Middle Grade – Home | The Blind Scribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today.

Today I am bringing you my book review for The Mystery of the Jewelled Moth by Katherine Woodfine.

Blurb/Synopsis:

The honour of your company is requested at lord beaucastle’s fancy dress ball. Wonder at the puzzling disappearance of the Jewelled Moth! Marvel as our heroines, Sophie and Lil, don cunning disguises, mingle in high society and munch many cucumber sandwiches to solve this curious case! Applaud their bravery as they follow a trail of terrible secrets that leads straight to London’s most dangerous criminal mastermind, and could put their own lives at risk…It will be the most thrilling event of the season! This is a fast-paced and compelling mystery adventure with gorgeous Edwardian period detail, this is Mr Selfridge meets Nancy Drew!

My Review:

I read the first book in this series, The mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow, a while ago and I enjoyed it, I did but I haven’t really been thinking about it since then so I was almost at the point of unhauling this series because I didn’t think I was going to pick up the second one but then I did, and I loved it. This book I was hooked form the beginning, there are balls and disguises and a great group of protagonists and overall it was a fun time reading it.
This book is a middle grade but I didn’t think that the mystery felt young, it felt like it was well thought out and planned and it was just complicated enough to be fun and shocking.

Book Reviews

Book Review: The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell

September 11, 2023September 6, 2023 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today! I am bringing you my thoughts on the book The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell, which I read in August.

For this book review I will be giving a star rating to four different categories and writing a little bit about each one. I will do my best to not include any spoilers in this book review.

The Good Thieves Plot:

The Good Thieves follows Vita, a young girl who sets out to reclaim her Grandfather’s property that has been stolen, to do this she recruits three others to join her heist.

I was very excited to read this novel, after enjoying some of Katherine Rundell’s other books earlier in the year, and ‘heists’ are a favourite topic of mine to read about. I enjoyed how this book focused on the build up with a much energy as it had for the actual heist part. This novel wraps you in it’s atmosphere from the very first chapter, with the sensory descriptions and well researched setting.

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I did her other book, Rooftoppers, but I still enjoyed it and I would recommend it as a nice, light read.

The Good Thieves Characters:

Vita is the main character in this novel. Although she is young she is motivated by family loyalty, it is obvious from early in the story that Vita would do anything for her family. Driven with a sense of justice and her headstrong personality she shows her intelligence, creativity and bravery by creating a plan to steal back what was taken from her family.

The Good Thieves Writing and Dialogue:

I knew already that I liked Katherine Rundell’s writing style but I especially like how the writing doesn’t feel young, it is just as complex a plot as it would be in an older age bracket.

The Good Thieves Overall:

I gave this book four stars.

Blurb/Synopsis:

From award-winning author Katherine Rundell comes a fast-paced and utterly thrilling adventure driven by the loyalty and love between a grandfather and his granddaughter.

When Vita’s grandfather’s mansion is taken from him by a powerful real estate tycoon, Vita knows it’s up to her to make things right.

With the help of a pickpocket and her new circus friends, Vita creates the plan : Break into the mansion. Steal back what’s rightfully her grandfather’s. Expose the real estate tycoon for the crook he truly is.

But 1920s Manhattan is ever-changing and full of secrets. It might take more than Vita’s ragtag gang of misfits to outsmart the city that never sleeps.

Award-winning author Katherine Rundell has created an utterly gripping tour de-force about loyalty, trust, and the lengths to which we’ll go for the ones we love.

Book Reviews

Book Review: Arsenic For Tea by Robin Stevens

August 7, 2023July 17, 2023 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! Today I am bringing you my book review for Arsenic For Tea by Robin Stevens, the second book in the Murder Most Unladylike series.

In this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will try my best to avoid any spoilers.

Arsenic For Tea Plot:

In this book we are back with Hazel Wong and Daisy Wells as they look for their next case to solve. They are staying at Daisy’s home during the school holidays and somebody ends up being murdered.

I enjoyed the different set up of this book, compared to the first in the series, the location being Daisy’s home made the stakes higher because of the personal connections between Daisy and the suspects. The location also had an isolated feeling that Deepdean School did not have.

Arsenic For Tea gave me the same feeling that a good Agatha Christie would, a limited group of suspects each with their own secrets and motives. However, for me, the ending let this book down. I felt that the resolution, although plotted very well throughout the novel, did not give me the satisfaction that I look for at the ending of a murder mystery.

Arsenic For Tea Characters:

The two main characters in this series are Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong, two best friends who met in the first book as they started at Deepdean School. In my review for the first book, Murder Most Unladylike, I mentioned how I struggled to like Daisy as a character because she was bossy and always sure she was correct, this is a character trait that has continued in Arsenic For Tea so I am still not keen on her as a character, but on the other side I do like Hazel’s character. Hazel is a smart and logical thinker, although sometimes she judges people with her emotions, and she is the character whose head we are in throughout the series.

Arsenic For Tea Writing and Dialogue:

The writing in this series is very enjoyable even as an adult aged reader. The pacing is perfect for the style of story.

Arsenic For Tea Overall:

I gave this book four stars overall because it was a great continuation of the series and I am interested in reading the rest of the series.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Schoolgirl detectives Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are at Daisy’s home, Fallingford, for the holidays. Daisy’s glamorous mother is throwing a tea party for Daisy’s birthday, and the whole family is invited, from eccentric Aunt Saskia to dashing Uncle Felix. But it soon becomes clear that this party isn’t really about Daisy at all. Naturally, Daisy is furious.

Then one of their party falls seriously, mysteriously ill—and everything points to poison.

With wild storms preventing anyone from leaving, or the police from arriving, Fallingford suddenly feels like a very dangerous place to be. Not a single person present is what they seem—and everyone has a secret or two. And when someone very close to Daisy looks suspicious, the Detective Society must do everything they can to reveal the truth… no matter the consequences.

Book Reviews

Book Review – The Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine

July 24, 2023June 19, 2023 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today.

Today I am bringing you my book review for the middle grade mystery, The Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine.

In this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will do my best to not reveal any spoilers in this review.

The Clockwork Sparrow Plot:

This middle grade mystery follows Sophie, a store girl at the newly opened Sinclairs department store who becomes involved in solving the mystery after there is a break in. The first half of this book spends a good deal of time setting up the characters and the store and the way their lives are and the relationships between them which I did find a bit boring to begin with. However, once the mystery began to take place I became hooked in the story, and each chapter ups the stakes in a delightful way for mystery lovers.

The Clockwork Sparrow Characters:

There are three key characters that you get introduced to early on. Sophie, the shop girl who I found to be a very likeable character, there are a lot of secrets surrounding her background that I am hoping the rest of the books in the series will explore. Then there is Lil, who wears clothes and works in shows and is employed by the store for this. Lil is a very bright, excitable character with fun ideas. Then there is a young boy who is a porter at the store who joins Sophie and Lil to help solve the mystery. Each of these characters work so well with each other, the story wouldn’t work without them.

The Clockwork Sparrow Writing and Dialogue:

Although this book is middle grade I felt that the writing felt challenging for this age range and mature which I thought was what this story needed.

The Clockwork Sparrow Overall:

I gave this book four stars overall because it sets up characters brilliantly and I am looking forward to continuing the series.

Blurb/Synopsis:

You are cordially invited to attend the Grand Opening of Sinclair’s department store!

Enter a world of bonbons, hats, perfumes and MYSTERIES around every corner. WONDER at the daring theft of the priceless CLOCKWORK SPARROW! TREMBLE as the most DASTARDLY criminals in London enact their wicked plans! GASP as our bold heroines, Miss Sophie Taylor and Miss Lilian Rose, CRACK CODES, DEVOUR ICED BUNS and vow to bring the villians to justice…

Book Reviews

Book Review: Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens

March 13, 2023February 24, 2023 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you all enjoy my book review of Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens.

I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will try to keep this review as spoiler free as possible.

Murder Most Unladylike Plot:

This book follows Daisy and Hazel at Deepdean school, they are friends (who definitely have small arguments) who end up embroiled in a murder mystery when they find the body of their teacher, but then it suddenly disappears. I enjoyed the slightly cosy mystery feel that this book had, it was nice to see it from a younger child’s perspective than all the adult murder mysteries I read. It was still complex and a great mystery though which made it even better.

Murder Most Unladylike Character:

The novel is written from Hazel’s perspective. I liked her because she had an organised and investigative mind, she always looked for every avenue that could be and needed to be explored. Even though she is afraid she knows what she is doing is important. In this first book in the series I did not like Daisy, she is bossy and full of herself and it really grated on me throughout the novel. I know that is her character flaw but she barely listened to Hazel’s ideas and for a whole series I think I would find that hard to continue reading.

Murder Most Unladylike Writing and Dialogue:

I think generally the writing in this book is pretty good, it feels young but that is the age range it is catered to. Otherwise I don’t have a lot to say about the writing.

Murder Most Unladylike Overall:

I gave this book four stars overall because it was an enjoyable mystery, and I am interested in reading more of the series.

Blurb/Synopsis:

1934. When Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong set up a secret detective agency at Deepdean School for Girls, they struggle to find a truly exciting mystery to investigate. (Unless you count the case of Lavinia’s missing tie. Which they don’t.)

But then Hazel discovers the body of the Science Mistress, Miss Bell – but when she and Daisy return five minutes later, the body has disappeared. Now the girls have to solve a murder, and prove a murder has happened in the first place before the killer strikes again (and before the police can get there first, naturally),

But will they succeed?

And can their friendship stand the test?

I hope you enjoyed my book review!

Book Reviews

Book Review: Rose by Holly Webb

April 25, 2022April 4, 2022 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today. I am bringing you my review of Rose by Holly Webb, a series about a young girl from an orphanage in Victorian London (I think) who goes to work in the house of a magician.

In this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little about each one. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy my book review.

Rose Plot:

I like that the plot of this story really has three strands to it: Rose leaving the orphanage and entering the world of being an under-housemaid, Rose finding out new things about herself, and the disappearing children in the town.
This plot is one that I have reread multiple times because I love the worldbuilding aspects and the way that new information comes to light throughout. I also really enjoy the way that this plot tests the boundaries of children’s fiction and includes the darker elements alongside the fantastic magical elements. There is also a big theme of friendship in this book and being brave to protect your friends.

Rose Characters:

There are many well-crafted characters in this book but Rose is the protagonist. She is exploring the new, outside world that she hasn’t experienced because of being in the orphanage and it was fun to explore it with her, especially as she finds out more secrets about herself. Freddie is the Apprentice of the magician and he is stuck up and cold in the beginning but it was really nice to see his character develop throughout the novel. There is also Isabella, the daughter of the magician, she is prone to tantrums and is frequently described as spoilt, but she is also intelligent and an integral part of this book.

Rose writing and dialogue:

One of my favourite things about this book is how the writing stands the test of time. I enjoyed it when I was younger and I like it the same amount now, the writing style does not feel too young for me and because the plot follows child aged characters the plot doesn’t feel too young either.

Rose Overall:

I gave this book four stars because it is a book that I will happily reread multiple times.

Blurb/Synopsis:

The grand residence of the famous alchemist, Mr Fountain, is a world away from the dark orphanage Rose has left behind. For the house is positively overflowing with sparkling magic—she can feel it. And it’s not long before Rose realises that maybe, just maybe, she has a little bit of magic in her, too. . . .

The first book in an exciting, get-lost-in-the-world series about orphans, alchemy, magical powers and sinister child-catchers.

That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoyed it!

Book Reviews

Book Review: The Mapmakers by Tamzin Merchant

April 18, 2022April 4, 2022 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today. I am bringing you my review of The Mapmakers by Tamzin Merchant, the second book in the Hatmakers series.

In this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy my book review. If you haven’t read The Hatmakers there is likely to be spoilers for that book here.

The Mapmakers Plot:

So, in this series we follow Cordelia Hatmaker who is living with her family members in their hat shop and they are one of seven magical families, their hats are created using magic. At the end of the first book Cordelia has just found a map brought to her by a boy who was on the ship with her Father, who she still believes is alive. She thinks that the map will lead her to her Father.
I loved every part of this plot. There are brilliantly created villains, new allies, people who you might not be able to trust and people you might have misjudged in the previous book. One big part of this plot is the quest narrative which I really liked – you as a reader are discovering things along with Cordelia, finding out where the map leads to but the story is filled with intersecting plot points that build up to what happens at the end.

The Mapmakers Characters:

Cordelia Hatmaker is the protagonist of this story and she has to constantly find new levels of bravery to keep pushing forward. I felt like in this book you see Cordelia having to grow up a little bit more, and definitely before the time she should be growing up, because the world is changing and a lot of responsibility gets put on her shoulders.

The Mapmakers Writing and Dialogue:

I already knew I loved the writing style of this author. Her plots are so intricate and absolutely filled with magic.

The Mapmakers Overall:

I had to give this book four stars because I immediately got back into the hatmakers world and I was recruited to Cordelia’s character, I felt for her the whole way through.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Return to the spellbinding world of Cordelia Hatmaker in this soaring magical sequel to The Hatmakers. Perfect for fans of Nevermoor, A Pinch of Magic and Harry Potter.

Ever since Cordelia discovered the hidden map in her father’s precious telescope, she’s been searching the streets of London by starlight and trying to uncover its secrets. She’s sure that her missing father is out there somewhere, and that if she follows his map, she’ll finally discover the truth about his disappearance.

She never expects to stumble upon a secret society of Mapmakers – or to learn that magic isn’t limited to the few Maker families, but is instead is all around, if you just know where to look . . .

But danger is lurking around every corner, and Cordelia must convince the rival Maker families to work together for once – not only to bring her father home, but to save the very essence of magic itself . . .

A gorgeous adventure from exceptional new storytelling talent, Tamzin Merchant, featuring beautiful illustrations by Paola Escobar.

That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoy it!

Book Reviews

Book Review: Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell

April 11, 2022April 4, 2022 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. I will be sharing my thoughts on the book Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell.

In this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy my book review.

Rooftoppers Plot:

This is my first Katherine Rundell book and I was very excited to read it because it is set in Victorian (I think) Paris and and it features rooftoppers which are groups of children that live on the rooftops of Paris and rarely touch the ground.

I loved the atmosphere of this book, the sensory descriptions were engaging to the point that I could almost smell the smoke from the chimneys.

The main thing that I enjoyed about the plot was the focus on family. It wasn’t only biological family either, Sophie (the protagonist) is looking for her Mother, but also found family – the rooftoppers are family to each other and Charles is Sophie’s guardian throughout the book. It’s great to see wonderful children’s books featuring strong family bonds.

Rooftoppers Characters:

Sophie is the protagonist in this book, she lost her Mother as a baby and is being raised by a man called Charles, who raises her with curiosity, imagination and a love of wearing trousers. Sophie believes her mother is still alive. She is adventurous, brave and willful. I enjoyed seeing the development of the character as she found herself and what she would give to find her mother. Mateo is the main rooftopper featured in this book and the relationship between him and Sophie was one of my favourite parts of this book.

Rooftoppers Writing and dialogue:

I definitely want to pick up more books by Katherine Rundell after reading this one. The writing was whimsical and full of meaning. There was the perfect balance between sad tones and joyful tones throughout the novel.

Rooftoppers Overall:

I gave this book four stars because it took me away to a different world, a world where I was living amongst the roofs of Paris and that for me is one of the best things that books can do.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Everyone thinks that Sophie is an orphan. True, there were no other recorded female survivors from the shipwreck which left baby Sophie floating in the English Channel in a cello case, but Sophie remembers seeing her mother wave for help. Her guardian tells her it is almost impossible that her mother is still alive, but that means still possible. You should never ignore a possible. So when the Welfare Agency writes to her guardian threatening to send Sophie to an orphanage, she takes matters into her own hands and flees to Paris to look for her mother, starting with the only clue she has – the address of the cello maker. Evading the French authorities, she meets Matteo and his network of rooftoppers – urchins who live in the sky. Together they scour the city for Sophie’s mother before she is caught and sent back to London, and most importantly before she loses hope.

That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoyed it!

Book Reviews

Book Review – Pages and Co: Tilly and the Lost Fairytales by Anna James

March 21, 2022March 2, 2022 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day so far. Today I am bringing you a book review for the second book in the Pages and Co series by Anna James.

In this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy my book review.

Tilly and the Lost Fairytales Plot:

This book picks up from where the first book finished or very close to it at least. The idea of fairytales and fairy tale characters disappearing was what really caught my attention in this book, I felt drawn into the mystery of what was happening to them and I was invested in what the outcome would be. I liked that this book developed on plot points from the first book and that some of the things in the first book turned out to not be quite as they seemed. The world was also something that I loved being able to discover more of it, in terms of its rules and the politics surrounding everything, it added a lot of needed tension. At some points I felt that the mystery was too vague in a way and that there were a few things that needed to be explained more but I am hoping they will be in future books.

Tilly and the Lost Fairytales Characters:

Tilly is a great main character. She is headstrong and somehow finds trouble no matter what she is doing. I felt for her in a lot of ways, the first book left her with a lot of questions and this impacted her a lot throughout this book. The other main character is her best friend Oscar, and I love their relationship. They work great together but they also have differing opinions which keeps their friendship realistic.

Tilly and the Lost Fairytales Writing and Dialogue:

Anna James’ writing is a style that I enjoy because it doesn’t feel like it has been simplified for its intended audience of middle grade readers, some books I have read in the past have done this.

Tilly and the Lost Fairytales Overall:

I gave this book four stars overall because its a very comforting series to dive into and I am excited to pick up the third book.

Blurb/Synopsis:

A magical adventure to delight the imagination. The curl-up-on-the-sofa snuggle of a series from a uniquely talented author.

Tilly Pages is a bookwanderer; she can travel inside books, and even talk to the characters she meets there. But Tilly’s powers are put to the test when fairytales start leaking book magic and causing havoc . . .

On a wintery visit to Paris, Tilly and her best friend Oskar bravely bookwander into the land of fairytales to find that characters are getting lost, stories are all mixed-up, and mysterious plot holes are opening without warning. Can Tilly work out who, or what, is behind the chaos so everyone gets their happily-ever-after?

That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoyed it!

Book Reviews

Book Review: Pages and Co by Anna James

January 24, 2022 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. I am all tucked up in bed not feeling too great but with a lovely stack of books next to me just waiting to be read. Today I am bringing you a book review of Pages and Co by Anna James.

In this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little about each one. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy my book review.

Pages and Co Plot:

Pages and Co is a story that focuses on Tilly, a young girl who lives with her Grandparents in their bookshop, who finds that there is a lot more magic in books than she thought possible. I loved the magic in this story, it embodies the wonder that children feel when reading and living the enchantment of books. It also carries a childlike innocence throughout that gives the whole story a lighter tone despite the serious moments. The plot of this book was so unique and it drew me in from the very first chapter

Pages and Co Characters:

Tilly is the main character in this book, she is headstrong and adventurous. I loved following her as she discovers where her life is going. I felt that Tilly had a great character arc in this story but also I think her character still has a lot of room for growth in the rest of the series. Something else I loved about the characters in this book is the friendship between Tilly and Oskar.

Pages and Co Writing and Dialogue:

There’s not a lot that I can say about this other than it was clear and smooth and I felt that the writing helped to carry the plot on.

Pages and Co Overall:

I gave this book four stars overall because I really enjoyed the story and I am excited to continue reading the series (at the time of reading this I have already read the second book in the series).

Blurb/Synopsis:

A magical adventure to delight the imagination. A curl-up-on-the-sofa debut from a uniquely talented author.

Eleven year-old Tilly has lived above her grandparents’ bookshop ever since her mother disappeared shortly after she was born. Like the rest of her family, Tilly loves nothing more than to escape into the pages of her favourite stories.

One day Tilly realises that classic children’s characters are appearing in the shop through the magic of `book wandering’ – crossing over from the page into real life.

With the help of Anne of Green Gables and Alice in Wonderland. Tilly is determined to solve the mystery of what happened to her mother all those years ago, so she bravely steps into the unknown, unsure of what adventure lies ahead and what dangers she may face.

That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoyed it!