G is for Girl
I’m doing folklore and book review posts to reach and please a larger audience. Previous years have shown select interest in both and to minimise blogging throughout the year, I’m focusing my efforts on April.
Focusing on an A to Z of my TBR (to be read) list, each letter will have books starting with that letter on my list, a book I’ve read and reviewed (with the review!) and one of my books matching the letter with a link about more info about the book (I’ve published some new books, so take a look).
I chose the books this year quite randomly from my Goodreads Want to Read page. Some are quite creatively added to letters.
I know there were suggestions in last year’s Reflection post that I skip my TBR and just get on with the review, but I like knowing what I have left to read for each letter (and how far I’ve come with all the reading challenges I’ve done) so things are staying the same. Scroll down to the reviews if you’re not interested in what my TBR still contains. FYI, you might encounter issues with commenting if you don’t tick all the boxes marked as mandatory (especially the privacy one).
Let the fun begin!
If you’d rather check out my folklore post for today, go here.
My TBR
About the Book I’ve Read
The Girl and the Witch’s Garden by Erin Bowman
Mallory Estate is the last place twelve-year-old Piper Peavey wants to spend her summer vacation. The grounds are always cold, the garden out back is dead, a mysterious group of children call the property home, and there’s a rumor that Melena M. Mallory—the owner of the estate and Piper’s wealthy grandmother—is a witch.
But when Piper’s father falls ill, Mallory Estate is exactly where she finds herself.
The grand house and its garden hold many secrets—some of which may even save her father—and Piper will need to believe in herself, her new friends, and magic if she wants to unlock them before it’s too late.
Check it out on Goodreads.
My Review
A fun story of a girl and her new friends living in a mansion for the summer, looking for a way into a magically concealed garden. The girl has to deal with family issues and her father dying of cancer. The other children have to deal with finding the entrance to the garden with adoption as the prize. There are a lot of themes of life and death woven throughout – even in the imagery of the garden itself. There are some adventures to be had. And then there is dealing with their magic, how it had impacted their pasts, and how it could create a new future for them. Oh, and Piper thinks her mother is an evil witch and her grandmother is awesome.
Some of the story felt familiar, like the “twist” about her mother and grandmother and the whole search for the garden. Some of it felt like filler, taking away from the action, but that can be because I read it in one sitting – reading it over a couple of days might make a difference in the pace.
I liked the mansion, the garden and the library!
An interesting story about life and death, family, and friendship.
My Book
Blaze of Glory
I hope you enjoyed this. For more books I’ve read and reviewed, check out either my Pinterest board about reviews or my Goodreads profile. Alternatively, you can check out my reviews on BookBub. Have you read any of the books? Loved or hated any of them?
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*FYI, my reviews are my honest opinion and if something bothers me, I tell it straight. How else will anything change? My opinions are based on being a voracious reader and book buyer, not an attack on the author.*
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I added a couple of those titles to my Goodreads “Want to Read” list.
Stopping in from A-to-Z:https://brewingcoffeetwistingwordsbreakingpencils.ca/2023/04/08/gone-for-good-book-review/#comment-6666
Glad I could help you grow your TBR.