Marvellous May Middle Grade Reads

One of the best things about the school holidays is a chance to catch up on my towering to read pile. There are so many brilliant middle grade books being released in May that it was difficult to know where to start. All of the books on the blog today have been vying for my attention for different reasons. Some are by authors that I really love, others are debuts that I heard raved about on Twitter and one if the first children’s book for a renowned crime author. What they do have in common is that they are all entertaining and engaging reads that I highly recommend you to try if you’re on the look out for new middle grade adventures.

The Maker of Monsters – Lorraine Gregory

I am a huge fan of Lorraine’s debut, ‘Mold and the Poison Plot,’ so it was with great anticipation that I started to read, ‘The Maker of Monsters,’ and I’m pleased to say that this surpassed my high expectations. Brat is a lonely and desperate boy who knows no kindness and love, trapped on an isolated island at the mercy of a cruel master who forces him to take care of a menagerie of vicious creatures. The only highlight in his terrible life is the unexpected friendship with two of his masters creations, Tingle and Sherman. This unlikely trio are forced to overcome their fears and venture out into the real world when a catastrophic incident means that only they can help prevent a terrible tragedy. Lorraine has a talent for creating characters that you can’t help but fall in love with and are desperate for them to overcome their fears. At the heart of this marvellous tale is the power of kindness and friendship to inspire and transform you in the darkest of times. Her world-building is exceptional creating a highly visualised setting that she brings to life magnificently. Filled with bravery and heart, thrills and danger, this story is an absolute joy from start to finish.

Wildspark – Vashti Hardy

With Vashti’s debut, ‘Brightstorm,’ we saw that she was capable of delivering a story of truly epic proportions,’ and ‘Wildspark,’ delivers this winning formula once again. She takes us on a journey to the mind-blowing world of Medlock where nothing is quite what it seems. Prue is devastated by the untimely death of her brother and feels trapped on the farm with her parents who are numb with grief. A chance encounter with a stranger gives her the opportunity to change her fate when she accepts an apprenticeship meant for her brother. Prue with her own mission in mind,  has a chance to heal her family if only she can learn to harness Medlock’s incredible new technology. I was completely entranced by Vashti’s phenomenal imagining of this world where the impossible is made possible. A sensitive exploration of grief and an insight into how easy it is for divisions to be created in society, this is thoughtful storytelling at its best. Superb characterisation meets incredible storytelling in this breath-taking adventure.

We Won An Island – Charlotte Lo

Once in a while a book comes along at just the right time and gives you the very thing you need and for me, ‘We Won An Island,’ did just that. Charlotte’s debut novel is a wonderfully uplifting read that filled my heart with joy! Luna’s family is in crisis, her dad is depressed and her family is threatened with her eviction for failing to pay the rents. So when she spots a competition from a benevolent billionaire to win his island, she thinks this is the perfect way to save her family. But winning the competition is not the instant solution she thinks it will be. Island life turns out to have it’s own challenges and things don’t go exactly to plan. Cue one secret festival which is bound to win over the locals and help bring dad out of the depths of his grief. I loved the wildness and freedom of island life that was reminiscent of stories I adored growing up. You can’t help but get attached to Luna and her family and are cheering from the side lines desperately hoping for a happy ending. Charlotte deftly mixes humour and heart in this fun-filled and thoughtful tale.

Spies in St. Petersburg – Katherine Woodfine, illus. by Karl J Mountford

After the last successful but explosive mission in Paris, Katherine cunningly left the reader on a unexpected cliff hanger that demanded to be resolved. And finally after what seems like an eternity to ardent fans like myself, Sophie and Lil are back in a brand new Taylor and Rose adventure, ‘Spies in St Petersburg.’ Despite having great success working for the Secret Bureau Lil feels like she’s being kept at arms length and not being told exactly what’s been going on with Sophie. Frustrated she decides to take matters into her own hands and sets off for Russia determined to undercover the truth of Lil’s whereabouts. She soon finds herself caught up in a web of lies unsure of who to trust. I adore nothing more than returning to the world of Sophie and Lil. Katherine’s writing is exquisite, her attention to detail is second to none.  I can’t write this review without a shout out to Karl J Mountford whose illustrations are just sumptuous and stunning as ever. With a dramatic and thrilling climax, I was left broken by another heart-breaking cliff hanger. Katherine has delivered another compelling and magnificent mystery, that is bound to delight her fans.

The Secret Starling – Judith Eagle, illus. by Kim Geyer

Judith Eagle’s debut, ‘The Secret Starling,’ is an old-fashioned romp of an adventure (in the very best of ways) full of plucky children and dastardly grown ups that thoroughly charmed me. After the death of her parents, Clara is sent to live with her cold guardian in a bleak and miserable home, regimented by controlling and dull routines. Life drags by until one day most unexpectedly Clara is abandoned by her uncle, left alone with a bundle of cash to survive by herself. The arrival of a boy called Peter and his cat Stockwell opens up a whole new world of joy and laughter for Clara. But the discovery of an old ballet shoe under the floorboards sparks a whole heap of questions that will change her life forever. The 70s setting gives this book a delicious retro feel which I particularly enjoyed and Kim Geyer’s beautiful illustrations capture the period perfectly. Wonderfully compelling, this timeless mystery is filled with intrigue, excitement and surprising revelations. The truly satisfying ending will leave readers with a huge smile on their faces.

A Girl Called Justice – Elly Griffiths

‘A Girl Called Justice,’ is the first foray into children’s fiction for adult crime writer Elly Griffiths. When I first opened my tuck box (excellent marketing by Quercus) this book certainly caught my attention. For me it ticked all the boxes, murder, mystery and boarding schools – what’s not to love? Highbury House Boarding School for the Daughters of Gentlefolk is a far cry from the traditional jolly boarding school filled with tales of fun and midnight feasts. Justice – who is used to being home schooled – is shocked to discover this world of hideous brown uniforms and impossible to understand hierarchy amongst the girls. Luckily Justice is more interested in discovering the truth about the death of one of the maids than ingratiating herself with the popular girls. But when Justice starts to get close to the truth, she unravels a whole host of secrets that puts her and everyone else in terrible danger. Smart, sassy and oh so clever this is a genuinely captivating story for lovers of mysteries. I can’t wait to get back on the case with Justice, a heroine you can truly admire!

Thank you to Egmont, Faber, Nosy Crow, OUP, Scholastic and Quercus for my gifted copies of these books in an exchange for an honest review. You can order or pre-order these books online by clicking on their titles or from any good bookshop.

 

Ollie’s Magic Bunny – Nicola Killen

Today I am delighted to welcome Nicola Killen to the blog with a special guest post on the illustrative process behind her lovely picture book, ‘Ollie’s Magic Bunny.’ This gentle story tells the tale of a little girl whose bunny is brought to life by a magical breeze of blossoms. Bunny runs off with Ollie in pursuit and she finds herself caught up in the most unexpected of adventures. But when bunny finds himself in trouble, Ollie has to be brave to make sure she returns him safely home. Wonderfully endearing, its a child’s dream come true that their beloved toys come to life and this tale is filled with joy and magic. The use of a muted palette gives this tale a soothing, gentle feel making the story a really comforting read. Exquisitely illustrated with peek-through cut-outs which invite the reader to join in with Ollie and her bunny on this delightful adventure.

 

Nicola Killen

Hello, today I’m writing a little bit about the process of creating the illustrations for my new book Ollie’s Magic Bunny.

Firstly I thought about how Ollie would look. I tried lots of different costumes with different head shapes and noses, and also different tummies. It wasn’t long before she had a white fluffy tummy and was wearing yellow wellies!

Once Ollie’s bunny costume had been decided, I started to work on story ideas. I always draw VERY rough storyboards initially. Some of them are so rough, I’m not sure anyone would be able to tell what was going on apart from me! But when the story takes shape, I try and make thumbnail pictures which are neat enough to show to my publisher (and you)!

The next stage is to work on slightly bigger roughs. For this book, these roughs were about one third of the actual size as I found this was small enough to keep everything loose, but big enough to get most of the detail in. At this stage, I tried to work out how the die-cuts would fit into the story too – I’d like to say that I have a scientific system for this, but it’s definitely more a case of trial and error!

Harriet, the designer I was working with, placed these sketches, along with the text, into the layout for the book to check that everything fitted together properly. I then made full size roughs so that I had accurate drawings to base my artwork on.

I painted the pictures using black ink with watercolour brushes on to cartridge paper. I cut stencils out of paper to help paint some of the bigger textured areas, while other elements I did freehand. Some of the stencils were pretty big and took a long, long time to cut! This picture shows one I made for Ollie’s Christmas Reindeer.

Depending on the size of the picture, painting all the layers of ink took between one and three days. I then added monoprint linework using a hinged piece of paper to make sure it was in the right place. This can be a difficult process and leads to lots of mistakes and blobs of ink (on me as well as the paper)! I’m always very grateful that the mistakes I make can be rectified in Photoshop later!

All the artwork was then sent to be scanned before I added the colours digitally. This was quite quick on the pages where there was only small areas of colour, but took several hours on the more detailed pictures, especially those with lots of leaves!

I hope that gives you an idea of how I made the illustrations for Ollie’s Magic Bunny. I’m not sure which part of the process is my favourite, but it’s probably a close call between drawing the initial storyboards and painting the artwork!

Thanks to Nicola for this really fascinating guest post I’m always intrigued at the different processes illustrators use when creating picture books.

Blog Tour

Why not join in with the rest of the blog tour for more reviews and guest posts.

‘Ollie’s Magic Bunny,’ is availably to buy now online or from any good bookshop. Thank you to Olivia and Simon and Schuster for inviting me to join in with the blog tour and for sending me a gifted copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Big Cat – Emma Lazell

Today I am delighted to welcome Emma Lazell to the blog for a special Q & A to celebrate the release of her hilarious debut, ‘Big Cat.’ It tells the story of a little girl called Isobel who stumbles across an unusually large cat in her grandma’s garden whilst looking for grandma’s glasses. Unfortunately without her glasses grandma fails to spot that this big cat is in fact a tiger and invites him to stay much to her other moggies dismay. Isobel thinks this new pet is so much more fun than her grandma’s other cats but he’s causing chaos wherever he goes and devouring everything in site. Brilliantly told with bold, vibrant illustrations this is bound to delight and entertain young children. Each spread is intricately drawn inviting the reader to pore over the spreads time and time again. It has a retro look that really appealed to me despite being placed in a modern setting. Emma has created a lively and funny debut that left me with a huge smile across my face.

Q & A – Emma Lazell

How did you become an illustrator?

My first degree was a BA in Illustration at the University of the Creative Arts. Following this I worked as a teaching assistant, playing a big part in the school’s art department and leading art clubs and events, and alongside this I spent my time writing and illustrating little stories inspired by the children I worked with, and also taking on some freelance work in illustration and design, including stationery illustration and rebranding projects. Following this I went part time and opened up a children’s art party business, which I ran for a few years before moving to Cambridge to start the MA in Children’s book illustration, this had always been the dream! I had an amazing time on the MA, being inspired by the exceptionally talented staff and peers, and really found my way of working. I had a huge blown up illustration of Big Cat at my stand at our MA graduate show at the beginning of 2018, which was spotted by Neil at Pavilion, and over the course of 2018 turned into my debut book. Soon after I met my agent Alice, of Madeleine Millburn literary agency. I now spend my time drawing and writing and planning new projects, and I am looking forward to being involved in lots of book related children’s events over the course of 2019.

Tell us about your creative process & the materials you use in your illustration

My work is a mixture of hand drawn line, handmade textures and digital colour. I rarely stay inside of a sketchbook, and prefer to work onto scraps of card and paper that can easily be scanned in. I draw using dip pens, fine brushes, fineliners and soft black pencils, and then create layers of texture using Indian ink and black watercolour which I scan in separate layers and assemble digitally, using Photoshop to alter the colours. Then I layer on more vibrant colour using digital brushes.

Where do you work?

I have a studio in my garden in Cambridge, which is often invaded by my cats, but I try to also get out and draw or write on location, or in cafes with friends.

What gave you the idea for Big Cat?

My Cats! Big Cat started out as a story all about an oversized domestic cat, based on my naughty cat Ruby. It was a few drafts on that Big Cat became… without revealing any of the story… the Big Cat that he is.

What is your favourite part of the book?

There are three moments I really like in Big Cat: the big tiger reveal at the end for its saturation of orange; the tiger tea party; and the moment where Isobel realises how fun Big Cat is, compared to grandma’s other cats.

How did you select the names for your characters?

I didn’t have a particularly difficult job here, as my main characters have very self-explanatory names: Grandma and Big Cat. Isobel, the little girl, is named after my younger sister, although her name doesn’t actually appear in the story.

What books did you love most as a child?

Certainly Judith Kerr’s The Tiger Who Came to Tea, but I think this love is very evident in Big Cat. Growing up I loved We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, and I can still recite it by heart to this day; Michael Rosen’s poetry, which I can fondly remember my primary school headmaster reading us in Friday assemblies; Pat Hutchins’ The Very Worst Monster – I think this says something about the kind of big sister I was! And I also love Francesca Simon’s Horrid Henry series.

Which illustrators or artists are you inspired by?

Standout inspirations for me are Quentin Blake, Roger Duvoisin and Tony Ross. I love their confident and expressive use of line. I think discovering Duvoisin as a student was a turning point for me in my work, I suddenly felt I could be so much more free with my line, and could achieve everything I wanted purely from a great and confident line. Contemporary illustrators I love are Helen Stephens, Maisie Paradise Shearring, Laura Hughes, Isabelle Arsenault and Becky Cameron. I love illustrators who work really freely and expressively, and I am so inspired when an illustrator is confident enough to share their earliest and roughest sketches. I’m also really inspired by fine art; I love the fauvists, I think they inspire my bold colour palettes. My favourite painting is Matisse’s La Bonheur de Vivre, and again I am so inspired by its vibrant colour palette.

Are you working on a new book or any other projects at the moment?

Yes, I am, I am working with Pavilion Children’s on a new book, due out Spring 2020. It’s top secret at the moment but I can say, if you quite liked Big Cat but you’re more of a dog-person, then this will be the book for you!

Thank you to Emma for this really insightful and interesting  Q & A.

‘Big Cat,’ is available to buy now online and from any good bookshop. Thank you to Catherine and Pavilion for inviting me to host this Q & A and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

 

Mo, Lottie and the Junkers – Jennifer Killick, illustrated by Gareth Conway

Jennifer Killick is back with a bold and brilliant new series which confirms her talent as a truly original storyteller. Combining my two favourite genres mystery and sci-fi, ‘Mo, Lottie and the Junkers,’ is a thrilling and compelling read, that will leave you desperate for more. Mo Appleby’s life is turned upside down when he and his Mum move to a house across the road to live with his new step family. Appalled at having his carefully organised collection reduced to one singular box, Mo is completely out of sorts. Things go from bad to worse when peculiar things start happening all around him that he can’t logically explain. It all seems to start with the strange lady who has moved into his old house but she is only the beginning, he is soon surrounded by the most oddest of people. Together with his new step-sister the formidable and feisty Lottie, they must to put together the pieces of this peculiar puzzle that might hold the key to the disappearance of Mo’s dad. Never giving up or doubting their mission even when it seems their findings can’t possibly be true. The problem with uncovering the truth is that it can lead to serious danger. Can Mo and Lottie evade the sinister villains before its too late to save them?

It is so difficult to write a review of this book without giving away any spoilers so you will have to bear with me. Jennifer has created a truly outlandish yet completely plausible story that will leave you wondering about all the strange people you encounter in life. Completely mind-boggling in it’s content with some truly squeamish moments for anyone like me who has a weird eye phobia, this story will keep you on your toes with its numerous twists and turns. I think it was really brilliant of Jennifer to set this book within a blended family without it being the main theme of the story, this is just where the action happens to take place. It’s so important that children see themselves and their families in stories and I think Jennifer deals with the adjustments and problems thoughtfully and sensitively. I have to give a shout out to Gareth Conway for his vibrant and energetic cover which hints at the chaos and confusion that lies within the pages.  Packed with peril, bursting with bonkerness and outstandingly original this book is a total joy from start to finish.

Thank you to Firefly for sending me a gifted review copy in exchange for an honest review. ‘Mo, Lotters and the Junkers,’ is released on April 18th and is available to pre-order online and from any good bookshop.

Young Fiction Reads

While there seems to be an emergence of a huge range of illustrated fiction for younger readers at the moment, I’m still struggling to find enough books for my emerging readers at school. There seems to be a trickle of books starting to come through for those children who are not quite ready to take on middle grade reads because their length or content may be overwhelming. Today on the blog I’m sharing my recent reads of books that bridge the gap brilliantly between illustrated fiction and middle grade. All of these books are bound to delight and engage younger readers and form part of existing or new series, so there is plenty for any eager child to devour.

Knitbone Pepper: The Silver Phantom – Claire Barker & Ross Collins

I was overjoyed to discover that there was a new Knitbone Pepper adventure, so it was with very high expectations that I dived into, ‘The Silver Phantom,’ and returned to the bosom of the Pepper family. Never fear Claire and Ross have worked their magic once more and delivered a truly eccentric and magnificent adventure that I truly loved. Knitbone Pepper and Winnie are thrilled when a vintage plane lands at Starcross Hall, bringing with it an unexpected blast from the past. But the visitor is a human ghost who everyone knows bring nothing but trouble and mischief unlike their ghostly animal friends. Along with the cast and crew of ‘Junk Palace,’ chaos and confusion runs rife at the hall, threatening everything the Pepper family hold dear. Can Winnie, Knitbone and the rest of the beloveds get to the bottom of these strange goings on before its too late? Claire’s writing is packed with humour and heart, while Ross’s  beautiful, detailed illustrations capture the exuberance and eccentricity of this magnificent story brilliantly.

Clifftoppers: The Arrowhead Moor Adventure – Fleur Hitchcock

Fleur Hitchcock is better known for being the writer of dark crime stories for older readers but luckily for us she has turned her talents and created the ‘Clifftoppers,’ series. When Aiden, Chloe, Ava and Josh go on holiday to their grandparent’s cottage they experience a world of wild beaches and no curfews, which inevitably leads them to getting mixed up in all sorts of adventures. The first book in this new series ‘The Arrowhead Moor Adventure,’ promises a mystery packed with sinister villains, stolen jewels and a bunch of very smart kids and delivers this perfectly. Containing just the right amount of danger and peril for younger readers, you will find yourself gripped by this race against time to unmask the true criminals before they disappear with the stolen jewels. An intriguing start to this new series and I look forward to joining the cousins on their next adventure.

Seaview Stables Adventures: The Mystery at Stormy Point – Tracey Corderoy

Following on from the charming, ‘The Pony With No Name,’ Tracey Corderoy is back with the second adventure in the ‘Seaview Stables,’ series. Bryony and her family are settling into their new life at Brook Dale, feeling more positive about what their future holds. And with the stables thrown into a whirlwind of excitement in the run up to the gymkhana competition there is lots to look forward to. When Bryony notices a light coming from the abandoned lighthouse at Stormy Point she is intrigued and is determined to discover who is inside. Bryony does love to solve a mystery but has she taken on too much especially with arch-rival Georgina prepared to go to any lengths to destroy her gymkhana dreams. Beautifully written, this story is the perfect mix of friendship and a truly enjoyable adventure.

Unicorn Academy: Ariana and Whisper – Julie Sykes & Lucy Truman

With the ‘Unicorn Academy,’ being an incredibly popular series at school, I felt the need to discover what lies within these pages that has the children coming back and demanding more. Ariana is struggling to settle in at Unicorn Academy and is teased for being timid, unlike her unicorn Whisper who loves the thrill of an adventure. But when animals start to abandon the forest, they soon discover there is a mystery to be unravelled. Ariana and Whisper will need all their courage to protect their friends and return the animals home safely. Despite this being the eighth adventure in this series I soon discovered that the Unicorn Academy is a school where you meet your own unicorn and have amazing adventures together, on a beautiful island. There are so many intricate details that unicorn fans will find incredibly appealing from the, ‘Care of Unicorns,’ lessons to the magical bonding that takes place between the child and their unicorn. Enchanting and magical illustrations and writing that will truly delight younger readers.

Ada Twist and the Perilous Pantaloons – Andrea Beaty & David Roberts

I’m a huge fan of the Andrea Beaty and David Robert’s marvellous Rosie Revere, Iggy Peck and Ada Twist picture books so I was thrilled that ‘The Questioneers,’ would be making their appearance in a new illustrated fiction series. This story is the second book in this series and features the fabulous Ada Twist, the Queen of Questions, whose mind is a never-ending whirr of who, what, why, where and when? Ada knows the only way to get to the bottom of these intriguing questions is to work out the answers by experimenting. When Rosie Revere’s Uncle Ned gets carried away in his famous helium pantaloons, Ada needs some answers and she needs them fast! Together with her fellow Questioneers, can they save the day? Perfect for inquisitive minds, this series delves into the world of science and marvels at it’s mystery. If your child is constantly bombarding you with unanswerable questions then this may indeed be the book for them. Exquisitely produced with sublime illustrations this book is scientifically stimulating and filled with fun.

Teachers on Pluto – Lou Treleaven

Lou Treleaven is back with the third book in this out of the world series. Jon thought that living seven and half billion kilometres from Earth would save him from the clutches of his teacher, Mrs Hall. That is until the President of Pluto goes on his honeymoon and puts Mrs Hall in charge of the planet. It soon becomes clear that she is clearly incapable of this job – in Jon’s opinion- creating new ridiculous laws that are more like school rules. Obsessed with upholding these laws, it’s left to Jon and Straxi to take matters into their own hands when they discover a giant, mutant snargler on the loose! I really enjoy the originality of this series, it’s fun and frenetic. The use of letters, posters and robot reports to tell the story is really engaging and different, it’s proved to be a popular series at school.

Thank you to Abrams, Maverick, Nosy Crow, Simon & Schuster and Usborne for my gifted copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All of these books are available to buy or pre-order now online (click title to buy) or from any good bookshop.

The Middler – Kirsty Applebaum

I am delighted to welcome Kirsty Applebaum to the blog today with a special guest post to celebrate the publication of her thrilling, dystopian debut, ‘The Middler.’ Maggie lives in Fennis Wick, forbidden from crossing the boundary because of the dangers that lie in wait from those who would dare to disobey the rules. Born a middle child in a society that only values the eldest child Maggie struggles to find her place in the world. When her brother Jed is sent to fight in the Quiet War, Maggie feels even more unsettled.  A chance encounter with Una, a hungry wanderer exposes her to some uncomfortable truths. This is a compelling and uncomfortable tale of forbidden, friendship, loyalty and betrayal that will hold it’s grip on you to the very last page. Brilliantly told, full of twists and turns this tale is a feast for your imagination with it’s highly believable dystopian world. Superb characterisation meets intriguing storytelling, a truly exciting debut from Kirsty. She is definitely one to watch for in the future, a real rising star in the middle grade world.

My Writing Journey – Kirsty Applebaum

The Middler tells the story of 11-year-old Maggie, a middle child living in an isolated community where only the eldest children are special.

Maggie lacks confidence and feels that other people are more important than her. Unable to take brave, assertive action at the beginning of the book, she starts small, helping someone in need. Gradually her deeds become bigger and braver – and by the end of the book she has changed her life.

When I was young, I didn’t dream of being a writer. I lacked confidence, just like Maggie. I did write, though. And I started small.

At primary school, I made up short stories about a witch called Witch Mabel. She rode a motorbike instead of a broomstick.

At secondary school, I wrote poetry and songs. One song was for a science competition. My friends and I made a recording and were invited to perform at a regional event.

It was only when I had my own children that I thought I’d like to write more seriously. We loved reading rhyming poems together, such as Hilaire Belloc’s Cautionary Tales – and I began to write poems like this too. One was about a boy called James Sebastian McFlue, who hatches a plan to persuade Santa to leave him extra presents.

I took courses: a local creative writing class; an Arvon course; and then the Bath Spa MA in Writing for Young People. By the end of the MA I had written The Middler. Nancy Miles, my lovely agent, contacted me after reading the opening chapters in the MA anthology, and together we found a wonderful publisher in Nosy Crow.

It hasn’t been easy though! I have:

– sobbed at the Winchester Writers’ Festival

– thrashed about with different genres and age ranges

– received many rejection letters

– wondered why on earth I was doing this to myself

– been told (quite rightly) that early drafts of my writing were boring/unsellable/heading in completely the wrong direction.

But, just like Maggie, I started small and kept going. Gradually my confidence grew and my writing became bigger and braver and better. Now my first book is being published, and I’ve changed my life.

Thank you to Kirsty for this insightful blog post, which will provide inspiration to all those inspiring writers out there.

Blog Tour

Why not join in with the rest of the blog tour for more guest posts and reviews.

Thank you to Clare and Nosy Crow for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and for sending me a gifted copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. ‘The Middler,’ is available to buy now online or from any good bookshop.