The Middle Grade Review Bonanza is a feature with 2-3 mini-reviews for short MG books we really wanted to read. It’s a new Regular Thing (and we’d love to hear your thoughts and recommendations for future entries). The city…
Browsing Tag
Mystery
Welcome to Smugglivus 2014! Throughout this month, we will have daily guests – authors and bloggers alike – looking back at their favorite reads of 2014, looking forward to events and upcoming books in 2015, and more. Who: Susan…
HAPPY HALLOWEEN, dear readers! In order to celebrate this spookiest of holidays, we are proud to offer a giveaway of historical supernatural YA mystery, Jackaby by William Ritter. (Full dislosure: Thea works for Workman Publishing, of which Algonquin Young…
Today we are delighted to unveil the beautiful cover for Rivals in the City by Y.S. Lee – the final book in her Agency series, out next year. Thea is a HUGE fan of the series, so we couldn’t…
8 Rated Books Book Reviews Joint Review Read Diversely
Joint Review: Greenglass House by Kate Milford
Title: Greenglass House Author: Kate Milford Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade Publisher: Clarion Books Publication Date: August 2014 Hardcover: 384 Pages A rambling old inn, a strange map, an attic packed with treasures, squabbling guests, theft, friendship, and an unusual…
Title: Murder Most Unladylike (UK) / Murder is Bad Manners (US) Author: Robin Stevens Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery Publisher: Corgi / Simon and Schuster Publication Date: June 2014 / June 2015 Hardcover: 324 Pages Deepdean School for Girls, 1934.…
It’s Friday, which means we are over at Kirkus! This week, Thea reviews the eagerly anticipated third and final book in Ben H. Winters’ Last Policeman trilogy, World of Trouble. The book ends phenomenally, but ultimately she has mixed…
It’s Friday which means that we are over at Kirkus! Today, Thea reviews Valour and Vanity, the fourth book in Mary Robinette Kowal’s historical Regency-era fantasy series. And she likes it! The book puts Vincent and Jane’s marriage under…
7 Rated Books 8 Rated Books Book Reviews Joint Review Old School Wednesdays
Old School Wednesdays Readalong: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
Old School Wednesdays is a weekly Book Smuggler feature. We came up with the idea towards the end of 2012, when both Ana and Thea were feeling exhausted from the never-ending inundation of New and Shiny (and often over-hyped)…
Title: Drakenfeld Author: Mark Charan Newton Genre: Historical Fantasy, Crime Publisher: Pan Macmillan / Tor UK Publication Date: October 2013 Hardcover: 429 Pages “I am Lucan Drakenfeld, second son of Calludian, Officer of the Sun Chamber and peace keeper.…
It’s Monday, and we are over at Kirkus! Today, Thea reviews pre-apocalyptic mystery novel Countdown City by Ben H. Winters. And while it wasn’t as good as The Last Policeman, Thea still enjoyed it. Go HERE to get the…
It’s Friday, which means we are over at Kirkus! Today, Thea reviews Edgar Award winning novel The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters. Guess what, folks? She loved it. (That’s the third book she’s read and reviewed this week…
Title: Vanished Author: Sheela Chari Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, PoC, Middle Grade Publisher: Disney-Hyperion Publication Date: July 2011 Hardcover: 336 Pages Eleven-year-old Neela dreams of being a famous musician, performing for admiring crowds on her traditional Indian stringed instrument. Her…
Title: Joyland Author: Stephen King Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller (Ghosts/Horror) Publisher: Hard Case Crime Publication Date: June 2013 Paperback: 283 Pages Set in a small-town North Carolina amusement park in 1973, Joyland tells the story of the summer in…
Title: The Wig in the Window Author: Kristen Kittscher Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books Publication Date: June 2013 Hardcover: 368 Pages Best friends and seventh graders Sophie Young and Grace Yang have made a game out…
Today is our official stop on The Wig in the Window blog tour! We are thrilled to have debut author Kristen Kittscher over to answer our questions about her middle grade mystery novel and talk about everything from favorite…
Title: The Murders of Richard III Author: Elizabeth Peters Genre: Mystery Publisher: Avon Publication date: First published 1974 Paperback: 352 pages In a remote English manor house, modern admirers of the much-maligned King Richard III–one of Shakespeare’s most extraordinary…
Title: Stolen Magic (US) / A Reckless Magick (UK) Author: Stephanie Burgis Genre: Fantasy, Historical, Middle Grade, Mystery Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (US) / Templar (UK) Publication Date: April 2013 (US) / October 2012 (UK) Hardcover: 400…
Giveaways Inspirations and Influences
Stolen Magic Blog Tour & Giveaway: Stephanie Burgis on Inspirations & Influences
“Inspirations and Influences” is a series of articles in which we invite authors to write guest posts talking about their…well, Inspirations and Influences. The best part about I&I posts? Writers are given free rein so they can go wild…
6 Rated Books Book Reviews Giveaways Joint Review
Joint Review (& Giveaway): The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson
Title: The Madness Underneath Author: Maureen Johnson Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Thriller, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (US) / HarperCollins (UK) Publication date: February 2013 Hardcover: 290 pages After her near-fatal run-in with the Jack the Ripper copycat,…
7 Rated Books 8 Rated Books Book Reviews What She Said
What She Said: The Princess Curse & The Name of the Star
Today we bring you the latest installment in our feature, “What She Said…” in which we both review books that the other has previously read and reviewed. This feature arose because of a very serious dilemma we faced at…
Welcome, everyone, to a brand new weekly Smugglerific feature: Old School Wednesdays! We came up with the idea towards the end of last year, when both of us were feeling exhausted from the never-ending inundation of new and shiny…
Title: Gone Girl Author: Gillian Flynn Genre: Thriller Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson/ Crown Publication date: January 2012 Hardcover: 419 pages Marriage can be a real killer. One of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, New York…
Title: Ten Author: Gretchen McNeil Genre: Mystery, Young Adult Publisher: Balzer + Bray (Harper Teen) Publication Date: September 2012 Hardcover: 292 Pages SHHHH! Don’t spread the word! Three-day weekend. Party at White Rock House on Henry Island. You do…
5 Rated Books 7 Rated Books Book Reviews Old School Wednesdays
Old School Wednesdays: A Man Lay Dead, Cocaine Blues & The Ruby in the Smoke
Welcome, everyone, to a brand new weekly Smugglerific feature: Old School Wednesdays! We came up with the idea towards the end of last year, when both of us were feeling exhausted from the never-ending inundation of new and shiny…