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The Riverman
The Riverman | Aaron Starmer
15 posts | 16 read | 33 to read
Alistair Cleary is the kid who everyone trusts. Fiona Loomis is not the typical girl next door. Alistair hasn't really thought of her since they were little kids until she shows up at his doorstep with a proposition: she wants him to write her biography. What begins as an odd vanity project gradually turns into a frightening glimpse into the mind of a potentially troubled girl. Fiona says that in her basement, there's a portal that leads to a magical world where a creature called the Riverman is stealing the souls of children. And Fiona's soul could be next. If Fiona really believes what she's saying, Alistair fears she may be crazy. But if it's true, her life could be at risk. In this novel from Aaron Starmer, it's up to Alistair to separate fact from fiction, fantasy from reality.
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merelybookish
The Riverman | Aaron Starmer
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I've only read the first book of this middle grade trilogy but it left an impression. It was moody, and made fantastical thinking feel creepy and potentially dangerous. So different from most kids' books! Books 2 & 3 are on the TBR!
#20series20days @Andrew65

erzascarletbookgasm I‘ve read the first one too but somehow didn‘t continue. 4y
erzascarletbookgasm I like the covers 👍 4y
Andrew65 Look good. 4y
57 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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glitterkitty459
The Riverman | Aaron Starmer
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#bookhaul from the #library 😁
Bottom two are some interesting looking nonfiction borrows, and top three I bought for a total of $0.20 (two ten cents and one from the free cart!!)
Most excited for The Riverman- has a gorgeous cover 💖📚

DivineDiana Great haul! 👏🏻 5y
81 likes1 comment
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peaKnit
The Riverman | Aaron Starmer
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The last installment of #24HourReadingRoom #24HRR this has been interesting and a great way to see what books are in the wild that I haven‘t stumbled on. I‘m late getting this to it‘s owner but I think I need to read this, it‘s the first of a SERIES! And look at this curious cover... 🌳 🚲

21 likes1 stack add
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Melkyl
The Riverman | Aaron Starmer
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Pickpick

This was a very interesting book. I will definitely recommend it to my middle grade students. I was completely captivated by the story. While reading I was not quite sure what to believe, but I enjoyed speculating on possibilities. The ending did not really clear it up for me; it was ambiguous. I will need to go on and read the other books in the trilogy.

merelybookish I really liked this when I read it and keep meaning to finish the trilogy. 5y
35 likes1 stack add1 comment
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DGRachel
The Riverman | Aaron Starmer
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Pickpick

When am I going to learn to stop being a pre-judging judgy mcjudgerson? I‘m nearly 43, so I typically avoid middle grade books. I am so glad I gave this a chance. It‘s an exquisitely well-written mystery/fantasy and now I must read the rest of the trilogy. The characters are believable, some a little scary, and the plot was original. I wish this had been around when I was the target age. I‘d have loved it then, too.

readordierachel I think we all have a little mcjudgerson in us 😆 6y
IamIamIam Middle grade stuff is awesome!!! I'm on a Brian Selznick kick. The stories are amazing. I asked the children's librarians what to read and they handed me this. Very mature themes and I was ugly crying by the 4th page. I yelled at them when I returned it but they said they don't really recommend it for the kids! 6y
alisiakae I read a quite a bit of middle grade these days because it is my daughter‘s reading level. There is some great stuff out there. I just read an ARC of The Orphan Band of Springdale and thought it was an incredible read. 6y
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DGRachel @ReadOrDieRachel This is the second book club book that I‘ve been “ugh, I do NOT want to read that” when I looked at the cover/read the blurb and then ended up LOVING the book. **sigh** 6y
DGRachel @IamIamIam @4thhouseontheleft I obviously need to allow myself to expand into MG without shame (I don‘t have kids or siblings with kids, so I don‘t have them as an excuse). 6y
IamIamIam @DGRachel Our librarians told me that there's an older woman that they know doesn't have children who comes in with a list and takes out, like, 5 books at a time. Also, I use Overdrive through my library. You can do that without any embarrassment!!! I'm doing a challenge called #kidlitAtoZ although I'm not too far in. Keep an eye out! 🤗 6y
erzascarletbookgasm I love MG books! This one was a surprise. I immediately kept a lookout for book two after reading this, but found book three instead! 6y
Zelma Middle grade can be awesome. I tend to enjoy it more than YA, which I have gotten pretty picky about. 6y
DGRachel @Zelma after reading so much bad YA, I just assumed MG would be awful. Obviously, I was wrong. 6y
90 likes4 stack adds9 comments
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DGRachel
The Riverman | Aaron Starmer
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“If only I could read my life backward, I thought.”

Me, too, Alistair. Me, too. (For the record, as a child, I read CYOA books the way Charlie does, too.)

LibrarianRyan Okay, I think that is one of the most perfect things I have ever read. I. Ow have to read the entire book. 6y
theresidentromantic That's the sweetest thing ❤ 6y
DGRachel @LibrarianRyan It‘s the first book in a MG trilogy. I think I‘m going to binge read the rest of the series this weekend! 6y
80 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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DGRachel
The Riverman | Aaron Starmer
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Starting this tonight with my reading buddy who doesn‘t seem to understand how to share the bed. She jumped up and tried to lay on my legs. Umm...#Bailey, dearest, it‘s a queen sized bed. Scooch over! #dogsoflitsy

merelybookish I liked this. Keep meaning to read the rest of the series. 6y
AmyG Awwwww ❤️ 6y
Melissa_J Ha ha! My dog is currently pressed up against me in bed despite there being loads of space 🤣 6y
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JosieG I love that big dogs like that want to snuggle as close as possible... no matter the discomfort they put their favorite snuggle buddy in. I live with a big dog too, and she thinks she's a lapdog... but she's definitely not. 😂 6y
DGRachel @Melissa_J @JosieG Pilot thought he was a lap dog, too, and was between 60-70 lbs most of his life. Oof. 😂 He was happiest sitting on you, though, not just next to you. Bailey seems to share that viewpoint! 6y
JosieG @DGRachel Ella is of the same opinion. She loves to get RIGHT up in my face to let me know she wants attention. And then usually while she's there, she just settles in for a snuggle on my lap. ❤ 6y
PenguinInFlight Awwww! ❤️(My 72lb dog thinks she‘s a teacup poodle, LOL. 😂🤷🏻‍♀️ She has zero concept of personal space and is as graceful as a bull in a china shop, LOL. I wouldn‘t trade her for the world, though.) 6y
DGRachel @JosieG I love it!! @PenguinInFlight Dogs are awesome! 6y
wanderinglynn My Dexter and TeddyCat do the same thing!Bailey is a cutie! ❤️🐶 6y
Lreads 😂❤ Aww! It's nice when our fur buddies like being close. 6y
DGRachel @wanderinglynn Thanks! She‘s a love bug. 6y
tournevis Side eye. 👀 6y
dsfisher What do you mean I‘m too close? 😂😂😂 6y
dsfisher I think I love this girl 6y
PenguinInFlight I love the side eye in this pic. So funny. 😂❤️🐶 6y
Zelma That look is hilarious. “Move? don‘t you have enough room? Sheesh!” 😆 6y
Simona I would say, that she is well adapted in her new home ♥️ 6y
Leftcoastzen She‘s fantastic. 6y
DGRachel @QuietlyLaura It really is. 6y
DGRachel @tournevis @PenguinInFlight @Zelma She‘s definitely got a little attitude! 6y
DGRachel @dsfisher Yeah, you definitely will love her. 6y
DGRachel @Simona She is definitely settling in! @Leftcoastzen I‘m a fan, for sure. 😍 6y
TrishB Awww 💜🐶 just like Sansa! 6y
TricksyTails 😍🐶♥️ 6y
124 likes2 stack adds24 comments
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Amandajoy
The Riverman | Aaron Starmer
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When your book & real life meet up. 🙂

Captivatedbybooks Lol this happened while i was reading the girl on the train 6y
48 likes1 stack add1 comment
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GirlMeetsBook
The Riverman | Aaron Starmer
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"He's not a bad guy, deep down," I said.

My dad slipped the key into the door. "Deep down, no one is. But you make choices."
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Not even a hundred pages in, and I'm feeling like this might be my favorite quote from this book.

GirlMeetsBook @NeeSwee great pick! 👍🏼 7y
Bambolina_81 I really enjoyed this one and it snuck up on me 😊 7y
27 likes2 comments
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Smarkies
The Riverman | Aaron Starmer
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I know this is not a totally legitimate to love a book but this cover is just my kind of jam. 😂😂

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erzascarletbookgasm
The Riverman | Aaron Starmer
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Pickpick

I would pick this up just for the quirky cover illustrations. An unexpected middle grade book with an interesting concept,(with a blend of darkness) it tells of a boy who gets caught up in a world of stories and imagination. I really liked the voice of the protagonist, the book was well written, kept me reading on. The ending was somewhat ambiguous, I'm not sure what to make of it. Guess I need to pick up the 2nd book of this trilogy to find out.

46 likes3 stack adds
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Bambolina_81
The Riverman | Aaron Starmer
This post contains spoilers
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Pickpick

What a twisty turn ride this was! Fantastically engaging and intriguing storyline...it's left me with oodles of questions. Where does the character's imagination end and reality kick in? What happened to Kyle? Where is Fiona? Charlie...aarrgghh!! A great cross over read from middle grade to YA to adult fiction. So many readers of different ages will enjoy this.

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yayeahyeah
The Riverman | Aaron Starmer
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I blogged over at www.yayeahyeah.com about books to read if your book club likes MG - I think this would be an especially fascinating one!

erzascarletbookgasm I've been meaning to read The Lie Tree. The titles look great! 7y
misswendyd I love Aaron Starmer's series! 7y
yayeahyeah Thanks @erzascarletbookgasm! @misswendyd, I think I picked The Riverman up after seeing you talking about it - fab rec! 7y
misswendyd Oh well, good job to both of us. 😏 7y
11 likes4 comments
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Juli
The Riverman | Aaron Starmer
Pickpick

Weird and twisty story where you are not sure where the imagination of a 12 year old ends and the mystery begins.

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misswendyd
The Riverman | Aaron Starmer
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Pickpick

This weird and wonderful MG series isn't that well known, but it should be! It's whimsical and humorous, but slightly twisted at the same time. Shades of Edward Eager, Roald Dahl, and other timeless classics...plus flying polar bears.

PDS The illustrations remind me of the Wildwood series' illustrations. Same person? 8y
misswendyd @PDS I don't believe so, actually, but the style is very similar! Both lovely. I wish there were interior illustrations in this book as well. 8y
16 likes9 stack adds2 comments