[Book Review] Potion Masters: The Eternity Elixir (Book #1) by Frank L. Cole

Potion Masters: The Eternity Elixir (Book #1)

by

Frank L. Cole

Blurb:

"Twelve-year-old Gordy Stitser is one of the few people who knows the truth about the secret society of potion masters, called Elixirists, whose specialized concoctions have been responsible for three centuries of advancements, including hybrid cars, enhanced military weapons, and the cure for the common cold. Not only is Gordy's mom on the Board of Ruling Elixirists Worldwide (B.R.E.W.), but she has also been training Gordy in the art of potion-making. Gordy is a natural, and every day he sneaks down to the basement lab to invent new potions using exotic ingredients like fire ant eggs, porcupine quills, and Bosnian tickling juice. One afternoon, Gordy receives a mysterious package containing an extremely rare potion labeled 'The Eternity Elixir.' In the right hands, the Elixir continues to protect society. But in the wrong hands, it could destroy the world as we know it. Now, sinister potion masters are on the hunt to steal the Eternity Elixir. It's up to Gordy, his parents, and his best friends, Max and Adeline, to prevent an all-out potion war."

My Review:

What a fun book! I think it's almost every kid's dream to make potions, right? Didn't we all mix strange concoctions when we were little, hoping in our heart of hearts that it would make our parents forget about chores or bad grades or broken rules? No? So it was just me? Ok, then, moving on...Gordy is a fun character. He is smart (maybe not so much street smart as potion-smart), witty, courageous, and quick thinking. He's a good friend and a good son. I really like his voice in this book; it feels like your best friend is telling you this outrageous story of what happened to him last weekend. His friends Max and Adeline are great supporting characters. His mom is this super-secretive-awesome lady who is the CIA/FBI of the potion world; I liked her a lot. This book is very creative and unique. I love that you're reading about this skeleton with a rock head who travels thousands of miles on his own to accomplish his task, and you think that's normal and totally feasible. It's great. And the bad guys are definitely bad guys. They're a little scary with some evil plans. This book is a fast, easy read. It's quite entertaining, and I enjoyed it a lot. I can't wait to hand it over to my kiddos, I think they'll really like it. 

Rating: PG (There's no profanity, no "intimacy," and only some minor violence as they fight off the bad guys.)

  Age Recommendation: Middle-graders (4th-6th) and up

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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[Book Review] The Sage Challenger by Chad Rasumssen

Photo Credit: goodreads.com

The Sage Challenger

by

Chad Rasmussen

Blurb:

"The day Arian Coles stepped into the CUBUS his life would be changed forever. His scores were high enough to thrust him into the world's greatest and most dangerous competition. But this is no game, the winner will become one of the ten world leaders--a Sage. According to Sage Law there must always be Ten Sages, but the eldest, Kanja, is dying. He must be replaced. Unable to find a suitable replacement among their own people, the Sages turn to the working class populace and institute the Challenger Competition. Through their love of intelligence, athleticism, technology, and extreme sports they have created The Challenges--ten Challenges in the most dangerous locations on earth. Making friends and foes along the way, Arian must be on his guard at all times. He must decipher his feelings between Maria and Ciana and decide if one is his ally or enemy. At the brink of death, Arian will have to prove if he has the fortitude to make it through unimaginable adversity and be crowned a Sage. But is this the end goal for Arian? He must decide what his true purpose is." 

My Review:

Wow! What a ride! Full disclosure: Chad Rasmussen lives in my neighborhood. It always makes me a little nervous to review books for people that I know. What if I hate it? What if it's poorly written? Especially with first-time authors, you never know what you're going to get. So, when his wife asked if I'd read his book, I said, "Yes," and then I got worried. However, I needn't have worried. In his debut novel, Chad Rasmussen takes one part Hunger Games, one part The Amazing Race, and one part Olympics, and successfully mixes them all up into one crazy concoction of action, revenge, betrayal, amazing feats, and change for the Cive people. You can't help but like Arian. He's strong, determined, intelligent, easy to relate to, and courageous. The Challenges are insane! Racing on snowboard-type boards on sand dunes, capoeira to the death, soccer on water skates, and flying suits. I was really glad that my brother-in-law and sister-in-law introduced me to capoeira so that I knew what they were talking about. I watched them in a tournament once, and it was quite exciting! Here's a video of what capoeira is. It's 8.5 min, but you just need to watch the first couple of minutes to see what it is.  

What did you think? Pretty fun to watch, right? Now just picture them fighting to the death using capoeira. On a small platform. Thousands of feet in the air. Scary! Overall, I'd say that this book is well written. The characters are developed well, the story flows well, is easy to read and understand, and it's full of action. The Challenges are exciting to read about, and the relationships Arian has with Maria, Shen, and Komi add such a great element to the story. I loved how they supported him. I'd say that overall it was a bit predictable, but there were enough surprises along the way to keep me reading. I came to enjoy this sci-fi world that Chad Rasmussen has created. The ending was a bit of a drop-off-a-cliff, so I hope there is a second book to take us off the ledge we're hanging from.

Rating: PG+ (There was one swear word that I remember, so not terrible there, and there isn't any "intimacy," except for some brief kissing. It is quite violent though. A lot of characters die, and some of them quite graphically.)

Age Recommendation: Young Adult and up (12+)

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review, and Chad Rasmussen does live in my neighborhood; however, this did not affect my review.

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[Book Review] Devil in the Microscope by Ryan Decaria

Photo Credit: goodreads.com

Devil in the Microscope

by

Ryan Decaria

Blurb (from goodreads.com):

"When “science-fair-geek” Anika goes to live with her scientist father in a town built around his mysterious genetics laboratory, she is determined to prove herself worthy of his legacy. But all preconceptions about her new life are thrown out the window when Anika discovers her father is a megalomaniac living in a town populated entirely by mad scientists. Now Anika will have to navigate her way through a high school filled with vindictive evil geniuses, deadly science projects, and unspeakable human experimentation. Relying on her wits, scientific know-how, and talented allies, Anika fights for her very life, and the lives of her new friends. Will Anika have to become like her mad scientist father in order to save the day?"

My Review:

Anika is a fun character. She's smart, witty, sassy, and doesn't put up with anything. She's a good, strong, female leading character. I liked her voice a lot, and thought she was well developed. It's always good to have a science nerd as a main character. Her mom isn't in a lot of the book; even though she's a bit mysterious, you find out more about why she is the way she is as the story goes on. I did think that Anika was a bit quick to disregard her mom after all they'd been through together, but teenagers are never predictable. I liked Billie a lot, and felt so bad for her and the situation she was in. Anika's father is quite the interesting guy. I didn't feel like he was developed as much as Anika was, but part of that is the mystery that surrounds him. Anika doesn't know him very well either, so I guess it's fair that the reader is also kept in the dark. I liked the story line a lot at the beginning, with the science fair and all that. It was when Anika got to Moreau that the story became a little unbelievable to me (you may not feel the same way). It's sci-fi, and you know I love a good sci-fi, but this definitely bordered on fantasy, and was a little hard to believe. I liked her friends at school, especially Misty and Sasha, and I did think they were well developed and likable characters. Victor is scary, creepy, and intimidating, but his situation is a bit on the unimaginable side. Well, honestly, a bunch of the characters have sides of them that are unimaginable. On one hand, it gives the story a lot of action. It's definitely full of action, Anika is a go-getter for sure! On the other hand, some of the scenarios are a tad on the strange/inconceivable side. I liked that the teenagers took matters into their own hands because they really didn't have anyone they could turn to for help, but at the same time, that included them doing some things that I don't think teenagers should have to do. I wanted to scream at their parents for putting them in that situation. You never really heard anything about their mothers, either. Where were they in all of this? The ending wasn't my favorite, either. It just ended. I'm assuming that means that a second book is in the works, but there were still quite a few things that could have been tied up a little better. Overall, the book was ok for me. There were some parts of it that I really enjoyed, and some parts that I had a hard time believing. If you're a science nerd then you will definitely enjoy this book. 

Rating: PG-13 (There is some profanity, and there are times where they don't actually say the "f" word, but they say a word that is VERY similar, so you know that's what they mean, which is a tactic I don't particularly care for. There isn't any "intimacy," but there is a lot of violence. There are a few characters that are killed, and there is a lot of fighting.)

Age Recommendation: 14 years-old and up

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Also, the author is the son of my good friend. 

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[Book Review] Christmas Jars-The Collector's Edition by Jason F. Wright

Christmas Jars - The Collector's Edition

by

Jason F. Wright

Blurb:

"Hope Jensen is a young, single woman and an aspiring newspaper writer, and when she receives a much-needed but anonymous Christmas gift, she's determined to find her benefactor. That search leads her to an unusual family with a longstanding Christmas tradition. Sensing a front-page feature article, Hope desperately wants to publish their story, but doing so would be a breach of trust. What she decides to do will changer her life forever. Destined to become a classic Christmas tale, Christmas Jars is a heartwarming story that will restore your faith in mankind and make you want to start your own Christmas Jar tradition."

My Review:

Over the years I have read a lot of Christmas books, and have loved many of them. This book is definitely somewhere at the top of my favorite list! It's well written and engaging, and the characters come to life on the page. I felt as if I were there with them; we are best friends now, and I'd love to meet them! Not only that, but the story serves a larger purpose in that it explains what a Christmas Jar is and how Christmas Jars help both giver and receiver. I'd never heard of this before, but what an amazing idea! At the beginning of the year you take an old, empty jar and put it in a safe spot. Then each day when you get home from school or work, you take the change out of your pockets and you put it in the jar. You do this every day all year long. Then the week before Christmas, you take your now-full jar, and you secretly deliver it to someone in need (you could also put a copy of the book with the jar to explain it, but it's not necessary). It could be a financial need, but it could also be someone who needs a gift of hope or love. Sometimes the receiver could be someone who needs to know she's not alone. The possibilities are endless! I love this idea so much! I've already talked to my husband about starting our own jar for next Christmas. I'm going to read this book to my kids after Christmas, and we're going to start a new tradition of a Christmas Jar. My only problem is that I never have cash or change on me, so maybe I'll need to begin using cash more. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story is heartwarming, and the real experiences at the back of the book are just as good! I loved reading them. You'll need a box of Kleenexes handy, but it's worth it! And who knows? Maybe you'll want to start your own Christmas Jar tradition!

If you want to read more about this book, learn about the author, or read more amazing Christmas Jar stories, head over to: http://christmasjars.com/  

Or you may go to the Christmas Jars Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/christmasjars/

Rating: G (There's no profanity, "intimacy," or violence.)

Recommendation: Everyone!

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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[Book Review] Adventurers Wanted: The Axe of Sundering (Book #5) by M.L. Forman

Adventurers Wanted: The Axe of Sundering (Book #5)

by

M.L. Forman

Blurb:

"Whalen Vankin is a great and honorable wizard, and he has only ever personally trained two other wizards. One is Alexander Taylor, a young man who has earned a reputation as a brave adventurer, a warrior, and a man of honor. They other is Jabez, Vankin's nephew--a man whose choices have led him down a different, darker path. Dark magic has covered Westland, and evil is stirring. Whalen and Alex must journey together into the heart of danger, confronting a sea serpent, and facing down more than one dragon. Alex must find the legendary Axe of Sundering--the one weapon that offers a chance to defeat Jabez--and protect the land from  the dark wizard's plans. But finding it will be an adventure of its own as the only pathway to the Axe leads through the underground tunnels and secret passages of the Castle of Conmar. But Jabez has a final weapon at his disposal: the powerful Orion stones, which could spell the end to Whalen and Alex both."

My Review:

May I just say how much fun this series has been? My boys have read lots of books and series (they are now 16 and 14) and this series is high up there as one of their favorites! My 14 year-old put this book on hold at the library a couple of years ago, because it's anticipated date of publication was back then, and it was on hold for a year. After the year was up I redid it and it was on hold again for awhile, then the library took it off. My son asked every couple of months if this book was out yet. There were some complications in getting this book written and published; I think the author was very sick or something. Needless to say, at my house, the anticipation for this book was enormous! So, when I was asked to review it, of course I said, "Yes!" And, both of my sons read it before I did; they were so excited! Did it let them down? Nope! (Thank goodness!) The Axe of Sundering is a great end to the series. I will really miss reading about Alex and his amazing adventures. This book has some great twists and turns, and there are a few times that you are very worried about both Alex and Vankin. Will they pull out of this one? Will they be able to defeat all this evil? They both put themselves in some sketchy situations in order to try and defeat the Brotherhood and its leaders. I missed having the familiar adventurer friends in this book, but some new friends were introduced, and by the end they had won my  approval. I just love the creativity of M.L. Forman; what an imagination! The concept of the Axe of Sundering is quite clever, and the different places that Alex and Vankin travel are so unique and interesting. This book, along with the rest, is well written, the character development is great, it is exciting and full of adventure, and it's a great end to the series. There were some unanswered questions and a few things left undone, but I know the author's health was not great, and I'm glad he persevered to finish. I loved the twist at the end, and thought it was very fitting! I highly recommend this book, and the whole series! 

Rating: PG+ (There is no profanity or "intimacy," but there is quite a bit of violence. They are in the middle of a war against evil, and there is quite a bit of fighting. Some prominent characters die; some of the deaths are a bit graphic.)

Recommendation: 4th or 5th grade and up (Perfect for middle-graders and YA readers...and their moms!)

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Adventurers Wanted Series:

(Click on the images to find out more about each book!)

Book #1

Book #2

Book #3

Book #4

Book #5

[Book Review] Adventurers Wanted: Albrek's Tomb (Book #3) by M.L. Forman

(Pic from amazon.com)

Adventurers Wanted: Albrek's Tomb (Book #3)

by

M.L. Forman

Blurb:

"Two thousand years ago, the dwarf Albrek went looking for new mines in the land of Thraxon in the hopes of becoming rich--and vanished. Now the dwarves must find Albrek's magical Ring of Searching before their mines run dry, a possibility which threatens the livelihood of the entire dwarf realm. Alexander Taylor joins a familiar company of adventurers on a quest to discover what happened to Albrek, find his mythical tomb, and locate the lost talisman. But finding the ring may be the least of the adventurers' problems once they cross paths with an ancient, wandering paladin, Bane, who warns of a great evil working in all of the known lands. Following in Albrek's footsteps, Alex and his friends travel to the haunted Isle of Bones, where a mysterious creature lurks in a deserted village, to the the cursed city of Neplee, where the dwarfs are hunted by the undead hellerash, and through the shadow of an empty oracle's tower, where a whispered legend is about to come true."

My Review:

Wow! What a ride! I have loved this series so far (my boys are 16 and 14 and have also loved it), and this book has a lot to offer! It's a great third book, which is sometimes difficult to find. So much happens that Alex almost transforms right before your eyes! He grows and learns a lot throughout this book, and it's fun to watch. I love that there are familiar friends, and new ones, on this adventure. Thrang, Thrain, and Arconn were a few old favorites, and the newbie Kat soon became a favorite adventurer of mine. There is so much action, adventure, magic, and mystery in this book! Seriously, Alex learns a lot of new things about himself and his abilities; I loved it! There are many surprises in this book, which made it super fun to read. It's well written, the character development is very well done, and it's an all-around fun read! If you enjoyed the first two books in the series then you'll love this one!

Rating: PG (There is no profanity or "intimacy," but there is some violence. Alex has to fight a very scary character.)

Adventurers Wanted Series:

(Click on the images to see more info about each book.)

Book #1

Book #2

Book #3

Book #4

[Book Review] Mysteries of Cove: Embers of Destruction (Book 3)

Mysteries of Cove: 

Embers of Destruction (Book #3)

by

J. Scott Savage

Blurb:

"After the battle of Seattle, Trenton and Kallista--along with their friends, Plucky, Simoni, Angus, and Clyde--fly their mechanical dragons south toward San Francisco, looking for any sign of Kallista's father, Leo Babbage. Arriving in a new city, the young riders investigate the area in secret, only to be reunited with Leo Babbage, who reveals that the humans in the city are working as slaves to the dragons. What's more, the humans don't want to be rescued--himself included. He says they are being protected by their new master: a huge, powerful white dragon who lives in an impenetrable tower fortress overlooking the city. Kallista is stunned by the news. Why would her father ever willingly work for dragons? With the white dragon watching their every move, Trenton and Kallista will need every bit of creativity and ingenuity they can manage to find a way to enter the dragon's tower fortress and break its hold over the city--and the world--once and for all."

My Review:

This has been such a fun series to read! My boys both got to this book before I did (they're now 16 and 14), and they loved it. I enjoyed it too, which I love because then we can talk about it together. We have our own in-house book group going on! Love it! Trenton is just such a great kid (and character). I love his humility, his creativity, and his ability to think and act appropriately under pressure. He has his flaws, he's not perfect, but that's one thing I like about his character. Kallista is a great character as well. She's a little more complex than Trenton is, and may be strong-willed, but I love her ingenuity, her work ethic, and I love that she's a strong female character. The descriptions in this book are very good. I loved reading all about the different dragons, especially the white one; you could just feel the evil dripping out of him! I love that the kids need to use their brains and skills, and that it's difficult, but they are determined and work hard. Some of those qualities are hard to find in kids these days, so it's a great example of what working hard and being smart can get you! This book is very well written, it's engaging, and I couldn't put it down! There are a few surprises, and a bunch of new characters. It's a great ending to a very fun trilogy. At our house we are sad that this is the last book in the series. I highly recommend this book and series for middle-graders and YA.

Rating: PG+ (I marked this one a little higher than I did the other two because there is quite a bit of fighting (they're fighting dragons, mostly), and a character dies in this one. There is no profanity or "intimacy."

Recommendation: 3rd grade and up! (Middle Graders and Young Adults)

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Mysteries of Cove Trilogy:

      Book #1                                                       Book #2                                           Book #3

Also by J. Scott Savage:

      

                                  Book #1                       Book #2                      Book #3

Nic of Time (Phoenix Cycle Series Book #3)

Nic of Time

(Phoenix Cycle Series Book #3)

by

Mark Minson

Blurb (from amazon.com):

"After leaving Will to pursue the removal of Paul from The Council of Magic, Nicole finds the tables have turned. When she finally returns to Will's house, he has disappeared leaving her a mystery to unravel. 

Meanwhile, Kyle, Will and Leroy find themselves neck-deep in the ongoing war with MAIM. 

Can any of them survive long enough to prevail?

The thrilling conclusion of the Phoenix Cycle Series!"

My Review:

First a little disclosure: for those of you who may not remember my reviews of book #1 and book #2, Mark and I are friends. We've been friends since high school, and in fact, had creative writing together. If you want dirt on Mark, I'm sure I can think of something (On the flip side, I guess that means he could probably find some on me :). Anyway, he knows I'll be just as honest with his book as I always am, so no worries there. I have enjoyed this series from the start. The magic is fun and entertaining, the characters are interesting and well developed, and the story is full of action, adventure, and magic! The concept of the magic in this series is different from other fantasy books, and I've enjoyed Mark's take on it. I especially liked learning how Will came up with and made the spells in the last book. There's not as much of that in this book, unfortunately. Other things do make up for it though. I loved how this book combined the two story lines and brought it all together. I read the first book quite awhile ago, so it did take me a minute to remember who those characters were and how they fit in, but it wasn't a big deal. The characters get better with every book, and it's fun to see how they grow and evolve as the story continues. Mark's writing has also gotten better; however, I have to say that his grammar has not. There are a lot of grammatical errors. That particular problem is easily fixed though. I think I need to learn a few of the spells for myself (The travel spell in particular, would be awesome.) The characters worked well together, the ending was great, and I thought it all came together well. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the series. I definitely recommend it. This series would be perfect for summer!

Rating: PG+ (There isn't any profanity or "intimacy" in this book, but there might be a kiss or two. There is quite a bit of violence, and several people die. It's a magic war, so there are casualties. It's not overly graphic in describing those scenes though.)

Recommendation: 5th grade (10-11 years old) and up. I kept it at this level because even though it is somewhat violent, it isn't any worse than Harry Potter, and most kids have read that by 5th grade.

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Vicar's Daughter

The Vicar's Daughter

by

Josi S. Kilpack

Blurb:

"Cassie, the youngest of six daughters in the Wilton family, is bold, bright, and ready to enter society. There's only one problem: her older sister Lenora, whose extreme shyness prevents her from attending many social events. Lenora is now entering her third season, and since their father has decreed that only one Wilton girl can be out at a time, Cassie has no choice except to wait her turn. Evan Glenside, a soft-spoken, East London clerk, has just been named his great-uncle's heir, and though he is eager to learn all that will be required of him, he struggles to feel accepted in a new town and in his new position. A chance meeting between Evan and Lenora promises to change everything, but when Lenora proves too shy to pursue the relationship, Cassie begins to write Mr. Glenside letters in the name of her sister. Her good intentions lead to disaster when Cassie realizes she is falling in love with Evan. But then Evan begins to court Lenora, thinking she is the author of the letters. As secrets are revealed, the hearts of Cassie, Evan, and Lenora are tested. Will the final letter sent by the vicar's daughter be able to reunite the sisters as well as unite Evan with his true love?"

My Review:

This is a fun new addition to the proper romance genre! It is well written, has good character development, and a sweet love story. Although I usually liked Cassie, there were times when I wanted to scream at her; she could definitely be strong willed and had a tendency to make poor choices. Lenora was more complex than you think she will be the first time you meet her, and she could also drive me crazy at times. Evan was a great character. I actually liked him a lot. He wasn't perfect, but he was a gentleman and did his best. I like how he protected his family, and how he felt he had to take care of them. This story was a bit predictable, and cheesy in some parts, but that's what we love about romances, right? I think it ended a little too perfectly, but that doesn't mean I didn't like the ending. :) If you're a Josi Kilpack fan, or if you enjoy the proper romance genre, you will definitely enjoy this book. It was entertaining and was a cute story.

This book is clean! There may be a kiss or two, but the only scandalous thing in the book are a few secret (clean) letters. Boy am I glad times have changed for dating and marriage!

Rating: PG (It's clean!)

Recommendation: YA and up

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Lady of the Lakes

The Lady of the Lakes

by

Josi S. Kilpack

Blurb:

"Walter Scott has three passions: Scotland, poetry, and Mina Stuart. Though she is young 
and they are from different stations in society, Walter is certain their love is meant to be. For 
years, he has courted her through love letters. She is the sunshine of his soul. Though Mina 
shares Walter's love of literature and romantic temperament, it's hard for her to know if she 
truly loves him or if she has only been dazzled by his flattery. When she meets the handsome 
and charming William Forbes, her heart is challenged. Who will she choose? But as every 
poet knows, "the course of true love never did run smooth," and on a windy morning in the 
lake country, Walter meets Charlotte. At twenty-six, Charlotte Carpenter believes she will 
never find love. After all, she is a Catholic-born Frenchwoman living in London with a family 
history shadowed by scandal. Though quiet, practical, and determined to live a life of 
independence, her heart longs for someone to love her and a place to call home. Passion 
and promises collide as Walter, Mina, and Charlotte must each decide the course for their 
futures. What are they each willing to risk to find love and be loved in return?"

My Review:

I have always enjoyed a sweet love story, and this one is no exception. This story has all the 
elements that make a good love story: poetry, romance, dedication, heartbreak, suffering, and 
true love. I love that Sir Walter Scott's poetry is written throughout the book. As a reader you 
can just picture him writing his poetry for the love of his life, and also to combat his heartbreak. 
The characters are well developed and realistic. I especially liked Sir Walter Scott's voice 
along with Charlotte's voice. Charlotte was one of my favorite characters. Her need for 
independence and her strong voice make for a great character. It was fun to see her grow and 
progress throughout the book. There were times when Walter's character was a little irritating; 
I just wanted to scream, "Get over it already!!!" Thankfully his brother and friend were there to 
help him! The story flows well, and the transitions from person to person are easy to follow. 
Josi Kilpack does a great job of describing the scene without overdoing it. Each character 
sounds and feels different as you're reading, so you don't need to keep checking the beginning 
of the chapter to figure out which character you're reading about. Reading this book definitely 
makes me want to go to Scotland and see where it all took place. I thought this was a sweet 
love story and I enjoyed it. 

There is no profanity or violence in this book. There isn't any "intimacy" either, except for some 
brief kissing and a few romantic moments. I love that it's clean and you don't need to worry about 
what the next page may hold! That's definitely a benefit to reading the proper romances!

Rating: PG (There's no profanity, violence, or "intimacy," except for a few brief kisses and some 
romantic moments.

Recommendation: YA and up (It is YA approved; girls will definitely enjoy it more than boys. My 
boys -15 and 13- would not enjoy this book, but girls will love it.)

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Scrivener's Bones (Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians Book #2)

The Scrivener's Bones

(Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians Book #2)

by

Brandon Sanderson

Blurb:

"Grandpa Smedry is in trouble--Alcatraz to the Rescue! In his second skirmish against the Evil Librarians who rule the world, Alcatraz and his ragtag crew of freedom fighters track Grandpa Smedry to the ancient and mysterious Library of Alexandria. Hushlanders--people who live in the Librarian-controlled lands, such as Canada, Europe, and the United States--believe the library was destroyed long ago. Free Kingdomers know the truth: the Library of Alexandria is still around, and it's one of the most dangerous places on the planet. For it is the home of the scariest Librarians of them all: a secret sect of soul-stealing undead Curators. Can Alcatraz and his friends rescue Grandpa Smedry and make it out of there alive?"

My Review:

Have I told you how much I love this series? Well, let me tell you again--I love this series! I cannot remember the last time I laughed out loud this much reading a book. Seriously! I love the wit, the humor, the puns, the dialogue, the sarcasm, and the writing in this book. I was in the faculty room at school, eating lunch, and the other teachers kept asking me what I was reading because I was laughing so hard. I read a few parts to them, and I read parts to my husband because it's so funny. The part about the bazooka-wielding bunny is hilarious. I love how the author addresses the reader. I love how he inserts random comments throughout. The characters are very well done. Alcatraz learns and grows a lot during this book, and Bastille is...Bastille. We meet a few new characters in book two, and I like them as well. The bad guy is even more scary than the bad guy in the first book, but the way he is done is very clever. There's a lot of action in this book, and some cool new lenses are introduced. I like that the characters can't just use physical force to overcome their enemies, they also need to use knowledge. This is a great second book, and I highly recommend it! If you liked the first one, you NEED to pick this one up today!

Rating: PG (There's no profanity or "intimacy." There is some violence as they fight the bad guy. There are some injured characters as well, but none of it is too graphic or too scary.)

Recommendation: 3rd grade and up (It's a great middle-grade/YA book!!)

Viking Age: Everyday Life

Viking Age: Everyday Life

During the Extraordinary Era of the Norsemen

by

Kirsten Wolf

Blurb:

"The Viking age comes alive in this vivid, abundantly illustrated exploration of its people and their world. What kinds of houses did the Scandinavians live in? Were they literate? What kinds of clothing did they wear? How did they view death? Filled with a wealth of information on every aspect of the Viking age, this fascinating and informative book answers these questions and many more. You'll explore all aspects of line, including marriage, settlement conditions, crafts and industries, language, health and medicine, food and drink, boatbuilding, politics, warfare, and sports."

My Review:

This is the third in the Everyday Life series that I have read. I've read Ancient Egypt and The Middle Ages, and this, surprisingly, has been my favorite! It's crazy because I thought I'd like the Egypt one the best. Learning about the Vikings has never particularly interested me, but this book did a great job of explaining everything and making it interesting. One of the reasons I didn't love the other books as much as I thought I would was because the writing was very technical and difficult to read. It took me forever to read them! This book was actually written very well. It brought the Vikings to life, and even though the writing was still a bit technical, it was understandable! I thought it flowed well, was fairly easy to read and understand, and it did a good job of explaining everything in a way that readers could enjoy. There are many pictures and illustrations, and I found it so fun to look at and study them. I liked learning about their coins, jewelry, homes, and their raids. I hate to say it, but "How To Train Your Dragon" is about as much as I did know about the Vikings before reading this book. Now though, I feel totally educated! Ms. Wolf did a great job with this book! 

Rating: PG+ (There isn't any profanity in this book. There is talk of marriage and the things that go with it-not too detailed, but it is discussed. There is a little bit of violence when they discuss raids and warfare and such, but once again, it's not too graphic.)

Recommendation: 12 or 13 years-old and up (The language may be too difficult for some of the 12 and 13 year-olds, and younger children most likely won't be interested anyway.)

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Chestnuts

Chestnuts

by

Gilbert Ohanian

Blurb:

"Is there a bully in your life that you don't know how to deal with? I had one too. It prompted me to write 'Chestnuts: A True Story About Being Bullied,' a book outlining practical strategies for defending against bullies and resolving the conflict and aggression that often plagues victims of bullying. Inside these pages, I will take you through my own harrowing journey with bullies--from boarding school beat-ups, to violent attacks from crazed skinheads on the streets of London, to bullies in a public school of America. In each chapter a reflection of my personal story will show you what I did wrong, and how you can actually defend yourself in this modern day and age."

My Review:

Bullying is something that, as a teacher, I do not put up with. As a mom, I don't put up with it. There's definitely a zero tolerance policy on bullying in my house. However, a couple of my kids have been bullied at school. My children have been physically harmed, and they have been verbally and emotionally bullied as well. Our school does have a zero bullying policy, but it's not always easy to see happening when it's verbal or emotional. When I have brought it up with principals and teachers they have taken it seriously and it has stopped. It's not as easy when the kids are in junior high, so it's been more difficult to take care of there. Anyway, I'm telling you this to let you know that I am no stranger to bullying. I think it is a topic that needs to be discussed continually with children at home and at school. This is a very important subject, and so I was glad to hear from Mr. Ohanian about reviewing his book. His story is tragic. It broke my heart to read about everything he went through during his childhood. There were definitely things that his school leaders could have done differently to help him, and there were things that he also could have done differently, but looking back doesn't change anything. What happened, happened. I'm glad that he was brave enough to speak out and tell his story. It's important for people to read about and understand the dynamics of bullying. There are some good aspects to this book. Speaking out against bullying is always important and beneficial. He gives some good ideas on how to deal with bullies, and he writes about the things he could have handled differently. Those are all good things. Reading about his story will definitely help others to speak out against bullying. Unfortunately, this book needs to be edited. A lot. It's written from the heart, but he discusses several situations that are not relevant to the story at all. Also, it may be written from the heart, but there are many grammatical errors and portions of the book that do not flow well or transition well. One other thing that bothered me was that he is not a psychologist or doctor. I understand that he lived through these situations, but I wasn't sure if the advice he gives in the book is just his philosophy or if it's sound advice from bullying experts. Does that make sense? He does cite many articles in this book, so I know that he did research into best practices. I hesitate to state these things because he has endured a lot of criticism in his life, and I don't want to add to that. It is a very sad story, and I feel terrible that he had to endure such hardships in his life. I think this book has a lot of potential, and I hope that he will find a great editor and publish a second edition.  

Rating: PG+ (There is no profanity or "intimacy," except for maybe a brief kiss. There is a lot of violence in this book. He is beaten-up, harassed, and bullied. Some of the stories are difficult to read because of how harsh they are.)

Recommendation: 13 years-old and up (YA)

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.