Writing and reviews with an environmental, science fiction, and fantasy touch
The Boy at the Back of the Class was the December selection for the Book of the Month (BOTM) at Great Middle Grade Reads. Since I’m once more organising the BOTM as of this month, I thought I’d better show
Finishing the Hat is the first part of a review of his work by the genius composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim, who died last November aged 91. There is so much I wanted to discuss about it! I toyed with the idea
Bargain with Fate — I needed to read this and another in December to get to the top of my TBR mountain. I’m not reviewing the other one, as it was a big non-fiction one with several things to say
Books of the Year–well everyone else does it, and with over 60 books read last year, I feel I should tease out some virtual award-winners. But what is coming up in 2022? Well, I already have six books from Netgalley
Space Opera. A book title, not necessarily a genre, although Space Opera is definitely space opera. I popped it on my list as I read the blurb when it came out. Then I saw it in my library… and brought
Today I’m reviewing Voyage of the White Cloud, but I’m also previewing Giftmas. Whatmas? Giftmas! You can look back on last year’s event to get the gist of it, but there are some special things about this year’s event. It
This Charming Man is the second in the series which starts with The Stranger Times. I absolutely adored the first book, as you can tell from the review. So I welcomed the offer of a pre-release copy of the follow-up
Adventures with Waffles was the Book of the Month for November on the Goodreads Great Middle Grade Reads group. I suspect it’s only the second BOTM that I’ve managed to read in the right month this year, and possibly at
Free-Wrench has been on my TBR since 2016, and I kept meaning to read it. What a treat this turned out to be! Even better, it’s the first in a series of six. I seem to have the second on
The Art of Enough caught my eye on Netgalley because I’m concerned about all the excesses of the western world. That contributes to the mess we’re in, climatically, socially and possibly healthwise. Becky Hall is a psychologist, and her concern
Ghostcloud was offered by Netgalley for review just as I was developing an idea for a new book. I thought I’d better do some research on all the other books involving human children seeing ghosts. And anyway, it’s Halloween weekend!
Zelda Pryce is the only book-related Z title I have for the Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge this year. With three in the series, I’m hoping it’s good enough to supply me for the next two years, as well. The Razor’s
The Ice Whisperers has an intriguing blurb, and a lovely cover (even if Goodreads fails to display it). So I was delighted to receive a review copy from the publishers via NetGalley. The Ice Whisperers by Helenka Stachera A haunting
The Night Hawks – number thirteen in the Ruth Galloway series. And Elly Griffiths is already onto number 14! This one finished my summer reading with a bang, and gave me an N for my Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge. The
Two magical series feature in this month’s review catch-up: The Chase Tinker series and the Time Quintet. Actually, I’m not sure I should speak of magic in relation to the Time Quintet, but fabulous beasts are involved, so I will.