[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] 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] Mustaches for Maddie by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown

Mustaches for Maddie

by

Chad Morris and Shelly Brown

Blurb:

"Twelve-year-old Maddie has a quirky sense of humor and a fondness for spotting fake mustaches--a neon pink handlebar, a green fuzzy chevron, a blue pencil mustache--her fake mustaches always seem to get a laugh. Being funny gets her noticed by class queen Cassie and things are looking up when Maddie is cast as the lead in the school play. When strange things start to happen to her body, like tripping when she walks and having her hand curl up by her side, she blames it on growing pains, but her mom isn't so sure. The doctor confirms Maddie has a brain tumor and in an instant her world is turned upside down. With scary medical tests and surgery ahead of her, as well as typical sixth-grade problems--including the class queen who quickly turns into a bully--Maddie uses her friendliness, positive attitude, imagination, and her fake mustaches to battle her challenges. Maddie even gets an unexpected surprise when she receives hundreds of photos from friends, family members, and even complete strangers wearing fake mustaches to cheer her on. Based on a true story, Mustaches for Maddie teaches that everyone is going through somethings hard and everyone needs a compassionate friend and maybe a little bit of laughter from a mustache."

My Review:

I loved this book! This is such an inspirational story!  I love Maddie's voice in this book; her humor and wit are refreshing and so much fun, and her positive attitude during such a difficult time is truly admirable. Although this book is based on a true story, a big portion of the story is fictional. Part of the fictional story is about Cassie. She is a bully in Maddie's class, and the way that Maddie decides to handle the situation makes her an example to all children in similar situations. Instead of being mean back to Cassie, or turning inward and becoming depressed, Maddie decides to use her wit, her kindness, and her sense of humor to change the dynamics. I loved that part of the book! Maddie is actually the daughter of the authors, and she really did have a brain tumor. Neighbors, friends, and even strangers, sent her pictures of them with silly mustaches to cheer Maddie up after her surgery. How sweet is that? Seriously! That is how we should always treat each other; building up and doing everything we can to help during difficult situations. It's heart breaking to hear stories of children battling cancer, and to hear of such an amazing outcome is truly inspirational. The author was in the hospital with his daughter when his debut novel The Inventor's Secret was published. I did not know that at the time, but I was lucky enough to participate in his book tour, and his book has turned into one of my all-time favorite middle-grader reads! Mustaches for Maddie is well written, it flows well, the voice in the book is witty, charming, and so cute, and the character development is great. Another fabulous thing about this book are the lessons that it teaches. They are very powerful: standing up for yourself, anti-bullying, being yourself, enjoying life, and doing things that you love are just a few. So great! This is a fast, easy read that will leave you wanting to hear more from cute Maddie. I laughed and cried, and couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this book for kids and adults alike! It'll make a great read aloud too! My copy came with these cute "Compassion in Action" postcards as well.

Rating: PG (Clean!! There is a bully in the book, and she does some mean things. It also discusses Maddie's medical issues. There isn't any profanity, "intimacy," or violence.)

Recommendation: As a silent read I'd say 2nd or 3rd grade and up, and as a read aloud I'd say K or 1st grade and up. All children should read this book to see how their actions affect those around them, and to see how Maddie handles the situation. I'm going to have all four of my kids read it!

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

Also by Chad Morris:

Book #1

Book #2

Book #3

[Book Review] Adventurers Wanted: Sands of Nezza (Book #4) by M.L. Forman

Picture from amazon.com

Adventurers Wanted: Sands of Nezza (Book #4)

by

M. L. Forman

Blurb:

"After hundreds of years without a true king, the desert land of Nezza is in danger of falling under the rule of a ruthless lord advised by an evil wizard with dark intentions. A desperate cry for help brings Alexander Taylor to this perilous land and sets events in motion that will require him to rescue an old friend from an impenetrable dungeon. Once in Nezza, Alex meets a new band of adventurers and joins them in their quest to find young Prince Rallian--the man destined to become the rightful king of Nezza. In their path lies a deadly sand monster, a wise and insightful oracle, a massive army of illusions, and a host of lords and leaders ready to fight for--and against--the king of their land. But a dark shadow threatens Alex's every step. And in Nezza, a land where magic is feared and wizards are held in suspicion, Alex will have to be more wise and cunning than ever before if he and his friends are to succeed--or even survive."

My Review:

At first I wanted to be an adventurer...after reading this book, I'm not so sure! Eeek! I think I'm too big of a wuss! I would NOT want to be captured by an evil lord and kept in an impenetrable dungeon! I wouldn't want to come face to face with a scary sand monster! I wouldn't want to fight against an evil lord's army, and I wouldn't want to try and broker a peace treaty with warring peoples. Sheesh! I WOULD, however, want to read about it! I would love to read all about it from the comfort of my couch and my warm, snugly blanket! Of course, I could do that all day! Sometimes by the time you get to book #4 in a series, you can tell that the author is just done. The writing goes downhill, the characters don't act like themselves, etc. That is definitely not the case with this book! I love how creative this series still is, how Alex is still learning and growing, and how the underlying plot is still there, and maybe even becoming more apparent. Alex's humility is refreshing, and even though he's a pretty big deal, you wouldn't know it by talking to him. It was fun to see Skeld again, and I liked many of the new characters, especially Rallian and Virgil. Stonebill was a fun character as well. I laughed every time I though of Alex talking to Stonebill, and I laughed even harder when I thought of how it looked to his friends. This book is full of action, lots of magic, a slight romance, and a good amount of mystery. It's well written, the character development is very good, and it is a great addition to this fun series.

Rating: PG+ (There is no profanity and no "intimacy."There is, however, quite a bit of violence. They are in the middle of a war, so there's a lot of fighting. A few main characters die, and a bunch of others die as well. The deaths are not overly graphic, but some of them are sad.)

Recommendation: 4th-5th grade and up (Perfect for middle-graders and YA)

Adventurers Wanted Series:
(Click on the images to find out more about each book!)

Book #1

Book #2

Book #3

Book #4

[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

Paladin's War (Book #3) by Peter Greene

Paladin's War

(Book #3)

by

Peter Greene

Blurb:

"1802. Midshipman Jonathan Moore, Marine Private Sean Flagon and adventurer Delain Dowdeswell enjoy the company of family and friends during a delicate peace between France and England. However, mysterious spy networks now freely roam Europe's great cities, and the ships and armies of all nations remain on the edge of war. An elaborate scheme involves manipulating Jonathan, now aboard the eighteen-gun HMS Paladin, the Royal Navy's fastest ship. Commanded by his friend and mentor, Lieutenant Thomas Harrison, their mission is to deliver an important treaty to a clandestine location. Remaining in London and bored with endless tea parties and tedious school lessons, Delain encounters a shadowy black rider sneaking about the mansions of London's elite. Suspecting foul play, she investigates and enters a web of secret meetings, spies, coded messages and kidnapping. At first merely interesting, Delain's investigation soon turns deadly as she finds that all clues lead to the Paladin's mission and to her friends, now thousands of miles away and in grave danger. Once at sea, the boys are pursued by their sister ship HMS Echo, though she avoids all direct contact. A sabotaged gun, a mistrusted crew, and a vicious assault on their ship by a well-armed band of assailants has the crew and officers of the Paladin anxious. Even Jonathan is uneasy, forced by agents of the king to withhold vital information from his officers. Led to waters far from home, the boys now fight for their ship and their lives against a rogue naval commodore with a war plan of his own."

My Review:

I have loved the Jonathan Moore books from the very beginning! They are so fun. In this fantasy-heavy Harry Potter world we live in, it's so refreshing to read something so different and so not fantasy. (And this coming from a fantasy fan!) My boys have loved these books as well. My boys are now 15 and 14, and it was my 14 year-old that actually looked on amazon to see if Mr. Greene had published the next book in the series. When he found out that there was another book he begged me to contact Mr. Greene to see if he needed reviews. Lucky for us he did. Usually I let the authors contact me, but this time we may have been a little excited. That gives you an idea of how much my boys have liked these books. All my favorite characters were back for this new adventure. Of course Jonathan and Sean were there, along with Delain and Miss Barbara Thompson. Some of the Paladin's crew members were also familiar characters. Mr. Greene relayed to me beforehand that this book is a little darker than the other two, and he was correct. He said the idea is that the first and second books are more for middle graders, and this book is better for early YA. I'm not sure why he did it that way because now the younger readers get all excited about the first books, but should not read the last book until they're older. However, that's the way he set it up. This book does have a little more profanity in it, and it's darker in that more characters die, and the violence is a little more graphic. It's a little deeper too. It's not just fighting pirates; there's a more hidden and harder to decipher plot line. My boys and I all enjoyed it, but didn't think the darker format was needed. We all agreed that we were glad we read it, but it wasn't our favorite book in the series. There's plenty of Jonathan Moore action, suspense, adventure, and ingenuity. I liked Delain's role, and although the role Jonathan was asked to play made me squirm a bit, he did figure it out eventually. The book is well written, but there are still a few grammatical errors. If you enjoyed the first two books you will definitely want to read this one!

*As a side note, when I read the first book it was titled Skull Eye Island, but that title has now been changed to Warship Poseidon. 

Rating: PG + (There are a few profane words, a brief kiss, and quite a bit of violence. The violence is a bit more graphic and descriptive than it is in the first two books; a few characters die.

Recommendation: 6th to 7th grade and up. (If your middle grader has read the whole Harry Potter series--and been ok with it--, then he or she would do okay with this book. It is about the same level as the last couple of Harry Potter books.)

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

The Dark Talent (Book #5 in Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians)

The Dark Talent

(Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians: Book #5 )

by

Brandon Sanderson

Blurb:

"For years, the Evil Librarians have managed to keep this book under wraps--but Alcatraz is back at last with an all-new adventure! Alcatraz Smedry has successfully defeated the army of Evil Librarians and saved the kingdom of Mokia. Too bad he managed to break the Smedry Talents in the process. Even worse, his father is trying to enact a scheme that could ruin the world, and his friend Bastille is in a coma. To revive her, Alcatraz must infiltrate the Highbrary--known as the Library of Congress to Hushlanders--the seat of Evil Librarian power. Without his Talent to draw upon, can Alcatraz figure out a way to save Bastille and defeat the Evil Librarians once and for all?"

My Review:

So here it is-the last book! Sad! I always get mixed emotions when I read the last book in a series; I'm excited to see how it ends, but I don't want it to end. This has been such a fun series, and I enjoyed every book. So what did I think about this book? You need to read it! Someone please read it and then email me so we can talk! Did this book answer all my questions? Sadly, no!! What?? I know. Seriously. I'm left hanging. Did Alcatraz end up like he said he would? Sadly, yes. :( Mr. Sanderson (aka Alcatraz) did discover footnotes though, that was awesome. The cover art is great, the story is action-packed and full of surprises, and even though I still had questions, it was a great final book. If you have read the first four, go get on amazon (my affiliate link is at the bottom of the review so it's very convenient to click right now...) and order it right now!! If it's daytime when you read this then the library is also a good option. Just please someone read it and let me know so we can discuss!

Rating: PG+ (This one is rated a little bit higher because a few prominent characters die. It's not overly graphic, but it is a bit more graphic than the other books. There is fighting. There isn't any profanity or "intimacy.")

Recommendation: 3rd grade and up

Summerlost

Summerlost

by

Ally Condie

Blurb:

"It's been a year since the devastating car accident that killed Cedar's father and younger brother, Ben. But now Cedar and what's left of her family are spending the summer in her mother's hometown of Iron Creek and trying to mend their broken pieces. Memories surround Cedar, including strange gifts that begin to appear in the night--the type of small household items her brother Ben used to collect. Until one day a boy named Leo, dressed in costume, rides by on his bike, and everything about Cedar's summer changes. Soon, Cedar not only has a job working at the renowned Summerlost theater festival, but also a growing friendship with Leo that will blossom as they piece together clues about the short and tragic life of one of Iron Creek's most famous residents. Emotionally resonant and rich with understanding, Summerlost is the touching middle grade debut from Ally Condie, the international bestselling author of the Matched series, that explores the strength of family and the transformative power of friendship in the face of tragedy." 

My Review:

I liked Ally Condie's Matched series, so when I saw this book on the shelf at the library I was excited to read it. The characters in this book are very well written, and I fell in love with them. Cedar and Leo are both children, yet they are quite mature for their ages. Cedar has already experienced tragedy in her life, and Leo has a very grown-up goal that he's working towards. They work together well, and I felt like I was the third person in their little group. Cedar's mom and Leo's family are supporting characters, but they added a lot, along with the other employees at the festival. I definitely got caught up in this story. I thought it flowed well, it was well written, the characters were well developed, and the story line was engaging. It was fun to read a story that didn't include fantasy characters or lots of action; it's just a fun book about two children and their summer friendship. They weren't perfect, for sure, but that's what made it so realistic. Both of them tried hard, made mistakes, and tried to right their wrongs. It was fun to watch them grow over the course of the book, and to see how a good friend can mean the world to someone. I enjoyed this book a lot and I definitely recommend it.

Rating: PG (There isn't any profanity, intimacy, or violence in this book. There may be a bully or two, but nothing overly graphic.)

Recommendation: 4th grade and up (It's a great middle-grader read!)

Alcatraz vs The Shattered Lens (Book #4)

The Shattered Lens 

(Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians: Book #4)

by

Brandon Sanderson

Blurb:

"Alcatraz Smedry is on a mission to save the day! The boy with all the wrong Talents has a lot to prove and, as always, little time in which to do it. In this final adventure, Alcatraz faces an army of librarians--and their giant librarian robots--as they battle to win the kingdom of Mokia. If the librarians win the war, everything that Alcatraz has fought so hard for could end in disaster. With his incredible Talent for breaking things, some explosive teddy bears, and the help of his friends, Alcatraz must face the glass-shattering gigantic robots, an entire army of evil librarians, and even his own manipulative mother! But will he be able to save the kingdom of Mokia and the Free Kingdoms from the wrath of the librarians before everything comes crashing down?"

My Review:

This series has definitely become one of my all-time favorites! I love the humor, wit, and creativity in these books, and this one is no different. For example, this is part of the Author's Forward: "This is my story. Or, well, part four of it. Otherwise known as 'The part where everything goes wrong, and then Alcatraz has a cheese sandwich.'" Hahaha!!! Seriously. I haven't ever laughed out loud so much in a book before. Explosive teddy bears? Magic glasses? Dragons as cabs? The wrong Talents that actually wished for and celebrated? Who comes up with this stuff? So fun! As usual, there is trouble in the world and Alcatraz feels the need to save the day. Sitting back and letting things play out is not his strong suit. This book is a continuation of all the fun that happens in the first three books, and I thought it was great. There are a few surprises, and definitely some creative uses of magic and lenses. There are, of course, lots of evil librarians, but there are lots of good guys too. If you want lots of action, fun, humor, wit, giant robots, and lots of breaking things, this book is for you! If you enjoyed the first three then you for sure need to read this one! If you haven't read any of these books yet, go brave the evil librarian at your local library and pick up book #1. I promise you won't be disappointed!

This book contains quite a bit of fighting because it's a war. It's not overly graphic, though. There isn't any profanity or "intimacy." Alcatraz may be naked for a short while; however, it's not because of anything inappropriate. There might be a small kiss?

Rating: PG (For minor fighting of those evil librarians.)

Recommendation: 3rd grade and up

The Knights of Crystallia (Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians Book #3)

The Knights of Crystallia

(Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians Book #3)

by

Brandon Sanderson

Blurb (Taken from goodreads.com):

"When Alcatraz and Grandpa Smedry make a pilgrimage to the Free Kingdom city of Crystallia, the Smedry home base, Alcatraz is shocked to see that he is, in fact, a legend. When he was a baby he was stolen by the Evil Librarians, and his mother, a Librarian herself, was behind the whole scheme. Now, with his estranged father, who is acting indeed strange, Bastille, who has been stripped of her armor, and Grandpa Smedry, who is, as always, late to everything (that's his Talent), Alcatraz tries to save a city under siege. From who? Why, the Librarians of course!

My Review:

Seriously! These books are so much fun! I love the humor and wit, the creativity, and the imagination in these books, and this one is no different. It starts out different from the other books, saying that he's awesome; in the other books he makes it very clear that he is not a hero, that he's a liar, etc. I was intrigued from the get-go. It seems that fame has gotten to our non-hero in this book. Alcatraz begins to be just a bit arrogant and cocky. He lets the pride go to his head, and there are definitely consequences to that. The capital city of Nalhalla seems like such a cool place! I loved the descriptions of the buildings, the dragons that climb on buildings and act as taxis, and the technology they have there. Of course, there's trouble, and Alcatraz' mom is involved somehow. This time, however, the gang is not at the top of their game. They have to be doubly creative to make up for what they're lacking. This book has lots of action, danger, librarian schemes, surprises, books that sing, and more amazing Talents. If you enjoyed the first two you will love this one! My family always ends up hearing a lot of these books because I'll be sitting there reading and will burst out laughing; then they'll want to know why and I'll have to read it to them. It's awesome! I can't remember the last books that I actually laughed out loud at while reading. I love it; it's definitely a breath of fresh air!

Rating: PG (There's no profanity or "intimacy." There is some minor violence as they fight off those evil librarians.)

Recommendation: 3rd grade and up! This book would also make a great read-aloud!

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!!)

Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians (Book #1)

Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians (Book #1)

by

Brandon Sanderson

Blurb:

"On his thirteenth birthday, foster child Alcatraz Smedry receives a bag of sand in the mail, an inheritance from his lost parents. When it is immediately stolen, he learns that it is no ordinary bag of sand. With it, the evil Librarians who secretly rule the Hushlands--Librarian-controlled nations, such as the United States, Canada, and England--will finally overtake the Free Kingdoms as well. Alcatraz and his ragtag band of freedom fighters must stop them, once and for all."

My Review:

One of my book group friends recommended this series to me about a year ago, and I got them at the library for my son, but never had the chance to read them myself. I got them again for my daughter to read, and was finally able to read the first one. I have to say, this book is so much fun! The voice in the book is hilarious! It's told in first person, and I don't think I've read another book where the first person narrator is so engaging and humorous. Alcatraz is pulled into this crazy world of evil librarians and conspiracies, and even though he's the supposed hero, the first words in the book are, "I am not a good person." It's a (fictional) autobiography of Alcatraz and his life story. I love how he says in the book that the evil Librarians will advertise it as a fictional book (because they don't want the truth out), but it's really an autobiography. So fun. It is very well written, engaging, creative, imaginative, and humorous. Yes, there are some scary parts where Alcatraz, Bastille, Grandpa Smedry, and Sing are in grave danger and have to fight those evil Librarians, but the way they're written makes it seem not so bad. I love the idea of the different lenses (Want more info. on the lenses....read the book!), and how there are more continents on the earth that those evil Librarians have gotten away with not teaching us about. Hahaha!! I knew some of those librarians were secretly evil! Alcatraz is a great character. He's definitely not perfect, but in the book that imperfection becomes his strength, which is a great lesson! I love that part too. Grandpa Smedry is awesome too. Bastille is a little rougher around the edges, but I liked her more as the book went on. If you're looking for a fun middle-grader/YA series, look no further! There are five books in the series; as a mom, I love finding series for my kids to read because then I know I have five good books in a row for them to read. I highly recommend this book!

Rating: PG (There is no profanity and no "intimacy." There is some violence with characters being tortured-it's not too graphic, fighting with different weapons, and lots of stuff breaking. Of course there is a bad guy, and he's a really good bad guy!!)

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

Sting (Book #2)

Sting (Book #2)

by

Jude Watson

Blurb:

"Never do a favor for a friend. So why is March McQuin dangling upside-down twenty feet above a stone floor in the middle of the night, instead of tucked in bed like a regular kid? Along with his twin sister, Jules, he's set on stealing a set of stunning diamonds. It should have been an easy job, in and out. Except another thief got there first. March and Jules are lucky to escape with their lives, and one measly stone. Now the botched heist has created a world of trouble. The stone they grabbed was the Morning Star, one of a trio of famous sapphires, and it's cursed. The theft puts the twins and their friends in the crosshairs of Interpol, the FBI, and a vicious adult gang of criminals. And worst of all, the only way to break the curse and set everything to rights is by pulling off two more impossible heists...and stealing the other two sapphires in the set. Break out the black gloves. Lay out the masks. There's a full moon coming, and jewel to steal..." 

My Review:

Well, the gang is back at it! So much for going straight... Once again, even though I don't want to cheer for kids as they commit crimes, I found myself hoping they would make it. Geez! "But they're just sweet kids," the little devil on my shoulder says. Then the angel on my other shoulder is screaming, "But they're breaking the law and stealing from rightful owners; they need to be caught and go to jail!" Yep, it's wrong, but the book is so well written that you just can't put it down, and you can't find it in you to root against them. This book gets a little more into the roll of each character, and there's more friction between the friends. I didn't love that aspect of it, but they definitely learned some valuable life lessons as a consequence. They learned that they have to stick together, they need to be able to forgive and forget, and they need to be able to trust each other. I did like learning more about each of the characters; you definitely see more of their flaws, but that isn't always a bad thing. There are more twists and turns in this book, and lots of surprises. A few new characters are introduced; some good and some not so good. Unfortunately, these kids are quite adept at their trade. (Hey Kids-don't try this at home!!) If you enjoyed the first book, you will for sure like this one! I worry about second books sometimes, but this one did not disappoint!

Rating: PG (There isn't any profanity or "intimacy." There is, however, some violence. There is fighting, police chases, car crashes, and of course the fact that these children are criminals.)

Recommendation: 4th grade and up (This is a great middle-grader and YA series!)