Huntress

Review by Mo
Title: Huntress
Author: Malinda Lo
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Published: 2011

Quick Summary:
The Huntress is about two girls who have to travel to a distant land to end the endless winter in their land. Their kingdom's crops are dying and the sun hasn't shone for years. Strange, unknown creatures are appearing on the fringe of the kingdom. The two girls, who attend an Academy where they are learning to be sages, travel with the Prince and three loyal guards to attend an invitation sent by the Fairy Queen.  Taisin is powerful and filled with magic, while Kaede is down-to-earth. Taisin shares her vision which is the reason the two girls are sent, and while she's scared of what it might mean, she's terrified of the feelings she experienced in the vision and the chance they might come true and be revealed. Throughout the journey to visit the Fairy Queen, while their whole group struggles against wolves, dark magic and the hostile territory, Taisin grapples with her new feelings. On the journey, Kaede and Taisin grow closer and closer, until finally they're forced to separate.

Review:
I thought this book had a gripping, suspenseful plot that kept me reading, but I didn't like all the romance. I thought it distracted from the story and that most of it could have been removed. I liked the twist at the end, and how the end was a cliff-hanger. I also liked that it had an omnipresent narrator so I could see what all the characters were feeling throughout the story. I liked the main characters, so I cared when they were injured or faced danger. I thought parts of the story moved a little too slowly, and I thought at some points there wasn't enough action, but a lot of thinking. I was surprised by the ending, because I thought it would have reached a conclusive ending, but instead it set the scene for another book, which I'll read. Even though I thought it had too much romance, I still thought it was a good story and want to see how it ends.
Rating: ****

Emperor Mage

Review by Edan

Title: Emperor Mage (Immortals Book 3)

Author: Tamora Pierce

Published: 1995

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Quick Summary:

     Diane has wild magic and can talk to and heal animals, and also shape shift and enter their minds. Everyone else around her just has the Gift (some more than others), like her teacher and close friend Numair. In the past few books, the gods are becoming angry and Diane uncovers her newfound magic. As Diane and other ambassadors from Tortall are invited to Carthak, everything becomes confusing. Diane is sent to heal the emperors birds and the others are trying to sign a peace treaty. As she works, Diane learns a frightening secret: she can bring back the dead. With the gods unsettled, immortal beings walking about, a emperor with a secret plan, and new powers to uncover, will Diane be able to put everything at rest without losing her life?

Review:
     I really like this book, but the first and second books were better. This one was rather confusing and I didn't have the same connections and feeling toward Diane and her friends. I still love this series as a whole and cannot wait to read the last and final book, The Realms of the Gods. This book felt rushed and I think Pierce should have taken her time explaining and connecting everything a bit more. I still understood everything, but it took some more time to get it all and understand the plot. Maybe that was the intentional, having to wait a long time until the major problem was uncovered. I also found the emperor's nephew's character slightly drawn back. I got a good understanding of him, but I didn't get a very strong connection.

I still loved this book and it was just another piece in this story. Obviously some books will be better than others in one series, and this was a action full (not packed) book with new discoveries, characters, information for the reader to add to their understanding of this series.

Rating:****

Peter and The Starcatchers

Review by Edan
Title: Peter and The Starcatchers
Author(s): Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Published: 2004
Publisher: Disney Editions

Quick Summary:
     Peter and his four other orphan friends are sent onto a boat to sail away from London. Peter finds something odd about a trunk being guarded on the boat. With the help of his new friend Molly, he learns of starstuff, a powerful powder from the stars. The trunk is brimming with it and as a pirate learns of a treasure aboard the ship danger comes. They land on a island and face new threats. Will Molly and Peter be able to save the trunk from the ship captain and pirates without being killed?

Review:
   I really liked the twist on Peter Pan. It gives you another sense on how Peter Pan, Neverland, Captain Hook and Lost Boys came to be. Everything came together in a understandable sort of way. When I was reading it, I felt as though the story could take any turn, but still explain the story of Peter Pan. The book was full of adventure and every chapter switched to somewhere else, explaining what is happening to everyone. There are many characters and all of them are fighting for the same thing, each one having a different intention for it.
     This is a magical, understandable, adventurous, explanatory book about a group of orphaned boys, pirates, sailors, and a rather different girl.

Rating:****

Crossed

Review by Mo
Title: Crossed
Author: Allie Condie
Publisher: Penguin Group
Published: 2011

Quick Summary:
Cassia and Ky are both in work camps on the Outer Provinces. They miss each other desperately, but can't find each other. They both run towards the Carving. They're in the same place, but haven't met up. When they finally do, Ky has to decide who he values more: Cassia or his freedom. She wants to join the Rising, but he doesn't. Cassia is almost decided about choosing Ky over Xander, when Ky's betrayal and reluctance make her uncertain once more. Cassia starts to see just how hard everyone who doesn't live in the Society feels and realizes how easy her life has been. She starts to question things she's always know. While Ky has always been mysterious and wild, Xander has been sturdy and dependable, but now it turns out he has his own secret. Meanwhile, Cassia keeps thinking about Xander, who she left behind.

Review:
I enjoyed this book, but I don't think it was as good as either Matched or Reached, the other books in the trilogy. This one was exciting, but it seemed a little repetitive. It moved a little too slowly for me. Cassia and Ky kept thinking of each other before they were reunited, and the same afterwards. I get that they're supposed to be madly in love and obsessed, but I still found it a little boring. I wished there was more adventure and less romance, which the other two have. There was some excitement, but a lot of decisions to be made and choices to be considered. It was also nice to see how Ky thought, instead of just what Cassia thought about him, like in the first book. I also thought it was kind of boring because they were isolated from the rest of the Society so it was more about their romance than the rebellion. It was cool, though, seeing how complicated and ordered the Society was. It made me more concerned for the Rising, because the Society seemed so strong and invincible.  It wasn't my favorite, but it was still pretty good and worth reading, though I did like the other ones better.
Review: ****

Wolf Speaker

Review by Edan
Title: Wolf Speaker (Immortals Book 2)
Author: Tamora Pierce
Published: 1992
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Quick Summary:
     Diane has Wild Magic. Other people have the common magic, The Gift, but she has Wild Magic and a lot of it. This gives her the ability to speak, connect and heal animals. In the first book, she grasped her magic and worked with her new friends, the Queen's Riders, mages and animals. Now, she had gotten a urgent request from Brokefang, the leader of a wolf pack that is good friends with her. She and Numair, her friend, a fantastic mage and leader, come to find something fishy going on. Trees are being cut down, mines are being mined and ogres and other immortal animals coming from the Devine Realms are being enslaved. Can Diane and her friends figure out and stop what is going on....

Review:
     Like the first book, I loved this book. I like animals, and the idea of this animal related magic is fascinating. The books have a interesting twist on magic I have not read about yet. The never ending adventure and excitement keeps the book in your hands and the love for Diane and her friends (human or not) is strong. I could never stop reading this book and loved everything about it. There is a realistic feel, even though it takes place in another world and includes immortal beings and magic. If you are interested in a exciting, animal related, magical adventure, this series is for you.

Rating: *****

Wild Magic

Review by Edan
Title: Wild Magic (Immortals Book 1)
Author: Tamora Pierce
Published: 1992
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Quick Summary:
     13 year old Diane has always had a "knack for animals," as she call it. As she runs from her destroyed home with her horse Cloud, she is thrown into an adventure where she learns her ability to speak to animals comes from wild magic. Other people have the Gift, the common magic. She helps the royal horsemistress and soon joins the Queen's Riders she begins learning from one of the best mages. She begins to realize her newfound powers and friends. Diane struggles to push her way through hardships, find where she belongs and who she can trust.

Review:
     I loved this book. I had picked it up at a book sale and assumed it could be a good book, but probably not. I started it and was thrown into a wild adventure where the reader can connect and love all the character. The different world and wondrous plot made the story exiting. Pierce makes you feel a strong love and connection for Diane and her friends. The idea of the types of magic and immortal beings (monsters, creatures, and gods) are fascinating, crazy and believable. Wild Magic has a great plot, characters and beings.

Rating: *****

Mistwood

Review by Mo
Title: Mistwood
Author: Leah Cypress
Publisher: Greenwillow
Published: 2010

Quick Summary:
Mistwood is about a Shifter, Isabel. Her job is to protect the king, no matter what the cost to herself. She can shift and has powers that no human can rival. When the new prince comes to her wood to bring her back to the castle to protect him, she finds she cannot remember her past. She finds her powers weaker than the legends say and that everyone remembers. She struggles to protect her prince and conceal her weakness. Slowly, she begins to unearth a conspiracy that may be the reason for her inability to fully shift as she used to.

Review:
I really liked this book. It was a really unique plot to have a creature with so much power, and yet be struggling with human emotions. I thought it was really cool how even thought Isabel can do things no human can do, she's also really human. The end brings a startling twist that answers the question of why Isabel is no longer like her legends. I liked this book because it was full of mystery, treachery, conspiracies and loyalty.
Rating: *****

The False Prince

Review by Mo
Title: The False Prince
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Publisher: Scholastic
Published: 2012

Quick Summary:
This is a story about a orphaned boy. He is forced to participate in a treacherous plot to seize the throne, even though he has no desire to rule. His name is Sage, and he's very stubborn and difficult. He, along with two other boys have to compete against one another. Sage doesn't want to cooperate, but eventually gives in when he realizes the horrible consequences of losing. The end comes with a shocking twist.

Review:
I really enjoyed this book. It was action-packed from the beginning and kept me reading the whole time. Sage was a complicated character; he was kind hearted, but self-centered. His character really developed throughout the book, and as a result, I felt like I really understood Sage. As difficult as he is, I'm rooting for Sage throughout the entire novel.  This book is full of mystery, suspense, sarcasm and action. I really liked this book.
Rating:*****

Pirate Wars

Review by Edan
Title: Pirate Wars (Wave Walker Trilogy - Book 3)
Author: Kai Meyer
Publisher: Margaret T. McElderberry
Published: 2008

Quick Summary:
     Jolly and Munk, two pollywogs in the Caribbean (meaning they can walk on water and breath under it), need to go on an adventure to close the Maelstrom, an entrance to the a endless sea where monsters are born and live. Meanwhile, Griffin, Jolly and Munk's friend, faces his own challenges with other monsters. There other friends are also helping protect a floating city on a sea star from monsters, pirates and cannibles. Will this batch of fearless heroes win their war?

Review:
     I think this book was the most action pact book in the trilogy. The entire book is about the battle. It never got boring though, because all the characters were doing different things. Meyer let you visit each  character and see what they are doing. The book kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to keep on reading. Meyer would be talking about someone and leaves you hanging, wondering what happened. You have to read through the other people to get back to them and learn what happened. This may sound like a confusing read, but it is easily understandable and exciting. Once you start it, you have to finish.

Rating:*****

Pirate Emperor

Review by Edan
Title: Pirate Emperor (Wave Walker Trilogy - Book 2)
Author: Kai Meyer
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderberry Books
Published: 2004

Quick Summary:
     Jolly and Griffin are stranded on a strange island with a bridge leading into an unknown world. As they stand on this bridge suddenly it bursts into flames. Luckily, their mysterious friend the Ghost Trader comes and rescues them. They go back to Aelinium, a floating city on a giant sea star, and find Jolly's friend Munk. Jolly and Munk are polliwogs, meaning they can walk on water and breath underneath it. The fate of mankind rests on their shoulders as the Maelstrom, an entrance to a sea of large, unnatural creatures, needs to be closed and they are the only ones to do it.

Review:
     I'm not sure which book I liked better, the first or the second. Each book doesn't have a different plot. The first book feels like the beginning, the second like the middle of the story. The different characters are sometimes doing different things and I like the way every so often, the story would change and go into someone else's thoughts somewhere else. It keeps me wondering what was going on to all the people. When someone just did something and then the perspective changes, it makes me want to keep on reading to know what happens. This book had more action than the first one, but I think I liked the first book slightly more. It is as action packed, enthusiastic and interesting book.

Rating: ****

Skellig

Review by Edan
Title: Skellig
Author: David Almond
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Published: 1998

Quick Summary:
     Michael, a 10 year old boy, has just moved into a decrepit house that is falling apart, as his baby sister lies sick in the hospital. As he searches through the house, he makes his way to the garage. In it, he finds the most sup rising thing in his life. A creature lies still, looking dead. He and his new friend Mina have no idea who and what he is. He has given up on life, but they won't let him. It is their job to bring him into the light and put the life back into him.

Review:
     I think this is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. It was so inspiring and mystical. Anyone who reads it will interpret it in a different way. They will each have an idea of what Skellig is and where he came from. Even in the back of the book, David Almond said he is always asked questions like, What is he? Where did he come from? Where does her go? and he said he didn't have answers. He didn't even know, his book is a mystery even to him.

     I'm not sure what I can say. I loved this book. You feel the connection with Michael and his feelings. You feel his awe and anger. You feel his confusion and love. You can create your own opinion of Mina, who is not your average girl. You can add any of your own thoughts into the story, there are not constrictions.

    If you like books ending with answers, then this book is would not be one of your favorites. This book is wonderful, but not for someone who wants a finished and satisfied ending. But this book was wonderful, loving, inspiring, fantastical and I loved it and would highly recommend it.

Rating:*****

Heart of a Samurai

Review by Edan
Title: Heart of a Samurai
Author: Margi Preus
Publisher: Amulet Books
Published: 2010

Quick Summary:
    In 1841, 14 year old Manjiro and some other fishermen find themselves shipwrecked on a island in the waters far from there homeland, Japan. But soon they start to starve and become sick. Finally, they are rescued by an American whaling boat that is swarming with "barbarians". Manjiro become curious and learns all he can from these whalers and soon befriends the captain. Manjiro travels to America and lives with the captains family, going to school, helping out on the farm and trying to find way back to Japan. But Japan is in isolation and will probably kill him if he returns. Will Manjiro return to Japan and put his American knowledge to good use?

Review:
     This book was based on a true story. That is what amazes me. Almost everything written in the book is true, and that is one reason I like this book. Manjiro is considered the first Japanese person to be in America, and his journey to get there, and back to Japan, is mind boggling. I cannot believe how far he went and the risks he took. The story feels like fiction, but at the same time it feels true and wonderful.

     Preus did a great job describing his confusion and thoughts. The story took around 20 years, yet it all fit into this one book. The balance of action and time lapse is perfect and you can tell how Manjiro grows and ages. You can get swallowed into his thoughts and start to think like him. Heart of a Samurai is a inspiring book, full of adventure, perseverance and determination.

Rating: *****

Pirate Curse

Review by Edan
Title: Pirate Curse (Wave Walker Trilogy - Book 1)
Author: Kia Meyer
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published: 2006

Quick Summary:
     14 year old Jolly is a pirate in the Caribbean, but not just any pirate, a polliwog. Being a polliwog, she can walk on water and she is sure she is the last polliwog alive. After her ship was destroyed,  Jolly makes her way to a island where she meets Munk, the other last polliwog. Together they wind there way through an adventure with a mysterious character the Ghost Trader, a ship captain, a pit bull headed man, a pirate princess and another pirate their age. The Ghost Trader seems trust worthy, telling them information, but he is holding something back. Can these two polliwogs find out the truth of their adventure?

Review:
     I have never been interested in pirates or Pirates of the Caribbean, but this book has an interesting tale and twist. I love the idea of walking on water and the way Meyer describes it. I can just imagine jumping from wave to wave, feeling the current pulling me beneath my feet and laying down on the water as if jut carries you like a flying carpet. The book is loaded with adventure and action, I mean it's a pirate book, how can it not have action! The creatures they describe and in legends they tell, make me wonder where they came from. Are these stories from the Caribbean, sailors, pirates or other parts of the world? I read a book (The Island of the Aunts) that mentions the kraken. That book takes place in the middle of the ocean in the middle of nowhere. In the Pirate Curse, they also mention the kraken, but describe it in a totally different way. It make you compare different books and their stories.

     The end of the book seems to end in a strange place, but it makes you want to get the second book. If you get the first book, I suggest you get the second book at the same time so you don't have to wait to get the second book (unlike I did, I have to wait a while until I can get the second book. It's killing me).

Rating: *****


   

The Book of Wonders

Review by Edan
Title: The Book of Wonders
Author: Jasmine Richards
Publisher: Harper Collins
Published: 2012

Quick Summary:
    Zardi and her friend Ridhan live in a kingdom called Arribitha where the cruel, evil sultan rules. He banned all magic and djinn, phenixes and any other magical creature. Zardi loves these stories her grandmother tells her and lives happily, until one day her older sister and father are taken by the sultan and will surely die. Zardi and Ridhan - Zardi wanting to save her sister and father and Ridhan wanting to find out more about where he came from - set off with a sailer and  his crew but are shipwrecked on a magical island. Will Zardi escape from the Queen of Serpents, a brass giant, and djinni with the answers she is searching for?

Review:
     This book was awesome. When I first found the book in the library, I thought, Cool. This book might be OK, but I really liked it. It is a book full of adventure, magic and another land. I love books like that.  These two kids are seeking answers and run into tons of people, creatures and problems. Jasmine Richards did a great job creating scenes, connections between characters and feelings in my head. I enjoy reading book about magic and magical creatures, because every author has another spin on it. Harry Potter's magic is totally different than the type of magic in Eragon, and totally different than a real life spin of magic in Magic by the Lake. These takes on magic create a large veriaty of options in my head.

     Ok, I got side tracked. The book pushed me onward, never letting me put the book down. It was action packed and great. The only problem was the ending isn't finished, like there is going to be a second book. The problem with that is I can't find anything about the second book anywhere. Maybe it is to recent for Jasmine Richards to announce the second book, or maybe she got bored and isn't going to write it, I don't know. I just hope she write book 2.

Rating: *****
   

Guardian of Green Hill

Review by Edan
Title: Guardian of Green Hill
Author: Laura L. Sullivan
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co
Published: 2011

Quick Summary:
     After Meg and her siblings endure the fairy Midsummer War, they are faced with the problems of Guardianship. Meg's great-great-aunt (the present Guardian, who keeps the peace with humans and fairies) is getting old and Meg is the next heir. A bewitching, spell-casting artist, Gwidion, thinks that he is the rightful heir.  He and his talking goat try his many dreadful schemes to become the next Guardian. It is Meg's decision that can save the fairies and mythological world.

Review:
     I'm not sure if I liked Under the Green Hill or Guardian of Green Hill better. I think I liked Guardian of Green Hill a little better. Instead of just including English fairies and folklore, this book includes other cultures folklore, mythology and spirits. It let's you know a little more about the different types of views on fairies and spirits. Guardian of Green Hill has more action than the fist book. Under the Green Hill has more about Meg not wanting Rowan (her older brother) to compete in the battle, sorting her thoughts and understanding the fairy world. It is slightly infuriating that the reader knew about Gwidion's plots against Meg and her family. I didn't want to read because I was mad the book. But I kept on reading and things eventually turned to Meg's favor. This book was a great, slightly easy, interesting read.
   
     

Under the Green Hill

                                     

Review by Edan 

Title: Under the Green Hill

Author: Laura L. Sullivan 

Publisher: Henry Holt Books

Published: 2010 

Quick Summary:

     Meg and her 3 siblings (1 older and 2 younger), find themselves spending the summer in England with there great-great-aunt and uncle in a giant ancient mansion and estate. They soon find something more interesting than exploring the mansion's ancient rooms as they are introduced to the world of fairies. They are led deep into the forest and Rowan, Meg's older brother, pledges himself the the fairy queen to be her champion. Meg, aghast, tries everything she can to keep him from fighting a savage battle to the death. 

Summary:

     I loved reading this book, because of the fairy folklore. I enjoy reading books like this to compare and contrast other books I've read on magic, fairies and folklore. The plot was exciting, but slow going at times and sometimes Meg, being fearful and careful, got on my nerves. She could be too careful and hesitant and not fully except her role. It aggravated me, sometimes knowing thing that Meg didn't. The book was exciting and interesting learning more about English folklore. 

     I have started the second book Guardian of Green Hill. It seems like another great book, but I also know something that Meg and her relatives do not. That makes want to yell at Meg and tell her what I know. I can't wait to finish it. 

Future Releases

Post by Edan

There a a few books in series I've been reading that are coming out soon, some sooner than others.
These are the books:

Reached by Ally Condie 

Release Date: November 13th, 2012

I read the other two books of the Matched trilogy last month and can't wait for the third book. 

Chasing the Prophecy by Brandon Mull

Release Date: March 12th, 2013

I read the first two books of the Beyonders series and soon found out the third wasn't out yet!

The Seven Year King by Kiki Hamilton

Release Date: May 14th, 2013

I read the Faerie Ring and tried to find the Torn Wing at my library and local bookstore. I then found out that it had come out only a few weeks ago on October 2nd. Now I have to wait for both of these books to become available. 

See You at Harry's

Reviewed by Edan
Title: See You at Harry's
Author: Jo Knowles
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Published: 2012

Quick Summary:
     Fern is a 12 year old girl who's family is falling apart. Her sister Sarah is working at the family restaurant the year after high school, as her friends go to collage. Her older brother Holden has different feelings that aren't accepted by most people at school. Her younger 3 year old brother Charlie gets lots of laughs and attention. Her mom is almost always gets overwhelmed and hides away to meditate and her dad is always too busy with the family restaurant to care about anything else. Suddenly a shocking event takes place leaving her family thrown into disrepair. Fern has to let it go and continue life, which she thinks is not possible.

Review:
    I enjoyed reading See You at Harry's, even though it was very heartbreaking. I felt the same way Fern did and had to put the book down for a little bit because I didn't want to be sad anymore. The story was almost telling me if something bad happens push through it and things will get better even if it it seems like it won't. I start to become connected with the characters and feel sorry and happy for them. Even though it was depressing, I kept on reading because I wanted to know if things would get better and have an happy ending. It was a slow going, touching and beautiful book.

Rating: ****

The Faerie Ring

Reviewed by Edan
Title: The Faerie Ring
Author: Kiki Hamilton
Publisher:
Published: 2011

Quick Summary:
     Tiki, a girl who lives in London in 1871, lives on pickpocketing. She lives on the streets with a few other kids. Tiki steals a ring and to her dismay soon realizes it is the Queen's. And not just a ring, but the ring holding the truce between fey and the faerie wold and humans.  Another thief has to help her return the ring, but things start to get complicated. Secrets are kept, doubts are made and suspicions are created.

Review:
     I really dove into this book and loved it. The excitement and action flows throughout the book. I liked the way I felt Tiki's doubts and feelings about her plans and friends. I like Hamilton's perspective and descriptions of the faeries, unlike some other books. At the end of most books, everything the character had been confused about is explained and resolved. But in The Faerie Ring Tiki learns some information and some confusions are resolved. Not knowing all the facts motivates me to read the second book, The Torn Wing, which just came out this August. The wait for the third book, The Seven Year King,  is going to kill me, as it is coming out in May of 2013.

Rating: *****

The Underneath

Review by Mo
Tittle: The Underneath
Author: Kathi Appelt
Publisher: Atheneum books
Published: 2008

Quick Summary:
The Underneath is a story about a dog, a cat and two kittens. They live underneath a porch in the backwaters of a bayou. They have to live under the porch because otherwise, Gar-Face, the dog Ranger's owner, will use the cats as alligator bait. They live peacefully until one of the kittens ventures out from under the porch.

Review:
Personally, I did not like this book. I didn't even finish it. It was a boring story, written in an even more dull style. It was filled with too many details and written in a weird style. It flipped between the kittens, the dog, the bayou, the forest, Gar-Face, an ancient reptilian creature, her daughter, the alligator and the trees. It was tedious to read about all these different stories without caring about any of them or seeing how they all fit together. I don't recommend this book unless you like dull animal stories.
Rating: *

The Shakespeare Stealer

Review by Edan
Title: The Shakespeare Stealer
Author: Gary Blackwood
Publisher: Puffin Books
Published: 1998

Quick Summary:
     Widge, an orphan living in Elizabethan England and the same time Shakespeare's plays were alive on the stage, has finally received a new master and his first task is to copy down Shakespeare's play Hamlet. Widge and his masters aggressive servant go to London to watch and copy down Hamlet. Widge is found and with no escape, he joins the actors to steal the play later. He waits for an opportunity to escape with the play, but finds himself enjoying himself as he trains as an actor. Soon he starts to question himself, should he obey his master or be loyal to his new friends?

Review:
     I really liked reading The Shakespeare Stealer because it was full of adventure, but also interesting facts about Shakespeare and Elizabethan England. I am learning about Shakespeare in school and this book had new facts. Widge is from the country and doesn't know about the London or acting and he learns about it as the reader does too. I usually do not like historical fiction books, but this one was good. It wasn't boring and full of history like other ones. This book was a eventful, interesting and exciting read.

Rating: *****

The Supernaturalist

Reviewed by Edan
Title: The Supernaturalist
Author: Eoin Colfer
Publisher: Puffin
Published: 2004

Quick Summery:
    Cosmo Hill lives in the future where whales are extinct, wood is scarce, and the ocean will bleach your skin. He finally escapes from his military like orphanage and Cosmo then sees these alien like creatures as he lays on deaths door. The Supernaturalists, a group of misfits who can see these creatures (also known as Parasites), show up and save him. Cosmo joins there group to help save people from these life sucking Parasites. Finally they think they just made a dent into the Parasite population. Things start to go wrong and they are introduced to the horrifying truth.

Review:
     This book was wonderful. This idea of the future is very realistic if humans continue to live the way that they do. It is a book full of excitement and action, but also has some of the relationships between the Supernaturalists, each one having their own secrets that the readers learns throughout the book. A book about law breaking kids running around killing life sucking aliens in a city run by a satellite is probably a good book. I enjoyed reading Eoin Colfer's other books about Artemis Fowl and thought I would probably like this one too. This is a great book for any middle schooler to enjoy.

     The ending feels unfinished though. The Supernaturalists opponent lives on to continue their work and the story isn't over. I discovered that Eoin Colfer had got caught up writing the Artemis Fowl books and didn't write the sequel. Now he is finally writing The Supernaturalist 2 which I can't wait to read.

Rating: *****

Recommended:

Artemis Fowl by Eoin
Colfer

Ender's Game

Title: Ender's Game

Author: Orson Scott Card

Publisher: Phoenix Rising

Published: 1977

Quick Summary:

Ender's Game takes place in the future. Earth has been attacked twice by aliens and humans have started breeding military geniuses. They train them for war, so that the humans can win the next war. Ender, the main character, is the youngest of three siblings. Both his older siblings weren't quite good enough to be trained, but Ender is. Ender is one of the youngest at training, and yet he's better than them all.

Review:

Ender's Game was an amazing book. I was reluctant to start reading this book, because I think it's cover is boring and depressing. However, when I did finally read the book, I loved it. It had suspense, action, mystery and drama. Ender is isolated and ridiculed, and though he isn't always the most friendly boy, by the middle of the book, I was already rooting for him. Card introduces an unfamiliar world, though it's still Earth. I was avidly reading throughout this novel as Ender faced challenge after challenge, becoming smarter and smarter as he went. The whole book had a looming threat of alien invasion, and the book ends with a sudden twist.

Rating: *****

Matched

Review by Edan
Title: Matched
Author: Ally Condie
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Published: 2010

Quick Summary:
     Cassia lives in a perfect world. Everything is regulated from food, to when you die, to your spouse. When Cassia finally receives her Match, the person she would sign a marriage contract with in a couple of years, she is surprised that it is Zander. Zander had been her best friend as long as she can remember. To Cassias displeasure, she finds herself falling in love with Ky. Thing's become hard for them as the Society starts to interfere and Cassia finally starts to realize the truth.

Review:
     I liked this book. I know it says it is a romance novel and i hated that part, but I think the plot is interesting. It reminds me of the Giver, another perfect world that is more disciplined than the world Matched takes place in. The idea that the people are being controlled by making it seems like they have options, but only having one choice is fascinating. They can make it seem like people are acting on their own accord, but are actually being manipulated. All these concepts make the book interesting. I also cannot imagine that this is what the world might be like years form now.  This book was a page turner, making you read on. It was a book I would recommend, especially to people who like romance novels.

Rating: ****

Recommended:

The Giver - By Lois Lowry

all these things i've done -
By Gabrielle Zevin

Facing the Lion

Reviewed by Mo
Title: Facing the Lion
Author: Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton
Publisher: National Geographic Society
Published: 2005

Quick Summary:
Facing the Lion is about a boy growing up Maasai on the African savanna. He gets to go to school, unlike the rest of his family. He has to go between the world at boarding school, to the world at home, which are very different. He struggles to fit in, while living in two different worlds. In the book, he faces his first lion, herds cattle, becomes a man and has to find his own way home.

Review:
I liked this book because it showed how hard his life on the savanna was. I also got to see how alienated he was at home after living most of his life at boarding school. He's really different than his family and his tribe because of school. The book was a little too simple for me and didn't have a very complicated plot, but was a good book because of the perspective. The story had action and suspense, which kept me interested.
Rating:***

The Island of the Aunts

Reviewed by Edan
Title: Island of the Aunts (also published as Monster Mission)
Auther: Eva Ibbotson
Publisher: Puffin Books
Published: 2000

Quick Summary:
     Three aunts living on an island in the middle of the ocean are getting old. They take care of hurt animals on the island including the magical creatures like mermaids and silkies, but they are getting old and need new helpers, children. They kidnap three children, two are happy to be there the other is not. When a search party comes out to find the children, suddenly rescue team is thinking about they money a live mermaid or other mythical creature is worth. The aunts and children will have to save them before it is too late...
    
Review:
     I think Island of the Aunts is a fun, cheery and fantasticle book. Even though it takes place in the very recent past, Europe is so crazy and surreal. Having an island in the middle of the ocean with mermaids, selkies, giant birds and wingless dragon and being unnoticed for years is also very unbeleivable. For the fisrt half of the book it's hard to see what the conflict is, but once it is revealed it has an exciting plot. I enjoyed this easy, light hearted and magical book with mythical creatures, interesting people and overall an exciting and pleasent story.

Rating: ****

Monster

Review by Mo 
Title: Monster
Author: Walter Dean Myers
Publisher: Harpercollins
Published:1999

Quick Summary:
Monster is a story of a boy named Steve, who is charged with murder. He's a sixteen-year-old African-American. He has to go to court, where he is accused of being the look-out for the murder. If convicted, he could be condemned to a life sentence. The whole story is written in a screen play format, the way someone would write a movie, with little diary entries scattered throughout.

Review:
One thing I really enjoyed about this book was that for most of the story, I didn't know what had happened. In the beginning of the book, Steve never told the reader whether he was innocent or guilty, or what had happened the day of the murder. The suspense kept me reading, because I really wanted to know what had happened. Steve is really good at expressing himself throughout his movie, which made me like him more. He seemed really human and I didn't want him to be found guilty. I also learned more about court, lawyers and criminal law in this book. I recommend this unique story to anyone who's interested in making movies or just wants an exciting book.
Rating:****

Lord of the Flies

Reviewed by Edan

Title: Lord of the Flies

Auther: William Golding

Publisher: Faber and Faber

Published: 1954

Quick Summary:

     A group of boys traveling in a airplane get abandoned on a island after their airplane is shot down. They form their own community and try everything they can to get rescued. But some of the boys break away and let their civilized mannors fade. Will they be rescued before it is to late?

Review:

    Lord of the Flies is a interesting book. I like reading about survival, wilderness, and children forming communities. Lord of the Flies has all three. It's interesting to see how they decide to live and it is a fun book at first. Later it becomes slightly more confusing and intense as the wilflife gets to most of the boy. One starts seeing things, and most of the others turn away and form a savage tribe. They hunt and kill wild pigs and threaten to harm other boys who come near the tribe. You start to say "What? Why would you do that? Did they seriously just do that?". One thing that is confusing though, is why the boys got to the island, why were they in the airplane together? They din't know each other and it is only these young boys on the plane. But other than that it is a good, eventfull read that I would recommend.

Rating: ****

The Thief Lord

                                                                                         

                                      Review By: Roshni 

                                     Title: The Thief Lord

                                    Author: Cornelia Funke

                               Publisher: The Chicken House

                                          Published in: 2001

Quick Summary:

The Thief Lord tells a story about two boys named Prosper, 12 years old, and Boniface, 5 years old. Prosper and Boniface, Bo, escape from the clutches of their cruel aunt and uncle, Esther and Max Hartlieb, and travel to Venice, Italy. In the magical city, Prosper and Bo are found by a gang of thieves. Scipio, Thief Lord, is 13 and takes care of 3 other kids besides Prosper and Bo. Their names are: Caterina (Hornet), Mosca, and Riccio. Esther and Max hire a detective named Victor, to find both Prosper and Bo. Eventually, the 6 kids find out that Victor is following them.They capture him and take Victor as a prisoner to their home, which is an old, abandoned movie theater. Ultimately, the detective runs away, while the kids are getting ready to go on a huge raid. On their raid, things go wrong leading the gang to split up and find homes where they can belong.

Review:

The summary on the back was so descriptive and detailed that I had to chose this book. I'm glad I chose it cause I loved the book! It took me to the mysterious city of Venice, Italy. I enjoyed picturing the beautifully described water, housing, people, and everything else. When they took Victor, the detective, hostage, I was surprised! Later on in the book, I found it very funny that 6 young kids were able to trick him like that. While they were on their raid, the owner of the house, Ida Spavento, walked in. She was confused because she saw a group of kids in her house, but she didn't call the cops. Instead she sat them down, fed them, and asked why they were there. I thought that part was funny because normally if you are caught trying to rob someone, you are sent to jail, but not in this case! This book was probably one of the BEST books I have ever read. I recommend it to anyone who loves traveling through books. 

Rating: *****

To Kill a Mockingbird

Review by Mo 

Title: To Kill a Mockingbird
Author: Harper Lee

Publisher:  HarperCollins

Published:  1960

Quick Summary:

To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in a small county in Alabama in the 1930's. Maycomb County hasn't really changed in a while since it's a small county and it's isolated from the rest of the state. Scout, the main character, and her brother Jem, live with their father, Atticus, a lawyer. This book shows a few years of Scout and Jem's childhood, from a fire on a cold winter night, to dares with their friend Dill. African-Americans are discriminated against throughout their story, so when Atticus is asked to defend one in court, the town is plunged into discord.

Review: I enjoyed this book because I liked reading about this small town in the deep south during this time period. I liked witnessing the story through a young, naive girl's eyes. It gave the story a unique feeling that couldn't have been achieved had the story been told by someone else. Even though Scout couldn't understand some things, Lee made it possible for the reader to still understand. I was really surprised at the uproar that Atticus's decision to defend Tom Robinson, the African-American defendant, caused. It really shows how much things have changed since then. At some points, I felt like the story was kind of slow and didn't know where it was heading, but most of the story was full of twists that kept me reading. Overall, I enjoyed the book.
Rating: ****

The Kane Chronicles

Review by Edan

Titles:                                   

   - The Red Pyramid

   - The Throne of Fire

   - The Serpents Shadow

Author: Rick Riordan 

Publisher: Disney Hyperion and Puffin Books

Published: 2010-2012


Quick Summary:

     Apophis, a evil giant snake, is starting to break free of his prison. He is planning on devouring the sun, plunging the world into darkness. It is Carter and Sadie Kane's job to stop him before he succeeds his task. The gods are getting involved, helping and standing in the way of the Kanes. The Nomes, Egyptian Magician districts of the world, are fighting against each other, some blaming the Kanes for their problems and others helping them along their quest. Can Carter and Sadie stop Apophis before it before it is to late, or will Apophis overpower them and destroy the world?

Review:

     When I saw my friend reading one of these books, I had to ask what it was. When I was younger I loved Ancient Egypt and everything about it, and still do. I also love all of Rick Riordan's other books so I thought these must be good. They are full of excitement and adventure and pull you in and never let you stop reading. 

    I like how Rick Riordan included a lot of other minor less known god, including Bast, Bes, Serqet, Tawaret. There are so many Egyptian gods and I bet more than than half of them people haven't even heard of. He didn't just mention these lesser gods, he gave them some major role and other parts that weren't just a mentioned name. He also included some of the Egyptian history, beliefs and rituals which I also found interesting. 

   To me, none of the books where better than another. They all seemed to flow together into one story. And it killed me having to wait to get the Serpents Shadow form the library (It must've been popular, around 150 people had requested it!). I also enjoyed how the perspectives changed every other chapter, letting you get to be in Sadie and Carter Kane's head. I loved this series and if you like Riordan's other books, you'll also like these ones. 


Rating: *****