Review: The Seven Sisters

{on Goodreads}

I've been in a bit of a book rut lately. I started reading more than one book at a time, and before I knew it I was skipping from book to book because nothing was keeping my interest. I read The Seven Sisters a few weeks ago, and it was the last book to completely captivate me. This was the first book that I've read by Lucinda Riley (I have another one of hers sitting on my shelf) and I'd put her in the same category with some of my other favorite historical fiction writers (such as Kate Morton and Lauren Willig).

The Seven Sisters is the first in a new series based upon the constellation Pleiades, and the frame switches between two narratives. The modern narrative belongs to Maia, one of six adopted sisters who spent her idyllic childhood on a secluded island which her father lovingly named Atlantis. While her sisters are spread across the globe pursuing their different lives, Maia is the sister that never left. Her world starts to fall apart when her father dies unexpectedly. Upon his death, each sister is given a letter and the coordinates of her birthplace. In a moment of spontaneity, Maia decides to pursue her heritage, so she follows the coordinates to Rio. While she's there, the reader is introduced to the second narrative: that of Bel, a teenager who lives in high society in 1920's Rio. She must come to terms with the constraints on her future: a fiancée chosen by her family and expectations for her future as a wife. Before she is married, Bel leaves on a tour of Europe, where she is able to meet the man sculpting the famous Christo statue. There, Bel finds that there is more to life that she sees in Rio.

I don't want to give too much away, because I loved how Riley revealed details throughout the book and I think that having those details revealed one at a time was really important to my love for the story. Throughout the book, the reader is able to follow both Maia and Bel as they navigate new cities and fight for what they want in life. I loved both narratives and felt compelled to find out the connection between the two women. There are a lot of questions left unanswered at the end of the book, so I'm eager to read the next in the series and am keeping my eye out for it at the library. If you're a fan of the dual-narrative, I'd highly recommend this series!

Bottom Line Rating: 5/5

Title: The Seven Sisters

Author: Lucinda Riley

Publisher: Atria, 2015

Price: $20 on Amazon

ISBN: 1476759901

Format: Hardcover, 704 pgs.

Source: Public Library

Review: Mrs. Sinclair's Suitcase

{on Goodreads}

Clearly I have a thing for characters who are fellow bibliophiles. In the case of Mrs. Sinclair's Suitcase, that character is Roberta, and maybe it's a shared love of books, or maybe it was just Louise Walter's outstanding writing, but I found her to be entirely endearing. I think Roberta can best be described as "bookish." She works in a bookshop, lives a quiet life, and is generally unassuming. She loves collecting the letters and notes that she finds in used books, and she uses them to daydream about the lives of the people who leave their books behind. 

One day, her father gifts her an antique suitcase that once belonged to her grandmother. In it, she finds a letter from her late grandfather. There's something strange about it though, as the letter was dated after her grandfather had died in the war. Roberta is baffled, and the mystery leads us into the second narrative in this story, that of Dorothea, Roberta's grandmother. Dorothea is unhappily married to a brutish man and forced to support herself during the war, which leads her to a fateful meeting with a charming soldier named Jan. Told through the past/present narrative frame (a style that I'm partial to), this book drew me in and kept me guessing as to the characters' secrets and keeping my fingers crossed for their happy endings. I loved the characters, I loved how easily the narrative flowed between Dorothea and Roberta, and I especially loved that the story was peppered with some of the notes and letters that Roberta stumbled across during her time in the bookshop. At times the story was heartbroken, but after finishing I felt a sense of peace. Recommended for fans of Kate Morton and Katherine Reay, and certainly a great pick for a women's book club!

Bottom-Line Rating: 5/5

Title: Mrs. Sinclair's Suitcase

Author: Louise Walter

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton, 2014

Price: $13 from B&N

ISBN:1444777424 

Format: Hardcover

Source: Public Library

Top Ten of Twenty Fifteen

Hello Twenty-Sixteen!

I am so looking forward to this year and though I'm hoping that some things go exactly as planned (such as finishing grad school), I can't wait to see what surprises are in store.

This year I read a total of sixty-six books and 20, 552 pages. If you remember, I was focusing on quality over quantity, and though I actually ended up reading more books than I did in the past two years, many of my favorite reads from this year were children's books. Though my average rating for books is around 4 stars (hey, I know how to pick 'em!), I'm highlighting these ones in particular because they stood out above the rest. I'm not going to set any resolutions again this year (no resolutions worked out well for me in 2015), so I'm looking forward to picking up whatever strikes my fancy. Although, I would like to make some progress in reading the A Song of Ice and Fire Series, and as always, reading more classic literature is still on my to-do list.

Below you'll find my top ten picks from 2015:

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1) by George R. R. Martin // It's Game of Thrones. Need I say more? If you're a fan of the HBO series and are debating reading the books, go for it! I'm still in the middle of the second (taking my time), but I think having seen the show helps me to keep the characters straight in my head.

The Heretic Queen: Heiress of Misfortune, Pharaoh's Beloved by Michelle Moran // All of the heart eyes for the love story between Nefertari and Ramesses II. Review for this on the blog next week!

The Witch's Daughter (The Witch's Daughter #1) by Paula Brackston // I didn't realize that this was the start to a series until I went to prepare this post! I will certainly be reading the second installment (due in 2016), as this was the perfect mix of fantasy and historical fiction. Highly recommended for your October reading list. You can read my review here.

The Postmortal by Drew Magary // I plucked this from my boyfriend's shelves one day when I had nothing to read and couldn't put it down until I turned the last page. I don't normally delve into post-apocalyptic lit but this was worth taking the chance. 

The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great (Catherine #1) by Eva Stachniak // The second in this series is on my to-read list for January. Historical fiction is probably my favorite genre (though I love fantasy too) and this was unique in it's setting and captivating. You can read my review here.

The Forgotten Room by Karen White, Beatriz Williams, and Lauren Willig // I just finished this earlier this week and had to make room on my list for it because oh my goodness the heartbreak was real. Review to come!

The Martian by Andy Weir // You might recognize this as the hit movie starring Matt Damon. I didn't expect to love this book but it's probably my top recommendation from this year because I think it appeals to all kinds of readers. The humor is what pulled me in but it was incredibly suspenseful as well.

The Glass Sentence (The Mapmaker's Trilogy #1) by S.E. Grove // I actually read and loved the first and second books in this series, which I stumbled across just by chance. It's become one of my all-time favorite fantasy series. Recommended for fans of Harry Potter. 

The Master Magician (The Paper Magician Trilogy #3) by Charlie N. Holmberg // I was sad to see the end of this trilogy but I do plan to re-read it at some point. I love the whimsy of it and I find the world that Holmberg created comforting. I wish that I could be friends with Ceony Twill!

The Sisters of Versailles (The Mistresses of Versailles Trilogy #1) by Sally Christie // I loved this book. As in, I read in early for a publisher and still pre-ordered my own copy (the copies publishers send me are often not final drafts). I cannot wait for the second installment, due out in April! You can read my review of this book here.

Bonus! Top Three Children's Picks

Since just about half of the books that I read this year were children's novels, I thought I'd share my top three children's literature picks from this year as well!

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo // If you have not yet read this book, do yourself a favor and read it this year. It was beautiful and heartbreaking and uplifting and everything that you'd ever want from a book. I'll be re-reading it at least once this year.

The Mister Max Trilogy by Cynthia Voigt // If you have a middle grade reader in your life, this series would make a great gift! I thought that it was entirely unique from the typical formula for novels of this genre and fell in love with its quirky characters. You can read my review of the trilogy here.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate // Beautiful. Captivating. Incredible. I could go on and on about this book. Tears were shed (bewarned) and it's the one book that my students can't stop talking about this year.

***

Next week on the blog: a review of The Heretic Queen and the books I'm looking forward to reading in 2016!

Want more of my favorites? See my Top Ten of 2013 here and 2014 here.

Children's Review: The Night Parade

{On Goodreads}

I tend to lean towards European literature, so when an opportunity to read Katheryn Tanquary's The Night Parade popped up, I thought I'd better indulge in a new culture. I'm so glad I did because The Night Parade was among my favorite children's books read this year. The story follows Saki, a typical thirteen year-old girl who's forced to accompany her family on a trip to visit her grandmother for Obon, a three-day festival in which families honor the spirits of their ancestors. That's the first thing that I love about this book: it highlights and celebrates Japanese culture in such an interesting way. Tanquary wove the culture into the book so seamlessly that the reader can follow Saki's journey as she moves from resenting the antiquated traditions to celebrating the unique way in which the small village has remained true to its culture, all while learning an incredible amount about Japanese family structures and traditions. 

Saki carelessly (and accidentally) invites a maleficent spirit into her world with the opening ceremony on the first night of Obon. For each night of the festival, she ventures into the spirit world in an attempt to lift the curse. While she navigates the rules of this strange new world, she is guided by a series of spirits. During the day, Saki must also navigate the social scene in her grandmother's small village-- this is where Tanquary does an excellent job of capturing the young teen mindset and writing from that perspective. Saki's encounters with the other children her age force her to reflect on her friendships at home in Tokyo. From the lessons she learns in both the real and spirit world, Saki has a change of heart and finds herself more in touch with her family and her heritage. I loved the resolution of the book and found that the lessons hidden within were ones that young readers could identify with and reflect on after reading. The spiritual elements of this book place it under the fantasy category, but I felt that it was an unconventional type of fantasy. The connection with the Japanese folklore reminded me a lot of the films by Hayao Miyazaki, so if you've enjoyed those films I suggest picking up this book after it's publication on January 5th!

Bottom Line Rating: 4/5

Title: The Night Parade

Author: Kathryn Tanquary

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
ISBN:1492623245
Price: Pre-order from Amazon for $12.98
Format: e-ARC
Source: Netgalley

Expected Publication Date: January 5, 2016

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with a copy of this text by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Review: The Brontë Plot

{On Goodreads}

If you're a frequent reader of Top Shelf Text you know that I'm partial to books about books. I had seen press for The Brontë Plot and even though I haven't read more than one of the infamous Brontë works, I knew instantly that it was a book that I'd want to read. 

I loved the premise: Lucy is a dealer in rare books, working for a prolific interior designer. She loves his mentorship and the life that she's built, but she's been dishonest in building his book business, a trait she thinks comes from her con-man (and perpetually absent) father. In the beginning of the story, Lucy meets James, a handsome and wealthy customer who buys one of her rare books. Their flirtation grows into a serious relationship, until the day that James confronts Lucy with her fraudulent deeds. Their relationship has fallen apart when James's grandmother, Helen, invites Lucy on an unusual sort of "business" trip. She whisks Lucy off to London as her buyer and invites Lucy to witness her last great adventure, on which she hopes to make amends for her own guilty secrets. As the two women venture through London, Lucy works to make amends for her own mistakes. 

The story is at times, frustrating -- particularly because Lucy seems to slip so easily into that corrupt frame of mind. For me, it felt like the wall that she put up for the other characters actually prevented me (the reader) from accessing her full character. It's for that reason alone that I can only give the book four stars. That being said, I think Reay created a real, flawed, human character here and I appreciated that the relationships were built slowly enough to be realistic. I also loved Helen's character -- the wise old woman who's unafraid to face the end of her time -- and I felt genuinely heartened after finishing the book. Reay's written two others, both based on Austen's works, and I look forward to reading those in 2016. I'd recommend this one for bookclubs especially, because I think it's a great book for discussions about living a full life and opening up yourself to others. 

Bottom-Line Rating: 4/5

Title: The Brontë Plot

Author: Katherine Reay

Publisher: Thomas Nelson, 2015

Price: $12 on Amazon

ISBN: 1401689752

Format: Paperback

Source: Public Library

Review: The 19th Wife

{On Goodreads}

I'm acutely aware that I buy way more books each year than I can possibly read in the same time period. I bought this book at a library sale approximately two summers ago, (having recognized it among the piles as being on my ever-growing to-read list on Goodreads), but it was left to sit on my shelf until just last week, when I finally decided that the time had come to read it. It was one of those moments where I fell into the book instantly, and then kicked myself for not having read it sooner. David Ebershoff's The 19th Wife first peaked my interest after I read (and loved) this non fiction book, which shared the subject of modern Mormon Fundamentalists and their history in relation to the mainstream Mormon church. In this novel, which is part historical fiction, part contemporary fiction, Ebershoff tells the parallel stories of Ann Eliza Young and a young man named Jordan Scott. 

Jordan grew up in a fundamentalist sect located in the desert of Utah but was ex-communicated as a teenager for the very serious crime of holding a girl's hand. Now, Jordan lives in California, working odd jobs and trying to piece his life together after having experienced a fractured youth in a polygamous household and the dual trauma of losing both his faith and his family. Jordan puts aside thoughts of the place that he's come from, until his mother is accused of murdering his father and Jordan is forced to return to his former home to defend his mother and investigate the murder himself. As he works to uncover the secrets of the elusive community, we learn about the history of the Mormon faith, the tumultuous road to polygamy, and its ultimate renouncement by church leader, all conveyed through the story of Ann Eliza Young. The 19th wife of Brigham Young, she was notable in her day for her very public divorce from her husband and her national campaign to end polygamy in the United States. Her story is told through the manuscript of her memoirs, as well as through letters written by her family members and newspaper clippings from the scandal of her divorce and her subsequent campaigns. 

Because I had a relatively good store of background knowledge about the historical events in this book, I was able to dive into the story itself rather effortlessly. Jordan's character and his fractured identity reminded me of Theo Decker from Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch. The imagery of a desolate plain with manipulative and neglectful adults brought about a lot of connections between the two books. This is one of those stories in which the characters are very....real. There's no sugar coating, there's a lot of tragedy, and it all comes together in an imperfect ending that's reflective of how complicated these situations can be. I enjoyed the mystery aspect (and was genuinely surprised by the reveal), but mostly I loved witnessing how the characters carefully reached out to each other, negotiating new relationships and mending the scars that were wrought by the corruption of their faith. This is one book that I'd recommend for those who enjoy that mix of contemporary and historical perspectives that come with novels of dual storylines. It's a story that tugs at heartstrings and encourages gratitude in equal measure.

Bottom-Line Rating: 4/5

Title: The 19th Wife

Author: David Ebershoff

Publisher: Random House, 2008

Price: Less than $6 from Better World Books!

ISBN: 1400063973

Format: Paperback

Source: Personal Library

Library Sale Spoils

If you know me, you know that I do countdowns for my local library sales.

This week I went to the biggest library sale in my area. Over 50,000 (yes, really!) books were put out for this sale, and boy was it a bibliophile's dream.

Long story short, I bought ninety-seven books.
If your mouth is hanging open, I don't blame you. Even the librarians were impressed.

Let me explain...
I went with the goal of building upon my classroom collection, which I started a few years ago but is still only a fraction of size I hope to have in my classroom come next year. Many people have no idea that the books in a classroom library are purchased out-of-pocket by teachers and that schools don't provide teachers with the books for their classrooms. In the fourth-grade classroom in which I'm completing my student teaching this year, we have more than a thousand books for our students to choose from for their daily reading. They often read 2-3 books per week, which means that we need to have a whole lot of options for them throughout the year! There's no way to predict which grades I'll teach in the future, and my teaching license covers first through sixth grade (and up to eighth for special education), so I've been collecting everything from picture books to more difficult middle grade series. This sale was a great opportunity for me to pick up a lot of books for a much lower price than any online seller or local bookstore can offer.

I didn't go in with a list, but I do have a general idea of which authors are really important for me to have (big names like Andrew Clements and Sharon Creech), and which series are most popular and therefore great for buddy or bookclub reads (A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Warriors, etc.)

That being said, I did buy a few books for myself, so I thought I'd share those here.

The Religion by Tim Willocks

Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

Eleanor of Aquitaine by Alison Weir

I, Mona Lisa by Jeanne Kalogridis

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

Needless to say, I have a great stock of books to cozy up with this winter. The sale happens again in March, so I'm already saving my pennies for another round! Do you see any favorites here? Have a recommendation that I absolutely have to look for at the next sale? I'm always up for adding more to my wish list!

P.S. Have a children's book (or two) that you'd like to donate to my classroom library? E-mail me at topshelftext@gmail.com!

Word Worship {Carlos Ruiz Zafón}

"Every book, every volume you see here, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens."

- Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Shadow of the Wind 

Children's Review: The Day the Mustache Took Over

{on Goodreads}

When I first saw the cover and premise for this book, I was so excited. Finally! A book for boys that's goofy, funny, and full of mischief. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I've been seeking suggestions for "boy" books to add to my classroom library collection, and I thought that this was going to be a winner for sure. However, after struggling to get through this book (honestly, I had to talk myself into finishing it!), I can say that it is full of mischief, but I didn't find it the least bit funny. I normally don't like to publish negative reviews on here (after all, it seems silly to tell you all about a book and advise you not to buy it) but I decided to share it for a few reasons: first, I want to be fully transparent, because I don't actually love every single book that I read (although I have to say I do love the majority), and second because if I were in a bookstore, I would definitely be motivated to buy this book for a young reader.

I connected with the premise because I've worked so many years as a nanny, and I find that caring for children is way more fun and easy when I can put on my silliest of hats (figuratively speaking) and let fun guide our way. In The Day the Mustache Took Over, which makes its debut on September 1st, twin boys Nathan and David are faced with yet another new nanny to take care of them. The boys are so terribly behaved that they've left a trail of nannies in their wake and their parents are out of options. That is, until Martin Healey Discount shows up at the door. Martin becomes the boys' new "manny," and though he puts on a stern face for their parents' sake, it turns out that Martin is more trouble than even the boys. In the end, he tricks the boys into doing their chores by pretending that they're defying their parents.

While the premise was of interest to me, the biggest problem for me in reading this book was the writing style. I could not follow anything that was going on, and I felt like the dialogue was so fast and disconnected that nothing made sense. It almost felt like I was hyped up on sugar while reading it (if that makes sense) because everything was disjointed and the whole premise turned from funny to outrageous in the space of the first chapter. Though I understood why the parents played minor roles, I also felt like their lack of discipline and boundaries for the boys was completely unrealistic, and I felt unsure about how the message in this book would translate to young readers. Would they find it funny? Would they try to follow the footsteps of Nathan, David, and their crazy manny? The latter possibility had me flinching from the trouble that could ensue in real life. From a teacher perspective, at times the language that was employed by the manny character could also have been out of reach for some young readers-- the character used unusual vocabulary in order to convey silliness, but I could see some of the language being inaccessible for some audiences. Though I certainly wouldn't stop a young reader from picking up this book of their own volition (after all, what they're reading is less important than the fact that they are reading), I won't be buying this for my classroom library and I don't see myself recommending it to parents.

Bottom-Line Rating: 1/5

Title: The Day the Mustache Took Over

Author: Alan Katz

Illustrator: Kris Easler

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's

Expected Publication Date: September 1, 2015

Price: $13.99

Pre-Order on Amazon

Pre-Order on Barnes and Noble

ISBN: 1619635585

Format: E-book

Source: Advanced Reader Copy provided by Net Galley

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Children's Review: The Galaxy Pirates: Hunt for the Pyxis

{on Goodreads}

Emma Garton's days have always been dependable: a mom that never does anything unexpected or exciting, a best friend with an overactive imagination, and weekends out on the pacific ocean learning to sail from her dad. All of that changes on the day that her parents are kidnapped by strange men  demanding a mysterious object called a Pyxis. Emma and her friend Herbie are there to witness the unbelievable scene but manage to hide from the kidnappers. Afterwards, they follow the kidnappers' trail down to the water, where they commandeer Emma's family yacht and begin a chase that will lead them to places they could never have imagined existed. There's something Emma's parents have been keeping from her, and it might just be the biggest secret of all time. It turns out that there exists an entire galaxy of creatures and people separate from Earth, and that they're all looking for a princess-turned-pirate named Halifax Brightstroke, a woman who escaped death and defied her queen. If that isn't enough to take in...this woman is Emma's mom, and now everyone is after Emma too. This is where the book first hooked me: the world building in the story is incredible and full of imagination. It reminded me a bit of Treasure Planet in that it places the adventurous character-types (pirates, evil queens, etc.) that we're familiar with in completely unfamiliar territory. This adventure is fast-paced and wildly inventive and definitely one that I'll recommend to future students. There are two things that I wished for when reading the story: first, that it was illustrated. I cannot say enough good things about Ferraris's ability to world build and I think that illustrations would have really complemented that ability throughout the story. Second, there was very little character development outside of Emma and her parents. Now, there was a whole lot of information to convey to the reader in order to introduce them to this new galaxy, and Ferraris managed to do so without making it feel like an info dump, but I feel like all of that effort was spent on the setting and, as a result, the character's backgrounds were set aside. There were certain characters that I was desperate to know more about: the queen, Captain Lovesey of the Argh, and Emma's new friend Santher. I felt a bit detached from the characters while reading because I knew nothing about them, so I'm hoping that's something that will be improved upon in the next installment. And speaking of next installments, I actually yelled "Nooo!" after reading the last sentence, because holy cliffhanger! I cannot wait to see what happens next. There are so many threads left to be tied from the ending of this first book and I am eager to not only find some resolution from the climatic action at the end, but also to read more, because it's clear that Emma's adventures have just begun. This is one trilogy that I would love to see as a bookclub pick for middle-grade readers, and one that I'll be looking to buy for my classroom library. I'd recommend for any and all fans of the fantasy genre.

This book will be released on August 4, 2015.

Bottom Line Rating: 4/5

Recommended for 8-12 (Grades 3-7)

Title: The Galaxy Pirates: Hunt for the Pyxis
Author: Zoe Ferraris
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Price: Pre-order the hardcover for only $12.74 on Amazon!
ISBN: 0385392168
Format: E-book
Source: Advanced Reader Copy provided by Net Galley

Top Shelf Text was provided with advanced reader copies of these texts for review from the publisher.

All opinions are my own.

Beatrice and The Book

In my junior year of college, a professor asked us to raise our hands if we considered ourselves to be readers. (My hand shot up faster than Hermione's in potions class-- no surprise there.) But then she asked us if we also considered ourselves to be writers. My hand wavered and then slowly made its way back down to my lap. I used to, I thought to myself. When I was younger I would spend whole afternoons crafting stories; I entered poetry contests and wanted desperately to be a writer when I grew up. The professor looked around and shook her head as the hands continued to fall. "If you're a reader, you're a writer," she said with conviction. And I believed her, enough to chase that dream into being through senior year and my honors thesis. I fought hard for the chance to write my own manuscript. At the end of two semesters of championing my idea, I found two professors willing to bet on me. I had the forms signed and in hand: three credits of my last semester, dedicated strictly to writing (and finishing) a book. 

And then spring semester began, and I thought, Wait, I have to actually write a book?!? For the next few weeks, as I struggled to find my footing (and even more, to sit and write distraction-free), I pretty much stayed in that panicked mindset.

But then things changed. My characters became their own people. I spent months debating their names and defining characteristics, but ultimately, they came alive all on their own. At a certain point, all I had to do was wait for the words to come. No thinking, no worrying, just acting as the vessel for this world I had created to construct itself on the page. It felt like this place had already existed, and I had just happened upon it with the simple purpose of describing what I saw there. 

I came to believe in my ability to write a good story. That doesn't mean that I don't expect criticism, or that I don't fear my readers not liking it, but it does mean that I'm proud of my work. I could have cried at that moment when I finally held it, printed and bound, with the knowledge that I actually wrote this. 

The book is titled Beatrice and The Book, and it's a fantasy children's novel for readers age 8-12. I wrote it with an educational purpose in mind-- for it to serve as a resource for conversations about empathy and individual differences. It's inspired by the fairytales that permeated my childhood bookshelf. It's full of classic fairytale elements, but my characters were crafted with a more modern audience in mind, meaning I've abandoned that classic assumption that female characters should be damsels in distress. In this, Beatrice is just as (if not more) powerful than she (or anyone else) could have predicted.

I learned some valuable lessons in the time it took to write this book: about self-discipline, about self-confidence, and about what it takes to actually write a book. I'm not sure whether I'll pursue publication, or whether I'll write another one, but I sure came away with a renewed sense of admiration for those who make writing their life. It's demanding, a little lonely, and a whole lot of hours spent hoping that someone might like what you've created. It was absolutely worth the effort though, because I think, through this process, that I became both a better writer and a better reader.

Children's Review: Archie Greene and the Magician's Secret

{on Goodreads}

Archie Greene is just an ordinary boy who lives with his grandmother, until his twelfth birthday, when a mysterious package is delivered to him. Inside the package is a book, and like most things in Archie's life, this book is old. Archie (who does not care for most things that are old) is intrigued by the book, and soon finds himself in an entirely different world and with a very big destiny to fulfill. When the book arrives on Archie's doorstep, his grandmother is forced to reveal the secrets that she had been keeping for his entire life: that he belongs to a well-established family of Flame Keepers, a group of trusted individuals whose job is to protect ancient magical books from forces of dark magic. That is where this book first shines: Everest's world-building is really unique and has relatively good execution, though I felt that the book could have been fleshed out in at least one hundred more pages, to allow the elements of this magical world to unfold more naturally. Archie soon moves in with his eccentric aunt, uncle, and two cousins, who introduce him to this strange new world. His extended family make up my favorite characters in this story: an aunt who paints the entire house shades of purple and bakes cakes with sardines as her secret ingredient, an uncle who always greets others with "What-ho!", and two cousins that are intelligent, fearless, and unfailingly loyal to Archie throughout the trials of the book. As Archie settles into his new role of apprentice, things start to happen at the Museum of Magical Miscellany, the place where all of the magical texts are kept safely tucked away. As secrets unfold, Archie comes to find that he plays a much large role in the future of the museum-- and of magic. Though I did enjoy the story (and managed to finish it in one sitting), I found myself a bit unimpressed by the level of writing. This book is intended for an 8-12 year-old audience and readers of that age can handle very complex plots and pick up a lot more subtle hints than you might guess. Everest failed in his execution here because he didn't seem to trust his readers to catch on to the big secrets and clues within the plot: it felt as though things were being dumbed-down or blatantly said when they were already obvious to the reader. This disappointed me because many of these obvious observations came from Archie himself, and I felt that his character profile was considerably weakened because of it. In addition to that, there was a lot of straight info-dumping at the beginning of the book. Here was a incredibly intriguing imaginary world, and it was all being explained too quickly for the reader to appreciate. The plot could have been made a bit more complex and secondary characters outside of Archie's family more fleshed out within the span of (at least) one hundred more pages, then this could have become one of my favorite fantasy series for this age group. On the author blurb, Everest mentions that he found writing a children's book to be difficult and that this one "almost killed" him, and I think that struggle is evident in the way that the book fell a little flat. However, despite all of that I will continue to follow the series (no word yet on the next one), as I am always keeping an eye out for books with male protagonists for my classroom library. I feel that I could recommend this to my students as a rather easy read with the hope that the premise will come through more naturally in the next installment. 

Bottom Line Rating: 3/5

Recommended for readers age 8-12 (Grade 3-7)

Title: Archie Greene and the Magician's Secret'

Author: D. D. Everest

Publisher: Harper Collins 2014

Price: $11.39 from Amazon

ISBN: 0062312111

Format: Hardcover

Source: Public Library

Max the Brave Trailer!

Just a quick note today to let you all know that the trailer for Max the Brave is out and that it is going to have you running to the nearest bookstore to pre-order your copy for its release in early September!

From the publisher:

“Are You My Mother?” meets “I Want My Hat Back” in the hilarious new picture book, Max the Brave, by author and illustrator Ed Vere. Follow fearless Max as he encounters every other creature except the one he’s searching for…mouse.

Check out the trailer below! I love the colorful (yet simple) illustrations and the mystery to be solved. I think Max will quickly become a character both recognized and beloved for classroom read-clouds and bedtime stories alike!

You can find out more about Max on his website, print an activity kit here, follow the fun on social media with #maxthebrave, and find educator resources here!

Just a Note:

This promotion is published on Top Shelf Text on behalf of Sourcebooks Publishers. 

Top Shelf Text received an e-ARC copy of this book for review. 

All opinions are my own.

Review: The Glass Sentence

{on Goodreads}

If you're a fan of fantasy novels, drop everything and go find this book. I picked up S.E. Grove's The Glass Sentence on a whim in my local bookstore over the holiday weekend and it's turned out to be one of my favorite reads this year. Our main character, Sophia, lives in a world that's very different from the one that we know today. Almost a century before Sophia's present day, the Great Disruption shattered time and cast different parts of the world into different ages. The United States was torn apart by two ages: the western half of the country becoming The Badlands, while the eastern half was cast into the 19th century and renamed New Occident. Sophia was born and has lived in Boston her whole life, and when the story opens, it's the year 1891. Sophia, whose parents went missing while out of a rescue mission in another age, has been raised by her beloved uncle, Shadrack Elli, who just happens to be the world's most renowned cartographer. Mapmaking is perhaps the single most important academic pursuit in Sophia's world, as maps help people to navigate the many different ages while traveling. Maps come in all different forms, and just as Sophia is being introducing to cartography, Shadrack is kidnapped. Sophia soon finds herself relying on a band of very unlikely friends as she pursues her uncle and the truth behind the world's greatest secret. While reading, I fell quickly into Sophia's world and, in particular, loved every one of the characters. They were fantastically imagined, with such distinguished features that it was easy to see them in my mind, and with just enough mystery left to them that I want to know more about their histories. I also have to commend Grove on the world building in this book. It was the best (in a children's/young adult series) that I've encountered since Harry Potter (yes, that good!) and it was astonishing to me how many little details were so naturally introduced to the reader. The Great Disruption is really one of the more creative ideas that I've seen in the fantasy genre and it so uniquely brings together elements of fantasy, mythology, time travel, and adventure. I loved reading this story so much that I immediately went online and wasted no time pre-ordering the second in the trilogy, which came out this week and which I am so looking forward to reading this weekend! The book is YA, but in the same way that Harry Potter appeals to all ages, I think that readers both younger and older than the target YA audience will enjoy this trilogy.

Bottom-Line Rating: 5/5

Title: The Glass Sentence (The Mapmakers Trilogy #1)

Author: S.E. Grove

Publisher: Puffin Books, 2014

Price: $12.17 for a hardcover on Amazon

Format: Paperback 

Source: Spirit of '76 Bookstore

ISBN: 9780142423660

Children's Review: May I Bring a Friend?

{on Goodreads}

Over the next few months, I'll be adding reviews here on Top Shelf Text of a series of books that are my favorites from childhood. I thought I'd kick off the series today with May I Bring a Friend? by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers. This upbeat tale is narrated by a little boy who finds himself invited to tea by the King and Queen. He asks permission to bring a friend, and shows up to Sunday's tea with a rather unusual guest-- a giraffe! The King and Queen are cordial as ever and welcome the pair inside. The boy receives invitation after invitation, and each time he brings another surprising guest. The tale is told through a series of rhymes and is brought to life with gorgeous and vibrant illustrations (as you can see from the cover here). It makes a great choice for a bedtime story or for a lesson in rhyming, as the rhymes here are so well done as to bring to life the surreal events in the book. May I Bring a Friend? won the Caldecott Award in 1965 and in my opinion, still deserves a spot on every child's shelf!

Title: May I Bring a Friend?

Author: Beatrice Schenk de Regniers

Illustrator: Beni Montresor

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1964

Price: $11.96 (Amazon Hardcover) 

Format: Hardcover (If you're buying, I recommend sticking with hardcover picture books!)
Source: Personal Collection

ISBN: 0689206151

p.s. You can follow this series on Instagram with #TSTChildhoodFavorites! And don't forget to follow along @topshelftext!

Review: In the Heart of the Sea

{on Goodreads}

Let me just preface this by saying that I am not typically a nonfiction reader. Which, if you're a reader of Top Shelf Text, you probably know by now. I have trouble getting hooked by nonfiction because I crave the types of stories that pull you in on the first page and keep you guessing (or holding your breath) the whole time. So not only is it unusual for me to be writing about a nonfiction book, it's even more rare that I am telling you to go.read.this.book. In the Heart of the Sea is the story of the shipwreck of the whaleship Essex, a captivating tale of survival and tragedy. Essentially, the story goes that the Essex set out from Nantucket in 1820, hoping to make a routine two-year voyage in which the crew would hunt whales. At the time, the oil from whales was a primary source of energy, and the reason why the island of Nantucket was growing richer while the rest of the country grew poorer. After 15 disappointing months of capturing only a few whales, the Essex was attacked by an unusually large sperm whale. There had never before been a report of a whale purposefully attacking a whaleship before, but this whale was clearly angry as he repeatedly slamming his body into the hull of the ship. The Essex sank in less than ten minutes, leaving the crew to drift at sea in three tiny whaling boats. What happens next is heartrending and tragic: starvation, survival, and yes, even cannibalism. Philbrick did an excellent job in both giving his readers information and a feel for how the crew of the Essex felt as they struggled to rescue themselves. The book read like fiction, it was captivating and suspenseful and full of great characters. I also loved how much I learned about the culture of Nantucket in the 19th century, which was brought to life through Philbrick's extensive research. I live in a small seaside town, so I felt a strong connection to these men, who spent their lives at sea, and their families, who spent their days with their eyes trained on the horizon. I would absolutely recommend this to both lovers of fiction and nonfiction, and especially to those who admire Moby Dick, as Herman Melville's early days as a whaler led him to the story of the Essex. His great whale was inspired by the very whale that sunk the Essex, and at least one of his characters was largely inspired by a member of the crew. In the Heart of the Sea is also set to be released as a movie this year! It's not coming out until December, but you can watch the trailer here. It's decidedly overdramatic, but I will definitely be in line to see it!

Bottom Line Rating: 5/5

Title: In the Heart of the Sea

Author: Nathaniel Philbrick

Publisher: Penguin, 2001

Price: $3.98 for a used hardcover from Better World Books, $11.90 for a paperback from Amazon

ISBN: 0141001828

Format: Paperback

Source: Local Little Free Library

Currently Coveting {July}

Summer is in full swing, and I have a long list of books for you today! I think summer is the perfect time to stack your "to be read" pile with both light beach reads and more suspenseful ones. A few summers ago, one of my favorite beach reads turned out to be Gone Girl, despite the fact that it is decidedly dark in nature. This month I've picked out of a few perfect thrillers, a few of my (favorite) historical fiction reads, and a new pick for younger readers. I'm looking forward to reading all of these soon!

Here's a peek at what I'm currently coveting:

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz // I stumbled upon this book in the Eric Carle gift shop and fell in love with the cover design. It's the story of a fierce friendship between two young boys and has incredible ratings on Goodreads. It's recommended for ages 12 and up, so if you have a middle school-aged reader at home this might be a good one to read together!

The Misbegotten by Katherine Webb // You know by now that I love historical fiction. This one includes mystery, romance, and lots of deep, dark secrets. 

Orient: A Novel by Christopher Bollen // Published relatively recently, this novel features a mystery on a small Long Island town. What drew me in was the promise of culture clash between locals and visitors and that small-town proclivity for harboring big secrets.

What She Left Behind by Ellen Marie Wiseman // I love those dual-perspective stories that blend contemporary and historical lives and this one looks particularly captivating. 

The Ice Twins by S.K. Tremayne // Last but certainly not least, this thriller is high on my list but already making me nervous to read it. I really haven't explored whether or not I can handle true thrillers (I'm that person that wants to watch a scary movie but then regrets it afterwards and stays up half the night with wide eyes and the covers pulled up to my nose), so I'm going to give this one a try.  Click on the title link to read the description, which has to do with a family moving to an isolated spot after a tragic accident -- perfect elements for the horror that follows. 

What's on your reading list for this month?

Happy Reading!

-Madeleine-