Sakamoto Days 1

This is the one that started me out, and many of you all as well, I think.  Sakamoto left the assassins when he met his wife-to-be; now, many years and pounds later, his past caught up with him, and they brought him an offer he cannot refuse: come back or die.  Well, he isn’t going to leave his wife and child, so that leaves the assassins to do their job.  At first, no one can believe this is the infamous Sakamoto, until he beats them and sends them packing; they don’t know about the house rules that Sakamoto is not allowed to kill, or his wife will leave him.  But at the same time, he is not the easy mark they think he is.

Good versus evil and don’t judge a book by its cover, a twofer.  The illustrations are vibrant and wonderful.  I loved the story so much I had to find more.  Sakamoto even gets one assassin to cross over to his side.  It is cute that a pudgy grocer beats all kinds of assassins and no one is the wiser.  These are really good fun books.

 

Sakamoto Holidays, Vol. 1

Sakamoto and Shin are doing some shopping in the arcade when they encounter some shoplifters.  They quickly take care of that issue, but the shoplifters come back with a gang.  To keep the peace, Sakamoto and Shin enter a paintball tournament; the winner takes the arcade area.  There might be an ace up team Sakamoto’s sleeve.  Sakamoto and Shin also have to remember the house rules Sakamoto’s wife has imposed on the family and abide by them or be kicked out.

I love the graphic illustrations and the storylines of these books.  They are just fun, and Shin is living the dream most of us probably thought of once or twice.  Of course, who doesn’t want to see good conquer evil, but not kill them.  

 

The Witches of Willbrook

Andrea is starting university in the little town of Willbrook, with no one she knows, and is very introverted.  She believes she has made some friends, and they introduce her to the group.  The only thing they forgot to tell Andrea is that they are a group of witches and she is one too, and they want to help her learn to control her power.  She learns the world of magic is huge and how had she not known of it before?  But there might be another witch on the campus who is not as interested in using their power for good. 

This is a great graphic novel with wonderful illustrations.  Anyone who has gone to a new school or moved and is away from home for the first time or more can relate to Andrea's concerns about friends.  It helps to know it is not only you, and you will get through the new kid's feeling of being alone for the first time.  The witch part is just kind of fun; I can’t wait to see what Andrea and her friends do next, so stay tuned for book 2.

 

Dragonborn: The Twilight Child

 

Alex and her friends are back.  Alex still can’t change into her dragon form at will, and that makes things at Skralla a bit difficult, especially when bad things come and Alex and her friends need to flee, and she can’t change, so she has to ride or be carried by one of the others.  But then things get even worse, and the battle comes to Scotland, and they must fight alongside other dragons, all the while Alex needs to solve the mystery of the Twilight Child, and hopefully beat the Drak Midna for good.  But the battle is fierce, and not all might live, but all are brave.

This is a wonderful book that has the age-old battle between good and evil, but does good always win, and what is the price? There is always a price.  Alex also has to deal with her feeling of betrayal by one she thought was her best friend.  This is a good middle-grade fantasy book, and it is a wonderful book to hold one's interest with all the action and suspense.  There are a few twists and turns.  You could read this one as a standalone, but reading the first book will fill in some holes that book two might create if it is not read in order.

Doubles (Silver Beach High Book 1)

 Cat gets pulled out of her school in Kentucky and forced to move to her dad’s in California right in the middle of her sophomore year.  For Cat, the move is not at all what she thought; on her first day in school, she is bullied by girls on the varsity volleyball team, Cat’s sport, and also seems to be the biggest sport at this high school.  Match that with the fact that her dad has no idea how to raise a kid, her friends are so far away, not to mention she will really need to step up her game if she wants to make the team; Cat feels so lost and alone.  But can she crack her dad's shell and find something they both like so they have common ground and can start a real relationship?

There is so much going on in this book, especially in Cat’s head: grief, bullying, and feeling alone.  This book is wonderful for pointing these out and showing that none of these feelings last forever, but it takes work, just as her volleyball game will if she wants to make it; things aren’t always given; they are earned.  Also, if you like volleyball or want to learn a bit more about it, this is a good fiction to get that going; as always, the sports side is accurate and awesome as well.  This, as well as the other books by TZ Layton, would make great classroom reads and are really good for more sports-minded reluctant readers or readers interested in these sports.

 

Licorice

A scared little kitten is adopted by a reluctant boy who has just lost his kitty.  Do you believe in ghosts, even kitty ghosts that might come back and make their presence known?  I am not sure if Max did at first, but it soon became clear to Max that it happens, and this ghost is always getting the Kitten into trouble.  The house's parrot and other animals keep their distance, and Kitty can’t figure out why.  But do ghosts always stay ghosts?

This is a very different book, and I never saw the ending until it was too late.  Licorice is a character that changes depending on who is talking or thinking about her at the time.  It seems as if Kitty has some big shoes to fill, but is trying to learn all she can to be the best kitty for Max.  She shows a resilience that is not only brave but commendable.  Max has his own feelings to work through and is pushed by his mom to pick a new kitty, maybe before he is ready.  Max has his friends but is not sure they understand him now.  This is a very good book for kids: action, suspense, and mysterious what more can you ask for?

 

Moonleapers, Book 2: Tangled in Time

 

Maisy, with her time-leaping grandmother, has changed the future to a better one, but now that her grandmother is gone, time is glitching.  How much should Maisy trust a secretive texter that seems helpful but won’t tell Maisy who she is?  Maisy is the only time leaper other than a girl, Ainsley, in her future, who seems to be in danger herself, who can help straighten it out before some time is erased, especially Maisy herself.   When a new boy, Krieger, shows up and is not only interested in Maisy but also in Maisy’s secrets.  How and what can Maisy do to not only save Ainsley but all of time, and is there anyone that can help her, before she is erased from time?

Wow, so much packed into one book, and what an engrossing book it is; I could not put it down.  The action is all throughout the book, as is the suspense.  There are a lot of emotions that come out in this book, and not just Maisy’s.  This is the perfect sequel, although I am sad as it says it is only a duology; I would really like to see more of these characters, as they all are wonderful, well-developed, and have become friends.  But I really loved this book; it would be good as a classroom read or for reluctant readers.