Genre: Middle Grade

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia: Review & Giveaway

Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD This book is absolutely packed with rich storytelling—both African and African American folklore that many middle graders have probably never encountered before. It’s difficult to even unpack how many different stories are rolled into this adventure and brought to life in a new way. (I’d actually love it if Rick Riordan Presents would do a companion that goes deeper into each individual tale, sort of like the Greek Gods companions that were […]

Posted October 15, 2019 in Black History Month, Giveaways (Ended), Reviews / 20 Comments

Mightier Than the Sword: Review & Giveaway of a Uniquely Interactive Middle Grade Fantasy

A uniquely interactive middle grade fantasy adventure that puts the reader right into the story! I’ve never read a book quite like this before, and I doubt you have either. First off, the book is told in second person POV—“you” are the star of the show. The book starts out with you waking up in a strange world. You (conveniently) have no memory of who you are and your goal is to regain your memories […]

Posted October 10, 2019 in Giveaways (Ended), Reviews / 30 Comments

Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee: Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

I decided to start reading this book before bed a few nights ago, and the next thing I knew it was midnight and I was finished. And I had shed tears. I was not expecting to have this reaction to this book. In fact, honestly, at the very beginning of the book I was feeling a tad bit skeptical. I was thinking, “Wait, is this going to be a book about a boy who squeezed a girl’s shoulder […]

Posted October 3, 2019 in Author Interview, Giveaways (Ended), Reviews / 28 Comments

Bite-Sized Reviews of Vow of Thieves; Fame, Fate, and the First Kiss; The Okay Witch; and Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea

I’ve got four reviews for you today: a YA fantasy a YA contemp, and two MG graphic novels. I hope these bite-sized reviews will be enough to feed your fiction addiction! First off, I didn’t realize when I started reading this that the series is a duology. So I was expecting perhaps a bit of middle-book syndrome and was surprised when the book didn’t feel sluggish in the least. In fact, I found myself eager to […]

Posted September 9, 2019 in Reviews / 20 Comments

Bite-Sized Reviews of Awesome Dog 5000, The Fourteenth Goldfish, The Third Mushroom, and A Boy Called Bat

I’ve got four reviews for you today: one MG contemp and three MG science fiction books (or maybe one is fantasy? A superhero story with robots and … I’m just going with sci-fi). I hope these bite-sized reviews will be enough to feed your fiction addiction! This book is hilarious!! I literally laughed through pretty much the whole book. (My mom can attest to this, as she was sitting next to me when I read it. […]

Posted August 30, 2019 in Reviews / 26 Comments

Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly: A Dual Review with Danielle Hammelef

(No actual dueling—or even arm-twisting—was involved. Don’t worry, this is a dual review, not a duel review. Sorry if you’re disappointed.) Danielle Hammelef was the latest winner of my Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up “Make Me Read It” giveaway, and she chose to make me read Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly. I’d bought this book since it was the 2018 Newbery Medal winner, and I was excited that Danielle chose it for us to read! Read on to see […]

Posted August 20, 2019 in Dual Reviews, Reviews / 14 Comments

Cape by Kate Hannigan: A High-Flying Historical Adventure!

This book is such a fun mixture of genres and formats: a historical fiction superhero novel with graphic novel elements! Right there, I was sold. This book will appeal to such a wide variety of kids, and I think it will get many of them reading about an era that they wouldn’t otherwise have thought they’d be interested in. The book is set in the US during WWII, and it highlights the real-life women (and […]

Posted August 6, 2019 in Reviews / 14 Comments

Amelia Fang Series by Laura Ellen Anderson: An Adorably Creepy Middle Grade Fantasy

These books are so incredibly adorable! I just wanted to stare and stare at the illustrations all day long, and the story matched them pretty much perfectly. The series is a truly delightful concoction of creepiness and cuteness! The Goodreads description says that these books are written for reluctant readers, and I can see how they’d be perfect for that group. They feature short chapters and plenty of wonderfully quirky illustrations so the books don’t […]

Posted July 30, 2019 in Reviews / 14 Comments

Bite-Sized Reviews of Birthday, Soul of the Sword, My Fate According to the Butterfly and Teen Titans: Raven

I’ve got four reviews for you today: a YA contemp, a YA fantasy, a MG contemp and a YA graphic novel. I hope these bite-sized reviews will be enough to feed your fiction addiction! This book!! This book made my heart hurt and also made it incredibly happy. I have to warn you, there were tears shed. If you’ve ever wanted to understand how someone could feel a different gender than the one they were […]

Posted July 25, 2019 in Reviews / 20 Comments

Bite-Sized Reviews of After Zero, Breath of Flowers, George, & Carry On

I’ve got four reviews for you today: two MG contemporaries, a YA fantasy, and a YA graphic novel. Three of the four were books that I specifically picked up in an effort to read more LGBTQ+ books for Pride Month. I hope these bite-sized reviews will be enough to feed your fiction addiction! I discovered this book from AJ’s review @ Read All the Things. You should definitely read her review for an #OwnVoices perspective […]

Posted July 11, 2019 in Reviews / 27 Comments