Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl
Published by Chronicle Books
Pages: 336
Ages: Middle Grade
Buy It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository
Publishers Summary:

Immediately compelling and action-packed, this carefully researched work of historical fiction introduces young readers to the childhood of the famous yet elusive Beryl Markham, the first person to fly solo from England to North America. As in her debut novel, Prisoners in the Palace, MacColl propels readers into a multilayered story with an unforgettable heroine and evocative language that brings the backdrop of colonial British East Africa to life. A fascinating read for anyone with a thirst for adventure.

Galloping into the air much like the horses she later trained, Beryl Clutterbuck Markham was a young women coming of age in a time not prepared for her vivaciousness. Growing up the only daughter of a successful farmer and horse trainer, Beryl turned to the native Nandi people in her East African home to teach her discipline and survival. Every day was an adventure filled with lions, leopards, a “step-mother”, a governess and eventually school in the city. Beryl grew from each of her experiences to become a woman revered by many, but her youth was filled with not only skepticism but danger at every turn.

Generally speaking I’m not a huge reader of historical fiction, particularly fictional stories based in reality. What I’ve loved about book reviewing has been the opportunity to stretch myself and discover something I never knew existed or that I would not normally have given a second glance. Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl was one of those such books. Initially, the thought of a middle grade novel about a young girl growing up in Africa based on the true events of Beryl Clutterbuck Markham’s life simply didn’t grab me. What I’ve discovered though is that not only was I wrong, but that I would have missed out greatly on Michaela MacColl’s writing had I passed this novel by.

Beryl was a young wild girl and were it not for her father’s concern for her future well-being as well as that of the reputation of their family she may have grown up as one of the Nandi she so loved. Her adventures of lion hunting and leaping in the air above her own head were the things most young children only dream & read about. What was fascinating was Beryl’s headstrong behavior with nearly everyone she came in contact with. It was this determination and no-nonsense sincerity that finally landed her in the cockpit of an airplane ride across the Atlantic in 1936. The story is actually told in alternating parts between her youth (around age eleven) and her adulthood centering around her actual trip. As I read both the pieces of her life slowly fell into place and it became an incredible adventure I thoroughly enjoyed.

Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl isn’t only a story about a young girl with a strong personality, but it’s a coming of age adventure most middle grade readers will thoroughly enjoy. Beryl Clutterbuck Markham’s life was an adventure a minute. She ran to the African tribe of the Nandi, had a terrible governess who beat her so much that she had to escape, she chased down and hunted wild animals, trained gorgeous horses and eventually landed in the pilot seat of a small plane. Her life inspired many and will continue to through the wonderful words of Michaela MacColl. As I said, historical fiction is not normally my cup of tea, but in the case of Pomise the Night I’m grateful I made an exception because I truly would have missed out on so much.

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 9 and up. A beautifully written historical fiction novel based on the life of Beryl Clutterbuck Markham. An adventure a minute that will teach young readers the importance of perseverance and discipline.

Promise the Night

Find Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl at the following spots:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | Goodreads

Thank you so much to the publisher, Chronicle Books, for providing this book for review and giveaway! Connect with them on Twitter and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

©2012 There's A Book. All Rights Reserved.

Book Dreaming is just that. It’s a feature I use to highlight those books that make you dreamy or possibly just end up making you dream about them. It could be anything from newly released books to one’s that are already out that I can’t get out of my head to those I can’t seem to get my hands on soon enough!

Today’s Book Dreaming pick is Shadows of the Silver Screen by Christopher Edge. Last week I had the opportunity to share my review for the first book in this series, Twelve Minutes to Midnight. It was an incredible read and one I cannot wait to read more of. Christopher Edge is new to the middle grade novel scene and the Twelve Minutes to Midnight series is an absolute favorite of mine. As soon as I finished the first book I immediately asked if there was more and there is!

Publishers Summary for Shadows of the Silver Screen:
A mysterious filmmaker approaches The Penny Dreadful with a proposal to turn Montgomery Flinch’s sinister stories into motion pictures. With Monty installed as the star of his production, filming begins but is plagued by a series of strange and frightening events. As Monty pleads with Penny to help him, she is drawn into the mystery, but soon finds herself trapped in a nightmare penned by her own hand. Can Penny uncover the filmmaker’s dark secret before it’s too late?

Here are the upcoming release dates for the series (Remember this is a UK based series currently, so if you live in the US you’ll have to pick it up off of somewhere like Book Depository.):
Twelve Minutes to Midnight (The 1st in the series): February 2nd, 2012
Shadows of the Silver Screen (#2): August 2nd, 2012
The Black Crow Conspiracy (#3): January 10th, 2013

Pre-order Twelve Minutes to Midnight by Christopher Edge at the following spots:
Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Shadows of the Silver Screen by Christopher Edge is not yet available for pre-order. It’s not even on Goodreads yet! But can be found on the Nosy Crow website. As soon as it is I’ll update this post with the info!

Today’s post is part of our month long celebration of all things Nosy Crow. Make sure to stop by the Nosy Crow site for more information about this title and more. For more information about our Book Publishers 101 feature take a look at this month’s opening post.

Also be sure to enter our Nosy Crow Giveaway for a chance to win some fantastic titles by Nosy Crow!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Nosy Crow, for coordinating many of this month’s features and reviews! Connect with them on Twitter and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

©2012 There's A Book. All Rights Reserved.

Twelve Minutes to Midnight by Christopher Edge
Published by Nosy Crow
Expected Publication Date: 2nd February 2012
Pages: 256
Ages: 10 and up
Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository
Publishers Summary:

Penelope Tredwell is the feisty thirteen-year-old orphan heiress of the bestselling magazine, The Penny Dreadful. Her masterly tales of the macabre are gripping Victorian Britain, even if no one knows she’s the real author. One day a letter she receives from the governor of the notorious Bedlam madhouse plunges her into an adventure more terrifying than anything she ever imagined…

A thriller with a fast-paced cinematic style, Twelve Minutes to Midnight is an electrifying story from an exciting new author.

After inheriting a newspaper empire, thirteen year old Penelope Tredwell does what any inquisitive thirteen year old would do…she goes into the family business, incognito. Writing under the name Montgomery Flinch, no one in the greater London area has any idea that their recent reading obsession comes by way of Penelope herself. Her tales of terror and mystery have a larger audience than almost any publication and it grows daily. When Montgomery Flinch’s presence is requested at a local insane asylum, Bedlam, Penny sees this as her next big story. Little does Penny know but within the walls of Bedlam she may discover more than she bargained for and it may leave her as mad as the residents she finds herself intrigued with.

Twelve Minutes to Midnight by Christopher Edge was my first completed read of 2012 and I’m having a hard time finding anything that holds a candle to it’s brilliance. For a middle grade fiction novel from a debut author this was completely unexpected. Twelve Minutes to Midnight was the first middle grade novel since reading Juniper Berry by MP Kozlowsky that I felt truly tackled the more inquisitive and thrill seeking minds of young readers. This will be the perfect read for young readers who may be looking to young adult books, but are not quite ready for the “relationship” aspects found in that genre. Not only that, but I’m positive they won’t be able to put Twelve Minutes to Midnight down until they discover what’s behind the creepy occurrences at Bedlam.

Not only is Twelve Minutes to Midnight perfect for young readers, but truly anyone who is looking for an extremely well written thrilling mystery. Initially I was drawn to the story because of the setting. Yes, I’m completely enthralled with stories that involve Victorian Britain coupled with a bit of mystery. Because of that I think steampunk fans will thoroughly enjoy this story. Obviously the setting, including the incorporation of an insane asylum, lends itself to the creepiness factor and I will fully admit to be terrified a few times during my nighttime readings. It was fantastic!

Each of the characters in the story were wonderful, especially the leading lady. Penny was the perfect inquisitive thirteen year old. The time in which she was growing up wasn’t one in which many female authors were looked kindly upon and women in general certainly didn’t have much business being involved in the affairs of typically male roles. So to have Penny assert herself as the editor in chief, writer and many other positions at the Penny Dreadful was something of a stretch for her, but it was handled perfectly. Penny was obstinate at times, but also knew when to step back. Of course she still managed to get herself as well as her good friend, Alfie, into quite a bit of trouble while snooping around for her stories. It also must be said that the actor Penny hires to “play the part” of Montgomery Flinch is perfect! His cowardice and neediness is so contrary to the role he’s playing that you can’t help but be annoyed and laugh all at the same time. It also creates the perfect conflict when they Penny and Monty make an appearance at Bedlam. All of these characters as well as the occasional appearance of a famous author here and there (Sir Conan Doyle for one) make for a marvelous cast that have you flipping the pages until the very end.

Twelve Minutes to Midnight by Christopher Edge is my first “must-read” of 2012 and will continue to be one that other middle grade novels will be held up against. Christopher Edge has proven that he not only knows how to enthrall young and old readers alike, but that he also has an incredible ability to capture a time period so perfectly that readers will become lost within it’s pages. Penelope Tredwell is a character to be reckoned with. Her courage and determination often lead her into sticky situations but her inquisitive nature always leads her to the answers she’s searching for. Twelve Minutes to Midnight is a mystery that has readers guessing all the way to the last page and is filled with just enough creepiness to make the story one that’s best read during the day…or night depending on which you prefer. I’ll be eagerly anticipating and hoping for another installment in Penny’s story, but until then Twelve Minutes to Midnight by Christopher Edge may just need another read through!

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 10 and up. Perfectly thrilling, mysterious and creepy. A marvelous debut that inquisitive young and old readers alike will thoroughly enjoy!

Find Twelve Minutes to Midnight by Christopher Edge at the following spots:
Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Today’s post is part of our month long celebration of all things Nosy Crow. Make sure to stop by the Nosy Crow site for more information about this title and more. For more information about our Book Publishers 101 feature take a look at this month’s opening post.

Also be sure to enter our Nosy Crow Giveaway for a chance to win a copy of this book as well as many other fantastic titles by Nosy Crow!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Nosy Crow, for coordinating many of this month’s features and reviews! Connect with them on Twitter and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

©2012 There's A Book. All Rights Reserved.

Today I’m thrilled to be a part of the A Wrinkle in Time 50th Anniversary Blog Tour!

When Macmillan contacted me to be a part of the tour I was excited because this was a favorite book of mine in my youth. Not only did it impact my love of all things science fiction related, but it also taught me about the importance of standing up for yourself and those you love. Meg was one of the first female characters I felt completely connected with. Her determination and ability to believe in herself & her father was something that I carried with me throughout the rest of my life. Also Meg’s inability to relate to others is something I feel that not only myself, but other children around her age can understand so well.

It’s no wonder A Wrinkle in Time has remained a classic over the last fifty years. Madeleine L’Engle wrote a book so many years ago that not only connected with readers back then, but readers of all ages today. Though my impressions upon reading it as an adult are different from my passion for it as a child, it in no way diminishes the miraculous way in which L’Engle reaches across time to create a story that spans the ages. In fact, my appreciation of A Wrinkle in Time was enhanced as I read another favorite of mine, When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. Both have changed and shaped the way I feel about myself as a child and now as an adult. It’s a story about being yourself, challenging your concept of reality and stretching yourself in ways that help you and those around you reach their potential. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle is a story I will treasure for years to come and one I hope to pass down to my children & grandchildren one day.

If you haven’t yet read A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle I highly encourage you to pick up a copy of the newly released 50th Anniversary Commemorative edition that includes some of this fantastic new & old material:

• Frontispiece photo*†
• Photo scrapbook with approximately 10 photos*†
• Manuscript pages*†
• Letter from 1963 Caldecott winner, Ezra Jack Keats*†
• New introduction by Katherine Paterson, US National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature †
• New afterword by Madeleine L’Engle’s granddaughter Charlotte Voiklis including six never-before-seen photos †
• Murry-O’Keefe family tree with new artwork †
• Madeleine L’Engle’s Newbery acceptance speech

* Unique to this edition † never previously published

Please stop by the A Wrinkle in Time 50th Anniversary Blog Tour every day for the next 50 days to hear from another fantastic blogger and their experience with this magnificent book! 

And be sure to take a look at Macmillan’s Facebook page in honor of this the 50th Anniversary Commemorative Edition of A Wrinkle in Time. 

©2012 There's A Book. All Rights Reserved.

This fabulous weekly recap is hosted by Shelia of One Persons Journey Through a World of Books and the kidlit version is hosted by Jen from Teach Mentor Texts. Each week we recap what we’ve read and look at what’s coming up this week. If you’re interested head over to Shelia’s site as well as Jen’s and get involved! It’s a blast and I may even stop by to see what you’re up to!

Here’s what we’ve been up to this week:

So, do you ever do something so incredibly preposterous and then wonder what the heck you were thinking? Yeah, I can’t be the only one right? Well, my hubby and I decided to “commit” to the entire shebang that is P90X including the diet. To be honest the workouts were actually really good and I’m going to keep them up. The diet on the other hand…not so good. For most of the week I had a raging headache that turned into a migraine thanks to zero carbs. So, nope, not continuing that side of things. I’ll keep eating healthy, but I’m not going to rage into the all-protein area anytime in the near future.

Other than a case of the crazies we had a decent week and I’m starting a new feature today that I’m really excited for! I’ve also been able to read quite a bit, which is always nice. How about you? Do any crazy something this week or read a great book?

Reviewed (Just click on the title to see the Review!):

Events/Randomness:
Book Publishers 101: A Month with Nosy Crow Continued!
Read to Me Picture Book Reading Challenge 2011 Wrap-Up

For Chick Lit Reviews and News:
Top 10 Books of 2012 – A look at my most anticipated books in Chick Lit/Women’s Fiction during 2012!

What’s up for the week to come:

Reading/Reviewing/Listening:

The Turkeybird and Littlebug are Reading/Reviewing:

So, what are you reading this week? Have any suggestions I should add to my reading pile?

©2012 There's A Book. All Rights Reserved.

As many of you know during the month of December There’s A Book was celebrating all things Nosy Crow. Well, we were having so much fun with that and December being what it always is we decided to extend the feature throughout January as well! We’re tremendously excited because this also means a few additional features that we were able to incorporate in until this month!

Take a look at everything we’ve already shared during the month of December:
Opening Post: A Month with Nosy Crow

Reviews:
Pip and Posy and the Little Puddle by Axel Scheffler
Noodle Loves to Cuddle by Nosy Crow and Illus. by Marion Billet
Dinosaur Dig! by Penny Dale

Guest Post:
Author of Small Blue Thing, S.C. Ransom

Giveaway!
Our HUGE Nosy Crow Giveaway has been extended through the end of this month! So please make sure to enter, you don’t want to miss all of the fantastic books and Nosy Crow items up for grabs!

During the month of January we plan to bring you additional features of upcoming books, interviews with some of their brilliant authors and much more! Including reviews for the following books:

Make sure to stop by these sites to connect directly with them and the imprints we’ll be featuring this month!

Nosy Crow Site
Nosy Crow Blog
Nosy Crow on Facebook
Nosy Crow on Twitter
Nosy Crow Apps on Twitter
Nosy Crow on YouTube

If you thought one month with Nosy Crow sounded great then you’ll definitely want to stick around for even more!

Much of the publisher’s information was provided by the publisher or via their website. Thank you!

Are you a publisher interested in being featured? Please contact me via our contact page or email: the1stdaughter {at} gmail {dot} com to see your house is the right fit.
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

©2012 There's A Book. All Rights Reserved.