Marvellous Middle Grade (part 2)

It's time for some more magnificent middle grade books! Today you can start with the cocktail, a gorgeous Marshmallow Martini, then decide what to read with it.

This didn't turn out to be as sweet as it sounded so I ended up adapting the recipe a bit more to my taste. Also I only had giant marshmallows so had to cut one in half an it was still huge compared to the cocktail! Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass. 50ml vanilla vodka, 35ml passoa, 10ml lemon juice, 10ml sugar syrup. Garnish with a roasted marshmallow and add a side shot of champagne to make it extra fancy!

Old Gods New Tricks by Thiago de Moraes

The world is suddenly plunged into darkness when all the electricity stops working. No one seems to have a clue how to fix it, but luckily Trixie knows exactly who to go to for help!

This was such a funny book and Trixie is an amazing main character. She's so brave and super-sassy, even in the face of the scary gods, and she's even smart enough to out-trick the tricksters. There was mythology from all over the world. If you're not already a fan of myths, this will definitely get you interested. I loved the snippets of mythology between the chapters and at the end there's a great appendix with more about the five tricksters.

Matilda Meets the Universe by Dom Conlon, illustrated by Heidi Cannon

Matilda wants to know EVERYTHING! On her mission to meet alien life, she finds out about the formation of stars and planets, the speed of light, the Goldilocks zone, the Drake equation, interstellar travel and so much more. She's a lively, energetic character, never stopping on her journey to find things out. At times she switches to adult mode to give some useful information but there are lots of moments of humour in between.

This is great for any little scientists in your life, and also good for getting the more reluctant ones interested in science and space. Lots of starter information and it even got me thinking about some of the things mentioned. It feels more like a really fun text book than a novel but is still very easy to read.

The Myriad Mysteries of Eartha Quicksmith by Loris Owen

Kip is back at Quicksmiths and after discovering the Ark and escaping from Gorvak in his first year, you'd think he has time for a rest. However he and his friends feel like they are no closer to discovering Eartha Quicksmith's secrets and they won't stop until they do!

This is an amazing adventure through seemingly endless worlds. The descriptions of all the different worlds sounded so exciting and interesting, though I wouldn't want to find myself in most of them. I also love reading about the wonderful inventions which are created. For example, being able to jump into someone's dream would be fascinating. 

Book 3 is starting to get a mention so I think now is a good time to catch up if you haven't yet!

What Lives in the Woods by Lindsay Currie

Creepy and suspenseful. With a ticking clock that only Ginny can hear, a chilling mannequin that moves at night despite being bolted down and ghostly shapes in the ballroom.

I loved the ending and how all the clues come together, though in a completely different way than expected.

I've already read one of her books, which I didn't realise when I first found 'Woods' but this one is even better. I've now got 'Scritch Scratch' on my list and I'm really looking forward to it, as well as her newest book 'It Found Us'.

Ophie's Ghosts by Justina Ireland

I knew I'd love this right from the beginning. Ophie was a wonderful, lovable character who I sympathised with immediately. The writing was so easy to get into and very difficult to stop reading!

I love how buildings and railways are characters themselves, with the way their thoughts and emotions are described. Every chapter reveals some new information and interesting clues along the way to solve the mystery and the ghost lore is really interesting and unique. This was a great book for a buddy read, we had loads to discuss!