This is a charming story of friendship & acceptance which gave me Enid Blyton feels. It was lovely to read about a really strong family unit who all pull together. It is bound to appeal to children – particularly those who love animals. Thank you to Algonquin Books and to Adele Griffin for helping to make young readers.

The Midnight Swan is the 3rd, and I very much fear, the last in The Clockwork Crow trilogy. Like #1 and 2, this was a pacey, tense read and although all the strands of the stories from the first two books are neatly tied up in this one, I was very worried about the ending. This series is different and can't accurately be compared to any other kids' fiction that I've read. It's beautifully unique and the character of the Crow is genius.

I loved the first book in this series and bought #2 & 3 as soon as I‘d finished it. This was another wonderful read. All the characters I love are back for another adventure, this time involving The Sorcerer‘s Bazaar and a troublesome genie. And of course, Elsie is required to help Magenta the witch out of yet another sticky situation. A truly lovely series.

This book was requested by one of my pupils so of course, I had to get it and read it! I know that Sam Wu is going to prove very popular when I take him to school next week. He may not be quite as brave as he likes to make out… & that is ok. I have a feeling he can accomplish anything with his feisty sister (called Lucy, so fabulous, obvs 😉) & two best mates. The perfect mix of fun & bonkers shenanigans with superb artwork - kids will love it ❤️

I loved The Clockwork Crow so was really looking forward to the 2nd in the series - The Velvet Fox. Just look at that cover! Absolutely stunning! There are some tense moments in this story for Seren & Tomos when Plas-y-Fran welcomes a creepy new governess. Is she all that she seems? And will the crow be able to save them? I simply adore the crow. He‘s the perfect mix of wit and sarcasm and an absolute joy to read.

The combination of a quirky little village and a long dead witch with a mysterious back story was bound to hook me in. The story was the perfect kind of creepy without being so terrifying I couldn't read it in the dark! Alfie and Mia are fab characters with enough going on in their own lives to be believable, but my favourite character was Hannah who I think could have a book all of her own! I really enjoyed this - highly recommended!

Wow. Just wow. I‘m a sucker for stories with a witchy, magicky theme & so I couldn‘t wait to get stuck into this. Now I‘m done I have no idea why I waited so long. This is the cleverest kids‘ book I‘ve read in a long time - it has enough plot twists to keep older kids glued to the pages, enough gorgeous characters, magic & mayhem to keep the younger ones amused & enough of a gloriously bookish storyline that adults are bound to love it too.

I adored Kate on the Case written and stunningly, hilariously illustrated by @hannahpeckillustration and published by @piccadilly.press ❤️ I‘ve come across Hannah‘s (‘Pecorino‘s‘ 😉) illustrations before in the #violetveilmysteries but incredibly, this is her debut as a writer. It‘s clever and fun and bonkers and hilarious and kids will absolutely love it.

Well, I quite literally couldn‘t put this one down. An incredibly moving story but also a vitally important one. Every parent, every teacher & every child should read it.
Blurb: A KIND OF SPARK tells the story of 11-year-old Addie as she campaigns for a memorial in memory of the witch trials that took place in her Scottish hometown. Can Addie challenge how the people in her town see her, and her autism, and make her voice heard?

‘I think, actually, everyone starts out with some strange in them. It‘s just, whether or not you decide to keep it.‘ Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell. Absolutely loved this. What a hopeful story for strong, quirky kids everywhere ❤️

Wow. If you‘ve got a kid who wants to look more deeply into the topics of space and time, this is highly recommended. I read it cover to cover last night and learned loads! I‘ve already got it in mind for a particular student who joins my class in September 👏 The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day by @christopheredge ❤️

Absolutely loved this book - Secrets of a Sun King by @emmacarroll260 I cannot wait to share it with my Year 5s in the Spring Term when we study Ancient Egypt. They will ❤️ it!

Absolutely loved this one and read it in 24 hours. A fast-paced, immersive read: Her Last Mistake by Carla Kovach.
https://lucycatten.wordpress.com/2020/06/27/her-last-mistake-detective-gina-hart...

Yet yet another brilliantly plotted, twisty turny thriller from the master of the genre - All Fall Down (DI Grace #9) by M J Arlidge - I LOVE this series! lucycatten.wordpress.com/2020/06/21/all-fall-down-di-helen-grace-9-by-m-j-arlidge/

Teach the littlies in your life about Marie Curie in a fun and engaging way! Marie Curie and the Power of Persistence by @KV_Writes is fabulous!
lucycatten.wordpress.com/2020/05/16/mar… @Sourcebooks @NetGalley_UK #kidsbooks #BookReview

Trigger warning: child sexual abuse.

I was really looking forward to read this as I love a good murder mystery and I love a good series. I knew that this was the 13th in the series and would have liked nothing more than to be completely sucked in, rushing straight out once I‘d finished it to get hold of the first 12 in the series. It didn‘t happen. A solid read but not one that wowed me.

Oh my goodness me. I LOVED this story! It is a child-friendly romp through space but with an all important message for children everywhere…

‘…anger can be good, important even… But it‘s about what you do with your anger…‘

Page count: 272

Age group: 8 years +

It is publication day of Summer on a Sunny Island by Sue Moorcroft – an author I have been avidly following for years. I am honoured and delighted to be able to share this post on my blog, written by the fabulous Sue herself. I was lucky enough to get an early copy of the book and I am LOVING it. Here‘s Sue: https://lucycatten.wordpress.com/2020/04/30/what-gives-you-your-sense-of-identit...

A gorgeously topsy turvy story that kids aged 8-10 will love: Duncan versus the Googleys by Kate Milner: https://lucycatten.wordpress.com/2020/04/25/duncan-versus-the-googleys-by-kate-m...

Loved this book. In the frozen landscapes of Siberia under Stalin‘s rule, two brave children escape a labour camp and embark on the most dangerous, magical adventure of their lives. Nevertell by Katharin Orton: https://lucycatten.wordpress.com/2020/04/16/nevertell-by-katharine-orton/ #childrensbook #kidsbook #BooksConnectUs #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookworm #bookblogger

A true family epic which spans a generation. I became completely involved in the lives of these characters – so much so that I miss them now I‘ve finished it. It is about, family, lies, shame, power, corruption and love in all its forms. Sleep Sister by Laura Elliot. Not an easy read, but a gripping one. https://lucycatten.wordpress.com/2020/04/13/sleep-sister-by-laura-elliot/

A gorgeous, uplifting, sad & poignant book all rolled into one. David Almond wrote this book to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of World War I and he has done an absolutely masterful job. War is Over is aimed at 9-11 year olds but I would extend this to 8-12 at least. It is accessible and engaging – children (and adults) will love it. https://lucycatten.wordpress.com/2020/04/11/war-is-over-by-david-almond-and-illu...

Loved this story with lots of secrets to uncover! https://lucycatten.wordpress.com/2020/04/10/snap-by-belinda-bauer/

Is it just me? I just don‘t get it. I really want to, but I just don‘t 🙈🙁

Re-visiting an old favourite and considering a re-read of the whole series in my gorgeous room ❤️📖 #homelibrary #bookworm #booknerd #bookgeek #amreading #booksconnectus

I very nearly didn‘t finish this. The beginning felt rushed and I didn‘t really know or care enough about the characters to want to carry on. It did get better but it‘s still only a ⭐️ ⭐️ read for me.

A totally absorbing read: a missing child, murder, family drama, a cult, more secrets than I could count and venomous snakes – what more could you want? https://lucycatten.wordpress.com/2020/04/07/the-nowhere-child-by-christian-white... #bookreview #thriller #BooksConnectUs @HarperCollins

391 pages down...
First book I‘m starting from scratch: The Dry by Jane Harper. #booksconnectus #bookworm #24hourreadathon #book #booklover #books #booknerd

Next to finish: The Secret of Provence House by Aubrey Rhodes. #booksconnectus #bookworm #24hourreadathon

I have drinks and snacks. Let‘s do this 👏

First book: to finish Nowhere Child by Christian White.

#booksconnectus #bookworm #24hourreadathon

Another rollercoaster of a read from Mark Edwards which I LOVED!! This time set in a Writer's Retreat in North Wales where things are not quite what they seem... Fabulous!

https://lucycatten.wordpress.com/2020/04/03/the-retreat-by-mark-edwards/

When Tracy‘s sister Sarah‘s remains are found 20 years after her disappearance, Tracy vows to find the truth at any cost. “It is better that ten guilty men go free than one innocent man be wrongfully convicted.”

https://lucycatten.wordpress.com/2020/04/02/my-sisters-grave-tracy-crosswhite-1-...

This novel is a bit like looking at a slightly sick picture and being unable to look away. It starts off pretty dark and just gets darker. An absolute rollercoaster of a read but won‘t be for everyone. Only Qa.99 on kindle in the UK at the moment.

https://lucycatten.wordpress.com/2020/03/31/little-liar-by-lisa-ballantyne/

This is no cutesy animal story! Miko is one kick-ass cat with a kick-ass reputation, complete with a kobachi sword called Amai Fukushu (Sweet Revenge) and a mouse sidekick (because why wouldn‘t she?). I LOVED it!

“Battling yourself is tougher than any fight with a sword”

Only Qa.99 on kindle in the UK at the moment.

2020/03/30/the-cat-ninja-and-a-cabal-of-shadows-a-fantastic-tails-adventure-book-2-by-erik-deleo/

Loving these little puzzles. Pit your wits against Sherlock himself... 🤔

Why have I only just picked this one up?! A thriller to keep you guessing right to the end. What made a child kill a child? https://lucycatten.wordpress.com/2020/03/29/humber-boy-b-by-ruth-dugdall-cate-au...

Did you know that mole rats have hair in their mouths? No , me neither! Or that wood frogs stop their hearts and freeze solid in winter before thawing out in the summer? An absolutely fascinating book which is illustrated beautifully. A real treat for kids (and grown ups!) with an interest in nature, bugs or animals.

Mario asks, “Mother, why do we cry?” His mother thinks for a moment, and then begins to tell him about the many reasons for our tears…

What an absolutely beautiful picture book!

Meet Ursula , Gareth & Alice. Ursula has lost the love of her life and her life has spiralled out of control. Gareth‘s mum is suffering from dementia and he is desperately trying to keep her safe whilst continuing his job as a Security Officer. Alice has met a new man but not everything is as it seems. The three protagonists have never met before, and yet their lives are going to come together in a way that will keep you guessing right to the end.

In The Good Samaritan, Laura is one of those characters who you absolutely love to hate. She works for the End of Line – a phone line purporting to be there for people who feel there is no other option left to them but suicide. She is an incredibly complex character and far from offering these people reassurance and hope, she has much darker motives. I have loved every one of John Marrs‘ books ❤️

Meet shopping-trolley-wielding, gilet-wearing, vodka-drinking Eleanor Oliphant. She is a creature of routine, socially awkward and undoubtedly on the Autistic spectrum, although this is never said in so many words. She made me smile, tear-up, cringe and laugh out loud in equal measure. As we get to know her better, we begin to understand a little more as to why she is the way she is. I loved her!

Wow, wow, wow. What an incredibly moving, thought-provoking read, especially at a time of global health crisis. Christie Watson was a registered nurse working for the NHS for twenty years and this book charts her experiences on the front line.

I was under no illusions about the physical and emotional nature of nursing, but until I read this, I realise I actually knew nothing at all.

This kid‘s book made me smile on every single page! Through their creation of a garden, this family teaches important lessons about the rewards of hard work and resilience: “A garden is hard work, but so is most of the good, important stuff in life.” Isn‘t that just wonderful? And what better time to follow their advice, get back to nature and create something wonderful?

Drew and Thea were inseparable as children when Pevensey was Thea‘s family home. As adults, they fell in love, married and now have children of their own. The story begins when Pevensey comes on the market and they decide to buy it in order to give their children the idyllic childhood they both remember so well. But of course, things do not go quite as well as they hope… I loved this family drama and read it in two sittings.

The best mail is book mail. Anyone read these? ❤️

First purchase with birthday money... 👏

I absolutely love the spookiness of Tudor‘s books. These are no normal thrillers. Yes, they keep you on the edge of your seat and undoubtedly are incredible page turners but I love the other-worldliness and the fact that there aren‘t always easy answers to be found. I‘m only sorry I have to wait for her next one!

Picked this up this morning and haven‘t managed to put it down yet...

I‘ve had a looong break from Litsy but now that this has happened, I‘m back and am kicking off my return with Truly Devious. Can‘t wait 👏👏 #homelibrary #workinprogress #readinghaven

I‘m sooo late to the DCI Ryan party. Started with the prequel. It was ok. Should I continue with the series?