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bigbeardedbookseller's reviews
533 reviews
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
4.0
Melancholic.
This is about the only word that can be used to describe this book, it is there from the start to the end.
Always on the verge of crying. This is such a well-crafted elegy to the dead or about to die.
Nothing is clear and the characters see their lives written in euphemisms.
Certainly a book to get you thinking about societies and how societies other outsiders, how societies commodify aspects of life they shouldn’t.
This is about the only word that can be used to describe this book, it is there from the start to the end.
Always on the verge of crying. This is such a well-crafted elegy to the dead or about to die.
Nothing is clear and the characters see their lives written in euphemisms.
Certainly a book to get you thinking about societies and how societies other outsiders, how societies commodify aspects of life they shouldn’t.
Sky Song by Abi Elphinstone
4.0
This started as if it was a children's classic, with an evil Ice Queen corrupting what used to be good and fair and after the first chapter I was hooked.
It concerns the quest of Eska and Flint, with various other companions, to fight the Ice Queen and restore balance to the land and free the prisoners of the Ice Queen.
The pace was excellent and helped me keep going through the book, always wanting to know what was going to happen next to these characters.
It was another wonderful touch that all the adults were prisoners and it was up to children to not only save the world but more importantly to keep the world running.
The magic in the world was subtle, but powerful and developed well from a beginning where it isn't trusted to where it is so important.
There were touches of Philip Pullman in here, and touches of old fairy tales, but overall it is a beautifully described world with an exciting adventure.
It concerns the quest of Eska and Flint, with various other companions, to fight the Ice Queen and restore balance to the land and free the prisoners of the Ice Queen.
The pace was excellent and helped me keep going through the book, always wanting to know what was going to happen next to these characters.
It was another wonderful touch that all the adults were prisoners and it was up to children to not only save the world but more importantly to keep the world running.
The magic in the world was subtle, but powerful and developed well from a beginning where it isn't trusted to where it is so important.
There were touches of Philip Pullman in here, and touches of old fairy tales, but overall it is a beautifully described world with an exciting adventure.
Witch for a Week by Kaye Umansky
4.0
Elsie is chosen to look after Magenta’s Witch Tower for a week whilst Magenta goes to see her sister. Elsie doesn’t realise why in the beginning but sees it as a good opportunity to get away from the domestic chaos of her house where her younger brothers tend to chew on anything, including to her dismay, books.
With a lovely cast of supporting characters we follow Elsie through her discovery of why she was chosen to look after Magenta’s tower.
There are plenty laughs and comedic exchanges throughout the book, with some really silly bits, but everything sorts itself out in the end.
This was a wonderful evenings read and would be an exciting book to read to lots of younger children, with plenty of exlamations and different voices.
Absolutely love the illustrations from Ashley King.
I’m really looking forward to the continuation of the series and finding out how the characters get on and develop.
With a lovely cast of supporting characters we follow Elsie through her discovery of why she was chosen to look after Magenta’s tower.
There are plenty laughs and comedic exchanges throughout the book, with some really silly bits, but everything sorts itself out in the end.
This was a wonderful evenings read and would be an exciting book to read to lots of younger children, with plenty of exlamations and different voices.
Absolutely love the illustrations from Ashley King.
I’m really looking forward to the continuation of the series and finding out how the characters get on and develop.
Begone the Raggedy Witches by Celine Kiernan
5.0
This is going to be a hard one to beat as my favourite book of the year, and it's not even officially released yet! It has the feel of a classic childrens book, with the evil queen and the hero's quest and will sit well with others such as The Snow Queen, but is also part of a wonderful trend of excellent fantasy books for that 8-12 age range.
The action begins from the moment you open the book with Mup noticing the raggedy witches following them in the trees as they are returning from the hospital.
She has been told not to mention these to her mum, but to tell her aunt if she sees these, but there is a problem... Which I will not give away.
We follow Mup, her mum, brother, dog (who turns into a dog) in their search through Borough for her dad who has been abducted.
The search also uncovers who the family really are, with twists and turns throughout.
The world that Celine Kiernan conjurs with her writing is both terrific and terrifying in equal measures, with some wonderfully exciting action scenes supported by humour and emotional development of the characters.
I absolutely loved this book, it was so fast-paced that I read it in an evening and wanted more, and hopefully there will be more soon (I know it says it's a trilogy but I want the others now!)
If I am ever in the position to vote for this book to win anything it will definitely get my vote.
The action begins from the moment you open the book with Mup noticing the raggedy witches following them in the trees as they are returning from the hospital.
She has been told not to mention these to her mum, but to tell her aunt if she sees these, but there is a problem... Which I will not give away.
We follow Mup, her mum, brother, dog (who turns into a dog) in their search through Borough for her dad who has been abducted.
The search also uncovers who the family really are, with twists and turns throughout.
The world that Celine Kiernan conjurs with her writing is both terrific and terrifying in equal measures, with some wonderfully exciting action scenes supported by humour and emotional development of the characters.
I absolutely loved this book, it was so fast-paced that I read it in an evening and wanted more, and hopefully there will be more soon (I know it says it's a trilogy but I want the others now!)
If I am ever in the position to vote for this book to win anything it will definitely get my vote.
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
4.0
I’ve been looking forward to reading Children of Blood and Bone and it didn’t disappoint.
It was great to read a fantasy set in a non-European world for a change and it felt all the more authentic for it.
The story is full of strong and believable characters who are consistent throughout, the society that Toni has built feels very believable.
I’m so looking forward to the unfolding of this universe over the next books and will be making sure we stock some in our shop.
Loved it!
It was great to read a fantasy set in a non-European world for a change and it felt all the more authentic for it.
The story is full of strong and believable characters who are consistent throughout, the society that Toni has built feels very believable.
I’m so looking forward to the unfolding of this universe over the next books and will be making sure we stock some in our shop.
Loved it!
Battle of the Beetles by M.G. Leonard
5.0
There was such a wait for this final book in the trilogy, it was sooooo long, really looooong.
The wait was well worth it though as we follow, Darkus, Victoria and Bertolt in their quest to foil Lucretia’s plans for world domination using FrankenBeetles, genetically-enhanced and super-intelligent beetles, whilst completing her own transformation.
The quest takes the friends (and Uncle Max of course) around the world, trying to enlist help, but finally they have to face Lucretia alone in upper-Equador to help Darkus’ dad and Lucretia’s daughter, save the world from famine and devastation, and finally face Lucretia.
All our other favourite characters make an appearance along with some new ones, one is especially carnivorous!
Again M.G. Leonard’s love of beetles shines through and her writing is so fast-paced with never a let up that this book was read in one sitting (there were a couple of breaks for tea and other natural things).
A fantastically exciting adventure, a great finale!
The wait was well worth it though as we follow, Darkus, Victoria and Bertolt in their quest to foil Lucretia’s plans for world domination using FrankenBeetles, genetically-enhanced and super-intelligent beetles, whilst completing her own transformation.
The quest takes the friends (and Uncle Max of course) around the world, trying to enlist help, but finally they have to face Lucretia alone in upper-Equador to help Darkus’ dad and Lucretia’s daughter, save the world from famine and devastation, and finally face Lucretia.
All our other favourite characters make an appearance along with some new ones, one is especially carnivorous!
Again M.G. Leonard’s love of beetles shines through and her writing is so fast-paced with never a let up that this book was read in one sitting (there were a couple of breaks for tea and other natural things).
A fantastically exciting adventure, a great finale!
L'isola dei bambini rapiti by Frida Nilsson
4.0
Set in a frozen North, not unlike the North of our world, in Siri’s North though there are Pirates, Mermaids and more.
Frida Nilsson’s book follows Siri in her quest to rescue her little sister, Miki, who has been abducted by the notorious CAptain Whitehead to woerk down his diamond mine, just like all the other little chldren Whitehead has abducted in the past.
Along the way Siri encounters wolves, mean people and kind people, but kindest of all is Frederik who makes Siri believe she can achieve what she has set out to do.
There are some beautifully crafted scenes throughout the book, making the world come alive as a cohesive place that works together well.
The adventure cracks along at a good pace, often looking at the behaviour of humans and making them come up short, but Siri muct always hope, and it is this hope and love that wins in the end.
Cracking book by Frida Nilsson and Gecko Press!
Frida Nilsson’s book follows Siri in her quest to rescue her little sister, Miki, who has been abducted by the notorious CAptain Whitehead to woerk down his diamond mine, just like all the other little chldren Whitehead has abducted in the past.
Along the way Siri encounters wolves, mean people and kind people, but kindest of all is Frederik who makes Siri believe she can achieve what she has set out to do.
There are some beautifully crafted scenes throughout the book, making the world come alive as a cohesive place that works together well.
The adventure cracks along at a good pace, often looking at the behaviour of humans and making them come up short, but Siri muct always hope, and it is this hope and love that wins in the end.
Cracking book by Frida Nilsson and Gecko Press!
Murder Is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens
4.0
Just before Christmas we found out that Robin Stevens was coming to one of our local schools to talk to the pupils about her books and writing mysteries, have to say I jumped at the chance to organise something to support the schools librarian and the school (but also to meet Robin 😉 ).
Robin was kind enough to give me a few of her lovely US editions of the series, Murder is Bad Manners being the US name for Murder Most Unladylike, and they are such beautiful editions too, strikingly different art from the UK editions, reminiscent of the 30s John Buchan/Agatha Christie covers.
In this first book Daisy and Hazel seem to be ironing out the kinks in their relationship whilst trying to discover who murdered their teacher, Miss Bell.
This involves following various clues, red herrings and threads to their conclusion, and in the tradition of all good murder mysteries the reveal is surprising, but follows from the clues sprinkled throughout the book.
The pace was well-judged, moving along quickly enough to keep a reader interested but not so quick as to lose the thread of the plot, Hazel is a wonderful narrator in the style of a Watsonesque sidekick, but with a bit more personality than that much maligned assistant.
Robin was kind enough to give me a few of her lovely US editions of the series, Murder is Bad Manners being the US name for Murder Most Unladylike, and they are such beautiful editions too, strikingly different art from the UK editions, reminiscent of the 30s John Buchan/Agatha Christie covers.
In this first book Daisy and Hazel seem to be ironing out the kinks in their relationship whilst trying to discover who murdered their teacher, Miss Bell.
This involves following various clues, red herrings and threads to their conclusion, and in the tradition of all good murder mysteries the reveal is surprising, but follows from the clues sprinkled throughout the book.
The pace was well-judged, moving along quickly enough to keep a reader interested but not so quick as to lose the thread of the plot, Hazel is a wonderful narrator in the style of a Watsonesque sidekick, but with a bit more personality than that much maligned assistant.
Kid Normal and the Rogue Heroes by Greg James, Chris Smith
4.0
We follow Murph, Hilda, Nellie, Mary and Billy in the continuing adventures of the Super Zeroes against an even greater danger than that wasp guy, you know the one.
Another well written and funny book by Greg James and Chris Smith showing that heroes don’t need superpowers to be true heroes, and friends.
The action kicks off right from the start as the Super Zeroes continue working for the Heroes’ Alliance in solving crimes and it shows them working together well as a team. Relying on, and helping each other through their missions.
We see the return of some favourites and see how they develop, filling out some back-story and building their characters a bit more.
I really love the asides from the authors that pepper the story so generously, they mostly add to the pace and keep you on your toes.
Another cracking, author-asiding, cape-less adventure for Murph and the Zeroes, battling a trully evil supervillian and one not so evil sidekick (mainkick and his sidekick).
Another well written and funny book by Greg James and Chris Smith showing that heroes don’t need superpowers to be true heroes, and friends.
The action kicks off right from the start as the Super Zeroes continue working for the Heroes’ Alliance in solving crimes and it shows them working together well as a team. Relying on, and helping each other through their missions.
We see the return of some favourites and see how they develop, filling out some back-story and building their characters a bit more.
I really love the asides from the authors that pepper the story so generously, they mostly add to the pace and keep you on your toes.
Another cracking, author-asiding, cape-less adventure for Murph and the Zeroes, battling a trully evil supervillian and one not so evil sidekick (mainkick and his sidekick).
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison
4.0
Another great addition to the short history type books that are being developed.
As the name states this book is about black women in history, mainly from the 18th century onward though.
The illustrations are really cute but also very strong and capture the individuals personality well.
Like all these snippet-history books this book is a springboard into learning more and exploring histories that are often hidden or forgotten.
As the name states this book is about black women in history, mainly from the 18th century onward though.
The illustrations are really cute but also very strong and capture the individuals personality well.
Like all these snippet-history books this book is a springboard into learning more and exploring histories that are often hidden or forgotten.