I always have the best of intentions about reviewing all my Cybils books as I read them – but I’m still behind. Here are a couple more middle grade fantasy books from my December reading, both sequels in beloved series.
The Forgotten Sisters. Princess Academy Book 3 by Shannon Hale. Bloomsbury, 2015.
Miri is finally going to return to Mount Eskel after the eventful year told about in book 2 of the series, Palace of Stone. Then, the country is under threat of war from a much larger neighboring kingdom. As a last-ditch effort to make peace through a diplomatic marriage, Miri is sent to start a princess academy for three wild cousins who have been raised in a far-away swamp. Miri has extra incentive to do this as the king’s advisor wants to sell the rights to Mount Eskel’s stone to merchants, taking away the recently won rights to living wages for Mount Eskel’s workers. Once in the swamp, though, Miri realizes just how desperate the situation is: she’s coming in looking like a privileged rich girl, and the girls she’s supposed to be teaching are too busy foraging for food to have time to learn anything. Before Miri can begin, she’ll have to figure out where the allowance and the mail that the girls are supposed to be getting has been going… On the downside, most of the familiar characters from the first two books aren’t here, but the flip side is that the story stands quite nicely on its own. The ending is not quite believable, but highly satisfying – another story of girls winning through perseverance, brains and diplomacy.
Nomad by William Alexander. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2015.
I loved, loved, loved the first book in this duology, Ambassador, though it did have a very abrupt, cliffhanger ending. The sequel opens not with the previous main character, 12-year-old Gabe, but with the 1970s ambassador to the universe, Nadia, a Russian Jew. She risked huge amounts to try to figure out how the enemy that’s still threatening the Earth in Gabe’s time, the Outlast, can travel so quickly through space, getting stranded and losing her sight in the process. Gabe is able to meet her, still his age, when the Kaen ambassador takes him to meet her government. This second book is even more space travel and learning about the different space cultures. Gabe’s deported father is mostly at the back of Gabe’s mind, and it isn’t until the very end of the book that Gabe is able to think of a way to save him. The only real problem I have with these books is that they split somewhat awkwardly into two – the first with more action and equal focus on Gabe’s family and his life as an ambassador, the second introducing Nadia (also a very interesting character) and having not much to say about Gabe’s family. I would have appreciated getting to know Nadia in the first book, and hearing more of Gabe’s family earlier on the second book as I was very anxious about them. However, it’s still a very strong story, with deep thinky-thoughts on what it means to be an “alien” – is Gabe’s father, in the US illegally, somewhat by accident? Is a non-human race from another planet? How should we treat aliens of either type? My mother found the ending highly problematic, and I’d appreciate hearing thoughts on this from others who have read the book! But these thoughts are embedded in an exciting plot with well-drawn characters and equally fun, more theoretical thoughts on space travel. I do highly recommend the books, especially read together.
My daughter and I are listening to The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder in the car. We’ve been doing assorted picture books at bedtime, including 
My son and I are still working our way slowly through The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. (And I’m sending her good thoughts – she’s been having such a rough go of it.) We’re listening to The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman in the car. He’s reading lots of Cybils finalists to himself – mostly 
For myself, I have the usual pile, even if it seems smaller after the massive amounts of Cybils reading. I’m reading Speculative Fiction 2014 edited by Rene Williams and Shaun Duke and Serpentine by Cindy Pon in print, with Secret Coders, The Marvels by Brian Selznick, Ms. Marvel vols 2 & 3 by G. Willow Wilson, The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard and Winter by Marissa Meyer all waiting their turns after them. I’m listening to Shepherd’s Crown by Terry Pratchett in the car and Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (for the second time) in the house, in between podcasts. I feel like I’m doing pretty well with my diversity goals with this current batch, and now need to figure out what middle grade speculative fiction has come out recently that might be fun for me.
Ash & Bramble by Sarah Prineas – Sarah Prineas’s first foray in YA, and a fairy tale setting to boot!
Black Wolves by Kate Elliott – I love Kate Elliott. And this is in the same world as the Crossroads Trilogy, which I worked my way through over as many years, I think. I even had it checked out when Cybils reading started and had to take it back.
Court of Fives by Kate Elliott – and Elliott tries YA. I’ve heard mixed reviews from friends on this one, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
Gone Crazy in Alabama by Rita Williams-Garcia – I read the first two in this trilogy last year and loved them, but the Cybils hit and I never got around to reading this one or reviewing the first two.
The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz – thoughtful historical fiction, with lots of good reviews from friends.
Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho – many of my friends loved this, and it sounds right up my alley – multicultural regency fantasy!
Tower of Thorns by Juliet Mariller – I still haven’t read Dreamer’s Pool, either, but as much as I loved Wildwood Dancing, I really need to read more of her work.
Under a Painted Sky by Stacy Lee – a super-fun sounding multicultural, feminist Western adventure.
Winter by Marissa Meyer – I was reading this series with everyone else, and totally lost track of this one.
I know I’m a bit late – but just in case you missed it, the 
I’m with Cupid by Anna Staniszewski. Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2015.
Shadows of Sherwood. Robyn Hoodlum Book 1 by Kekla Magoon. Bloomsbury, 2015.
Over the River & Through the Wood by Linda Ashman. Illustrated by Kim Smith. Sterling Children’s Books, 2015.
The Second Guard by J.D. Vaughn. Disney Hyperion, 2015.
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