Tag archives for Series
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BOOK NAME: I, Q: Book One, Independence Hall
AUTHOR: Roland Smith
What if your parents were major rock stars, had a contract signed, and were traversing the entire country performing on a tour? And what if you found out that your stepsister’s mom was a secret service agent, and you also noticed some weird creeps stalking after you? These questions are what stepsiblings Q (Quest) and Angela must come face to face with in the start of a thrilling series by Roland Smith.
Q and Angela’s parents are pop stars, and the entire family is now on a tour performing across the U.S. It seems as if nothing strange could ever occur as the family heads from city to city on a mega RV. Everything, however, changes when an old roadie (people who set up equipment during a stage performance) named Boone spontaneously appears and decides to become the family’s driver. To top that off, Angela begins to harbor strange feelings that someone is following them. That’s when Q discovers that his stepsister’s deceased mother was a former Secret Service operative who was killed by foreign terrorists. Before long, Q and Angela manage to get involved in the secretive, deadly world of intelligence and espionage, as they must encounter and deal with Israeli Mossad agents, private intelligence agencies, and the conspiracy surrounding Angela’s mother’s death. Can Q and Angela uncover the truth behind the death and reveal who the actual villains are?
IQ Book 1: Independence Hall is one of the best modern day thrillers I have ever read. Roland Smith, who is usually an expert author when it comes to nature and animals, finally takes his renowned writing career and steers it into the genre of action/thrillers. The great thing about this book is that instead of featuring just adult characters, Roland Smith is able to include characters who are young adults. As a result, this allows young readers to connect with the main characters, mainly Q and Angela, and therefore, enjoy an amazing reading experience. When Smith writes other novels, he usually enables them to bring forth an excellent plot and at the same time, enlighten readers about the phenomena of science, nature, and biology. Another laudable feature of this book is that Smith decides to put aside scientific topics and brings politics into the mix. IQ Book 1 takes a dive into the world of intelligence and counter-terrorism, political situations affecting the world today, and the hectic lifestyle of renowned rock stars. The cast of the book is a unique one filled with a variety of intriguing, interesting, and even comedic characters. Interesting characters in this book included Q (the main character), who is adept at magician skills and devouring hamburgers in three bites; Angela, whose intelligence, instinct, and coolness allow her to overcome any situation; Boone, the book guru who owns a book collection that would have made the Library of Congress seem like a simple shelf; and Israeli agent Eben, who always seems to daunt the audience with his relentless determination to accomplish a mission. The plot and humor are what certainly define the book, as readers will be hooked onto the plot and laugh at the numerous moments of humor found in abundance throughout the book. The plot, though, may seem a bit too intricate and complicated to understand at first (that’s why I had to read it more than once), but this is a Roland Smith book that you do not want to miss out on!
This book is definitely interesting for any reader out there who’s got nothing on their desk to read. On a scale of 1-10, I’d grant this book a 10.
Posted by To get you in the mood for Halloween, we’re giving away 15 copies of
Tales From Lovecraft Middle School #1: Professor Gargoyleon the National Geographic Kids website!
Strange things are happening at Lovecraft Middle School. Rats are leaping from lockers, students are disappearing, and the science teacher is acting very peculiar. Arthur knew that seventh grade was going to be weird, but this is ridiculous!
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BOOK NAME: Secrets from the Sleeping Bag: A Blogtastic! Novel
AUTHOR: Rose Cooper
I am so excited to review Secrets from the Sleeping Bag. After reviewing Gossip from the Girls’ Room and Rumors from the Boys’ Room, I am proud to say that this book is just as awesome, just as juicy, and just as hilarious as the other two!
Sofia Becker, a.k.a. Blogtastic Blogger, is back, and she’s going to spend the summer with herbest friend Nona at Camp Krakatow (which mysteriously sounds a lot like Crack-a-toe)! There’s just one problem: How can she write on her Blogtastic Blog if she’s at camp? Sofia decides to bring her notebook, and she’ll post everything she writes when she gets back.
Sofia is bummed when she finds out that she and Nona have been put in different bunks. The girls’ bunks are named after butterflies, and Sofia’s bunk is called the Gray Hairstreaks! Yuck! In addition to that, some girls in Sofia’s bunk are… interesting. There’s Gabby, who can’t stop talking, there’s Olivia, who yells at everyone and never likes what anyone says, and Sofia’s counselor is the meanest one in all of camp! At first Sofia hates Camp Krakatow, but then things start getting better! Sofia likes the activities, and the Gray Hairstreaks and Monarchs bunks even have a prank war with each other! Sure, maybe Sofia had a few mishaps, like accidentally attaching tissue paper to her hands with super-glue, or falling out of her canoe, but overall,
things work out great! With every day at Camp Krakatow comes another adventure!
I loved this book! Sofia is hilarious! I love what she writes in her notebook! I would recommend this book to anyone ages 10 and up. It will definitely have you rolling on the floor!
BOOK NAME: Beacon Street Girls: Worst Enemies/Best Friends
AUTHOR: Annie Bryant
Try being a girl who has lived in Australia, Africa, and Paris, and is now moving to Brookline. Try having no friends. Try accidentally zipping the tablecloth from the lunch table in your pants on the first day of school, and humiliating yourself in front of the entire cafeteria! You would not want to be Charlotte Ramsey.
Charlotte has just moved. She is going into seventh grade, and she doesn’t know anyone. On the first day of school, her homeroom teacher, Mrs. Rodriguez, assigns lunch groups. Charlotte is put with three girls; Maeve, Katani, and Avery. Lunch doesn’t go too well. The girls don’t get along. Things only get worse when Charlotte zips the tablecloth into her pants and walks off, drenching the girls in milk and French toast!
Katani tells their teacher that the lunch group is not working out. They finally settle on an agreement: the four girls will have a sleepover. After that, if they still don’t get along, they can switch lunch groups. The sleepover turns out surprisingly well, and Charlotte starts thinking that, just maybe, she has found new friends. But then Charlotte tells a big lie, and her friends find out the truth. Will Maeve, Katani, Avery, and Charlotte ever be friends again?
I really loved this book! I can relate to a lot of the troubles that the characters have (though I can’t relate to zipping a tablecloth in your pants!). The book is extremely well written, and makes you feel like you are in the story, experiencing the troubles of friendship and moving, and the excitement of finding new friends.
Posted by BOOK NAME: Magician: Master
AUTHOR: Raymond E. Feist
Pug’s life has changed forever. In his earlier years, he lived in the keep of castle Crydee, in the land known as the Kingdom of the Isles, on the world of Midkemia. While there, he was apprenticed to the magician Kulgan, learning how to harness the power of magic. He earned himself a place as Squire of Lord Borric’s court, as well as the affection of the Princess Carline. These were good times in Pug’s life, but all of it to a grinding halt.
The Kingdom was invaded by the Tsurani, a warrior race from another faraway world. The Empire of Tsuranuanni has targeted the Kingdom to obtain metals, which are rare on Kelewan, the Tsurani home planet. Soon after the first soldiers transported to the Kingdom via a rift in space-time, war broke out. It has raged for years. Early on, Pug was captured and enslaved by the aliens during a daring raid on the enemy’s main camp.
Pug toiled in the hot, dangerous swamps of Tsuranuanni . After an encounter with the son of a very powerful Tsurani noble, Pug was taken from the swamps and forced to work as a servant. While tending to the house, Pug’s magical talents were discovered. He was once again whisked away to have his magician skills honed to perfection for servicing the Empire, perhaps even against his own people.
Now Pug wears the Black Robe, marking him a magician of the Empire. His powers far surpass those of his fellow Black Robes, and he is perhaps the mightiest magician in all the land. He may just be powerful enough to close the rift and separate the two worlds once more. It’s time to put an end to the conflict.
This book is the sequel to one of my earlier reads, Magician: Apprentice, and the second book in the Riftwar series. I liked this book even more than the first. This book is interesting at every turn of the page, with questions being answered and new ones being posed. Pug and the other sorcerers’ displays of power were fascinating to imagine, jets of blue flames, and commanding of the elements. The battle scenarios were also interesting reads, as the Tsurani and their allies clashed with Midkemian soldiers, elves, and dwarves. The battles were described in such detail that I could picture them, every clash of the swords and the shouts and battle cries of the ferocious combatants. Though Pug and his adventures are the main focus of this book, it also tells of the exploits of Kulgan, Borric and Pug’s other friends and allies back on Midkemia. I liked how the story was told from many different perspectives. This book was somewhat long, at around 500 pages, but I so enjoyed reading it that it seemed far shorter.
Posted by BOOK NAME: Beyonders: Seeds of Rebellion
AUTHORS: Brandon Mull
Jason has been forcefully shoved home, trying to stay in Lyrian to stay with his friends. He manages to steal Ferrin’s (his displacer “friend”) hand and uses it to get information out of him. He tries to make it back to Lyrian, and eventually succeeds. However, things are much worse than he was lead to believe. Creatures that he didn’t even know existed are trying to hunt him down, he cannot locate his friends, and Maldor has started killing the people who hold syllables of the word. His goal is simple; find his friends, escape these mysterious creatures alive, and unite a completely neutral, but powerful, nation against Maldor. No big deal, right?
Surprisingly, I liked this book even more than the first book in the trilogy. I was pleased that it did not end suddenly like the first book. In the first book, I felt that something more should have commenced, but it just ended really abruptly. Second, Brandon Mull didn’t use the same creatures in the first book over and over. He created completely new, and even more deadly, creatures. I also really liked how well he developed the Blind King, or Galloran. He was so mysterious in the first book, but his personality really begins to develop. I will admit that I was surprised at how good of a swordsman Galloran was, and even more surprised at why. I feel the most sympathy for Nedwin. He suffered eleven years of torture in Felrook, and that is what left him to feel no pain. I can’t even begin to imagine how much pain someone would have to go through to stop feeling it. Overall, I thought that this book was amazing, and recommend it to anyone who even remotely enjoyed the first book.
The human race emerged the victor of a horrific war with the Buggers, a hostile alien race. A fleet of human starships, under the command of Ender Wiggin, destroyed the Bugger home world, annihilating the insect-like creatures. In the years that followed, Ender Wiggin vanished, and human colonies sprang
up on habitable planets across the galaxy. Then, a terrible discovery was made by a mysterious human calling himself the “Speaker for the Dead”. The Buggers were not actually bloodthirsty alien beasts; they were intelligent beings who had been willing to make peace with humans! Ender Wiggin went from hero to monster and the human race mourned the unnecessary destruction of the powerful race that was the Buggers.
Then, on a world called Lusitania, another group of highly intelligent beings, the piggies, were discovered. Humans seemed to have a chance to redeem themselves for the destruction of the Buggers. When the piggies brutally murder a scientist attempting to study them, however, the old fears of killer aliens arise again. The Speaker for the Dead is now on his way to Lusitania to discover why the piggies turned to savage, unprovoked killing. He also hopes to right a great wrong he committed earlier in his life. The Speaker for the Dead is… Ender Wiggin, and it is his mission to stop a second alien race from being wiped out.
This was an excellent book, but there are some issues that must be addressed. There are some graphic descriptions of violent death, which may be disturbing to younger readers. There are also some inappropriate references that should only be read by a middle or high school audience. These factors are a drawback, but they cannot alter the fact that this book is phenomenally written. The plot constantly kept me on the edge of my seat. Speaker for the Dead is actually a sequel to another great book, Ender’s Game, but Speaker for the Dead can be read and understood perfectly well without even picking up its predecessor.
BOOK NAME: Scorpia Rising
AUTHOR: Anthony Horowitz
15-year-old Alex Rider, teen super spy, has been a vital asset for the British intelligence agency MI6. For about a year, MI6 has dispatched Alex on numerous missions throughout the world to thwart the plans of maniacal, nefarious men who’ve attempted to carry out their diabolical plans. But now, Alex has had enough of dangerous missions and has “retired” in order to enjoy the luxuries of being a teenager. However, his retirement is soon cut short by the arrival of an old enemy: Scorpia. Alex had already defeated this ruthless terrorist organization twice in the past, but Scorpia has returned in order to restore its shattered reputation and has its attention turned towards the Middle East. Alex is forced to go undercover under the orders of MI6 and halt whatever Scorpia is trying to accomplish. Can Alex defeat Scorpia a third time, or will he have finally met his match?
Scorpia Rising by Anthony Horowitz, was a superb book fraught with suspense, action, and memorable characters. The author definitely ends the Alex Rider series well with this book and at the same time, gives readers a taste of what a true action-packed book should be like. Scorpia Rising contains several commendable “positives.” For one, the action surpassed that of the previous books in the series. Readers will be hooked onto the book while they read about Alex’s daring exploits as he races to stop Scorpia’s operations in the Middle East. From narrow escapes from burning boats to epic fistfights, readers will be caught in the thick of the action. Suspense also accompanies the action in the story by allowing smooth transitions between certain sections of the book. The author also tinkers with the plot section of the story and not only crafts an intricate, eventful storyline, but also makes the characters themselves appeal to the reader. Scorpia Rising introduces new characters while also including returning ones. An example of a returning character is Julius Grief, one of Dr. Grief’s clones in the second book of the series, while a new character includes Razim (the primary antagonist of the book).
This book did not contain many negatives, but one particular one might be the complex plot. Some readers may find it difficult to understand what is going on, but fortunately, the action and other positives of the book will make up for plot confusion. On a scale of 1-10, I’d give this book a 10, as it clearly represents what an outstanding thriller should be like. I’d recommend this book to any action/adventure reader who’s scouring the library shelves searching for a perfect thriller.
BOOK NAME: Ender’s Game
AUTHOR: Orson Scott Card
An alien civilization known as the “Buggers” has attacked the human race twice. Only the leadership of the heroic human commander, Mazer Rackham, saved mankind from certain destruction. However, the Bugger threat still looms, and Mazer Rackham is no longer in a position to command. To prepare for another assault, the International Fleet of starships (I.F.) created the Battle School, designed to recruit and train the genius commanders of the future. These young military leaders will commandeer the I.F. forces against their formidable extraterrestrial foe.
Ender Wiggin is one such recruit. For much of his young life, he has been monitored by the International Fleet. Now, I.F. officials have deemed him ready for Battle School. Ender is still a child, but his intelligence is far beyond his years, and the I.F. wants him to become the next Mazer Rackham. First, though, he must survive many grueling years and challenges at the Battle School, where students are just as capable and dangerous as he is. The Battle School centers on a military combat game in zero-gravity. By competing in the games against the other students, Ender’s talents and abilities will be pushed to the limit, preparing him for the ultimate challenge of saving humanity.
This book ranks highly on the list of my all time favorite books. The futuristic world portrayed by author Orson Scott Card intrigued me. The interstellar wars with aliens reminded very much of Star Wars and Star Trek, two classic sci-fi sagas that I have watched. Ender’s extreme intelligence and skills set him up for greatness. His ability to strategize and think ahead made him an exceptional character to read about. In the story, Ender faces both internal and external conflicts, which tie together to form a multifaceted storyline. For example, while Ender is trying to win the games and crack the code of the mysterious teachers and staff, he must also deal with his longing for his kind-hearted sister. He must also contend with his fear of his evil older brother, who is already planning to take over the world. The book was full of action and suspense, as well as few surprise twists. I strongly recommend reading this book.
Want another opinion? Read Reed’s review!
BOOK NAME: Emily Windsnap and the Castle in the Mist
AUTHORS: Liz Kessler
Emily Windsnap and the Castle in the Mist is a story of adventure, friendship, mystery, and determination. It all starts with Emily–a semi-mer (half human and half mermaid) who finds a strange diamond ring. The diamond ring gives Emily a weird feeling; it feels like the ring talks to her and digs into her skin. As soon as Emily puts the ring on, she can no longer get it off.
Emily soon finds out that this ring is property of King Neptune, the king of the sea. Neptune is angry at Emily for taking it, and curses her that at midnight, under the full moon, she will turn either fully human, or fully mermaid. She will also have to say goodbye to one of her parents forever, because one of her parents is human, and the other is a mermaid.
Emily learns the story behind the ring, and that there is a pearl ring that matches it. If she finds the pearl ring, her curse can be broken! Then Emily discovers that the full moon is that night, and she only has a few hours left to find the pearl ring! She sees a castle far away. Is it possible that this castle can help her achieve her goal?
I didn’t really like this book. I felt that certain parts were very confusing. I’m also not a very big fan of fantasy. Yet if you like fantasy, you will definitely enjoy this book!
BOOK NAME: Ranger’s Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan
AUTHOR: John Flanagan
15-year-old Will has grown up in an area of Castle Redmont called the ward. His friends Jenny, George, Alyss, and Horace, are his fellow wardmates. Children in the ward are the orphaned sons or daughters of war heroes or other important figures. Will is a particularly special orphan. He arrived at the doorstep of the ward, with a note simply stating his name and that his father had died a heroic death. Will has believed for all of his life that his father was a knight that died in a fierce battle with the evil Lord Morgarath and his legion of Wargals. Desperately wanting to carry on his father’s legacy, Will hopes to go to Battleschool and become a knight.
Unfortunately, Will is deemed too small to manage the hard physical labors of Battleschool, crushing his lifelong dream of knighthood. Then Halt, a member of a mysterious group of protectors called the Rangers, takes Will as his apprentice. The Rangers are a suspicious lot, and Will is not entirely sure if he likes his new life. Halt is going to train Will to become a fierce warrior, but not a knight. A nagging doubt about what his father would think of him haunts Will. What he doesn’t know is that Morgarath is planning another attack on the kingdom, and Will’s position as a Ranger’s apprentice may put him face to face with Morgarath’s vicious monsters.
Ranger’s Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan, is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. The storyline is fantastically written. It has just the right mix of suspense, excitement, humor, and fierce battles. My favorite part of the story is the part where Will, Halt, Baron Arald, and Sir Rodney fight the dreaded monsters called the Kalkara. The description of the battle was so riveting that I could not stop reading until I discovered the outcome. My favorite character is Halt, Will’s teacher. He is crafty, very wise, and a master archer. His skill made him a force to be reckoned with, no matter what enemy he faced. His normally stoic nature and steadfast attitude were sometimes interrupted with sarcastic comments, making him interesting to read about. This book is the first book in a series, and if I can get my hands on another Ranger’s Apprentice book, I will most certainly read it. Definitely read Ranger’s Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan.
Posted by BOOK NAME: The Unknown Spy
AUTHOR: Eoin McNamee
Hi again, blog readers! I’m glad to be back but not glad to tell you that I’m reviewing a book that I most definitely did not love. It’s The Unknown Spy by Eoin McNamee.
The book is about a spy named Danny and all his friends going on a quest to save the treaty stone, a stone that makes it impossible for the Lower World to invade Danny’s world, the Upper World. Right before the quest begins, two of the four quest members get stuck at the spy school. Now only Danny and one other quest member are going on the quest. It’s crazy how much double-crossing and lying they go through to get the stone back safely so they can save the world!
I think the main reason I didn’t like it was because I thought it was full of negative stuff. For instance, my favorite character, Les was really funny and a good sport but he was excluded from all his friends’ quests. Who would exclude a nice guy like Les? The guy who excluded him was a big jerk named Bruneholm. He was my least favorite character because he was kind of an adult bully. He was the assistant headmaster of the spy school that Les and his friends attended.
Anyway, this book is a bit scary so I wouldn’t try reading it at night. It freaked me out a couple of times when I was up late with it! It’s a book that is full of surprises, traitors, hatred and war, so if you’re into that kind of stuff, you might just like it. I didn’t though. Sorry!
BOOK NAME: The Battle of the Labyrinth
AUTHOR: Rick Riordan
Hi people! As you can probably tell, I’m a big fan of fantasy literature. This time I’m reviewing The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan. It’s the fourth book in the Percy Jackson series.
The Battle of the Labyrinth is basically about how Percy, Grover, Annabeth and Tyson go on a quest through the labyrinth, an endless maze of paths. The labyrinth has lots of tricky twists and dangerous turns. The quest involves stopping Luke who is trying to get to the labyrinth entrance and Camp Half-Blood. It’s a suspenseful story for sure!
Annabeth is probably my favorite character in the book. She’s this strong, outspoken person who knows exactly how to communicate her point which makes her cool to ‘listen’ to. She is one of the regular characters in the series, and has to face her used-to-be-best-friend, Luke, in this book. It’s exciting how she deals with the situation. She used to kind of like Luke, and still does a little bit, but she is actually starting to like Percy also. The book isn’t exactly mushy but you can tell there’s some girlfriend and boyfriend feelings going on. Anyway, the Annabeth scenes in the book are very interesting and really made me want to read more and more.
The Battle of the Labyrinth was definitely not my favorite book in the series, but absolutely worth reading. The cliffhanger ending in the book is amazing. I mean, I can’t tell you about it, but when you get to the end of the book you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. Read it and see!
BOOK NAME: Beyonders: A World Without Heroes
AUTHOR: Brandon Mull
How would you feel if you were swallowed by a hippopotamus and suddenly found yourself in a parallel world where heroes are nonexistent and almost no hope is left? Would you have the courage to embark on a dangerous journey to save the world you only just entered?
Thirteen-year-old Jason’s life changes forever when his routine day at the zoo ends with him transporting to another world via hippopotamus. Upon his arrival, he witnesses the demise of a group of musicians as they tumble over a waterfall. No one tries to save them.
Jason eventually learns this strange world is called Lyrian, and it is ruled by a tyrant wizard emperor named Maldor. Maldor has broken the spirits of all the heroes who dare oppose him. The musicians that fell over the falls were trying to summon a hero from another world as a last hope. Jason accidentally stumbles upon information about a magic word that can destroy Maldor, making him a mortal enemy of the powerful monarch. Now, his only hope to ever return home is to embark on a perilous quest to piece together the Word, defeat Maldor, and become a hero.
Along the way, Jason meets Rachel, who was also transported to Lyrian from Earth. She decides to assist him in his search for the Word. How can two teenagers ever hope to destroy a mighty ruler and his legions of followers?
A World Without Heroes was an excellently written fantasy novel that I took great pleasure in reading. The storyline was suspenseful and exciting. Jason and Rachel’s near brushes with death and close encounters with Maldor’s deadly minions were enough to keep me engrossed. I also liked that the book had dashes of humor in some portions. Jason and Rachel both use a fair amount of sarcasm to add a happier outlook to their otherwise bleak situation. Maldor is a perfect villain because he weaves complex schemes and is despicably evil. Instead of just killing his strongest adversaries, he chooses to toy with them and give them false hope before crushing their spirit and any resistance they may create. The only thing I did not like about the book was that the ending was very abrupt. I know that the Beyonders will be a series, but I would have preferred the book to tie up a few more loose ends before it finished.
BOOK NAME: The Lost Hero
AUTHOR: Rick Riordan
Hello, blog readers. I’m back again and excited to share my review of another great Rick Riordan book! This time I’m reviewing The Lost Hero. It rocks!
The Lost Hero is the first book of a new series. It starts off a while after The Last Olympian left off but there are brand new characters! Jason who has no memory, his girlfriend Piper, and Leo who can make fire appear are the three main ones. My favorite is Leo, by the way, because he is really funny and likable, but they are all pretty cool. You can get to know them well in this book because each chapter is from a different character’s point of view.
One of my favorite things about this book is that it didn’t disappoint me. I thought that after reading and loving the Percy Jackson series, I would not like this new series as much but I was very wrong. The Lost Hero includes a lot of mythology in the story which is awesome and brings back a lot of the characters from the Percy Jackson series. It also has lots of suspenseful parts and surprises which made me want to go out and buy the next book in the series right away. I think you should too!
BOOK NAME: The Son of Neptune
AUTHOR: Rick Riordan
Hello! It’s Hunter! My review today is on Rick Riordan’s newest book, The Son of Neptune. Have I mentioned before that Rick Riordan is my favorite author? This book is an example of why I love just about anything he writes.
In The Son of Neptune, Percy (from the Percy Jackson series, also written by Rick Riordan) is at a Roman camp for half-bloods. He has lost his memory though! The only thing he can remember is one name–Annabeth. We are also introduced to two demigods, Hazel and Frank. I really liked these new friends of Percy and hope that they appear in other books too. Hazel is interesting. She was once dead and then brought back to life by Nico (also from the Percy Jackson series). Frank is very cool. He has a special gift–he can be anything he wants to be! Anyway, they go on a quest with Percy to try to free Death. They also try to join the Greek and Roman camps together so that the Prophecy of Seven can be fulfilled.
I like the way Rick Riordan has a couple of plots going at the same time. It makes this book really exciting and hard to put down. So do you think Percy, Hazel and Frank are successful? Read the book to find out! If you’re 8 years old or older, I think you will love The Son of Neptune like I did.
BOOK NAME: The Shadows (Books of Elsewhere #1)
AUTHOR: Jacqueline West
Do you like to draw elaborate pictures or paint vivid masterpieces? Imagine if you had the ability to enter paintings and make their scenes come to life in a parallel dimension. How would you use this remarkable power?
Eleven-year old Olive Dunwoody and her family have just moved into a massive, old house on Linden Street. The house is full of winding hallways, unusual antiques, and peculiar paintings. At first, Olive doesn’t notice anything particularly remarkable about any of the paintings that cover the house’s aged walls, but then she notices that some of the painted images move and shift ever so slightly. When her parents try to remove one of the paintings off the wall, it won’t budge. It’s as if the painting was attached to the wall with super glue. Olive doesn’t know what to make of all the strange happenings.
Things become much clearer when Olive finds a pair of spectacles in a drawer. When she puts the spectacles on, all of a sudden the paintings come to life! The trees in a forest painting sway in the wind as a faint white figure darts between their trunks. Olive becomes curious about this strange moving shape. When she takes a closer look, she discovers that she can enter the painting! She meets the moving entity, who happens to be a young boy named Morton. She also encounters several talking cats that can travel in and out of the paintings as well. However, Olive soon discovers that there are more sinister secrets hidden in the paintings. A blanket of thick shadows chases her through the forest painting where she found Morton. Olive also discovers a large, brown dog trapped in a painting in the attic. Olive wonders why Morton and the dog are in the paintings. What other secrets does the mysterious house hold?
I could not put down this fantastic book. The suspenseful storyline is what kept me interested. Olive is thrown into life threatening situations. She must also think quickly and imaginatively to overcome obstacles and unravel the mystery behind the paintings. Her curious and determined demeanor helps her overcome many of the challenges she runs into. The book’s ending was definitely the most entertaining to read. In the final chapters, Olive must face her fears and battle the evil being that haunts the house. Every chapter was filled with nail biting moments. The book also leaves a few cliff hangers to hopefully be answered later in the series. I thoroughly enjoyed The Books of Elsewhere: The Shadows.
BOOK NAME: The Last Olympian
AUTHOR: Rick Riordan
Hi guys! I’m Hunter. This is my first review so tell me what you think! I read The Last
Olympian by Rick Riordan, who is one of my favorite authors. I really like fantasy fiction because
anything is possible!
This book is the fifth and last book in the Percy Jackson series. I definitely think it’s the best of
all of the books and have read it over and over again. Anyway, the book is basically about a war
between the Titans and the gods and demigods. There’s lots of fighting and plotting in the book which
is pretty awesome since there are all sorts of cool made up weapons like invisible caps and swords that
morph!
The main characters, Percy Jackson, Annabeth and Grover are demigods and they are really
likable. They’re also characters in the other books and have been my favorite characters since I picked
up the first book. Percy is funny and sarcastic in a nice way while Annabeth is super kind but tough as
nails. Grover is cool too. He is very sensitive and loves nature. I like the way these characters all get
along even though they have different personalities.
Like I said, I love this book (and so does my brother who is 7). It’s exciting and suspenseful
and very very very difficult to put down! If you enjoy fantasy and mythical things like flying horses
and fire-breathing dragons, The Last Olympian is definitely the book for you!
Posted by BOOK NAME: The Strange Message in the Parchment (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, No 54)
AUTHOR: Carolyn Keene
Do you want to get involved in some detective work? Read The Strange Message in the Parchment by Carolyn Keene. This is a mystery which is part of the Nancy Drew series, one of my all time favorites.
Nancy Drew is an amateur detective who is working diligently to decipher a message in a parchment. Nancy’s friend, Junie, and her family have a parchment with paintings which they bought from their neighbor, Mr. Rocco. They need to decode the hidden message in the paintings. Nancy and Junie question Mr. Rocco about the parchment, but he keeps quiet – which is suspicious. Also, the girls meet young Tony, a worker for Mr. Rocco, who tells them that Mr. Rocco treats him cruelly and that someday he wants to find his family. Nancy’s biggest disappointment comes when the parchment is stolen. However, her picture perfect memory helps her track down the artist. Read the book to see if Nancy is successful in catching the thief and finding Tony’s family. How do the paintings on the parchment weave into the whole mystery?
Kids would love reading this book filled with endless suspense. Each chapter ended with excitement or left me hanging on a thread that I never felt like letting go of the book. Also, this book is composed of couple of mysteries which are interconnected making the book more complex and interesting to read. The way the clues are put together, I myself felt like a detective trying to solve the case. So pick this spine-tingling book off the library shelf and start reading.
Posted by BOOK NAME: Guardians of Ga’Hoole: The Capture
AUTHOR: Kathryn Lasky
Hello readers, how are you all? I sure know that I’m good. I’m here to
tell you about the first book in an amazing series. You may have heard
of the movie Legend of the Guardians of Ga’Hoole…well, that’s
based on the first three books of a 14-book series. I haven’t quite
gotten through all of them yet – I’ve only read the first two, but I’m
going to keep reading the series. Did I mention that the series is all
about owls? Talking owls. And they wear battle armor.
Enough of this introduction! On to the review…
The first book in the Guardians of Ga’Hoole series is called The Capture.
It starts when there is an egg hatching at Soren”s hollow. Soren is the
main character in the book and he has an older brother named Kludd who
really isn’t the nicest owl. He is pretty mean to Soren. There is also
a nest maid in the family. A nest maid is a snake that is born blind
and they serve for barn owls. Her name is Mrs. P and the owl family
loves her. Eglantine is the owl that’s hatched and Soren loves his new
sister with all of his heart. When Soren somehow falls out of his nest,
Kludd refuses to help him and he threatens to eat Mrs. P so nobody can
help Soren. His parents won’t be back from their hunting trip for a few
more weeks.
Soren is then snatched by St. Aggie’s patrols. The patrols are looking
to capture any and all owls who fall from their hollows because they
want to make them their slaves. On his way to St. Aggie’s, he becomes
friends with a little Elf Owl named Gylfie. St. Aggies’s is a horrible
place for Owls and Book 1 is about how Soren and Gylfie try to escape.
I’m not going to tell you exactly what happens…you are going to have
to get the book to find out what happens next. This is a really good
adventure book…sort of like an IndiOWL Jones. Get it?
See ya next time. Reed OUT!
Want another opinion? Read Mairen’s review!
Posted by BOOK NAME:
The Prometheus Project: Trapped
AUTHOR:
Douglas E. Richards
This book begins by introducing you to siblings Ryan and Regan Resnick as their family moves to the “boringest place on earth”, Brewster, Pennsylvania. But as you read this book, you are teleported to a secret world that is anything but boring! In this world aliens have created, they test other intelligent life forms. The siblings are trusted with this secret when they infiltrate the Prometheus Project, where their mom and dad work. A freak accident happens while the scientists are conducting research. I can’t tell you what happens, but the two kids have to understand a problem by themselves or they might never see their parents again since they will be trapped in the unknown world created by aliens. It must have been a difficult experience for Ryan and Regan because it is hard enough to find food and water in the wild, but most likely would be almost impossible to find it on a strange, alien planet.
The author vividly describes very advanced and ingenious technology like sidewalks that are bouncy so you can walk at five times the speed as a regular sidewalk. While fascinating to think about, the scary part to me is thinking that there might be some race or creature that may be even more intelligent and knowing than us. I really like the author’s attention to details like descriptions of the houses and landscape. This is the best book about aliens I have read since Ender’s Game. This stunning book is a great mix between adventure and science fiction, so I would definitely recommend this book to fans of both genres. Of course anyone can read this book and I think they should! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Many of you have left comments sharing which of the Harry Potter books is your favorite. The movies are just as popular as the books, and we’re really excited about the final movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, which will be in theaters on July 15.
We’d like to hear your opinions about the Harry Potter movies. Which one is your favorite? Which movie do you think does the best job of capturing the book? Leave a comment and let us know what you think!
Posted by BOOK NAME: Grey Griffins: The Clockwork Chronicles #1: The Brimstone Key
AUTHORS: Derek Benz & J.S. Lewis
One year ago, Max, Natalia, Ernie and Harley were just regular kids from Avalon, Minnesota…but that was before they learned that evil faeries, werewolves, and other unthinkable monsters actually existed. Now they are the Grey Griffins: monster hunters, celebrated heroes, and allies of the legendary Templar Knights–but even heroes have to go to school.
At Iron Bridge Academy, a school where the students learn to fight the forces of evil, the Griffins find themselves in a whole new adventure when the Clockwork King, a Templar enemy from the past, returns with a deadly plan. Will the Griffins have trouble defeating their infamous foe? Or will they pass with flying colors?
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BOOK NAME: The Titan’s Curse
AUTHOR: Rick Riordan
How is everyone doing? I’ve got another Percy Jackson blog for you. I hope you enjoy this one.
The book starts off with Percy’s mom driving Thalia, Annabeth, and Percy to a school were Grover had reported that he had found a half-blood. When they got to the school there was a school dance going on. Thalia used some sort of “Jedi Mind Trick” on an instructor so they could get in the school. Once they got in they found Grover and he pointed out the two half-bloods. Their names were Bianca and Nico–brother and sister.
Percy, Thalia and Annabeth had to blend in with everyone else by dancing to get to Nico and Bianca. They all got separated from each other at the dance, and then something weird happened and they ended up in the forest. Once they regrouped, they figured out that the same instructor that they had tricked had done this and he had Nico and Bianca captured. Then the instructor flicked his tail and spikes came flying at Percy and his friends. Wait! he has a tail and that can only mean one thing: the instructor is a monster.
You guys have to read to find out what happens and what I’ve told you is really important to the rest of the book, so keep that in mind. This is one of the best books in the series. I hope that you guys think the same thing. Well guys I got to go, so until next time, bye!
BOOK NAME: The Web of Fire
AUTHOR: Steve Voake
A few years ago, an unsung hero named Sam Palmer, the Dreamwalker’s Child, saved the Earth from a group of aliens intent on destroying mankind. He ventured into the remarkable world of Aurobon, where humanoid aliens piloted giant insects. Now Sam and his best friend Skipper have returned to Aurobon. Old enemies have risen once again, and the same group of aliens is still trying to destroy mankind, this time with mind-controlling parasites. They are definitely more powerful and have taken over Aurobon, attempting to crush all resistance. Only a few rebels remain, but they are terribly outnumbered. Sam and Skipper are once again thrown into a seemingly impossible mission to save mankind and maintain balance on Earth and Aurobon. The fate of both worlds rest on a few determined rebels, some double agents, and a brand new bug. All the while, a new conflict rages in Sam’s mind. His essence is once again in Aurobon, but something is different this time…
If you already have read the book The Dreamwalker’s Child that I blogged on earlier and found it thrilling, you will enjoy this sequel even more! Much like The Dreamwalker’s Child, this book was well written and included phenomenal detail. Being inspired by art, one thing that caught my eye were the amazing illustrations. In this book, the pictures of bugs are extremely realistic looking, down to the last hair on the leg of a flea or the wing vein of a hornet. I was fascinated with the descriptions of the weapons and insects. I also liked the touch of humor in this book. In the dialog, sarcasm was often used by Skipper and Sam, and two other soldiers, Mump and Zip. This book also included a great deal of interesting science. The idea of parasitic mind control was especially interesting. The author described the parasite replacing the host’s brain, commands and actions, with its own. In this way, the parasite was able to control the host’s body. If you controlled the parasite, you controlled the host too. Just think of the uses for this, especially in the military and spy fields. I hope there are more books in the series. If so, I can’t wait to read them!
