Marvellous Middle Grade

Over the past couple of years I have grown more and more fond of middle grade books. There's just so much magic, hope and wonder in them. Here are some of my recent favourites that I love to share.

Start by mixing up a Chocolate Orange cocktail, then choose a book and let the magic sink in. 

40ml rum, 20ml grand marnier, 10ml orange juice, 10ml lemon juice, dash of sugar syrup. Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Add couple of drops of chocolate bitters, then garnish with a slice of dried orange.

The Last Monster by Dan Walker

After the events of book 1, Lux discovered something strange and seemingly very wrong about his powers. Now he is terrified to use Light even for healing his team-mates as he is so worried about hurting rather than saving them. So he is warily hopeful when he hears of a retired Light Hunter who thinks he's found a way to stop the monster attacks forever.

I love the friendship and trust between the team-mates in squad Juno, they go through so much together but in the end always believe in each other. It is wonderful to see how Lux overcomes his fears and terror of hurting others.

The House on Hoarder Hill by Kelly Ngai & Mikki Lish

Hedy and Spencer are unexpectedly sent to stay with their grandfather when their parents get the chance to go on a dig in Spain. While Spencer can't wait to learn Grandpa's magic tricks, Hedy would much rather go to Spain with her parents. Things soon get interesting and very, very spooky when it seems the spirit of their grandma Rose, who disappeared years ago, is trying to contact them!

Grandpa's house if full of mysterious rooms with hidden secrets that the children are supposed to stay out of. Of course they don't listen and they encounter moving statues, woodspies, liar birds and ghosts. There are so many magical things.

I love how the book starts so mysteriously, I had a sneaky suspicion of who the Missing One could be and couldn't wait to find out if I was right. As soon as I finished the book I ordered the next 2!

Max Magic by Stephen Mulhern & Tom Easton

What would you do if you suddenly found you could do magic? Max has magic in his blood, it runs in his family and he has been practising ticks every chance he gets. But until he finds an old top hat, it has all been just tricks, now he finds he can do REAL magic!

With the bullies at school and the Crayfish Twins bullies at the market, Max really does have a lot to put up with, and all he wants is to help his family. As tempting as it is to just blow the bullies to smithereens with his mew found magic, Max knows he should find a way to use his powers for good by helping, not hurting. I know there's supposed to be a message in here for kids, but personally I think the bullies and bad guys have it coming!

I liked the illustrations throughout the book and at the end you get some magic tricks to try out yourself!

Amari and the Great Game by B.B. Alston

This was one of my most aniticipated sequels. Amari's struggles start almost right from the first page, when she is un-invited to the Bureau's summer camp. Luckily her friends rally round and get her back in. Through a series of events, Amari ends up playing the Great Game in a bid to lead the League of Magicians, fighting against Dylan. There are magically alive books and a shadow pet, seven great beasts including the kraken and a giant nuclear snail. Even Alexander the Great gets a mention.

I like that she does understand she's just a kid and shouldn't have to do everything. But she does it anyway, because who else is going to save the world?

This book pretty much leaves you hanging in the worst way! I don't know how I'll manage to wait for the next one.

The Vanishing of Aveline Jones by Phil Hickes

Another in a series, though this is the third and I am impatiently awaiting news of any more as I love this series so much.

An abandoned house, missing people and spooky seances, and that's just in the first few chapters! Aveline's third adventure sees her battling to escape the clutches of the faeries, who she suspects are also behind all the mysterious disappearances that have happened in the area. Luckily she has Harold and their new friend, faerie expert Sammy, on side to help. Their friendships are just so sweet and strong, these kids would brave anything for each other. The villain is particularly sinister, popping up in many tales told over the years. The story is creepy and dark perfect for a Halloween evening!

Rise Of The Bartender by Adam Jamie Hussein

Today I am once again joining in with the 12 days of Clink St Publishing with my second book of the blog tour.

As you can probably guess by now, I love a good cocktail book to read and this one has lots of stories and history going back over 400 years! Each chapter delves into a period of time and the thing that most characterises it. Interestingly, the index is almost at the beginning of the book. Though unusual, I quite liked this and it made me want to immediately jump straight into all the cocktails that caught my eye.

While the definition of 'classic' is a bit loose, there are a huge number of well known and historic cocktails plus quite a few I didn't know. I would have loved more pictures though, as I do find the temptation is often in the look of it and it helps when preparing a cocktail.

Book Summary

A contemporary approach to the traditional world of classic cocktails.

Celebrated mixologist Adam Jamie Hussein shares the origin stories and recipes for over 200 mixed drinks of eclectic heritage, featuring beloved greats like the Martini and lesser-known favourites like the Fish House Punch.

Designed as a guide to cocktail history and education, Hussein debunks myths and rumours to chart the evolution of cocktail making, revealing how the drinks we love today have been refined over time.

Legendary cocktails have notorious beginnings. Hussein hopes that Rise Of The Bartender will spark conversation and new drinking discoveries for like-minded libertines.

The great thing about reviewing a bartending book is that I don't have far to go to find the perfect cocktail to share with you. In fact this was actually one of the first I spotted when I looked through the book. Hemingway Daiquiri recipe as per the book: 40ml light rum, 5ml maraschino, 20ml pink grapefruit juice, 10ml lime juice, 5ml simple syrup. Long shake and strain into a coupe.

The Geeky Stitching Co's Little Book of Cross Stitch by Jess Payne

 

It's that time of year again, the 12 Days of Clink St Publishing blog tour! I decided I need a new hobby, other than cocktails and books so Geeky Stitching caught my eye and I'm branching out into cross-stitch. I have done a few before but those were with kits that already had everything in it, so it is a bit daunting to try going 'freelance'!

 

Unfortunately my book hasn't arrived in time for me to show off my handy work but I am hoping for a cocktail cross stitch to try out. Depending on how my efforts turn out I might show you all later! For now I will be asking Father Christmas for some cross stitch supplies...

 

Book Summary

You will find over thirty of our bestselling designs in this book as well as seven new patterns to stitch up, we have everything from rainbows to fluffy animals and not a country cottage in sight!

A great book for beginners as well as experienced stitchers who are fans of stitching cute stuff and fun puns.

Stand and Deliver by Philip Caveney

Today I have a guest post by author Philip Caveney, which I believe will be very useful for any budding writers out there! Personally the description of books as 'head movies' is so accurate for me. I love a good book which allows me to feel like I'm actually watching the events unfold. First of all a bit about Philip's new book, Stand and Deliver. Then on to his great writing tips!

Book Summary

In a time when highwaymen ruled the roads, Ned is reluctantly swept up into a whirlwind of adventure. Whilst escaping the grasps of the thief-takers, Ned soon finds himself stepping into his Master’s shoes and an unwanted life of crime. The pressure is building with new friends and enemies galore when Ned stumbles upon a long-infamous gem, The Bloodstone, which forces him to make an important choice. Can he ultimately escape this new threat and finally free himself from the grips of The Shadow?

Top Tips for Adventure Writing

Writing an adventure story is much like writing any other form of fiction. All the usual rules apply. But over the years I’ve developed some hard and fast tips that I believe, will help guide any budding writer through the process of creating thrilling adventurous prose. Here they are!

1. Create a credible world.

Wherever your adventure takes place - whether it’s somewhere in the real world or a universe you’ve created in your own mind - it must seem real to the reader. You’ll do this through your powers of description. I like to think of books as ‘head movies. ’As readers go through your writing, they need to see a film unspooling on a screen in their head, a projection of what’s in your mind. If you’ve described it well enough, readers will believe the place actually exists and then they’ll be ready to accept what happens there, no matter how fantastic!

2. Show the events through the eyes of the characters.

I cannot emphasise this enough. The three most important words in a writer’s lexicon are SHOW DON’T TELL. If the writer talks about an adventure that happens way off in the distance, it will never come alive for the readers. They will feel like they’re standing at the edge of a very wide playing field watching things unfold through a set of binoculars. Distance can diminish an adventure, and remove much of the potential excitement. Show it happening, as it happens to the people it’s actually happening to - and suddenly we’re talking an entirely different game. Your readers are hooked and you can take them anywhere you like!

3. Know when to cut away.

I’ve sometimes read a piece of fiction where the writer lingers too long over a particular point in the story. Yes, you need to give enough information to inform the readers to ‘show’ them the scene, but knowing when to end the chapter - when to cut away - is one of the most important lessons a writer needs to learn. Try to leave the action at a point where something important is just about to happen. This will make the reader eager to turn to the next page. Do this twenty times or so and you’ve led them through an entire book!

4. Research.

It pretty much goes without saying that if your book is set in a particular historical period then you need to read as much about it as you can - and don’t just stick to the bits that will be pertinent to your particular story. Read around the period and make notes as you go. Pick out little details that will make your story convincing. And don’t use too much of that research! Pick out the nuggets, some little details that will convince the reader that you know actually what you’re talking about.

But… what if you’ve invented the world? All bets are off, surely? Well, no, because whatever you’ve come up with, it will have to operate in the same way as any world does. Perhaps you’ll find parallels with a real place and an actual time period which you can apply to your invented society. Because, no matter how fantastical your imagined world is, it will need to have rules of logic, the things that make it operate. Otherwise, readers aren’t going to believe that you know enough about your own invention - and they won’t trust you to take them through the story.

5. Remember to vary the pace.

And finally, let’s talk about pace. A book shouldn’t be a frantic chase from start to finish - but neither should it be a dull plod. This may sound obvious, but a book is generally a series of chapters, all with their own particular job to do. I often imagine them as a series of doors leading through a huge house - a labyrinth perhaps. Yes, we need some moments of excitement and of course we also need suspense… but at the same time, we need occasional lulls where we can tease the story along to its next instalment.

Always give your readers time to draw breath before you plunge them into the next bout of excitement. And don’t be afraid to keep them waiting…

Urgent Matters by Paula Rodriguez

Book Summary

The Yankees are more astute when it comes to matters like these. They say "not guilty". They don't say "innocent". Because as far as innocence goes, no one can make that claim.

A train crashes in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, leaving forty-three people dead. A prayer card of Saint Expeditus, the patron saint of urgent matters, flutters above the wreckage.

Hugo, a criminal on the run for murder, is on the train. He seizes his chance to sneak out of the wreckage unsuspected, abandoning his possessions - and, he hopes, his identity - among bodies mangled beyond recognition.

As the police descend on the scene, only grizzled Detective Domínguez sees a link between the crash and his murder case. Soon, he's on Hugo's tail. But he hasn't banked on everything from the media to his mother-in-law getting in the way.

This was a bit out of my usual comfort zone in terms of the genre and the fact that it was a translated book, but the description intrigued me and I am so glad I decided to try it. The writing flows really well and I ended up reading most of it in one day. I did find it a bit hard to keep track of all the side characters as many were introduced quite suddenly and I wasn't always sure how they fitted into the story, however this didn't hinder my enjoyment of the book.

It was really interesting to get the different points of view of the main characters, and I enjoyed being able to see the story from all sides, particularly as they are all so different. It's amazing how a varied perspective can alter what seems to be happening. The conclusion was left very slightly vague so that while I am pretty sure I know what happens next, it is still open to interpretation or at least hope for whatever the reader might want! I will be looking out for more of Paula's books in future, hoping they will also be translated.

Author Bio

Paula Rodríguez is a journalist, editor, writer, comedian, ghostwriter and feminist activist. She has worked for twenty-five years in magazine print journalism. Urgent Matters is her first novel. Paula lives in Buenos Aires.

Translator Bio

Sarah Moses is a writer and translator of French and Spanish. She co-translated Die, My Love by Ariana Harwicz, which was longlisted for the International Booker Prize, among other awards. Her translation of Agustina Bazterrica's Tender is the Flesh was published by Pushkin Press in 2020.

To start with, my apologies in advance to any Argentinians out there who might be horrified at my attempts here. I tried to find out a bit more about the Mate that they are always drinking in the book and found that the flavour resembles green tea and is often mixed with fruit juice, usually lime. So I've made a cocktail which uses both of those. My Urgent Matters cocktail is more of a Mate-inspired drink rather than any attempt to actually recreate it. 

Into a cocktail shaker, add 60ml rum, 60ml cold green tea, 30ml lime juice and a dash of sugar syrup. Shake with ice and pour into a glass full of ice. I think it turned out pretty well!