Kadi P > Recent Status Updates

- Book 6 of the August MG Reading Challenge!
- Day 1, let’s gooo!
- I really enjoyed the tv show so I hope the book is just as good…

- My 5th read for the August MG Reading Challenge 2026!
- I love the art and concept! The colours are so simple yet impactful.

- I was so engulfed in the story of The Moon Is on the Left that I forgot that I was actually reading another story and this was just a story within a story.
- The Moon Is on the Left was so much more interesting. I can see why Akari wanted to read it again.
- What is the relevance of The Moon Is on the Left? Does it connect to the story of Kimyo Temple or is it just filler content to pad out the book?

- “I didn’t think of that until she was right in front of me.” Ugh, Kazu there seems to be a lot of that lately. You just don’t think things through🤦🏻‍♀️
- This book feels veeeeery long even though it’s not. If we could cut out all of the nonsense maybe the plot could develop a little faster.
- As an idea it’s pretty good, but I just don’t see how it can develop into something more.

- My fourth read for the August MG Reading Challenge 2026 done and dusted!

- Book 3 of the August MG Reading Challenge🎉
- I picked this up thinking it was a manga, so I was very surprised when it was a book.
- Akari is so a ghost, but there’s some mystery going on here that is intriguing.
- It’s a shame that some things get lost in translation like Kimyō temple has no meaning to me, but ‘come back’ ‘life’ temple is poignant and crucial for the story. But I do love the title.

- Book 2 for the August MG Reading Challenge 2026!
- “Confused yet? We haven’t even gotten started.” Oh yeah, this book is going to be fun. I love time travel. I love whacky mg books. And this book just happens to combine the two!
- I can already tell Ethan is going to be a snarky and quippy protagonist which is right up my street.

- When I added this to my TBR a few months ago before I started rewatching Spooks last week and even when I picked this up I had no idea the mystery was spy-related. Now this book has literally mentioned the show Spooks. My mind is kind of blown, what are the chances!
- The Sean Bean “One does not simply walk into Mordor” meme comes to mind when the parents were just going to casually drive to Thames House.

- I’ve been super into British spies lately, specifically MI5. I’ve been watching the old tv show Spooks and Slow Horses. So imagine my surprise when we’ve got spooks right here in this book!
- I am loving this mystery, it’s very on-the-ground, in-the-estates type of mystery.
- Either the spooks are the bad guys or there’s more than one party in play here. It’s so twisty already, I love it!

- My first read for the August MG Reading Challenge 2026🎉
- I’m surprised Travis is 13 because he seems older. Personally I wouldn’t have minded if he was 15 or 16, I think it might suit the high stakes investigation more.
- Loving the mystery but the clues seem a little bit too obvious. Even the regular prose I can tell is hinting at the future investigation. Maybe I’m just too well-versed in mysteries…

- That pat-a-cake moment was hilarious. And then they hugged aaw. It’s so cute how flustered she gets by the little things.
- I love that she was agonising over whether they were dating and then someone asked her and she said maybe. He gives her crazy side eye and says “What are ya sayin’…? Would I kiss a lady I ain’t even goin’ out with?” He’s not really a delinquent, he’s so charming.

- Right so forget this book which I am very much enjoying, but it mentions a maths question and I thought I’d give it a whirl.
- Here’s the question: If 3x - y = 12 what is the value of 8x/2y?
- I tried rearranging it and got x = x and 8x/2y = 0!!
- To be fair, one of the multiple choice answers in the book is that the value can’t be determined from the info given. Bet the author never thought I’d try it!

- I’m so disappointed in Janie, I’m repulsed. She didn’t try. She knows she didn’t and it’s pathetic. She never wanted to try. She just wanted to go back to her perfect easy life. The only one pretending was her.
- The “whatever I do I’ll hurt one of them” is a pathetic excuse. This is all Hannah’s fault absolutely, but Hannah is the Johnson’s fault. So ultimately it’s all the Johnson’s fault.

- I have to agree with Jodie: Janie’s been no fun. But when Reeve arrived it was like she came to life and it was so lovely to see who she was before all of this started. Like at the start of book 1.
- It was nice and light and happy, so of course the chapter had to end with someone crying.
- In the first point I started typing out Jennie before I changed it to Janie. Even I’m resisting but she is Jennie.

- I know I’m a bit biased towards Janie because she’s our hero and I’ve been with her for a book now, but I think Jodie is wrong and Janie is trying.
- Did anyone tell this family that it’s going to take time to adjust? They’re trying to hug her and play happy family on day 1, are you insane?!
- There’s an interesting class divide angle here. Very “Upper Middle Bogan” but without the comedy.

- Janie is very confusing. She loves her parents but she constantly thinks of them as her kidnappers and fakes being happy around them. One part of me really appreciates the nuanced complexity but I also want to tell her to wake up.
- It’s great that Janie didn’t fall for the Hannah story. I’m surprised the parents told the neighbours that story too.
- I need a confrontation! The build up is killing me!

- Right, mystery solved. We can end the book there.
- I’m still suspicious of the parents. Everything they said has zero proof and if Janie ever wanted to question it they can conveniently remind her that she’d be in “danger”.
- It doesn’t totally add up. Who is looking for Jennie via milk carton? Who was the woman who gave her the ice cream sundae? Is it poor writing or lying parents? I think the latter.

- I don’t know what year this is set in, but someone let Janie know that DNA tests could easily settle this (and then open a whole other can of worms).
- Reeve and Janie are so sweet. They are absolutely going to end up with each other and I approve.
- This is a little nitpick but if Janie has wild curly hair then the shadow of the girl on the cover isn’t right. But I do love the cover, it’s very retro horror.

- Here are some awesome quotes I loved:
- “Either that Doctor is right, or I am. People can change or they can’t.”
“And which do we find worse, sir?”
- “What are you, I wonder. When you’re not pretending to be… this?”
“Come here. I’ll show you.”
- “Can you imagine? A love you can see from the rooftops.”

- Will someone please give this kid a break already! For a second there I really thought we were going to get a riding-off-into-the-sunset on-a-freight-train kind of ending. Instead it’s here-we-go-again ending number three.
- Seriously, this book is like the LotR Return of the King movie with its never-ending endings!
- It’s bad manners to interrupt a kiss. These goons didn’t get the memo tut tut.

- I don't know how I managed to get this far with this frustrating book. The protagonist is so "I'm not like other girls", it's extremely off-putting. DNF definitely.

- This could be good, but my currently reading shelf is looking a bit crowded. So DNF for now but may still finish this by the end of the year...

- This wasn't boring so I may pick it back up in the future. I just don't feel like reading it anymore, so DNF.

- Yeah, too slow and I was really struggling with it. DNF!

- I think it might be time to give up on this one... Onto the DNF pile it goes!

Do you like reading middle grade books? The Middle Grade Madness' annual August MG Reading Challenge is back and bigger than ever! Bigger teams, now 6 weeks long, and heaps of fun to come!

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Sign ups close 25th July.

Hope to see you there...

- I love Red Kelly, he’s hilarious when he’s moaning.
- What kind of name is Wilder Lawless? An odd one, that’s for sure. And Meatpacker Moran!
- When are we going to get into spy mode? James is gearing up for it, but we need to do more sleuthing.
- I never refer to maps in books. But considering there was a whole scene describing the map, it would’ve been nice to have a map illustration to refer to.

- “‘I beg your pardon,’ said James, nearly choking on his mouthful of pie. ‘Did you say Lord Hellebore?’” I almost choked myself! It’s all coming together! Well, not yet, but I’m getting ahead of myself because I’m excited.
- Red Kelly is suspiciously coincidental.
- Were James’ parents spies? Probably. What would be more exciting is if they weren’t spies, that would subvert expectations.

- I’m not sure it was a good idea to be reading about cooking juicy eels whilst eating. I think I might throw up!
- Lol it’s a triathlon! Is running, swimming, and shooting an odd mix for a triathlon? Or were triathlons not a thing before the Second World War? (I’m assuming this is set between the First and Second World War)
- James is an interesting character. I’m waiting for his suave side to appear…

- “‘What’s your name, boy?’ ‘Bond, James Bond.’” That’s it. We can end the book here. Barely a second in and Charlie Higson has done his duty!
- I can’t get behind eel-man. It seems too fantasy for a spy thriller, but maybe there’s more to it.
- ‘Welcome to Eton, Bond.’ Wait, is that the same Eton that Price George is going to? My internal narrator has suddenly gotten very posh.