Category Archives: Middle Grade 8-12

Upcoming Reviews on The Story Sanctuary

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Last year brought about some big changes in The Story Sanctuary. As an active member of NetGalley, I’ve been able to request and review some great releases (like We Were Liars by E. Lockhart and We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt.) I also accepted requests from authors to review some great books (Through the Balustrade by M B Dahl was one of my favorites.)

This year, there are even more books coming my way, and I’m super excited to read and review them. Here are a few you can expect to see posted on The Story Sanctuary in the next six weeks…

the-ruby-airshipThe Ruby Airship by Sharon Gosling, Capstone Young Readers – Switch Press
Release Date: 2/2/15
Note: I’ve already finished reading this one, and I really enjoyed it. Lots of action, … Continue reading →

Top Ten Tuesday: 2014 Releases I Meant to Read

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This is in participation with a weekly meme from The Broke and the Bookish.

Under the Egg

Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald

“When Theodora Tenpenny spills a bottle of rubbing alcohol on her late grandfather’s painting, she discovers what seems to be an old Renaissance masterpiece underneath. That’s great news for Theo, who’s struggling to hang onto her family’s two-hundred-year-old townhouse and support her unstable mother on her grandfather’s legacy of $463. There’s just one problem: Theo’s grandfather was a security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and she worries the painting may be stolen.

With the help of some unusual new friends, Theo’s search for answers takes her … Continue reading →

Review: The Map to Everywhere by Carrie Ryan and John Park Davis

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Map to Everywhere by Ryan and DavisThe Map to Everywhere
Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis
Little, Brown Books For Young Readers
Published November 4, 2014

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Master Thief Fin is used to being forgettable. Moments after meeting him, no one remembers who he is. Until he meets Marrill, that is. Danger lurks around every turn when the two are swept up in a daring quest to find the missing pieces to assemble the Map to Everywhere. Fin hopes the key will lead him to his mother. Marrill simply wants to escape the fickle Pirate Stream and get back to her blessedly normal Arizona home. In … Continue reading →

Review: Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin

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Rain Reign by Ann M. MartinRain Reign
Ann M. Martin
Feiwel & Friends
Published October 7, 2014

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Rose finds comfort in two things: homonyms and her dog Rain. When a fierce storm rips through her sleepy northern town, her dog disappears. Rose enacts a plan to find her missing companion, but along the way she learns about empathy for others in her community who’ve lost homes and family in the hurricane.

It’s difficult not to compare this novel with others with a similar narrator. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime particularly came to mind. Martin’s tale is a lot more kid friendly. The plot is … Continue reading →

Review: Nest by Esther Ehrlich

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Nest by Esther EhrlichNest
Esther Ehrlich
Random House Children’s
Published September 9, 2014

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Chirp begins fifth grade looking forward to another year of beloved family traditions: dancing with her mother, bird-watching hikes, and impromptu performances with her older sister Rachel. But something is different in the Orenstein house. Rachel hushes Chirp when she asks questions or wants to show her mother some new dance steps. Chirp can’t understand how these things could make her mother sad like Rachel says.

Then comes her mother’s devastating diagnosis. There will be no more dancing. As her mother’s health deteriorates, Chirp’s family unravels. Even her father’s ever-positive, talk-about-it outlook can make this … Continue reading →

Review: Gabriel Finley and the Raven’s Riddle by George Hagen

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Gabriel Finley and the Raven's Riddle by George HagenGabriel Finley and the Raven’s Riddle (Gabriel Finley #1)
George Hagen
Random House Children’s/Schwartz and Wade Publishing
Published August 26, 2014

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In a world in which men have all but forgotten their friendship with ravens, one twelve year-old boy rediscovers an ancient tradition. Gabriel’s adventure begins the day he rescues a young raven and answers its riddle. With the help of Gabriel’s friends, he and his raven will embark on a dangerous journey. They must battle evil creatures to save Gabriel’s missing father.

There are some slightly dark elements in the story surrounding the evil valravens, … Continue reading →