Building 903

Tess lives in a world where people live long lives, and if they do what is expected of them, it is a great place to grow up.  But one day, when Tess’s twin brother Theo disappears, no one knows where he's gone or why, but they also don’t ever talk about it.  But her dad isolates himself to his home lab and hardly ever comes out.  But when Tess’s favorite person, her neighbor, Miriam, gets marked for retirement for no reason.  As Miriam is being walked out to go, she slips Tess a key, one that Tess soon finds opens a small closet filled with boxes of books.  Books are not allowed and can get you in big trouble, but Tess also finds the magic in the stories, and it is that magic that might bring her twin back, as it seems he got sucked into a portal and is stuck in a story.  Can Tess and her parents figure it out before they are caught or Theo dies?

This is a new and wonderful book by Lois Lowry.  Staying true to her form, this is set in the future and deals with censorship.  This book sucks you in and won’t let you go until you finish the book.  It is very suspenseful and will have you hanging on the edge of your seat.  It will also make you think, I think long and hard about book censorship, and once it starts, where will the censorship end?  At the same time, it reminds you of the magic of books and how you can go anywhere and at any time through a book.  This is really good and should not be one to miss.

 

Siren

Emery is starting Dartmouth and hopes to leave her old life and issues behind.  By chance, she meets a great guy named Eli, but it is his stepsister, Roux, who has the greater hold on Emery, and despite every effort by Eli, she still wants to be a Siren.  All Sirens, when they started, were nobody; now they are gorgeous and mystical.  When Roux asks her to join, Emery is all in and will do whatever it takes to become one.  She never expected what they would ask her to do or why.

This is one book I could not guess the ending from the start.  It was action-packed, mysterious, and suspenseful.  I really liked Eli’s character a lot.  I don’t want to say too much and give something away, but if you have liked any other Tomi Adeyemi books, you will love this one.  If you haven’t read anything by the author yet, this is a good one.  I loved it and hope you will too.

 

Keeper Chance and the Pigeon Predicament

Keeper and Toby are hired by a member of H.E.R.O., Pidgeon, which is really weird since Keeper and Toby are members of E.V.I.L. But the boys get together with their secretive friend Y and decide to do this so that they can get back to the lazy spring break they had planned.  Of course, Pidgeon enlists them for more and more jobs.  The only good thing for them is Keeper’s feared grandmother, whom no one wants to take on.  As usual, one thing leads to another, and they end up needing to break into the Dojo.  Good thing Y knows a lot about the Dojo and can get them in, and then the fun begins.

I won’t say much else as I don’t want to give anything away.  But this is a great third book in the series; I am holding out hoping for more.  This was an action-packed, suspenseful book, of course, with some really funny parts in there too.  If you read the first two books, then don’t miss this one. If you haven’t read any of the books yet, what are you waiting for?  This is a wonderful book/series, one not to be missed. 

 

The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society

Merrick is having a rough time.  When her grandmother gets sick, her mom can't afford her private school anymore.  She misses her best friends and is bored to death of being homeschooled in a little room in the back of a bookshop her mom runs, attached to an inn.  She also kind of resents her grandmother for all of this, even though she knows it isn’t her fault she is sick and had to move in with them.  But when a chance, a huge snowstorm hits, and as it happens, her friends and her grandmother get trapped with her and her mom and a few guests at the inn.  When one of the townspeople is murdered in Merrick's little room while staying there to celebrate his birthday with his family, the secret bookstore sleuth society is born.  Can the kids and grandmother, who turns out to be very cool, figure it out before someone else gets hurt?

This was such a fun book; I really cannot wait to see what the society gets up to next. Really, Ms. Currie, please write faster.  This book was so suspenseful, action-packed, and just plain joy.  It will make all ages read to the finish right away, even reluctant readers.  This will also make a great classroom read.  I really can’t say enough about this wonderful book.

 

The World at Midnight: Westfallen 3

 

Artie, Alice, and Lawrence are in 1944, and Henry, Frances, and Lukas are stuck in 2023 Westfallen.  Westfallen is their hometown; only this version has the Germans winning world war 2.  Lukas's job now is playing baseball, which was nearly impossible for him to get as he is Jewish.  But now each set of kids needs to work with the other to fix time back where it needs to go.  They are desperately trying to think of something when they find some comic books that outline how the Germans find out the plans for D-Day, and now the 2023 kids need to work with the 1944 kids to make sure that does not happen, and time will be fixed.  But issues arise; will time ever get fixed?

This is a really cool book with a bit of history thrown in along with all the action and suspense, and there is plenty of that in this book. This is the kind of book that will have you up past your bedtime reading one or more chapters.  This has been a wonderful series, and I really hate to see it end; maybe another time can get messed up?  This is just a great book for middle graders to adults.  It just shows what things could be like, and no one wants history, especially this kind, to repeat itself.  

Ashes at the Alter

Malik has been through so much and lost even more in the last 3 years that it is hard to believe there is anything left to lose.  But you can’t escape your past no matter how much you do to make up for it.  This semester at Caiman University will show and ask so much more of Malik than he has learned to do.  His friends are still by his side, but for how long?  Taye is still behind his big bro, but he is also missing the mom and dad he has made of, Brigette and Baron Samidi, and desperately wants them back.  The Bokors are still out there, and magic is being challenged at all levels. Just as Malik has found his father and wants to get to know them, not all of them are fond of him.  It isn’t long before the Bonclairs’ position as head of Caiman is questioned, and Malik must choose a side: family or strength. 

This is a wonderful ending to a great trilogy, although I am not in favor of its ending, but I don’t really get a vote.  This is just as good, if not better than the other two books.  I love the Creole and other history told in this book, the blue bottle tree, and everything else: that his grandmother's side of the family lives, and the power his ancestors give Malik during his life, especially this showdown.  This is an awesome book, and I can’t recommend it and the other two enough.

 

Corpse Creek Bleak Haven book 3

 

Ethan’s brother frowned in Corpse Creek; at least that is what the coroner said.  Ethan has always thought there was more going on than just a chance drowning.  Ethan is now 18 and decides it is time to find out the truth.  The truth is just as weird as everything else; while checking the history of the creek, there was one person lost at the creek but came back.  How and why this happened is what Ethan must find out now, and can he bring his brother back?

This was a pretty good book. I have not read the first two in the series, so I am not sure if that would make a difference.  This book was very suspenseful, and it will suck you in and keep you up past your bedtime, reading just one (or more) more chapter.  This is a great book for those graduating from the Goosebumps genre of books.

Light Upon You

 

Where is the apostle Peter really buried?  For years, that has been a question asked for ages.  Now researchers are using every available book, paper, story, anything they can find to prove where he is really buried.  But the story is told by a church mouse.   This is a story of what is left after things fall apart. 

The story intrigued me because it was told by a church mouse, but the time going back and forth and being very detail-oriented was not that appealing to me.  That is just for me; I know there will be many history buffs and others that like it, so I won’t hold my preferences against it.  It was a good book, different, exciting, and refreshing.  I think many will like this, and I would love to try again with an audio, I think that would help me a lot.  Please, if it sounds up your alley, give it a try.

The unforgettable Leta Lightening

 

8th grader Leta is fast, very fast, and loves running the 400 for her school's track team.  Her dad left Leta, her sister, and her mom a while back and sends no support.  With no support, her mom works two jobs but still finds putting food on the table hard.  Leta thinks if she wins district, her mom will send her dad the picture, and he will come back to help her mom and talk her sister to the daddy-daughter dance.  But a new girl moves to town, and she also runs the 400 and is fast too.  Leta thinks if she trains harder and longer, she will get faster and not have to worry about her spot or winning district; what she doesn’t count on is the injury that can sideline her for the rest of the season. 

I have to admit that synopsis in no way tells the whole story, and it is a great story.  One I think all kids should read at one time or another.  It deals with so much, all rolled into one.  Food disparity, puberty, divorce, and more. With the main character being female, it is a wonderful book for girls, but boys can learn from it too.  This book is great for tweens and reluctant readers as well.  It was a very powerful and profound book that I just can not recommend enough.

The Sherlock Society Art Attack (MG)

Alex, Yadi, Lena, and Zoe are on the case.  This time, a building developer wants them to find the infamous graffiti artist Funky Munky so he can hire that person to paint a mural on the side of his new building.  Their investigation leads them to many artists, but how to know which one is Funky Munky when Funky Munky doesn’t want to be found, and how to talk to the person?  The team, along with some of Grandpa’s, contacts, led them into the world of graffiti art and all the colors and little quirks of each individual artist that makes it up. 

As always, Mr. Ponti has come up with another wonderful mystery to solve.  The plot is great I loved reading about graffiti and the artistic differences that make it up, but the way the kids come up with a way to solve this mystery is out of the box thinking that has to be respected, as long as they don’t end up in the clink doing it.  This book is action packed and full of suspense.  It does involve a bit of some plot twists and turns.  But it is a wonderful book that is good for all middle graders, and above, as well as reluctant readers, budding sleuths and artists.  I can’t wait for more books from Mr. Ponti as I am also a huge fan of the City Spies as well.  

 

The Sacrifice

The Island of Kisapmata is beautiful, with its wonderful beaches and lush greenery, a place you would love to have a beachfront cabana on.  But it also hides a huge secret that keeps local Filipinos from stepping foot on the island, as they don’t want to be an island victim.  But a film crew with an acclaimed adventurer looking to get back in the game after some troubles buys their way on; I don’t think they knew the full price they would need to pay.  They hire a local teen, Alon, to be their guide, and even though he tries his hardest to tell them they are making the sleeping god, Diwata, mad, they don’t listen; they only want the prize at the end.  “He who offers the sacrifice controls the Godseye.  The first to feed, the second to seed, the third to wear, the fourth to birth, the fifth to serve, the sixth to lure, the seventh to consume, the eighth to wake.” 

This was a good story with Filipino lore mixed in.  I have really started to like these lore-kind of books since Riordan Presents started with them.   Despite some parts feeling like the boxes were being checked, the rest was wonderful and action-packed.  There were some twists in the book; they were all really good.  Overall, I liked the book and think others who are fans, or maybe not yet fans, will love Ren Chupeco’s books as well.

 

City Spies London Calling

Cairo, the team's newest member, takes the lead when his sister goes missing in Istanbul, but the team quickly follows the trail to Rome.  But when there comes a delicate issue involving a royal wedding arises, the team must go to London and do what they do: blend in so well that no one at MI6 will notice them doing their job.  But they still have Cairo and his sister in their minds.

I love this series, and it is so great for readers of all ages, reluctant readers, and even as a classroom read.  Ponti weaves his tales so well, with some history, some Hi-Tech stuff, friendship, and loyalty.  This book just adds that much more mystic to the series. I cannot wait for the next adventure and hope I get to go along for the ride.

 

Firstborn

Bryn is the best fighter of her year, and all she needs to do is prove she can take a life to move on from the Longest Night and graduate; if she fails, she is exiled.  But when she finds that the lastborn are going to be kidnapped, she risks everything and goes with the number one enemy of her people to find and save her sister. What she learns along the way is very enlightening, and Bryn learns that not all she was told is true, but what will she do now?

This was a really good book.  It was fast-paced, suspenseful, and action-packed.  This book quickly gained speed and never slowed down.  This book was a very different take on a dystopian story, but one I think readers will fall in love with.

The first children take up arms, the second children take up books, the third children are taken.

 

Nando

Nando is a border collie who works hard herding and believes he needs to be perfect in everything he does.  But he soon learns he cannot control Mother Nature when she pelts the farm with so much rain that Cloe, Stella, Cloe’s seizure beagle, Oscar the cat, and Nando all get swept away in the flooded, fast-moving creek.  He also learns he needs help sometimes and finds that help in a boy, Levi; together, they will find their way back where each belongs and for the surprises that await at the end.

This is the fourth book in the Best Friends Dog Tales series, and I have loved every one of them.  I will be sad to give up the tales of this family and their ragtag group of pets.  I can’t wait until I can read Oscar’s book, which isn’t listed as one of the Best Friends Tales, as he’s not a dog, but it exists, and many more.  I love the series, and this book didn’t disappoint; it is good for all ages, a classroom read, and even for reluctant readers.

 

Probable Caws: A Meg Langslow Mystery

As a lot of times the story starts with a call to Meg from her dad to come and help, this time with 50 horses her friend Ragnar had agreed to house while the Hoof and Hearth figure out what to do next.  The farm they had been on: the owner has died, and while one son is fine with it and has worked the farm all along, the other is dead set on selling to a developer.  But of course, there is a death, and which son will the blame be placed on, and what is up with the crows?

I have loved Meg Langslow books/audio for a long time, and this one does not disappoint.  It is another wonderful mystery, and one that Bernadette Dunne tells so well.  She takes Andrews' book and brings it to life through her great narration.  This is another Langslow book that will suck you in and hold you until you are done.  I love these books and can’t wait for the next.

 

Deadly Revenge

Another in the National Forest K9 series brings Maya and Josh back, and this time the worst is happening: a forest fire.  While they battle their jobs and what they need to do for the fire, they are also hampered by a kidnapped girl, one that has ties to Maya that she only just found out.  Maya, Josh, and their awesome K9s, Juniper and Finn, need to find the teen before something bad happens to her or the fire catches up to them. However, someone in the different agencies that are searching for her is a mole and is feeding the kidnapper intel to keep one step in front of them the whole time, making finding her even harder.

This is a wonderful, fast-paced, exciting, and suspenseful book/audiobook.  I have really enjoyed listening to this series narrated by Hayli Henderson.  She has really brought this story to life and is a great voice actor.  This series is for anyone who likes police procedural books, and even more so if you like the K9s, as she does them well and has really taken the time to learn what it takes to work them.

 

Sunderworld, Vol. I: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry

Leopold sees weird things like monsters, and, like a whole different world; he was even sent to a psychiatrist for these hallucinations because they all seem to be from a TV show he watched as a child. When his mother dies, he finds some old VHS tapes his dad has put out in the garbage.  These tapes are the only thing left of that show, and he watches them a lot.  So much so that the hallucinations have come back. I mean, really, who would believe someone about a mechanical raccoon with his tail on fire, but that is what he sees, and at the worst time.  He knows he needs to follow the raccoon and enlists his best/only friend, Emmet, to help.  When they ride an old, broken trolley into the world they tried to recreate the Sunderworld they knew and made movies of as kids, Leopold will face the toughest test yet, but he is sure he is ready; he thinks it is his destiny. 

This was a wonderful, refreshing, and exciting book.  Leopold and Emmet are wonderful characters; they play their parts perfectly.  This book brings a lot of mystery and magic to the story.  I love how his mom left a trail for him to find that would lead him to everything he needs to bring his dreams or nightmares to life.  This is a wonderful book; it was a joy to read.

 

Blightfall: Riftwake #1 (YA)

After many years of war, the humans of the DDF (Defiant Defense Force) are free.  But all is not as the leader of the Skyward flight thought it would be.  The flight's first post-war assignment is to guard a ship of diplomats to other outlying settlements of once-enslaved humans and try to unite them under their new world.  First stop is Blightfall, Arturo, the Skyward leader, soon finds out is a hostile place and attacks the diplomat's vessel and kills all.  Now Arturo needs to find out how to get out without more loss, when help is far off.  They need to find allies and fast, before the tree people or worse find them.

I really liked this book; it is action-packed and very suspenseful.  The story moves along pretty fast, so great for all, even reluctant readers, but it is a fantasy world, so some neurodivergent folks might have a hard time with some of it.  The characters are likable and have the same issues then as we do now, basic people stuff.  I liked the story even though I have not read the Skyward series and didn’t feel lost at all.  It is the YA genre, but it is great for adults and some middle graders, after parents' approval, as well.

 

Time to Play (Apocalypse Parenting, 1) (ADULT)

Imagine you are at home with three kids, 9, 6, and 3 years old, and all of a sudden, all electronics die, and a strange voice coming from everywhere and nowhere at once announces, congratulations, your planet has been selected.  I know my first thought would be selected for what and turn the power and stuff back on.  But then you find out the what and it isn’t good at all.  You must play for your lives, and the kids have to as well.  The only help you have is a stuffed turtle your 3-year-old has used her choice of supernatural power to bring to life.  You want to laugh; you want to cry, but there is no time. This is Meghan’s new world, and like it or not, her kids will have to grow up fast.

This is a little different take on the fast-growing genre of LitRPG books.  I think this is the first one I have read where there are kids, and they are actively involved.  But I really liked the book and the way some people can come together in a crisis but others can’t, and the advantages and disadvantages of each person's decision.  This book is all action and suspense; it gets started and never slows down.  The characters are well thought out, as is the plot.  I don’t know what will happen to Meghan and her family and friends, but I can’t wait to find out. 

 

Ghost in the Night (MG)

Harmony’s grandmom has died, and her dad is a musician and travels a lot, and this time Harmony is with him.  The stop in Savannah, Georgia, is one where they will be there for a while, and Harmony wants to do some of the ghost tours, as that is her jam.  While on one, she takes a picture, she is sure there is more in it than anyone gives her credit for.  When she goes to get the picture printed and blown up, she meets a girl, Myah, who becomes a friend and will help her figure out the picture and the truth behind it.  Soon, the duo becomes a trio when Robby, the son of a lady that Savannah and her dad are renting a guest house from.  Harmony learns there has been a murder recently, and the deceased's son is still missing. Could this be related?

I really liked this book, it had lots of action, suspense thick as pea soup, and a good plot.  Yes, the mystery can be figured out really easily, but it is the path that makes this a good book.  The ghost stories, the friends, the historic tidbits, the grief journey, and the dogged determination not to be dismissed because of their age, that is what made this a great book for me.

 

Luca the Dragon Vet 1 (MG)

Luca dreams of one thing: becoming a dragon vet to honor her father, who was a dragon vet for the army.  She knows the rumors about her father and knows he would never do what some people think he did.  She is on her way to the school to take her final test before she can be admitted to the school and begin formal training.  Only the dragon flying her and some others take ill and has to land, it becomes a decision to help this dragon and miss the test and have to try again next year, or leave the dragon to die and take the test.  Luca stays, and even though some of the other girls at first leave, they come back to help as well.  What happens next?

This is a great manga for all middle graders.  It is exciting, suspenseful, and best of all, it has dragons.  I’ll admit this is something really new and refreshing in the area of dragons. I had never thought about them getting sick and needing a vet before, so this is a really cool take on all the dragon tales.  I really liked this book and am looking forward to Vol 2 in October.

 

Fatal Glitch: Camp Zero (MG)

 

Eleven-year-old Sofia is a gamer, and after a mishap with her sister, she is sent to a camp (so she can find perspective) far away from her games.  However, she finds out soon enough that camp is a huge game to be played, and she is out to win at all costs.  She will do anything to win and get her prize, and she doesn’t think that will be hard since she feels the other campers are not up to her level.  Will she win, or is there someone more ruthless than her?

Perfect for any gamer, even reluctant readers will appreciate the fast-moving plot and wonderful characters.  I really liked this book, and I can’t wait for more.  I hope other readers will feel the same, and we will get many more books out of this series.  Could this be the Goosebumps book of the 2020s?  Only time will tell, but until then, enjoy your week at camp.

The UFO Bombshell Before Roswell: Missouri's 1941 Crash and Cover-Up

 

There is a lot out there about aliens and the Roswell crash, but what about the crash and subsequent cover-up six years earlier in Cape Girardeau, Missouri?  This book explores that event and how many people knew about what was found there, how it was covered up, and whether they used some of that technology in building the A Bombs used in Japan.  The author explores all aspects of the cover-up and has done a lot of research on this event.  He even has some witness accounts and has found documents to back up his theories. 

While I am not so sure about the truth of aliens coming to Earth, I found this book interesting, as that time period interests me, and I used to live not too far from Cape Girardeau.  This is not the author's first book on the subject, and while I am not so sure I will go back and read the others, I did find this one entertaining.

Sleepless (MG)

How many times have you thought If only I had a few more hours in a day, I could finally get everything done?  What if you no longer needed to sleep?  This is what Levi, Mickey, Skye, Thea, and Cyrus ask.  The four each think they are the only ones who no longer sleep, until they find each other.   While they all agree no one else can know about this, they also use the time to become better than everyone else at things.   Levi, a big social media guy, starts making posts from different accounts around the world.  Cyrus the creator uses his time to invent new things, Skye, the great student, uses her time to become even smarter, and Thea practices songs from the upcoming play she is in.  Mickey is tired of being bullied, so he starts running and lifting weights.  It is a chance encounter on one of Mickey's runs when his running partner and best friend, his dog Baldy, gets loose, and Mickey follows to get him back, and that is when they start coming together and find they are not alone.  But the real mystery they need to solve is what caused their sleep to stop.

I'm not sure where the author keeps getting his ideas, but I hope it doesn’t stop anytime soon. This is another wonderful book that makes you stop and think, "What would I do?"  Would I even like it?  I really liked this book, told from the different viewpoints of the kids and what they are really thinking about it all, especially after it has been going on for a while, as they start to see the moral dilemma and decide how to deal with it.  This is a great book for middle-grade, reluctant readers, and would make an awesome classroom read. Maybe even read it when you can get to sleep.

 

How to Train Your Evil Robot (MG)

This is such a cute book about a girl, her dog, and a 3-inch-tall robot who thinks it can take over the world.  The girl patiently shows the robot why humans still need to exist, and they need to live together.  I like some of the facts she points out to the robot that explain the toll it takes on the environment, and how the robot had to learn from humans before it could do things on its own.  The book is in graphic novel format, so reluctant readers will enjoy this as well.  This book helps kids understand the new and rapidly evolving world of AI that they now live in.  I really liked this book a lot and hope it turns into a go-to book as an introduction to AI.

 

Stella (Best Friends Dog Tales) (MG)

Stella is a working dog.  She has been trained to sniff out explosives with her beagle nose.  But she missed a smell one day, and there was a huge explosion that killed her handler, Connie, and left Stella with some PTSD/anxiety, and she was retired.  But finding a new home has been challenging.  Minutes after her third return to the shelter, they decided she wouldn’t ever find a home and decided to put her down.  Lucky for Stella, a lady shows up and knew Connie and takes Stella back to her farm to be retrained to do something else.  But once the lady's daughter, Chloe, sees Stella, she knows that Stella is the dog for her.  What they didn’t know, and Stella had to work hard to prove, was what her new job should be.

This is a heartwarming book about second chances.  The people need to give Stella a second chance, and Stella needs to come to terms with what happened and give herself a second chance.  The book is told from the perspective of Stella and how she desperately wants to be a good dog. Hearing things from Stella’s perspective is so awesome, like the time she first sniffs Chloe.  I really liked this book, and it would be good for anyone who loves to learn about working dogs, and just a really good story.  The book has some action and suspense and will be good for any middle-grade reader, even reluctant ones.  PS: Stella does not die in this book.

 

Every Hunter is Hunted

Jazz hasn’t really done anything since putting his father in prison and writing a book.  But as all quiet ends in noise, so does Jazz’s when there is a knock on the door.  It is a young, pretty FBI agent asking for his help as brides are being murdered on their wedding nights in their dresses.  Jazz wants nothing more to do with serial killers, but is convinced to help the FBI on this so no more women are killed. 

I don’t want to go too far into this as it is a mystery for the reader as well as Jazz, so I wish you well on your journey.  I really loved this book, but I was a big fan of the other Jasper Dent books and was very happy to see this new one coming out.  This is just as awesome as those were.  They are action-packed, very suspenseful, and have a few twists and turns that might surprise.  The characters are well curated for the story, and all of it fits together like a glove.  I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait for more, and hopefully Jazz won’t take so much time off for a while.

 

Cocoon

San and her friends are recruited to become assistant nurses and end up at the front lines working in caves, seeing the horrors of war firsthand.  San would like to wrap her friends in a cocoon to protect them from the bombs and horrors.  But their toughest job is still to come.  They are sent home.  They have to find their own way, crossing enemy lines, and with no food, they are cold, starving, and scared out of their wits.  But out of all that were sent, only a few make it back. 

This was a moving book that brought to the forefront the horrors of war through a child's eyes.  The author's telling of it brings it home especially now when our world seems to be all wars.  The book is done in graphic novel form with wonderful illustrations to keep all readers engaged.  I love these books, as we now know that women have served in all kinds of wars and right up front in the thick of the combat zones, but were never given the credit they deserved until just recently, so maybe even a bit of history snuck in as well.  This book is a wonderful addition to any library.

 

Callers a Journey Home

This is a fast-paced conclusion to the series, and I will be honest: I will miss Quin and his friends.  Quin is fixing the vine as fast as he can, but his mother is destroying the vine even faster and doesn’t even care that this is all of their resources and no one will have anything if she succeeds in her ways and keeps allowing everyone to just think things into being, calling.  At the same time, the resistance is growing, but there are still a lot who just want to use the easy way.  Who will win and who will come to the rescue?

 

This is a very action-packed book, and it is a fast one for sure.  It would make a good book for any middle grader, and I think reluctant readers as well, or any kid at heart.  The characters are awesome, and the plot moves along at a good pace, making this a really good last book and end of the series.  I am sad to see it end, but one can hope that there might be some spin-off series as well in the future.

 

Dragonborn: Rite of Ascension Book 1

Hale always knew he wouldn’t make it past the arena, but he also always hoped he could so he could find and be with his brother again.  Sharing some of his coveted medicine that is used to help ease the disease that rages in his body with another boy, they become fast friends, knowing each was about to die soon.  But as Hale lies in the arena just on the edge of dying, he becomes one with a great dragon that cures his disease and allows him to choose the other boy and his lifelong friend to his team, so they all can keep moving toward a new and better tier, seemingly always uncovering more and more lies the orphans have told their whole life; first among them is they are not actually orphans. 

This was a good book with lots of action and full of suspense.  The characters are well-rounded, and each fits their own little niche in the book.  The plot is new and fresh.  Narrator Eric Jason Martin made this book come alive in my car; it was so much fun to listen to, I had to take the long way home a few times.  I really enjoyed this book a lot and can’t wait for more from this team.

 

Carl's Doomsday Scenario

Carl and Doughnut are still in the running and doing ok for themselves so far, but this is a new level, number three, and there are new things to do.  They are now tied to their trusty (but alcoholic AI) Mordeci.  I crack up when Princess is talking to Mongo like he is a baby, her baby.  However, they still need to level up and get Mongo up as well; what they didn’t count on was Mongo's body reaction to leveling up, and how, of course, that would impact them.  But every time they go just to do easy things, they all turn into much harder fights and above-their-level, but will their luck run out on this level?  Will Carl ever get pants? And what is it with this game? Will Carl get that figured out as well?

This is such a fun series; I really like them a lot.  I am another who cannot sing the praises of voice actor Jeff Hayes enough.  I am a very slow reader and was frustrated with how slow I was going with the books, so after the first I was able to purchase the next few on sale and add the audios for a bit more.  These books are wonderful anyway you enjoy them.  At times you will be on the edge of your seat with the suspense, others laughing, and a random funny part.  I hope you enjoy this book as much as I do.

 

The Second Life of Snap

When Zuzu’s dad loses his job at the biggest company around, they didn’t give him money, food, or water; they gave him a very outdated robot with a broken charging station.  Zuzu doesn’t want a nanny robot and does everything possible to leave him behind so she and her friends could go on their adventures.  But the day Snap is with them, and when her dad gets home and asks about her day and if she went where she shouldn’t, and when Snap is asked, he lies for her, not only going against all things robot but just wow.  That changes their relationship for the rest of the time.

Zuzu had gone through so much in her twelve years that some of it does not always seem fair.  But going through the ups and downs of this takes the cake.  She and the town will miss Snap as he is sent back after he drains himself of all his power, helping to save the townspeople during a dust storm.  I love the character in this book as it is so genuine and raw. The plot and speed of the book move fast, making this a great read for anyone.  It has a lot of action and a surprise ending I hope you won’t see coming, as it makes for a more fun experience.  I really did love this book, and I will also say the audiobook narrated by Ferdelle Capistrano is very good and wonderful for those not-so-long car trips, as it clocks in at a bit over 4 hours.

 

Marvels The Novelization

Imagine a world mostly through the lens of a camera when superheroes are just coming into being, mostly starting with Namor and the Human Torch and quickly moving to the Fantastic 4 and how they came back after their mission.  They were greeted as heroes at first, then bad guys, back to heroes.  It chronicles the first 40 years of Marvel through photojournalist Phil Sheldon’s camera and is experienced by Phil, his family, and his co-workers.  But Phil always maintains the fact that the sups are here to help as much as they can.

This is a wonderful book for anyone just getting into these comics or those that just like everything Marvel.  It was well written and brought a whole new aspect into the story by seeing it all through one person's outlook.  My view might be different than others, as I have not read the comics, only seen the movies, so it was nice reading the origin stories of some of the main players. But I really enjoyed it a lot.

 

The Academy VI Rise of the Scorpions

Moving up in age class was a worry of Leo’s, as some players won’t get to come back and they are the smaller, younger ones of their age range.  Will he make it? Will he get playing time?  That might not be the only worry this season, as there is a new team in their division and they play rough and dirty.  That isn’t all; there is a bad injury to one of the players that shakes up the whole team badly.  If that all isn’t enough for Leo, should I mention there might be a pretty girl in his future?

This book is even more fast-paced than the first ones.  We are now almost like family to the team as we have watched their ups and downs. Sometimes it is hard to watch, but other a joy; I am glad the coaches understand these are still just kids and need to do other things as well.  I love the characters and, as always, the storyline from an old soccer player. I can relate with JoJo, but there really weren't any girls' teams to play on in my day.

 

Dungwon Crawler Carl Graphic Novel Vol 1

 

I read this online, but I can only imagine the illustration would be even better in the physical book.  This book is a must for any lover of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. The adaptation of Dungeon Crawler Carl: Graphic Novel was smooth and did not lose anything during its platform change.  This volume takes you through the first 13 chapters of the book, and I love the Princess Doughnut drawings; they truly bring out her charm and maybe a bit of murder mittens.  

Eva to the Max

Eva loves motocross but when she gets relentlessly bullied about it she is forced to change schools, and keep her motocross career hidden.  But when Eva pushes herself and her bike to hard in a race Eva finds out the truth behind the cost of her decisions.  There is also a new girl at school that not only threatens Eva’s secret but also her chances to get sponsored by company that will help with the cost of her beloved sport.

I never thought I would like a book in verse, but the subject matter kept me going and I loved every lap of this book.  I love any book were the female out plays the guys and wins.  I guess I see myself there as when I grew up there weren’t enough girl to make a league or their own motos, so we always got mixed in with the guys.  Like Eve there was always to ones to bully girls about playing sports with the guys, and like her I am sure many hide the fact that they played to curtail the bullying even though they might have been better than the guys.  I found Eva to be everything a girl athlete is and hopes to become she is very believable as are all the characters.  I did like the writing style and found it flowed well and with the short subsections made it easy for a dyslexic reader.  I am glad there are more books out the where girls get to break out of their shells.  I loved Eva and hope to see more stories like hers.

 

Griffin Speaker

Rain is an orphan living with her Aunt who keeps and trains animals for others.  Rain has one rule to follow, do not go into the barn, of course she does and finds a griffin, a wild griffin which no one has seen in many generations and thought to be extinct.  The griffin bonds with Rain and when the high up officials find out they set out to capture the griffin and do the unthinkable to Rain make her start to take the meds.  There is only one thing that can save them both and that is if they can get to the academy and make it past the trial set before them then even as an orphan she will be provided the education of the academy and hopefully become a griffin rider.

So much action and suspense right from the start and continuing on until the very end, however now I can’t wait to see what the pair will get up to next.  These characters each and everyone are well thought out and the story is just wonderful.  I really loved it and hope to see more of the duo as they move along the ranks.

 

Wombat Waiting

First of all, Wombat isn’t really a Wombat but a dog, one that has been on the street’s way to long.  But the day everything seemed wrong to Wombat and he wanted to run away from all the strange smells and sights a voice told him to go the other way, “the wrong way is the right way”.  Wombat follows the voices directions and his heart tells him what it wants only it is driving off in a blue car.  Wombat’s voice tells him to wait, he does for a very long time.  But he isn’t much used to people and the ones he’s been around have not been nice so the people feed him but think he is dangerous so they stay away.  But as Wombat talks to animals he starts to warm up to the people but the one he really wants is the one he is waiting for the one scared some of dogs.

My heart broke for Wombat through each section of the book, and it did bring back the smells I have smelled many times while living in California.  I love how Wombat helped others while trying to find what he is looking for.  Wombat turned out to be a unofficial therapy dog to those in need, and without being taught, he just knew, and that is very special.  Even though it was clear to all that Wombat was waiting for something no one knew what it was, but the kindness in the humans even when they thought he was not friendly was to make him comfortable too.  There was just so much kindness and love in this book it should be a testament to all in how to be even when you are losing everything.  I loved this book it is a true Applegate book.

 

In the Spirit of French Murder

Since Tabitha has moved to Paris to be with Grand Pere and Oncle she has tripped in to murder investigations over and over again, and this time it is none different.  Someone is killing off the nine bluets, and Tabitha is trying hard to stay out of Inspecteur Merveille way, but she has to keep her Messieurs safe, a task she takes very seriously.

I have loved this series since I got to read the first book, and to throw in Julia Child as Tabitha’s partner in crime (and Tabitha’s cooking is sometimes a crime).  These have been really good and I have to say (no spoilers) Tabitha and Julia’s trip to see the medium was really cool and insightful.  The characters are believable and the plots fun.  Despite the action and all the suspense the story is a great 3^rd book in this wonderful series.

 

The Mountains We Call Home

Cussy and her family are back.  This book picks up a bit after the beginning of the Book Women’s Daughter because it seems Cussy is new to the women’s prison and she is still sporting a broken arm.  We have heard what happened to Cussy’s daughter Honey during this time period, now it is time to hear Cussy’s story.  Cussy finds out the prison librarian has gone and she puts in for the job, Cussy shows she has no fear and she will deliver book to sections no one else did like the death row inmates.  But what the inmates want most is to hear Cussy read books to them and soon it is very apparent to the guards and there fore the warden is how the inmates are calmed.  The warden allows Cussy to start a program to teach the inmates to read (this has also become a requirement of parole) as lon as she does her regular book keeping in the dinning hall (food is much better when she is there).  The program is so good the warden of the men’s prison asks and is granted to have some of the men to come as well.  Word gets out and a Louisville Librarian asks the governor to allow Cussy to come to her library for a length a time to set up the program there.  This is were the story gets interesting, and Cussy finds her champion in her fight for release. 

This is such a wonderful book.  I can attest that the places the author mentions are very real as I now don’t live far from the women’s prison in Pewee Valley and pass the men’s penitentiary in Buckner on my way to work.  I have a friend that worked at the Western branch of the Louisville free public library (LFPL).  My kin still live on the Virginia side of the Appalachian and are right next to Letcher County.  Growing up I had heard stories of the Blues, but never knew of the awful laws imposed on them in the past, like the horrible mass sterilization of all the women that get into trouble. I love the characters and everything about this awesome book it is so real and heart breaking at the same time.  If you have read the other books in this series or maybe you just want to read a wonderful nostalgic book set in Kentucky that is unlike any you have read before, I think you will love this brief trip back in time to a historic place with fictional characters and the stories they have to tell.

PS we still have a picture of a packhorse librarian at my library.

Gladesbale Grove

Shawn works a job he really doesn’t like; he always wanted to be a park ranger, or in a watch tower protecting the forest, but that is never in his cards.  Until the day the strange woman with a cool sword and wolfish ears tells him his soul belongs to her.  When he dies right there, working at his desk, he is transported into a ritual of planting a seed.  Then the wolf lady, Mint, explains to him his duties as caretaker of the sacred tree and the grove around it, and everything just evolves from there.  Soon their band of three, Mint, the Guardian of the grove, Shawn, who is now the caretaker druid, Rud, and the sacred tree, becomes more as they help others get back on their feet, or those who need to have a purpose. All the while, the tree grows in height and mass, but also helps Rud grow himself.

I really like this book, and the characters it encompasses, my favorite being Dean.  Dean does a lot of things that he doesn’t really like to do, but knows it is in everyone's best interest, so he relents.  I was lucky enough to be able to listen to the audio version, with a wonderful voice actor, Garrett Michael Brown, who will transport your mind right into the story like you are part of the group helping.  This is not exactly a fastest-paced story, but it is cozy for now, at least.  There is action, and there is suspense at times, but really this is a nice get comfy in a nice chair with a warm blanket with some tea, see what I did there, read or listen to the book, and you will.

 

Beta Testing the Apocalypse

Imagine sitting at your desk, everyone else has gone home for the night, but you have a few things to finish up. You see a little glowing thing, and it is a countdown timer. Your choices are to die or play.  You find out it is like a game that he is beta testing, well, that’s not hard, as he does work with these things.  He spends a lot of time going back and forth from his world and buying stuff to help him in the beta world, you know, guns, O2 tanks, body armor, type stuff.  Sending back bug reports to the makers for a world that you have to fight for your life each time you go in makes some bugs are very tempting to leave if in his favor, but a bug none the least, but Dex is always hoping the makers will bless him with a lot of essence for his reports as essence is what helps you to fight and stay alive in this new world.

I absolutely loved this audio. If you are a gamer or just like fun, you will love this action-packed, fast-paced, awesome audio narrated by Ryan H Reid. Mr. Reid really grasped the essence of the book, and it really showed in the audio. I loved the characters in this book, and I really connected with Dex as we share many neurodiversities, and in a time when we still seem not to always fit in, it is awesome to lose yourself in a game, or an audio about a guy who does, and maybe even saves the world while doing what he loves.  

 

The Silent Blades

Tricia has worked hard for the last 15 years to ascend to the highest rank of Pureblades, a mysterious society that protects their city from the monsters and other such abominations that run the streets at night.  But she soon finds that it has its own set of new problems, and when the one she trusts most betrays her, what is left to do but fight.

I really connected with this audio that was narrated by Jessica Threet.  It spoke to me, oh ok we have the same name, and that was kind of cool.  The book was action-packed, very fast-paced, mysterious, dark at times, romantic, but a wonderful listen.  The author has mixed a lot of different elements you would not normally see together it really works well in this book.  The author pulled all of the elements together and came out with a really good audio/book.  I can’t wait for more. 

 

 

Joshua's Trumpet: The Project

Nick and the gang are back, and at the White House’s request, if you can believe that, and what for?  Seems some rich guy has called in a favor of the president and would like the team there, then a tomb is opened because it is believed to have an item so powerful it helped build the pyramids.  When Ronnie blows it a little during a big firefight the gang is losing, they know they need to get it back because it would really give the user an unstoppable tool. 

Oh my gosh, I have waited with bated breath for another Project book, and this doesn’t disappoint. Not to mention, if you have never listened to one of the books narrated by the wonderful voice actor Jack de Golia, you are missing out.  This is a very fast-paced, action-packed book. It starts fast and never lets up.  I have loved these books from the start, and I have to admit the way Mr. Lukeman ended this one has me a bit excited.  I can’t wait to see if the team pops up again sometime when the world needs saving.