on Your TBR From Before You Started Blogging So many adult titles I will never get to....

Kate Milford is an auto-buy author for me. I love all of her books. The Left-Handed Fate , which I was lucky enough to read an ARC of, is no exception. It has been a long time since I was so thoroughly enraptured with a book and in that mode where I never want to stop reading or leave this world and its characters. Max Ault is attempting to complete his late father's mission to put together the pieces of an ancient puzzle that lead to the building of a magnificent machine-a machine that will have the power to end all wars. Lucy Bluecrowne is a privateer determined to help Max complete his mission and continue her family's legacy of honor and commitment. Oliver Dexter wants to live up to the legacy of his famous ship captain father and not embarrass himself as a midshipman turned captain of a prize vessel. Liao Bluecrowne just wants everyone to stop fighting and let him make fireworks in peace. Together these four headstrong determined characters have to dodge the most...

Top Ten Tuesday  is a Meme hosted by  The Broke and the Bookish This week's TTT topic: Top Ten Books with X Setting X Being Places I've Lived Because my father was in the Air Force, I moved a lot growing up. My husband, while not in the military, has a transient career as well so I'm still moving. I thought it would be fun to choose a favorite books set in the places I grew up. Nebraska (ages 2-7) Why: There aren't a whole lot of books set in Nebraska that I've read. Rowell's books are the books there I've read, and this is still my favorite book she's written. England (ages 7-11) Why: I know may of you are probably thinking, what on earth. Whhhyyyy??? After all, there are so many books that take place in England. Well, I love too many of them so I tried to find a book that I love, and that was set as close to where I actually lived (Suffolk) as possible. So here we are. This isn't my favorite Sayers' novel by any stre...

The Dinosaur Hunters  is a novella that takes place in the world Patrick Samphire created for his Secrets of the Dragon Tomb series. The first book in the series is one of my favorite reads of this year. If you haven't read it, you should. You should also get your hands on this prequel novella that gives a wonderful glimpse into other elements of the world Samphire created and introduces a fabulous heroine. Harriet George is determined to rescue her brother in law Bertram from his own stupidity. Bertram has bumbled his way along as a police inspector, but as rumors of a famous jewel thief no can catch coming to Tharsis City begin to spread, Bertram finds himself volunteered to capture the criminal. Harriet knows he will be unsuccessful and this will end his career leaving the family destitute. Harriet, disguised as a boy, goes along with Bertram on an expedition to hunt dinosaurs with the person believed to be the target of the famous jewel thief. The jewel thief does indeed s...

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill of  Breaking the Spine , that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. I n 1814, the Congress of Vienna has just begun. Diplomats battle over a new map of Europe, actors vie for a chance at glory, and aristocrats and royals from across the continent come together to celebrate the downfall of Napoleon…among them Lady Caroline Wyndham, a wealthy English widow. But Caroline has a secret: she was born Karolina Vogl, daughter of a radical Viennese printer. When her father was arrested by the secret police, Caroline’s childhood was stolen from her by dark alchemy. Under a new name and nationality, she returns to Vienna determined to save her father even if she has to resort to the same alchemy that nearly broke her before. But she isn’t expecting to meet her father’s old apprentice, Michael Steinhüller, now a charming con man in the middle of his riskiest scheme ever. The sinister forces that...

The Boy at the End of the World  by Greg van Eekhout has languished on my TBR for the longest time. A few weeks ago Sarah Prineas asked on Twitter if I had read it (I can't remember in relation to what). I almost responded, "No, but I plan to get to it someday." I stopped and thought, "Why wait though?" I then put it immediately on hold. I'm very happy I did because it is a wonderful adventure and I'm kicking myself for not having picked it up earlier. Fisher wakes up covered in goo emerging from a birthing pod. He is aware he is newly born. He knows the world is dangerous. He realizes he is also in imminent danger and it is his duty to survive. Shortly after his emergence into the world, Fisher is found by a robot whose job it is to keep him alive. Fisher is part of the Ark-a place designed to preserve the human species so that they may survive following the devastation they wrought on the planet. The robot, who Fisher names Click, downloaded the Fish...

Top Ten Tuesday  is a Meme hosted by  The Broke and the Bookish This week's TTT topic: Books You Would Buy If Someone Handed You a Fully Loaded Book Card I want nice editions of all my favorite classics. My husband gave me the entire set of Jane Austen Penguin hardcovers for Christmas last year, but I also want: Can we pause for a moment and appreciate the knitting image on A Tale of Two Cities  and the heart image on  Frankenstein? Well played, designers.  I have the Peter/Harriet books with the reissued UK covers, but I really want the entire series, which would put me well over ten for this so here are the two I want the most:  I have most of the reissued UK covers of Diana Wynne Jones books, but there are still a few I'm missing: Why did they never redo the Dalemark books in this style? If I were wishing for things that didn't exist....(That's a topic for a whole other post though.) And last but not least, this UK ...