Mark My Words

This blog began in 2009, and it's transformed through different styles over the years. I've become a reviewer for the Young Adult Books Central (YABC) and posts for those books have their own look. I've also been a judge for Cybils.com since 2010 to determine the best books of the year in the category of elementary/middle-grade speculative fiction. You'll see reviews for these top books in some of my January posts from the past.

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

The Mystery of Insch Brae House by Susan Fiddes

›
What worked: The author describes a mysterious, depressing setting for Muriel, as she’s sent to stay with a guardian she’s never met. Miss F...
Thursday, July 9, 2026

The Nightkeeper’s Apprentice by Jude Reid

›
What worked: Eilidh joins her aunt and cousin on a barren, rocky island, and readers' speculation begins with her arrival. She’s told to...
Tuesday, July 7, 2026

The Grimlore Game by Kalyn Josephson

›
What worked: Grimlore Manor is a magical house, although none of the characters are stereotypical back-stabbing relatives. The curse causes ...
Thursday, July 2, 2026

Chloe Vega and the Missing Unseen (Chloe Vega and the Agents of Magic 2) by Leslie Adame

›
What worked: The Unseen is a barrier separating the magical and non-magical worlds. In the first book, Chloe accepted one of the three stron...
Saturday, June 27, 2026

The Book Trap (Pix and Gabe) by Kate Machon

›
What worked: This book will have loyal readers thinking back to the first one when Pix was getting to know Gabe. She is forced to partner wi...
Thursday, June 25, 2026

The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe by Karen Foxlee

›
What worked: The setting aboard the pirate ship is strange, as all children develop their magic. Lavender finds herself below deck working w...
Saturday, June 20, 2026

The Neverfear (Impossible Creatures 3) by Katherine Rundell

›
What worked: Christopher helps a mother unicorn deliver its distressed baby, but there’s an unexpected result. Somehow, touching the infant ...
›
Home
View web version

About Me

My photo
Mark Buxton
View my complete profile
Powered by Blogger.