Fiction Reviews: House in the Cerulean Sea & Somewhere Beyond the Sea

Since its publication in 2020, I've heard nothing but rave reviews of The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, but since I rarely read fantasy, I still hadn't read it (though I did enjoy Klune's Under the Whispering Door). When I heard that a sequel was being published, I quickly downloaded and listened to the audio of the original book and then listened to the new one, Somewhere Beyond the Sea. I was enchanted by both heartwarming books, with their original premises, thought-provoking topics, delightful humor, and a touch of suspense.

In The House in the Cerulean Sea, a man named Linus Baker takes his job very seriously. He is a case worker for The Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY) and travels around to various orphanages and schools run by the department, to assess whether the children in their charge are being well cared for. One day, his careful routine is upended when he is summoned by Extremely Upper Management. They give him a highly classified assignment: to travel to

Marsyas Island and assess an unusual home where six especially dangerous magical children reside. The managers are clearly concerned about the safety of the rest of the world, but Linus is focused on the well-being of the children, as he always is. He arrives on the very remote Marsyas Island to its usual beautiful, tropical weather and is met by the caretaker of the home and the children, Arthur Parnussus. He introduces Linus to the very unusual children: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentified green blob with eye stalks, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. As Linus stays with them over the course of a month, he gets to know each of them--and Arthur--very well. Though Arthur's methods seem unorthodox (and Linus can quote the DICOMY rules and regulations), he begins to realize what a special place Marsyas is and what a special family Arthur has created here.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea picks up right where the first novel ends (no spoilers!), carrying on with the stories of Arthur, the children, and Linus. A short prologue is included about Arthur's first arrival back on the island, before he created the home. In the present day, Arthur has been invited to give testimony to the Council of Utmost Importance about his own time as a child under DICOMY's "care" and the abuses he suffered. As you might expect, things do not go quite as Arthur had hoped they would. Nevertheless, he is also in the city to pick up a new child to join their family, a yeti named David. Soon, the unusual family on Marsyas Island is fighting to hold onto the happy, peaceful life they have made for themselves.

The new sequel is just as delightful as the original novel. There is a bit more tension and suspense here, as Arthur and the children face potential perils, but the warmth and marvelous sense of humor remain. If you read The House in the Cerulean Sea in print, I highly recommend you give the audio a try for the sequel. Both audio books are such an absolute pleasure to listen to! I was just about to tell you that they each feature a full cast of talented narrators, but I was shocked to just discover it's only one person, professional actor Daniel Henning. I can't believe he did it all by himself because he's given each of the children their own unique voice. Much of the humor in the novels comes from the things the children say and observe, and hearing them say these things on audio is so much fun! I often laughed out loud (while walking, cooking, brushing my teeth). At the same time, both books are warm and tender, featuring beautiful, loving relationships that embrace diversity. These novels are full of hope and joy, and I loved living in this world for a while.

[NOTE: If you have not yet read the first book, then avoid reading the description of the sequel online or on the jacket; it's full of spoilers of the first book!]

The House in the Cerulean Sea - 416 pages, Tor 

Somewhere Beyond the Sea - 416 pages, Tor

Macmillan Audio

These books fit in the following 2024 Reading Challenges:

 

Diversity Reading Challenge

Big Book Summer Challenge
 

Disclosure: I received the sequel from the publisher in return for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and is not influenced by my relationship with the publisher or author.

 

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.

 

Listen to a sample of the audiobook here and/or download it from Audible:

The House in the Cerulean Sea

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

Or get this audiobook from Libro.fm and support local bookstores (audio samples here, too):

The House in the Cerulean Sea

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

Print and e-book from Amazon:

The House in the Cerulean Sea

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

You can buy the book through Bookshop.org, where your purchase will support the indie bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping online while still buying local!

 

Middle-Grade Review: The Midnight Children

For Middle-Grade March, I listened to four middle-grade audio books (check out my first two reviews here and the third review here), and enjoyed them all.

I'm a big fan of Dan Gemeinhart and especially loved his middle-grade novels, The Honest Truth and The Remarkable Story of Coyote Sunrise. In The Midnight Children, Gemeinhart again creates an engaging story with great characters in unusual circumstances. Ravani Foster lives in Slaughterville with his mom and dad and is lonely. He spends his summer days delivering town newspapers, taking his dad's lunch to the slaughterhouse at noon, and trying to dodge the nasty bullies who cruelly pick on him. One night, unable to sleep, Ravani looks out his bedroom window at midnight and sees a group of seven children of varying ages get out of a truck and carry their suitcases into the abandoned house across the street. With the help of his excellent frog-catching skills, he gets to know these new kids in the neighborhood and becomes good friends with a girl his age named Virginia. But the kids have some deep and dangerous secrets. Will they trust Ravani enough to take him into their confidence?

This is a unique story that includes some light elements of magic, though it is set in the real world and focuses on real-world problems. The setting is also unique, in this town that is defined by its only industry, a slaughterhouse. The novel does not shy away from the realities of that industry! Ravani and Virginia (and the other kids) are wonderful characters that I was rooting for. It's a story about friendship and found family, with a happy ending for all of the characters, including many of the people in town. I very much enjoyed this original story that reminded me of Kate DiCamillo's novels (as well as Gemeinhart's other books).

352 pages, Henry Holt & Co.

This book fits in the following 2023 Reading Challenges:

Alphabet Soup Challenge - M

 

Visit my YouTube Channel for more bookish fun!

 

Listen to a sample of the excellent audiobook here and/or download it from Audible. In this sample, Ravani watches the children appear in the middle of the night.

 

You can buy the book through Bookshop.org, where your purchase will support the indie bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping online while still buying local!       
  

Disclosure: I received these books from the publisher in return for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and is not influenced by my relationship with the publisher or author.

 

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.

Fiction Review: The Witches of Moonshyne Manor

I am a huge fan of Bianca Marais and loved her first two novels, Hum If You Don't Know the Words (one of my Top 10 of all time!) and If You Want to Make God Laugh. Those were both historical fiction, family/friendship dramas with a good sense of humor, set in South Africa during and just after apartheid. Her third novel, newly released, The Witches of Moonshyne Manor is a complete departure for her, but her excellent writing is here, along with her insights and sense of humor. It's the story of six octogenarian witches trying to save their old manor house and land.

As the novel opens, Ursula wakes with an ominous feeling. Checking all of her usual tools of foretelling the future--tarot cards, palms, and her crystal ball--she sees nothing but disaster ahead. Soon after, an angry mob of men, armed with a wrecking ball instead of torches and pitchforks, arrives at their old manor house, threatening to knock it down. Queenie, the mechanical genius and inventor of the group, admits to the rest of the witches that they've fallen way behind in their mortgage payments. They need an enormous sum of money to save their manor, their distillery, and the beloved forest surrounding them ... and they only have a week to pay. Ivy, another of the witches, has a talent for plants, and Jezebel has unusual sexual talents, while Tabitha is the animal specialist among them. But Tabitha is dead, and her ghost, who can not leave the manor, speaks through her familiar, a crow named Widget. What would happen to Tabitha if the sisterhood had to leave the manor? They are all counting on Ruby, who's been in prison for 30 years, to save them. Ruby is being released in two days and apparently knows some sort of secret that can save them and their home. She is gender-fluid, in the most literal sense of the term, and can morph from male to female and back again. But whatever sent Ruby to prison 30 years ago caused a rift (and Tabby's death). Ruby refused to see any of them when they visited, so will she be willing to save them now? Luckily, given their advanced ages, they have one more person on their side, a fifteen-year-old girl named Persephone, who is a staunch feminist, Tik Tokker, and wants to support the sisterhood. She offers to help them with their social media presence, though the witches have no idea what she's talking about.

That plot description feels way too bland for the liveliness and humor of this very original novel. The author has a wonderful sense of humor that is woven throughout the book, but--as in her earlier novels--she also tackles some serious, real-life issue like aging, feminism, found family, and friendship, all while making you laugh. The very clever story even has parallels to the events of the Salem witch trials. The antics of the aging witches are a whole lot of fun, though their problems are very real. And while you're laughing, she sneaks in so many thoughtful insights about life and aging and family that my book is filled with marked passages I want to remember. Adding to the intrigue of the witches and their powers, the end of many chapters include recipes for cocktails, salves, potions, and tonics, some of which you could actually make and some that have rather unusual ingredients you probably can't get (like rhino urine). All in all, this novel is a fun, sexy romp with suspense, a mystery, and real-life emotions woven into it. It will make you cherish your female friendships. 

400 pages, MIRA

Harlequin Audio

This book fits in the following 2022 Reading Challenges:

 

Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge - W (finally!)

Diversity Challenge

R.I.P. Challenge

Fall Into Reading Challenge - Fantasy

Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and is not influenced by my relationship with the publisher or author.

 

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.

 

Visit my YouTube Channel for more bookish fun!

 

Listen to a sample of the audiobook here, from the start of the novel, and/or download it from Audible.

 

You can buy the book through Bookshop.org, where your purchase will support the indie bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping online while still buying local!

    

 

Or you can order The Witches of Moonshyne Manor from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

Fiction Review: The Cartographers

Three years ago, as part of my Big Book Summer 2019, I listened to The Book of M, a unique post-apocalyptic novel from a debut author, Peng Shepherd. I enjoyed that first book very much, so I was looking forward to reading her latest novel, The Cartographers. It turned out to be another unique story, combining mystery, history, and fantasy.

Nell Young is a cartographer (map specialist), just like her famous father, Dr. Daniel Young. The two of them used to work together at the New York Public Library's Map Division, which Nell considered her ideal job. In an effort to impress her father and gain his respect, she searched through a box of old, uncatalogued maps in the library, hoping to find something valuable, a new discovery. Instead, she found an old 1930 gas station map, still folded as if it came right from someone's glove compartment. Puzzled, she showed her father the map and was stunned by his response. He reacted harshly, taking the map from her, yelling at her angrily, and then getting her fired from the job she loved. That was seven years ago, and Nell and her father haven't spoken since. Now, she is at work at a small map company in the city when she gets a phone call from an old colleague at the NYPL that her father has died at his desk. She rushes over there, for the first time in seven years. The police soon begin to suspect some sort of foul play. The next day, Nell returns to her father's office and looks through his desk. Hidden in a compartment only she and he knew about is that very same cheap roadmap that caused the horrible rift between them. Why on earth would her father have kept it all these year? And why would he have hidden it? Nell brings it home and begins looking into it, checking online discussion boards and databases that map collectors use. It seems that all copies of this particular roadmap of New York State have been destroyed, and people all over the world are searching for a copy, offering to pay astounding amounts. As Nell tries to figure out what makes this ordinary map so special, her inquiries catch the attention of some dangerous people. She slowly, with the help of a friend, begins to unravel the map's secrets, but it's clear that her own life is at risk.

As with Shepherd's first novel, there is a very unique premise at the heart of this original story. It's a mystery, loaded with suspense and tension, but there is also a thread of magic throughout the story, as Nell and her friend try to unravel the map's secrets. Along the way, Nell ends up learning a lot about her own family's history and some long-held secrets, so it is a personal journey as well. The narrative moves back and forth between different people, each helping to uncover more of Nell's and the map's past. The audio book was very well done, with multiple narrators for the characters' chapters, providing a radio drama kind of experience. I enjoyed listening to this engrossing, gripping, and very unique novel.

400 pages, William Morrow

HarperAudio

This book fits in the following 2022 Reading Challenges:

Diversity Challenge

Big Book Summer Challenge
 

Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and is not influenced by my relationship with the publisher or author.

 

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.

Visit my YouTube Channel for more bookish fun!

 

Listen to a sample of the audiobook here, as Nell describes her current job and her background, and/or download it from Audible.

 

You can buy the book through Bookshop.org, where your purchase will support the indie bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping online while still buying local!

     

 

Or you can order The Cartographers from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

Middle-Grade Review: Marshmallow and Jordan

I've been hearing good things about the middle-grade graphic novel Marshmallow and Jordan by Alina Chau, and I finally had a chance to read it for myself. I enjoyed this charming, moving story of the challenges a newly-disabled girl faces and the unlikely ally she finds to support her.

Jordan was the captain--and star--of her championship middle-school basketball team in Indonesia. Then an accident left her wheelchair-bound. She seems remarkably well-adjusted, and her kind teammates still support her, while she watches their practices and games and sometimes even helps the coach or plays from her chair during practice. But Jordan misses being a full part of the team and competing. One day on her way home from school, she finds an injured white baby elephant. I guess elephants are common in Indonesia because Jordan doesn't seem surprised but helps the baby elephant back to her home so that her mother, a veterinarian, can help the injured animal. Her parents agree to let the elephant, whom Jordan has named Marshmallow, stay at their house while its leg heals. Wanting to pay back her kindness, Marshmallow mysteriously creates a pool in the backyard one night and the next day helps Jordan learn to swim without the use of her legs. Jordan loves the newfound freedom of being able to move in the pool! After a wonderful day of playing water basketball in the pool with her friends, Jordan joins the water polo team. Since she's entirely new to the game, her teammates aren't very welcoming at first and worry she could mess up their chances to make it to the finals this year. Jordan feels left out, by both old and new teammates, but she practices hard every day after school, putting in extra hours on her own, until her strength, stamina, and skills in the water improve. A crisis at the end of the school year is resolved in a very surprising way.

Sample: Jordan with her basketball team

 

Sample: Jordan takes Marshmallow home

As someone who is disabled by chronic illness--and had two young sons disabled by the same illness when they were very young (one is now recovered)--I can tell you with certainty that it is very rare to see a disabled child in a book for kids and adolescents. It's even more rare to see a disabled child who is a talented athlete. But this wonderful book is about more than just Jordan's disability. It's about friendship, family, and overcoming all kinds of challenges. I like that Jordan's challenges here are both related to her disability--not being able to play her favorite sport anymore--and entirely "normal" kinds of challenges that all kids face with friendship, acceptance, and trying to learn a new skill. There is also a touch of fantasy woven throughout the story, for extra fun. The gorgeous, colorful watercolor images help to tell the story and also to literally paint a full picture of what daily life in Indonesia is like (and some extras at the back add to that). Together, the pictures and text/dialogue tell a magical story of an ordinary girl in a different culture than most readers are familiar with, facing challenges that all kids can relate to.

365 pages, First Second

This book fits in the following 2022 Reading Challenges:

Mount TBR Challenge

Diversity Challenge

Travel the World in Books - Indonesia 

Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and is not influenced by my relationship with the publisher or author.

 

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.

 

 

Visit my YouTube Channel for more bookish fun!

 

You can buy the book through Bookshop.org, where your purchase will support the indie bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping online while still buying local!

    

 

Or you can order Marshmallow and Jordan from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

 

Middle-Grade/Teen Review: A Corner of White

One of my first audio books chosen for my annual fall R.I.P. Readers Imbibing Peril Challenge was A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty, a middle-grade/teen mystery fantasy. This is not my usual genre, but I thoroughly enjoyed this unique story with parallel narratives set partly in the real world and partly in a fantasy world, with many similarities to our world. I was engrossed in the story from beginning to end ... and I'm interested in reading the next book in the trilogy. 

In real-world present-day Cambridge, England, three young teens--Jack, Belle, and Madeleine--are homeschooled together and are friends. Their homeschool teachers include their parents, as well as some of their neighbors. Madeline and her mother live alone in a shabby apartment, and Madeleine is struggling to adjust to their new life. They used to be wealthy and travel all over the world to the most wonderful international cities, living a luxurious life. Then, Madeleine's father left, leaving them destitute, and now, she's beginning to worry about her mother's health, as she struggles with headaches and memory issues. Meanwhile, in a world called the Kingdom of Cello, in a farming town named Bonfire, a teen boy named Elliot is also living alone with his mother. Elliot's father is also missing from his life, but for a very different reason. His father and the local physics teacher both went missing on the same night that Elliot's uncle was found dead. There are two opposing theories in town: that Elliot's dad killed his brother and ran off with the teacher or that an attack of Purples killed his uncle and kidnapped the other two. In Cello, though their world is much like our own in some ways, colors are active forces that can change the weather, create natural disasters, or even, in the case of the violent Purples, kill and kidnap. Elliot, of course, believes this second theory and is determined to find his father. A small crack appears between the two worlds, and Madeleine and Elliot begin trading letters through it, though Madeleine thinks Elliot is a guy who plays too many video games and has made up an outrageous fantasy world. The two teens, both with missing fathers, continue to communicate with each other, as each tries to make sense of what is happening in their lives and find their fathers.

As I mentioned, I don't read a lot of fantasy, but when I do enjoy the genre, it is usually a story set in the real world with elements of fantasy or magic. This book hit that sweet spot for me, with its intertwined stories. I immediately came to care about Elliot and Madeleine (and the other kids in both worlds) and was rooting for both of them to solve the mysteries of the missing fathers. While this is listed as book 1 of 3, it comes to a very satisfying--and surprising--conclusion, while opening the door to the sequel. I was fully engaged in the story and there was plenty of suspense to keep me listening. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this original story on audio ... and though I don't read many series, I am interested in reading more about Madeleine and Elliot.

384 pages, Arthur A. Levine

Scholastic Audio

Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and is not influenced by my relationship with the publisher or author.

 

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.

Visit my YouTube Channel for more bookish fun!

 

Listen to a sample of the audiobook here, with a multi-cast of narrators, and/or download it from Audible.

 

You can buy the book through Bookshop.org, where your purchase will support the indie bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping online while still buying local!

  

Middle-Grade Review: Snapdragon

I recently read a middle-grade graphic novel, Snapdragon by Kat Leyh, who co-wrote and drew the Lumberjanes series (I still need to read those!). This one is an original story about a likable girl whose family doesn't have much. She befriends a boy who wants to be a girl and the town's supposed witch and learns more about herself and her family along the way.

All the women in Snapdragon's family are named after flowers. Snap has heard that the ramshackle house in the woods is the home of an evil witch who lost her eye to the devil, eats roadkill, and casts spells with the bones. They also say she eats pets, so when Snap's beloved dog, Good Boy, goes missing, she braves the scary place. Snap finds Good Boy, and she also finds Jacks, who's not a witch at all, but an old woman who wears Crocs and is good with animals. Since she helped patch up Good Boy after he got injured, Snap goes back the next day, thinking maybe she could help with a bunch of baby possums whose mother is dead. Jacks and Snap become constant companions, taking care of the possums, while Jacks also shows Snap how to clean and recreate animal skeletons, a painstaking but satisfying process. In between, Snap hangs out with her next-door neighbor Louis, who Snap encourages to be him/herself and begins to go by Lulu. The two like to watch scary movies together, and Snap is especially glad of the company when her mom is working late. Eventually, while working with Jacks, Snap begins to realize the old woman might actually have a bit of real magic and a connection to Snap's own family.

Sample pages from Snapdragon by Kat Leyh (First Second)

I really enjoyed this unique novel about friendship, family, healing, and acceptance. It's lots of fun, filled with colorful, realistic, and action-packed drawings, but it also covers plenty of ground with serious issues, like gender fluidity, being gay, bullying, and not making assumptions about people. It was more real-life based than I expected for the first half of the story, though it takes some unexpected twists in the second half. Snap is a wonderful heroine, filled with courage and boldness and willing to stand up for her friends. And I loved the happy ending.

224 pages, First Second

You can purchase Snapdragon from an independent bookstore, either locally or online, here:

You can also buythrough indie bookstores using Bookshop.

 

Or you can order Snapdragon from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

YA Graphic Novel Review: Grimoire Noir

I read the YA graphic novel Grimoire Noir by Vera Greentea and Yana Bogatch for the fall RIP XIV Challenge this year. It was especially dark and atmospheric for that spooky season, with gorgeous, enchanting illustrations that kept me staring at the pages.

Blackwell is an unusual town because all of the females there are witches and have magical powers. The town has a special protective barrier around it so that none of the girls or women can ever leave, in order to keep the town's secret. Fifteen-year-old Bucky Orson is upset because his sweet little sister, Heidi, has disappeared. His mother is even more upset, which is a problem because when she's sad, it rains, and their house--and the whole town--is beginning to flood. Chamomile, who levitates a foot or two off the ground, used to be Bucky's best friend. It's unclear at first what happened between them, but Cham is upset about Heidi, too. Bucky's dad is the town sheriff, but since he is somewhat limited by his vow to protect all those with magical powers, Bucky takes on his own investigation. As he travels through town (now in a boat, due to the flooding) and follows clues, he learns some deep, dark secrets about the town's history and its present residents.

Sample page from Grimoire Noir (click to enlarge - and check out Cham's eyes!)

Grimoire Noir has interesting characters and a unique, gripping plot, but the star here is its illustrations, that invite the reader to linger over its pages and study the drawings. I know very little about art, but I will try to do these incredible drawings justice. They look like mostly pen and ink drawings, done mainly in shades of gray and brown, with some touches of watercolor. They have a depth to them that adds a sense of realism. While the dark color palate fits the tone, the illustrations are highlighted with tiny splashes of brilliant color, often in the character's eyes or lips, that bring them to life. I found myself entranced by the gorgeous drawings and spending extra time just gazing at them, pulled in by those real-looking eyes and the muted landscapes that recreated the rainy days so beautifully. The suspenseful and intriguing story also kept me rapt, and I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in this spooky book during Halloween week, though I think it will be popular with readers any time of year!

275 pages, First Second

Listen to a sample of the audio book here and/or download it from Audible.

You can purchase Grimoire Noir from an independent bookstore, either locally or online, here:

Or you can order Grimoire Noir from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

Middle-Grade Graphic Novel Review: The Midwinter Witch

I enjoyed the third book, The Midwinter Witch, in Molly Knox Ostertag's fun middle-grade fantasy graphic novel series that began with The Witch Boy and The Hidden Witch. This action-filled book continues the exciting story about a family of witches.

Aster, the boy witch of the title of the first book in the series, is once again at the center of this story in which the family is traveling to the annual Midwinter Festival. His immediate family has mostly accepted that he is a rare male witch (and a good one, at that), but they are worried about what the extended family at the reunion will think. Aster wants to enter the Jolrun, a competition for young witches, and some family members are worried about how the rest of the group will respond to a boy in the traditionally all-female contest. Sure enough, some of Aster's older male cousins begin teasing him as soon as they arrive at the festival. Meanwhile, Aster's non-magical best friend, Charlie, gets permission from her fathers to go to the festival with Aster's family, and their other friend, Ariel, the newly-discovered witch from The Hidden Witch, also attends, though she is hiding a secret. Her long-lost Aunt Isabel contacts her through a dream and is trying to convince Ariel to train with her, instead of with Aster's family. She practices a dark magic, though, and Ariel is torn between the enticement of a stronger, more powerful magic and what she has been learning in her training with Aster's grandmother.

Sample page from The Witch Boy, with Aster and Charlie

As with the first two books in the series, The Midwinter Witch is filled with suspense and plenty of magical action to keep young readers rapt. However, also in keeping with the rest of the series, there are plenty of real-life issues that kids will relate to, even if they're not witches or shape-shifters! Here, bullying, gender identity, figuring out who you are, and friendship are at the center of the kids' struggles, as well as making good choices and doing what's right, without harming others. Ostertag does a wonderful job of wrapping these serious topics up in a fun, supernatural tale, illustrated in bright, eye-catching colors with realistic-looking diverse characters. She combines fantastical magic and witchcraft with the ordinary fun of close friendships. I can't wait to see what's in store next for Aster, Charlie, Ariel, and the others!

202 pages, Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic

Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and is not influenced by my relationship with the publisher or author.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.

The Midwinter Witch is available in e-book or paperback format from Amazon.

You can purchase The Midwinter Witch from an independent bookstore, either locally or online, here:

Or you can order The Midwinter Witch from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

Middle-Grade Review: Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl

Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl is the first cross-over graphic novel featuring Ben Hatke's two popular middle-grade series. I've read Mighty Jack and Mighty Jack and the Goblin King and enjoyed them both, though Zita was new to me. I enjoyed this fun, action-packed story combining the two kid superheroes.

In this exciting installment, Jack and Zita are joined by their usual collection of siblings and sidekicks, plus a slew of interesting alien creatures. The ragtag group must prevent a horde of giants from bursting through a portal that the kids thought they'd closed for good. The giants want to take over Earth for themselves and destroy the whole human race, so when they start trying to break through the door, it's a very urgent matter. Jack and Zita and their friends, Lilly (who is now King of the Goblins) and Joseph, manage to get through to the other side of the portal to look for elves to provide back-up in this epic battle. The rest of the group, including Jack's mom and sister, Maddy, and Zita's interplanetary friends, stay in Jack's backyard to try to keep the giants from breaking through the portal. The odds are against them, but can the good guys manage to win this battle that could otherwise mean the end of humanity?

All of the kid characters together in the Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl cross-over

I haven't read the Zita books yet, but Hatke includes plenty of details for readers like me who need to catch up on the story (and who wonder who all these strange characters are!). As with the other books I've read in the series, this cross-over story is filled with suspense, plenty of action, and lots of fantastical creatures. It's a unique and imaginative world, and I imagine it's extra fun for those kids who are fans of both series to see their favorite characters come together. My only disappointment was that I had an Advance Reader's copy, so only the first few pages are in color, which is a shame because the full-color panels of these books are bold and eye-catching, perfect for pulling reluctant readers into the gripping story. An extra section in the back, The Evolution of Mighty Jack, features a collection of Hatke's earliest drawings of the characters, and it is fascinating to watch how they evolved. As with all of Hatke's graphic novels that I've read, this one is pure fun, with just enough tension and excitement to keep young readers engaged without being too scary. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next!

269 pages, First Second

Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and is not influenced by my relationship with the publisher or author.

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You can purchase Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl from an independent bookstore, either locally or online, here:

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