Great Middle Grade Reads discussion

The theme for October is...

Books you started reluctantly, thinking they didn't sound that good, but found you really really enjoyed them!

Please remember that your nominations should be readily available (in libraries, preferably internationally, or budget price available). Also, we should not have read your nomination in BOTM in the last four years. Check the Master List on this Book of the Month thread for guidance.

As usual, I'll see how we go and either post a poll mid-month, or earlier if there are lots of nominations.

I'll kick off the nominations with The Year of Shadows. I even start my review 'at first I didn't think I would like this book.' I loved it, and gave it to my niece for Christmas!

I think this was a runner-up in our BOTM poll a couple of years ago, possibly for Halloween. Halloween themes for October are getting a bit boring, aren't they?

I'll nominate Front Desk by Kelly Yang. I choose this book because there are so many beautiful themes in this book. It's about kindness, poverty, racism, family, the American dream, and the power of the written word. Based on author Kelly Yang's real-life experience immigrating to America from China and running a motel with her parents, this novel explores how one little girl overcomes language barriers, discrimination, and her own lack of confidence to find her voice – and use it to make a difference:D

Sara and the Search for Normal (thought after about four pages that this would simply be a book about a misbehaving and entitled child, but it turned out to be a wonderful and heartbreakingly authentic story of chilldhood and adolescent mental health challenges)

King of Shadows (read because of a reading group theme of William Shakespeare, and thought oh no, not another time travelling fantasy to Elizabethan England, but a totally wonderful novel I could not put down)

The Family from One End Street

Only read because it is considered a classic and one of the first Carnegie medal winners (did not expect to enjoy and totally love it)

Hmm... Most recently, the books that have fit this category for me were The River Between Us by Richard Peck and Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan, but as both of those were books to read in previous months, I don't think they'll work. It's hard to pick a book for this category because I don't typically read a book that doesn't sound interesting to me.

The book that fits closest because it started off kind of bad, then got better (though I was definitely interested in the story from the beginning because it sounded like a good story) was The Altruism Trial by Christopher Francis. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from StoryOrigin and didn't expect to enjoy it. The MC starts out as very unlikeable. It wasn't long, though, before the story had grabbed me, and that ending was OMG!

This book isn't available in libraries, but it is available through KU for subscribers. I think both the ebook and audiobook are still available from StoryOrigin, as well. I listened to the audiobook after reading it and enjoyed the audiobook just as much.

I'm closing this a day or so earlier than normal because I've got a full schedule over the next five days, and you may need time to get a copy of the winning book.

So the poll is up... here:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

It closes at midnight Pacific Time on Sunday 25th (8 am Monday for me in UK). I must admit, reading the blurbs for these makes me want to read most of them - and several are in my library.

Jennifer, sorry - had to miss out on the Altruism Trial, but maybe next year it'll be available more widely.

Don't forget to vote!

I've just changed the link to the correct King of Shadows. :O

It's too close to call at present. It's too close even to drop a couple of candidates and have a run-off.

I may use a pin.

Jemima wrote: "I've just changed the link to the correct King of Shadows. :O

It's too close to call at present. It's too close even to drop a couple of candidates and have a run-off.

I may use a pin."

Or have two choices if there is a tie.

Jemima wrote: "It's too close to call at present. It's too close even to drop a couple of candidates and have a run-off.

I may use a pin."

Or...and just go with me on this one... We could read them all! Lol. Not really, though, because that's probably too many for most people in the group. But the choices are all good so I can understand why it's been a close vote.

Well, voting is over, and thank you to the two last-minute voters who pushed Front Desk well and truly clear!

I've already ordered it from the library, and I hope you all get hold of it easily enough.

So Front Desk is our October read. It looks like fun!

Jemima wrote: "Well, voting is over, and thank you to the two last-minute voters who pushed Front Desk well and truly clear!

I've already ordered it from the library, and I hope you all get hold of it easily enough..."

I'm surprised Front Desk won the poll! I've already ordered my book and I hope you guys going to like this book:)

Yay! I've had this book in my TBR for a bit since I picked it up in a sale a couple of months ago. I'm looking forward to starting this series!

Jennifer wrote: "Yay! I've had this book in my TBR for a bit since I picked it up in a sale a couple of months ago. I'm looking forward to starting this series!"

yeah, I also wanted to read the whole series. I wanted to read three keys, I guess in the next month:)