Tag: Six for Sunday

#SixForSunday – Favourite LGBTQ+ Characters and Romances

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Happy Sunday Bibliofriends,

How has your week been? I decided to mix things up a little bit this week for Six for Sunday. When I was planning my posts, I found that a lot of the characters/books I picked for this week’s prompt (favourite LGBT characters) were the same as next week’s S4S post (favourite LGBT romances) so I decided to put them both together. For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is a weekly list-based meme created by Steph @ALittleButALot and has a different weekly prompt based on a monthly theme.

  • Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood – The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
    I adore Magnus’ character in this series and can’t wait to read more about him in The Infernal Devices (I’m just navigating my way onto Clockwork Prince). He and Alec have such a cute relationship and they’re definitely one of my favourite couples in the series.
  • Bea – Anna K by Jenny Lee
    Bea is one of the more vibrant characters in Jenny Lee’s modern uplift of the Anna Karenina story originally by Tolstoy (you can read my review of it here). She is quite liberated when it comes to her sexuality and comes across as someone who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it.
  • Cara and Dell – The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson
    This book had such an original story attached to it involving a multiverse and doppelgängers. It really added an extra dimension to the relationship between Cara and Dell – there’s an episode with an earring and I think it really showed how much one meant to another even if there was a lot of angst at different parts of the story! Read the review here!
  • Jesper Fahey and Wylan Van Eck – Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo
    Jesper is such an awesome character and I couldn’t write a post about my favourite LGBTQ+ characters without including him in it!
  • Loras Tyrell – Game of Thrones by George R R Martin
    Ah, the Knight of the Flowers – I love the idea of Highgarden and think that it would be an awesome place to visit. Whilst I haven’t finished reading all of the books or even watched all of the series yet, I like the imagery that Ser Loras and his floral armour bring to the books and films.
  • Patrick – The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
    I think Patrick goes through a pretty tough time during The Perks Of Being A Wallflower and I actually think it’s a sad reflection of what a lot of people who are gay go through when it comes to their relationships and coming out about their sexuality to their wider friends, family and in public.

Who are some of your favourite LGBT characters or romances?  Do you feel that the LGBT community are well-represented in modern literature? As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

 

 

#SixForSunday – LGBTQ+ Books on my TBR

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Happy Sunday Bibliofriends,

How are we in June already? 🙃 A new month brings a new Six For Sunday theme and so befittingly for June we are celebrating all things Pride related. 🌈

I don’t tend to read much LGBTQ+ representations in literature and before anyone @’s me I have no prejudices whatsoever but I do feel that whilst YA is starting to feature these voices more and more, there is only now beginning to be a greater representation of these characters within the more mainstream fantasy books that I read. I could be wrong so please feel free to respectfully educate me!

With that in mind, this week’s Six For Sunday is focused on books on my TBR which have an LGBTQ+ representation. For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is a weekly list-based meme created by Steph @ALittleButALot and has a different weekly prompt based on a monthly theme.
Title headings link to Goodreads.

  • Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
    Anything to do with royals immediately grabs my attention and I liked that this read sounded fun and contemporary which is why it has found it’s way onto my TBR.
  • Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
    This has been on my TBR since it came out in a Fairyloot box quite a while ago. I’m going to use my typical ‘I-can’t-start-another-series-just-yet’ excuse before starting this one!
  • The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
    I recently read Circe and loved Madeline Miller’s writing style. She made me feel such empathy towards the main character and everyone I have spoken to has said that The Song of Achilles is even better so I can’t wait to pick this one up.
  • The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
    This is where I had to start trawling Goodreads to find LGBTQ+ representations in books that I had wanted to read. There seemed to be quite a bit of hype surrounding this series so I’m intrigued to see what it’s all about.
  • Aristotle and Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
    I had no idea that this would fit this week’s Six For Sunday brief despite it being on my want to read pile for ages now.
  • The Trials of Apollo Series by Rick Riordan
    Again, another series I didn’t know would be relevant here but I feel like I need to read the Percy Jackson series first before following up with this. All the new hype surrounding the PJ Disney+ series is making me want to channel my inner Camp Half-Blood mindset.

Completio! Would you recommend me any of these series or are there some here that are also on your TBR? What’s your favourite type of LGBTQ+ representation in literature? As always, leave your link below or drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

 

 

#SixForSunday – Favourite Series

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Happy Sunday Bibliofriends,

This month has been such a fun month for my reading! I’m really looking forward to posting my wrap post soon! 🙃

This week’s Six For Sunday was supposed to be about my favourite ever series, however as I think we may have already figured out this month… I haven’t read a lot of series all the way through and most of my favourite ones have already been covered throughout the previous S4S May weeks. With that in mind, I wanted to do something slightly different and decided to write about some of the standalone books that I wished were a series. For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is a weekly list-based meme created by Steph @ALittleButALot and has a different weekly prompt based on a monthly theme. Title headings link to Goodreads.

  • To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
    This book was so beautifully written and I fell head over heels in love it. It felt like there was so much potential to explore some other aspects of the world Christo built and I’d definitely be auto-buying a follow-up if ever there was one.
  • Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
    It was so fun to explore the Thorn and Elisabeth’s world – I need to know more about those grimoires and the libraries of their world… and of course, Silas!
  • The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
    This was such a wickedly delicious book. The Shadow King and Alessandra are probably one of my favourite newer romances in fiction. I would love a follow-up just to see what happened across the kingdom after the ending!
  • The Immortal City by Amy Kuivalainen
    I read this book on NetGalley and it was billed as a new series however I haven’t heard any info about a future sequel. I don’t think it had a particularly wide release however I really enjoyed reading it. 
  • Stardust by Neil Gaiman
    This was probably one of the first fantasy books to capture my heart and one where I feel the movie almost lives up to the book. It would be fabulous to return to the world beyond the Wall.
  • The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
    Zafón is one of my all-time favourite authors. His stories are so imaginative and he has a very distinct writing style which I love to read. Although The Prince in Mist is technically a series of 3 books, the stories don’t actually link together in any way. The setting for The Prince in Mist, an overgrown garden with a clown statue in the centre, was so mysterious that I’d love a follow-up from this world.

There we go, a slightly different take on this week’s Six for Sunday! What are your favourite series? What are some standalone you wish had a sequel? As always, leave your link below or drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

 

 

#SixForSunday – Favourite Characters in a Series

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Happy Sunday Bibliofriends,

I can’t believe we are nearly at the end of May. It seems that so many things have happened this month yet it has been relatively chilled at the same time.

This week’s Six For Sunday is all about my favourite characters in a series. I am a massive fan of all of the big-name series out there which made it slightly difficult to pick just one favourite so there may be a few ‘special mentions’.
For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is a weekly list-based meme created by Steph @ALittleButALot and has a different weekly prompt based on a monthly theme.

  • Severus Snape (Harry Potter)
    There should be absolutely no surprises here. He is dark, complex, sneaky and loyal and although many people disagree, I still resolutely champion him as a flawed hero.
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  • Manon Blackbeak (Throne of Glass)
    When she was first introduced there was no way that I would ever say Manon was my favourite character, but as the series developed and the layers of her character unfolded, she really grew on me. The kinship she had with her coven and her dragon Abraxos was endearing even thought you knew that she had a heart shrouded in steel. Such a great character to read about.
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  • Gandalf (Lord of the Rings)
    What a character arc this guy goes on. I mean, Ian McKellan’s portrayal of him in the films is one of my key reasons for choosing him rather than the writing of him but for me he is one of the greatest wizards in literature.
    Special mentions from this series must go to: Arwen, Aragorn, Eowyn, Elrond… perhaps just everyone (apart from Saruman obvs!)
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  • Nina Zenik (Six of Crows)
    There was so much I loved about Nina’s character. I especially loved how the relationship between her and Matthias’ unfolded. For someone who could be pictured in a superficial way, she had so much depth of character that you knew never to underestimate her by her appearance or looks alone.

    “No, I don’t mean in the big ways.” Nina’s eyes took them all in. “I mean the little rescues. Laughing at my jokes. Forgiving me when I was foolish. Never trying to make me feel small. It doesn’t matter if it’s next month, or next year, or ten years from now, those will be the things I remember when I see you again.”

  • AIDAN (The Illuminae Files)
    Now AIDAN isn’t necessarily on here because I champion him as a character – in a way he can be seen as one of the villains of the series. The reason he makes my list is because of his sheer audacity and resolve. He’s one of the most unique characters I’ve come across and definitely deserved his place on my favourites list.
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  • Cassian (& Azriel) (ACOTAR)
    These guys have bromance down to a tee. They’re such a pair that I couldn’t separate them from my favourites list. I love the humour they bring the tale and they way they support the rest of their group. They bring some pretty special moments to the series and I love them for it.
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There we go, tell me your series faves! Here’s your change to fangirl/boy about them! Are there any of my characters that you just can’t stand? As always, leave your link below or drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

 

 

#SixForSunday – Series I’m Dying To Read

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Happy Sunday Bibliofriends,

Well this weekend has seen a first for me – I celebrated my birthday in Lockdown on Friday! 🎉🎈🎂 It was quite strange not to be able to physically go out and spend time in the sunshine with family and friends as I normally would, but thankfully the joys of technology still enabled me to catch up with them and celebrate.

As a treat to myself and from birthday money generously gifted from family, I went on an almighty book splurging binge! I’ll be doing a haul post at a later date but let’s just say that all the space I cleared out from getting rid of the books I’ll never read again has quickly been filled!

That brings me onto this week’s Six For Sunday prompt which is ‘series that I wish I could get into’. There are loads of series I haven’t been able to getting round to starting purely because I can’t keep up with having so many different ones on the go at once. Here are the ones that I’m dying to read after I’ve finally finished the ones I’ve currently got on the go. Heading links should go to the series page on Goodreads.
For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is a weekly list-based meme created by Steph @ALittleButALot and has a different weekly prompt based on a monthly theme.

  • Nevernight – I feel like there’s so much hype surrounding this series and after loving The Illuminae Files I really want to explore this trilogy. Something tells me I may need to fully concentrate on it which is why I’ve been so hesitant at picking it up.
  • Shades of Magic – For the exact same reasons as above, the Shades of Magic series is one that I really have to pick up very soon. I’m really intrigued to see all the different versions of London and can’t wait to get into this world.
  • His Dark Materials – I read the first book Northern Lights as a child and to be honest, although I remember the gist of the story, I really want to go back to the very beginning so that I can finally read the next instalments. Especially as his newer works in this cycle have been widely praised.
  • Crescent City – This book is now finally sitting on my shelf (birthday treat!) and I know I’ve been saying that I’m holding off starting new series, I don’t think I have that much resoves when it comes to new SJM material.
  • The Daevabad Trilogy – I’ve been recommended this series so many times and there is a very exclusive set of this trilogy coming out very soon which I am keeping everything crossed that I can get my hands on!
  • Children of Blood and Bone – Yet another hyped up series that’s on my list and seems to offer something really dark and different!

There we go, what series are you waiting to buy or get started on? Do you have any anticipated series debuts coming out later this year? As always, leave your link below or drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

 

 

#SixforSunday – Heart Wrenching Series Endings

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Merry Sunday Bibliofriends!

How has your weekend been? I have spent mine reading, reading, reading! I have shocked myself into reading 3 books so far this month and we’re little over a week through May. I think I’m finally getting the hang of this lockdown malarky which is typical as we’ll probably be coming out of it soon. My mother always says that I manage to start doing something well by the time it gets to the end! 🙈😂

Anyway, this week’s Six For Sunday is based on heart-wrenching endings to a series. Obviously there were some that immediately came to mind and others which took a little more consideration. I’m also in that reading phase at the minute where I’ve stopped reading any new series because there’s so many that I haven’t finished yet! Heading links should go to the series page on Goodreads.
For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is a weekly list-based meme created by Steph @ALittleButALot and has a different weekly prompt based on a monthly theme.

Harry Potter

Now, a little bad habit that I tend to do when reading is that I skip to the end to see how many chapters the book has… so obviously skipping to the end of Harry Potter and seeing ‘that’ epilogue title shocked me into wanting to quit my bad habit it didn’t work. Regardless, this is still the series that has given me my biggest book-hangover to date. I don’t think I’ll ever get over it to be honest!

Throne of Glass

Whereas the Harry Potter ending was like the soul-shattering end of a world/era… Kingdom of Ash rendered me utterly distraught in a completely different way. I’m surprised the pages of my book didn’t disintegrate due to me crying through nearly the entire 900+ pages. The chapter with the Thirteen 😭, the bit with the ACOTAR link 😉,  and then just the sheer scope of that ending with my most beloved characters and the journey that they endured… I am definitely going to do a reread of this whole series in the very near future!

ACOTAR

Chapter 55 of Court of Wings and Ruin I remember distinctly. I had to shut the book, wait for everyone else to leave my house and then I had to be alone with that finale. Now I know SJM isn’t for everyone, but there’s just something about the worlds and characters that she creates which keeps my little bookish heart hanging on every last letter.

Six of Crows Duology

It’s almost impossible to say why I found this so heart wrenching without using any spoilers but for one of my favourite ships in this book, the thing that happened to them left me in denial right until I closed the last page. I then had to check the Grishaverse Wikia just to confirm it in my brain. They’d fought against all the odds and I’d been championing them the whole way through the series… devastated!

The Illuminae Files

This series is so wonderful and unique, I’ve never read anything like it before. I included it in this list as it felt that there was so much that became resolved at the end of the third book. What with all of the memos, video transcripts, email messages and all of the different mediums through which this story is told, I really shared in the victory of the characters. And then the ending with the bit in the restaurant Vitalys and then the very very final twist… it was just a brilliant ending to the series!

Ok so my 6th choice I had noted down The Languedoc series by Kate Mosse purely because it was a really meaty series and I felt a sense of achievement at reaching the end… but now I’m here I just can’t explain why I would have found it heart wrenching – therefore, I’m going to sub it for a non-series novel (don’t tell that I cheated)!

One Day by David Nicholls

I can’t quite remember what exact assignment it was but I definitely had a piece of work that was desperately due in, but I’d made the coincidental mistake of reading One Day at the exact same time and it came to the part where I just could not put the book down! I remember sitting at my laptop (essay open on screen) and just bawling my eyes out at what happened. It was such a sorrowful and almost cruel ending to the story but then I guess that’s what Nicholls was going for. The film never did quite convey that scene as well as the novel. A definite ‘heart wrenching’ pick despite not being a series!

Any surprise choices here for you? Drop me a comment, leave me your link and let me know what books ripped your heart out or made you bawl into the pages. Happy Sunday team!

T xx

 

Six For Sunday – Favourite Book 1 in a Series

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Hello Biblioshelf Friends,

I hope you have been having a good week. I have felt incredibly productive with work this week as well as finally getting round to finishing my OWLs exams for the Magical Readathon. I’ll be posting a Readathon Wrap soon so watch out for that one!

As we are now into May, we are kicking off a brand new Six For Sunday theme which is all about ‘showing some series love’. For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is a weekly list-based meme created by Steph @ALittleButALot and has a different weekly prompt based on a monthly theme.

This week’s S4S is based on Favourite Book 1s in a series – initially I thought this was going to be really hard as it’s becoming a bit of an ongoing affliction that I start a series and then never get around to buying any of the sequels. I just can’t seem to shake off! Anyway, a quick scroll through the bible that is Goodreads helped me to come up with these. All heading titles link to Goodreads!

S4S 03.05.20

  1. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
    I totally devoured this book and loved it a smudge more than the sequel Crooked Kingdom. I was a little apprehensive going into this duology as I couldn’t really understand the hype surrounding the Shadow and Bone series but I am so glad I read them that way round.
  2. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C Dao
    This Evil Queen retelling was just something else. I was gripped to every last word on every page. The sequel definitely had a different feel to me as the perspective changed from Xifeng in the first novel to Jade in the second. I think that’s why I preferred the first novel more.
  3. Everless by Sara Holland
    Another fantasy where I was blown away by the first one then slightly disappointed by the sequel. I could not put Everless down, yet Evermore felt like it had lost all of the things which I had loved so much about the first one.
  4. Caraval by Stephanie Garber
    For me this introduction to the world of Caraval was by far my favourite. It was filled with so much magic and wonder. In that first book none of us quite knew the character traits and how the game worked so everything was just that little bit more mysterious.
  5. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
    How on earth could the original tear-jerking starter be outdone by it’s sequels? For me, it just couldn’t. As much as I adored Lou, there just seemed to be something so final after this first book that I think I would have been happy had it just been a standalone.
  6. From Notting Hill With Love… Actually by Ali McNamara
    The set-up of this novel was so brilliant and I thoroughly enjoyed it however when I read the others in the series, they just seemed to become slightly formulaic.

There we go, my Six For Sunday favourite firsts in the series! What have you read? What firsts in a series were your absolute favourites. Drop me a comment or leave me your link to your own Six For Sunday below!

T xx

Six For Sunday – Books on my TBR because of someone else’s recommendation

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Happy Sunday everyone!

I hope you have been having a good week wherever you are and whatever you’re doing. This week has left me particularly exhausted so I was really glad for the weekend to be here as it has given me a chance to slow down, take a breath and try and finish my books for the OWLs Magical Readathon! I’ve been participating with two friends which has been brilliant motivation to try and stick with the TBR I set myself. I’ve also been making sure to catch up with other friends which resulted in a 2 hour WhatsApp video call on Saturday morning! We clearly needed it to chat through all that has been going on!

Speaking of friends, this week’s Six for Sunday is all about the books on my TBR because of someone else’s recommendation and these have all come from my nearest and dearest book lovers. For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is a weekly list-based meme created by Steph @ALittleButALot and has a different weekly prompt based on a monthly theme. All synopses from Goodreads.

Dune by Frank Herbert

Set in the far future amidst a sprawling feudal interstellar empire where planetary dynasties are controlled by noble houses that owe an allegiance to the imperial House Corrino, Dune tells the story of young Paul Atreides (the heir apparent to Duke Leto Atreides and heir of House Atreides) as he and his family accept control of the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the ‘spice’ melange, the most important and valuable substance in the cosmos. The story explores the complex, multi-layered interactions of politics, religion, ecology, technology, and human emotion as the forces of the empire confront each other for control of Arrakis.

This book was gifted to me for Christmas by one of my friends called Phil. We all co-host a Film Club together where we live and he often gets me books to bring out the inner sci-fi fan in me. As this is coming to movie theatres very soon, or was until Covid-19 hit, I definitely think I want to read it before it comes out in the cinemas.

The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant [pre-order]

Les Misérables meets Six of Crows in this page-turning adventure as a young thief finds herself going head to head with leaders of Paris’s criminal underground in the wake of the French Revolution.

In the violent urban jungle of an alternate 1828 Paris, the French Revolution has failed and the city is divided between merciless royalty and nine underworld criminal guilds, known as the Court of Miracles. Eponine (Nina) Thénardier is a talented cat burglar and member of the Thieves Guild. Nina’s life is midnight robberies, avoiding her father’s fists, and watching over her naïve adopted sister, Cosette (Ettie). When Ettie attracts the eye of the Tiger–the ruthless lord of the Guild of Flesh–Nina is caught in a desperate race to keep the younger girl safe. Her vow takes her from the city’s dark underbelly to the glittering court of Louis XVII. And it also forces Nina to make a terrible choice–protect Ettie and set off a brutal war between the guilds, or forever lose her sister to the Tiger.

My friend and fellow Potterhead @Megalynreads (stop by on Twitter and say hello) suggested this book in our reading group. With a love for fantasy and musicals this ‘Les Mis meets Six of Crows’ retelling went straight onto the pre-order pile. It’s released in June this year and I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy!

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.
True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

I know this book has good standing in the bookish community but it is one I simply have not got around to reading. When our teaching WhatsApp group shared their reads during lockdown, one of my fellow teachers recommended that I should pick it up soon and also suggested the audiobook as well.

Spare and Found Parts by Sarah Maria Griffin

Nell Crane has always been an outsider. In a city devastated by an epidemic, where survivors are all missing parts—an arm, a leg, an eye—her father is the famed scientist who created the biomechanical limbs everyone now uses. But Nell is the only one whose mechanical piece is on the inside: her heart. Since the childhood operation, she has ticked. Like a clock, like a bomb. As her community rebuilds, everyone is expected to contribute to the society’s good . . . but how can Nell live up to her father’s revolutionary idea when she has none of her own?

Then she finds a mannequin hand while salvaging on the beach—the first boy’s hand she’s ever held—and inspiration strikes. Can Nell build her own companion in a world that fears advanced technology? The deeper she sinks into this plan, the more she learns about her city—and her father, who is hiding secret experiments of his own.

This is another Phil recommendation which he also gifted to me – we often have arguments disagreements about artificial intelligence so I think this is part of his plot to turn me into a robot sympathiser – gotta say though, after recently finishing Clockwork Prince I’m not sure I’m going to be on the side of the robots any time soon!

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

‘Armageddon only happens once, you know. They don’t let you go around again until you get it right.’
People have been predicting the end of the world almost from its very beginning, so it’s only natural to be sceptical when a new date is set for Judgement Day. But what if, for once, the predictions are right, and the apocalypse really is due to arrive next Saturday, just after tea?
You could spend the time left drowning your sorrows, giving away all your possessions in preparation for the rapture, or laughing it off as (hopefully) just another hoax. Or you could just try to do something about it.
It’s a predicament that Aziraphale, a somewhat fussy angel, and Crowley, a fast-living demon now finds themselves in. They’ve been living amongst Earth’s mortals since The Beginning and, truth be told, have grown rather fond of the lifestyle and, in all honesty, are not actually looking forward to the coming Apocalypse.
And then there’s the small matter that someone appears to have misplaced the Antichrist…

Another one of my friends Stephen absolutely loves Terry Pratchett and as this is a crossover between him and one of my all-time favourite authors, Neil Gaiman, then I couldn’t resist downloading this on audiobook when it came up on special offer in the iBooks store.

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.

Hannah, one of my longest friends and fellow Potterhead (and sister of Megalynreads) suggested this series to me. I think I set her off on the Sarah J Maas train so after sharing our love of all things Rowling (therefore by proxy Robert Galbraith) she though I’d really enjoy this series so I can’t wait to get started on them too!

That brings me to the end of this week’s Six For Sunday. Have you read any of these? Which one should I get started with first? Feel free to share your own Six For Sunday links below for me to check out.

Have a good week everyone. Stay safe!

T xx

Six for Sunday: The Year 6 Takeover! 2019 Kids Lit Must Reads

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Hi there Bibliofriends,

So this post was supposed to be published in time for the final Sunday of April…however, if you’ve ready my monthly wrap up then you’ll probably work out that I was a hen-party weekend which is why I didn’t get around to posting it but… here it is!

The final ‘Kids Lit Represent’ Six for Sunday for April is centred around 2019 Kids Lit Must Reads. For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is a weekly list-based meme created by Steph @ALittleButALot and has a different weekly prompt based on a monthly theme.

Now even though I’m a primary school teacher, I don’t tend to read a lot of “Kids Lit” anymore as I’m always busy reading YA Fantasy or Adult books. However, the Year 6s I teach definitely love their reading; one of them seems to be permanently engrossed in a book even in the middle of lessons… So to help me out this week, I decided to give them some time during their reading sessions to browse the online shelves and come up with their Top 7 Kids Lit releases of this year (I know it’s 6 for Sunday, but 7 for Sunday is still as alliterative!).

Here’s what they came up with (synopses from Goodreads):

Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee
Publication date: 15th January

To keep the family safe, Min’s mother insists that none of them use any fox-magic, such as Charm or shape-shifting. They must appear human at all times. Min feels hemmed in by the household rules and resents the endless chores, the cousins who crowd her, and the aunties who judge her. She would like nothing more than to escape Jinju, her neglected, dust-ridden, and impoverished planet. She’s counting the days until she can follow her older brother, Jun, into the Space Forces and see more of the Thousand Worlds.

When word arrives that Jun is suspected of leaving his post to go in search of the Dragon Pearl, Min knows that something is wrong. Jun would never desert his battle cruiser, even for a mystical object rumored to have tremendous power. She decides to run away to find him and clear his name.

Min’s quest will have her meeting gamblers, pirates, and vengeful ghosts. It will involve deception, lies, and sabotage. She will be forced to use more fox-magic than ever before, and to rely on all of her cleverness and bravery. The outcome may not be what she had hoped, but it has the potential to exceed her wildest dreams.

I like this book because the cover of it looks amazing and I think it will be a great book to read. I also like it because the genre is sci-fi and I really like sci-fi novels. It has a fox/wolf on the cover of it and I love wolves and foxes.

Guinness World Records 2020
Published on: 27 August 2019

Fully revised and updated, the record-breaking compendium of superlatives is back and bursting with facts, figures and incredible stories – each one selected to inspire you to learn about the fascinating world we live in… and to break records of your own.

In a series of 11 fact-packed chapters, we introduce you to the record-holders who’ve pushed the boundaries of what’s possible. Meet…

• The adventurers who trek, swim, ski, climb and fly to all four corners of the globe
• The real-life cyborgs who augment their bodies with cutting-edge technology
• The painters, sculptors, musicians and moviemakers taking performance art to new levels
• The stars of social media generating millions of views on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
• The athletic legends who continue to raise the bar in the world of sports

But it’s not only human beings who set records. Explore the wilder side of life with 24 pages of record-breaking animals, and take a trip around the world to visit the most awe-inspiring sights on each continent!

Plus, we investigate 10 record-breaking robots to find out what makes them tick. And look out for our exciting new “Snapshot” feature, in which our digital artists put a unique visual spin on some iconic record-holders such as the largest ever crocodile, the richest person on Earth and the tallest living tree – prepare to be amazed!

The Guinness World Records is a great book because you can see lots of cool stuff and what epic things people do in the world. They do things like the most people in a car, the biggest vehicle in the world the amount of food people eat in a certain time and many more crazy challenges. I like it because you can see all the high scores in the Olympics sports around the world. Also you don’t have to read it properly you can just scan through. Sometimes it is nice to have a change from reading a normal book.

One Speck of Truth by Caela Carter
Published: March 5th 2019

Alma has everything she needs, except answers to her questions. Her mother won’t tell her why her beloved stepfather, Adam, is suddenly gone this summer. Or about life in Portugal, where her parents met. Not even about her father, who Alma cannot find, no matter how many graveyards she searches with her best friend, Julia.

Then Alma’s mother shocks her by moving them both to Lisbon so Alma can fall in love with the vibrant city where her father grew up. There she discovers she has more family than she could have imagined.

She hopes Portugal holds the answers she’s been desperately searching for, but it turns out finding the truth may be more complicated than she, or her mother, bargained for.

This book sounds good because it is interesting and it looks easy to read. It sounds like there are a lot of mysteries. I think a lot of mysteries is good because it makes you want to read more. The front page also looks cool which is one of the best things about this book.

Skulduggery Pleasant Bedlam by Derek Landy

Published: 30/05/19

I want to read this the most because I am exited to see what happens after the book Midnight where Abyssinia is trying to find her son that Cardevourus kidnaps and lots of people die as she is actually a mad psychopath. Lord Vile is Skulduggery Pleasant’s evil form from when he used to be a necromancer. Skulduggery Pleasant is an amazing series where there is many unexpected twists like the necromancers trying to find a death bringer to kill half the world’s population and his side kick called Valkerie Cain which is French for go forwards. Valerie Cain’s evil form Darquesse would have destroyed the world.

THE DOG WHO SAVED THE WORLD by Ross Welford
Published: April 4th2019

When eleven-year-old Georgie befriends an eccentric retired scientist, she becomes the test subject for a thrilling new experiment: a virtual-reality 3D version of the future.

But then a deadly disease threatens the life of every dog in the country and Georgie’s beloved dog, Mr Mash, gets sick. And that’s only the start of her troubles.

Soon, Georgie and Mr Mash must embark on a desperate quest: to save every dog on earth, and maybe even all of humanity …

… without actually leaving the room.

An extraordinary quest with the biggest stakes of all, and a huge idea at its heart, this is time travel – but not as you know it.

We like this book because we all love dogs and the book also looks very eye catching. We also like the fact that the book is based on a girl who is taking the act of kindness against diseased animals. Although her dog is sick, she decided to take her dog along with her in her mammoth quest to save all dogs. The reason why all dogs have been diseased is because an experiment that was held on the girl had gone wrong. The genre of this book is science fiction.

The Fork, The Witch And The Worm by Christopher Paolini
Published: 1st January 2019

A wanderer and a cursed child. Spells and magic. And dragons, of course.

Welcome back to the world of Alagaësia. It’s been a year since Eragon departed Alagaësia in search of the perfect home to train a new generation of Dragon Riders. Now he is struggling with an endless sea of tasks: constructing a vast dragonhold, wrangling with suppliers, guarding dragon eggs, and dealing with belligerent Urgals and haughty elves. Then a vision from the Eldunarí, unexpected visitors, and an exciting Urgal legend offer a much-needed distraction and a new perspective. This volume features three original stories set in Alagaësia, interspersed with scenes from Eragon’s own unfolding adventure. Included is an excerpt from the memoir of the unforgettable witch and fortune-teller Angela the herbalist . . . penned by Angela Paolini, the inspiration for the character, herself! Relish the incomparable imagination of Christopher Paolini in this thrilling new collection of stories based in the world of the Inheritance Cycle.

The Fork, The Witch and The Worm is a hardback cover book with outstanding reviews. Christopher Paolini’s book costs £7.79. It has 3.6 stars out of 5 stars. Most children who have happily read this spectacular book have commented that the tales are very similar to the tales from Volume 1: Eragon. This book is aimed in the age bracket of 9-12.

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! 2020

Published: October 17th 2019

THE MULTI-MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING GUIDE TO THE WORLD OF WEIRD

Ripley’s is back! This year’s blockbuster annual contains the scariest, grossest and funniest stories from around the world, including:

– The man who lived in a sand castle for twenty years
– The cat who was born with twenty-eight toes
– The restaurant that served a burger made out of worms

. . . and much, much more.

Brimming with mind-boggling stories and eye-popping photographs, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! 2019 is the perfect gift for anyone who is fascinated by the stranger side of life on earth.

We have chosen Ripley’s because it is easy to read and has extremely rad facts occasionally. It can help with school work, especially your topic. There are things about animals and tribes from around the world. It shows exciting and adventurous people with a wide variety of talents. It even goes to the extreme point of the world’s longest pizza which measures 5 miles long. 

There you have it – some of them definitely like their books on the quirkier side!

What Kid’s Lit books are you looking forward to in 2019? Drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

 

Six for Sunday – Books from my Childhood

The Biblioshelf8 Comments

Happy Sunday Bibliofriends!

What a busy weekend it’s been! I’ve been to a wedding, a rugby match, an evening watching my friend’s band play at one of the bars in our local town and later I’m off to the cinema! I’ll be posting more about where I’m up to with my April TBR and the OWLs Magical Readathon in a mid-month update later this week. But for now, back to Six for Sunday!

For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is a weekly list-based meme created by Steph @ALittleButALot and has a different weekly prompt based on a monthly theme. April is all about children’s literature and as a primary school teacher I am definitely ready for ‘Kids Lit Represent’!

This Sunday, we are discussing books from my childhood. There are so, so many books that could go on this list, and they’d pretty much be the same as last week’s Six for Sunday; so this is essentially another six books from my childhood that I love!

  • A Collection of Woodland Tales by Beryl Johnson, illustrated by Dorothea King

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I rescued this book from our garage a few years back and it now sits safely on the ‘children’s books’ section of my bookshelves. The illustrations in this book are absolutely delightful and the tales about fairies having balls and drinking rainbows out of acorn cups are adorable! I used to love reading it as a child.

 

  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

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A staple of any young child’s reading library. I think my copy had holes in the fruit to show you where he’d been eating. It also used to give you a clue as to what was coming on the next page. The teacher from my very first training placement even bought me a mug with this on.

 

  • My Annette Mills Gift Book 1954

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This is a vintage book I had from my Nan and Grandad along with some other classics like the old Rupert the Bear annuals. I used to love looking at all the old pictures. I’d read the stories sat on a roll of carpet in their back garden. It’s books like these that bring that have really fond childhood memories attached to them.

 

  • 1940s Cinderella by Trelleck

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Another one of my rescues from my Grandparent’s house. This book is practically falling apart now so I keep it wedged flat between two other books and treat it with a lot of care. I’ve scoured it many times for a publication date but there doesn’t seem to be one and the only ones I’ve found for resale online say it was published in the 1940s. It’s quite worn and I’m sure my Nan even drew in it as a child so it probably isn’t worth as much as the proper vintage ones but it still has a special place on my shelf.

 

  • The Animals of Farthing Wood by Colin Dann / Buzz Books

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As a child I used to love watching The Animals of Farthing Wood as an animated series on TV. They accompanied the TV programme with a set of 16 little hardback books by Buzz Books which were practically in the same style as Ladybird Books. I used to have the whole set all neatly ordered on the bookshelves in my bedroom. Now as an adult I also own the original Colin Dann book which is at an indefinable place on my ever-growing TBR pile.

 

  • The Tales of Beatrix Potter by Beatrix Potter

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These books were the absolute cutest! We used to travel to Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds very often when I was child. It is a beautifully picturesque place with the River Windrush running through it, where they sometimes play football in the river during the Summer months. They had a shop dedicated to Beatrix Potter andcentredaround the story of The Tailor of Gloucester. Every time we would visit I would come away with another one of those little books to add to my collection. I think Jemima Puddleduck and Benjamin Bunny were amongst my favourites!

What are some books from your childhood? Do you have still have them sat on your shelves at home today? As always, drop me a comment to chat!

Enjoy your Sunday Bibliofriends!

T xx