January Reading Wrap-Ups

     Back again for another fun month of book suggestions? Here are the things Kristin and I have been reading since the last wrap-up. Be sure to tell us if you see any of your favorite reads, something on the never-ending To-Be-Read list, or if you know of a comparable title we might enjoy. Thanks again for reading! Write on.

Kamryn:

        Ok, so my first Reading Wrap Up for 2024 is going to look like I read way more than I actually did because a lot of reading I’ve done since the prior wrap-up has consisted of much smaller books.

First, let me back up. As last reported, I was pretty sure Suzanne Collins’ The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was going to be my last read of 2023, but that’s not actually what ended up happening. I’ve said this in various blogs now a few times, but after I read a really intense series, sometimes I like to step back into a lighter series for a bit afterward. The Hunger Games is one such series, so I wanted to read a little bit in Middle Grade for a while to kind of give my brain a break. Not to say Middle Grade can’t be intense, but it’s typically an easier zone to read in for book length, intensity of content, etc.

I hadn’t actually aimed to start any other books in 2023 after finishing up The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes near the end of the year, but I got bored and so the inevitable happened. My Middle Grade pick was a book series that came out when I was younger that I was always interested in reading, but never did, for whatever reason: The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. To be honest, I didn’t know until recently that Holly Black wrote this series, which is kind of funny since I’ve read a couple of her other books. Still, I found Spiderwick very enjoyable- true to style, it’s kind of gothic and weird, following the Grace siblings as they uncover magical creatures in the world around them. I found a used set that had the first five books together (from what I can tell, there were three more published after the fact that I haven’t read yet), which was good for me because I actually read the first four books (The Field Guide, The Seeing Stone, Lucinda’s Secret, and The Ironwood Tree) before 2023 was over. In my defense, the books are very small, each one is seven chapters, and the set allowed me to go straight from one to the other. The fifth book, The Wrath of Mulgarath, was the first book I finished in 2024. Very fun reads if you like fantastic creatures, a dark and mysterious vibe, and the artwork throughout the books is great.

My next read was a graphic novel for Avatar: The Last Airbender called Katara and the Pirate’s Silver (Script: Faith Erin Hicks, Art: Peter Wartman, Colors: Adele Matara, Lettering: Richard Starkings & Comicraft’s Jimmy Betancourt). (I wasn’t sure how exactly to list that, so I put all the names listed on the book.) This novel took place within the show as a Katara side quest, and I liked it as kind of my first dip into the Avatar graphic novel universe. I have two more of these from a set, so I’m excited to read the others.

Next, I went to another Middle Grade series, although this one was more contemporary than fantasy. Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Kate Wetherhead’s Jack & Louisa trilogy is an adorable series dealing with the highs and lows of friendship, growing up, romance, and most importantly, as they call it, being a proud “MTN” (Musical Theater Nerd). Each book (Act 1, Act 2, and Act 3) follows besties, Jack and Louisa, through a performance of a different show as they try to find their place onstage and off. If you’re a theatre kid or were at some point, you’ll love these books.

If you read my last blog, which uncoincidentally also concerned reading Middle Grade, you’ll have seen that I inadvertently talked myself into rereading Kelly Barnhill’s The Girl Who Drank the Moon. If you like fairy tales, give this one a shot. It alternates between a cast of magical and un-magical characters, weaving an intricate story of power, fear, family, love, and hope.

Ok, so that’s all the completed reading I’ve done since the last Reading Wrap-Up. Upon the recommendation of my cousin, I’ve now started Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series, and am a little over halfway through the first book, The Golden Compass. I’m not really sure if these count as Middle Grade or YA, but it’s been an interesting adventure story so far.

That is all for now. Kristin’s going to be mad at me because I’ve accidentally read like ten books over the last month. Haha oops. 

Kristin:  

Alright, so, this was a difficult month. I’ve never been a big fan of January and this one was no exception. Between snow days and restless toddlers, my reading time and stress level to even enjoy reading, has been non-existent. That being said I have two books to tell you about and I’m hoping next month is a little less dramatic so I can include some more titles. 

First, How the Prince of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black. This is a little novella filled with short stories about the lovely and moody Cardan. We get glimpses into his past and a narrative told from his perspective and it is as charming as it is heartbreaking. It was a sweet treat to get back into the Folk of Air world which I love. 

Next, we have One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus . This was a very enjoyable read and not something I’d usually go for. My brain has been in a state of chaos and simply cannot handle complex word building and a nice high-school murder mystery was interesting enough to keep me reading while not being something I have to think about much to keep up with it has a Breakfast Club meets Gossip Girl vibe and I really enjoyed the character arcs! I was able to guess correctly the culprit but not the full mystery which is always nice. 

That’s all for this month! Be sure to let us know what you’re reading and we’ll see you in February!As always, write-on!