Rutabaga's Reads 2023: Part 17

Instead of trying to read every Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) in its entirety, I am doing “quick glances.” While this is my first Quick Glance ARCs compilation, it’s my fourth overall featuring ARCs. I am only featuring half of what was in the box, as I’ve had them for over one-and-a-half years and didn’t want to re-read the first chapters in all 10 ARCs.

            Disclosure: I’ve NOT been asked to provide reviews by the publishers, authors or the local Children’s Librarian. All opinions are expressly my own.

1. Barb and the Ghost Blade (May 31, 2022) by Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson.

Middle-grade fiction. Graphic novel.

The adult Berzerkers (a.k.a. Zerks) have all been captured. Barb, a Berzerker, must get to Maug Horn with her ragtag group of would-be Zerks. Maug Horn is the monster capital, so Barb and her little gang are not allowed. That won’t deter her in the least.

            While I’m not big on graphic novels, this one strikes me as a popular series (this is Book 2). The battles and mishaps look to be fairly comedic. Also, there’s a yeti named Porkchop. Who doesn’t appreciate a yeti in a story?

2. The Clackity (June 28, 2022) by Lora Senf.

Middle-grade fiction.

In Blight Harbor, the seventh most haunted town in America, shadows hide many things, including The Clackity. This creature lives in the shadows of the slaughterhouse, the one place that Evie Von Rathe’s Aunt Desdemona, the local paranormal expert, has forbidden her to go. When Des goes missing, to the slaughterhouse Evie goes.

            I surpassed the first few chapters of this ARC, such was my interest in it. It’s a fantasy horror for the middle-grade set. While there’s a creep factor, I doubt it’s one that’ll cause nightmares. For the youth you know who love scary stories or thriller novels, this (the first in a series) will hopefully sate their book thirst.

3. Eden’s Everdark (Sept. 6, 2022) by Karen Strong.

Middle-grade fiction.

There is a place called Everdark, a parallel world where the sun never rises, spirits linger between death and the afterlife and Eden’s late mother’s drawings are too real. The Witch of Everdark, beautiful and terrifying in equal measure, wants to make Eden her eternal daughter, thus keeping her in Everdark indefinitely.

            While I don’t know if it’s based on any specific mythology, reading the first two chapters already gives me folkloric vibes. It has fantasy, light horror and characters who know grief. I’m confident that it’s absolutely a book I’d enjoy.

4. Hither & Nigh (Oct. 18, 2022) by Ellen Potter.

Middle-grade fiction.

Join the Last Chance Club or be expelled from school. This is Nell Batista’s last chance. Strangely enough, the group is nothing like she imagines it will be, for their teacher starts giving them lessons in magic. Nell’s got street smarts, all the sharper since her beloved big brother went missing three years ago. It turns out that magic is real, and there’s a parallel NYC called the Nigh. Nell’s hoping the Nigh will hold the key to finding her brother.

            A story doling out magic, fantasy and adventure is absolutely one that I will read. My local library ordered this one in per my request. I would’ve happily read this ARC in its entirety, but I’ll check it out from the library instead.

5. What the Fact‽ (Sept. 20, 2022) by Dr. Seema Yasmin.

Teen (YA) nonfiction.

Real news. Fake news. Clickbait. The viral spread of information. Conspiracy theories. Your own biases and those of others. What is fact and what is fiction? How does one find truth in all the noise?

            It appears this book is to encourage the target age group – teenagers – to be freethinkers. And maybe it does, but I only made it through the Introduction, because it felt a lot like being talked at and not talked to. I do hope this book is actually quite insightful.