Completely Full Bookshelf

*Rant begins here*  You might have noticed that I usually talk about books on this blog, but I do occasionally take moments to talk about TV, and I  have  to do so right now. If you've been paying attention to the animated TV landscape, you might have noticed that, between the influx of animated TV shows for adults and the launching of various "children's" animated TV shows that appeal to teens and adults, animation is no longer strictly for kids. And nowhere is that more apparent than  Infinity Train , a show that just came out last August that I absolutely love.  Infinity Train  has 3 seasons, each of 10 11-minute episodes, that chronicle different kids finding themselves aboard a train of infinite cars filled with their own bizarre universes, all traveling to who-knows-where, as they try to figure out what the glowing numbers on their hands mean and how to avoid the various  terrifying  creatures trying to murder them. There's some substantial violence and horr

For #IMWAYR, I am recommending Faith: Taking Flight  by Julie Murphy. A word of caution to any young readers: this is a YA (young adult) book, not an MG (middle grade) book, and it contains somewhat mature content.           I'm a big fan of Julie Murphy—I loved her super-popular book Dumplin'  and its sequel Puddin' , and her book Ramona Blue  was actually the first YA book I ever reviewed on this blog! Thus, I knew I wanted to read  Faith: Taking Flight , even though it is part of a genre of books I almost never read: the superhero genre.  Faith: Taking Flight  is the first of two books that tell the origin story of Faith Herbert, a superhero who has existed in various comics series (including some starring her) published by Valiant Entertainment since 1992. Valiant made a deal with Murphy's publisher, HarperCollins, to have her write these prose novels about Faith, presumably to get her out to a wider audience who wouldn't normally read about this character in co

If you read my recent review of Natalie Lloyd's MG novel Over the Moon , you know that I had very mixed feelings about the book. This was such a shame, considering the excellence of Lloyd's previous books, that I decided to re-read Lloyd's novel The Key to Extraordinary  to comfort myself. Today, I am re-reviewing The Key to Extraordinary , as, although I reviewed it once here , I do not think that my review did it justice. And before I keep going, know that this is one of just two books (the other is Goodbye Stranger  by Rebecca Stead) that has had the honor of being re-reviewed by me, so that should tell you quite a bit about how good this book is!           Emma Pearl Casey loves her life in Blackbird Hollow, Tennessee. She loves her Granny Blue and her big brother Topher, she loves the Boneyard Café where they live and work, she loves the adjacent graveyard that she gives tours of, and she loves the history, nature, and magic of her town. Emma's life isn't perfe

Before we get started, I want to mention that Completely Full Bookshelf is now 4 years old! I've had such a wonderful time reviewing books for so long. Thank you to MMGM for being a wonderful community where I was able to start my blog and improve my reviewing skills, and thank you to #IMWAYR for being such a welcoming group and allowing me to broaden my blog to YA reviews as well. And of course, I have to thank all of the amazing authors whose books have brought me so much joy! Now, for #IMWAYR, I am recommending the graphic novel  Relish: My Life in the Kitchen  by Lucy Knisley. A word of caution to any young readers: although this book doesn't fit precisely into the YA genre, it is not an MG (middle grade) novel and contains some mature content.           I decided to read this graphic novel after seeing Jana Eschner recommend it on her blog, Jana the Teacher , and I'm so glad I did! Relish  is a graphic memoir about a subject I think we can all get behind: food

For MMGM and #IMWAYR, I am reviewing  Over the Moon  by Natalie Lloyd.           Over the Moon  is Lloyd's third MG novel, following A Snicker of Magic  and The Key to Extraordinary . Those two novels have a wonderful and unique formula, which combines a strong yet caring protagonist, a small, close-knit town, and plenty of magic.  Over the Moon  has all of those things, but it puts a new spin on them that makes for a very different novel.           Over the Moon follows twelve-year-old Mallie Ramble, who lives in the mountaintop village of Coal Top. In Coal Top, boys and men (no matter how young) spend their lives digging in the mines, and girls and women (including Mallie) work as servants in the nearby valley. The mountains and valleys are filled with Dust (with a capital D), which covers up the sky and stars, fills the air, and has the ability to bring dread and fear to anyone who inhales or touches it. It's a stark contrast to how the region was years earlier, when people