middle grade

Blurb:

Nobody free till everybody free. Moa is fourteen. The only life he has ever known is toiling on the Frontier sugar cane plantation for endless hot days, fearing the vicious whips of the overseers. Then one night he learns of an uprising, led by the charismatic Tacky. Moa is to be a cane warrior, and fight for the freedom of all the enslaved people in the nearby plantations. But before they can escape, Moa and his friend Keverton must face their first great task: to kill their overseer, Misser Donaldson. Time is ticking, and the day of the uprising approaches . . . Irresistible, gripping and unforgettable, Cane Warriors follows the true story of Tacky’s War in Jamaica, 1760.

Review:

I do not normally read middle grade novels but because this one is historical fiction and about a subject that I don’t normally see presented much(sugarcane plantations), I decided I wanted to give it a try.

The thing about slavery that we have to remember is that it was not just a thing in America. It was a thing in so many other countries that were “colonized” during that time frame. Especially in countries in the Caribbean. This particular story is set in Jamaica and is told from the perspective of a 14 year old boy. Now, we know that 14 doesn’t mean manhood but during slavery and even present day, a child of color is not seen as a child when they hit their teenage years. I thought that was something that was very thought provoking while reading this story.

This isn’t a very long book so I do not want to go into great detail about the story. One of the things that I found a bit difficult while reading this story was the switching of the dialect but after talking to a close friend, I have decided that it does not take away from the story. It adds to it.

The risks that this child and the men in this book take in order to gain their freedom is both admirable and heart breaking at the same time. The desire to just be able to live without fear and to be able to just enjoy the basic acts of life.

This is a middle grade book that I would recommend for younger audiences who want to know about the history of slavery that doesn’t take place in America and is also told from the perspective of someone their age.

Rating:

I would definitely read more work by this author. This book would get 2 Golden Girls from me.

Availability:

October 20, 2020 in hardcover, paperback and ebook

A special thank you to Akashic Books and their imprint Black Sheep for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb:

It’s been a year since Theresa and her English friend, Kerry, won the Ghosters contest. Now her little brother, Joey, has stumbled on a mystery in the school library. Blasts of cold air, lights that flicker, and books flying off the shelves start Joey and his friend, Elbie, searching for the reason. Elbie lives above his family’s mortuary and is very comfortable around the ghosts that troop through its halls. He’s a prankster and doesn’t mind Joey’s Asperger’s behaviors. When the boys discover a ghost holding Joey’s bug book hostage, they team up with Theresa and Kelly to decode the ghostly messages found in the titles of the books thrown by the library ghost.

Review:

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! You can’t help but love the friendship between Joey and Elbie. They don’t let Joey’s Asperger’s get in the way of them having fun or getting into a bit of mischief while solving the mystery of their school library and principal. The comfort level they have around the ghosts is admirable as well. I know for myself I wouldn’t have been that great at handling the special ability to see and communicate with ghosts at their age. This story also involved my love of books and the library. It was refreshing to see Diana incorporate the importance of libraries, books, and reading into her story while keeping it light and fun. You also learn about acceptance and treating people with respect even if they do have a developmental disorder or any other disability for that matter. Elbie’s family living above the mortuary took me back to Vada in My Girl. In fact the friendship between Joey and Elbie reminded me quite a bit of the friendship between Vada and Thomas J.

Although this is a sequel and I had not read the first book, I was still able to follow along and enjoy the story. So you are able to read it as a standalone. Also, the style of writing is perfect for younger readers but not so juvenile that adults can’t enjoy the story. Now that I have finished it I definitely want to go back and read the first book, Ghosters. I also think that if another book is published for this series, I will have to check it out.

Rating:

4 Stars

Availability:

Available in paperback and ebook

Extra:

I was actually contacted by Diana Corbitt, the author of this book, to see if I would be interested in reading and reviewing it for my blog. I said yes after reading what the book was about and because I have not featured any middle grade books on my blog before.

I will admit that I was very nervous once the book actually arrived because that meant I needed to read it and I haven’t read a middle grade book on my own in I don’t know how long. I usually read middle grade or YA to my children. I was also nervous too because I have never had an author reach out to me directly to review their work. Let me tell you, the pressure was on! After finishing this book, my youngest was excited to get his hands on it, lol. He’d been eyeing it ever since it came in the mail.

Thank you Diana Corbitt for reaching out to me and sending me this awesome story!

Category: middle grade

Cane Warriors by Alex Wheatle {ARC Review}

Blurb:

Review:

Rating:

Availability:

A special thank you to Akashic Books and their imprint Black Sheep for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ghosters 2: Revenge of the Library Ghost by Diana Corbitt {Review}