It has been a long time.
It has been a long time since I've written a proper review (well, as proper as I ever get).
It has been a long time since a book has felt worthy enough than "oh it was great ... I'll slap five stars on Goodreads."
It has been a long time since I've read anything by Jonathan Auxier.
His Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes was amazing. The sequel, Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard even moreso. I have no idea why it took me so long to pick up The Night Gardener.
For some reason I drifted away from my beloved middle-grade books. Sure. I'm about thirty years or more "too old" for them ... according to those who don't know any better. When I first read Peter Nimble I said that "A well-written book is a well-written book regardless of who it's written for."
Jonathan Auxier does a damn good job doing well-written books.
He also does a damn good job spooking the ever-loving bejeebers out of me.
And making me cry a bit.
And maybe more than a bit.
The Night Gardener is the story of two Irish orphans, Molly and her younger brother Kip. There's storytelling and magic and creepy old houses and creepier old people and so much love and so much creepiness that it ends up being the near perfect book to read when you're all curled up and cozy.
Safe under a blanket.
With the lights on.
When it's daylight.
(Did I mention that it can get creepy?)
Now, I'm sure that Auxier and the publishers at Amulet Books know what they're doing when they slap thee ol' middle-grade ages on something but so far they seem to be just as suitable for middle-aged as middle-grade. After all, a well-written book is a well-written book.
"First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros" is from the first paragraph or two of a book being read now (or in the future) and is hosted by I'd Rather Be At The Beach.
"Teaser Tuesday" at The Purple Booker asks for a random line or two from anywhere in the book currently being read.
