Legend

Legend. Well, it kept me up until past midnight, so I must say that it was good. On one hand we have June. She's a prodigy. Top of the top. She's also in trouble. But things really go downhill once her brother is murdered. The prime suspect is the Republic's most wanted criminal, the fifteen-year-old Day. June is out to find him, and when it comes to her, she doesn't fail. Day. Prodigy? He doesn't think so. He failed the test everyone is forced to take at age ten, thus earning him the life of a fugitive. His mother doesn't even know he's alive. He hides out on the streets, occasionally interfering with government projects. But when one of the dreaded plagues threatens the life of his little brother, it's time to take some bigger risks.
I won't give any more away, just because it's way to exciting and detailed to cover here. But believe me when I say, it's awesome. Because of some angsty material, I recommend this book for ages 13 and up. Author: Marie Lu. Release date: 2011 On a scale of 1 being not so good, and 10 being the very best book I've ever read, I rate this book a 7. Check out the website at http://www.legendtheseries.com/  Oh, and sorry for the weird picture format. My usual website didn't have a good picture.

Leviathan

Leviathan + Behemoth + Goliath = One awesome book series.
Set in an alternative Europe at the start of World War I, it features two very different sides; Clankers, who are masters of the machine, and Darwinists, who can manipulate DNA to craft special creatures. 
Darwinist Deryn (a.k.a. Dylan) Sharp has always wanted to fly, and she's not going to let anything get in the way of that- not even the fact that they don't let girls into the British Air Service.
Clanker Prince Aleksander of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is on the run. His parents have just been murdered by his granduncle, and now he has a new target- Alek.
But after an unfortunate attack on the ship Deryn is stationed on, the Leviathan, it seems that Alek and his men are the only ones who can save them, in return for being saved themselves. Can this alliance work out on both ends?
This series is amazing. I'm having a hard time returning it to the library, it's that good. Because of some complex schemes, I recommend this book for ages 13 and up. Author: Scott Westerfeld. Release date: 2009 On a scale of 1 being not so good, and 10 being the very best book I've ever read, I rate this series an 8. Check out the website at http://scottwesterfeld.com/books/leviathan/

Okay For Now

Ollo, peoples. 'Kay, so this post is about the book Okay For Now by Gary D. Schimdt. I had been browsing on one of my favorite websites, Fantastic Fiction, and had come across this book. I remembered seeing it on the new shelf at my library, and made a mental note to check it out. When I did, it made me cry.
Doug Swieteck's life is tough. The book opens on his family's abrupt move to a small town in New York, which Doug is sure he is going to hate. But then he ends up in the library. And that's where he sees the Arctic Tern picture. This book was written in delightful variations on a main theme, from Doug's weekly Saturday grocery delivery job, to the Saturday visits to the library, to the regathering of pictures to make a book whole again.
Because of some tense themes, I recommend this book for ages 13 and up. Author: Gary D. Schmidt. Release date: 2011 On a scale of 1 being not so good, and 10 being the very best book I've ever read, I rate this book a 6. Check out the website at http://www.hmhbooks.com/schmidt/

Tiger's Curse

I discovered this book a few months ago while volunteering at the library. Seeing as how I was grounded from reading at the time, I added it to my summer reading list, and just recently got around to checking it out. Kelsey is a regular high-school graduate, looking for a summer job. She manages to find one at a traveling circus, selling tickets and looking after some of the animals, including a white tiger. As the days go by, she starts to feel an odd connection to the tiger, so when the tiger is sold and the buyer asks her to accompany the tiger to India, she willingly accepts. If you like a) tigers, b) ancient curses, c) really cute guys, or d) all of the above, you will most definitely enjoy this book. Because there is some kissing in this book, I recommend this series for ages 12 and up. Author: Colleen Houck.  Release date: 2011 On a scale of 1 being not so good, and 10 being the very best book I've ever read, I rate this book a 7. Check out the website at http://www.tigerscursebook.com/

Stargirl

Leo goes to an ordinary school in an ordinary town. Everyone goes about their own business without standing out. Then enters Stargirl, the strangest, most awe-inspiring (and not always in a good way), and original girl anyone has ever seen. But who is she? Who is this girl who wears long-skirts and has a pet rat, who bring a ukulele to school and sings happy birthday to people in the lunch room, and who seems to live in her own world where everybody deserves to be cheered for? And why, of all the people in the school, does Leo seem to be the one she likes? I first read this book three or four years ago, and it has stuck with me since. It is amazing. That's all I can say. I can't promise that you will love it, some people might just find it weird. I recommend this book for ages 10 and up. Author: Jerry Spinelli.  Release date: 2000 On a scale of 1 being not so good, and 10 being the very best book I've ever read, I rate this book an 6 1/2. Check out the website at www.randomhouse.com/teens/stargirl/home.html Oh, and sorry for the lousy cover picture. It was the best I could find.

 

Matched

A few weeks ago I was volunteering at the library, helping to label new books when I came across one that looked interesting. I vaguely remembered reading about it as a side note on dystopian fiction in U.S.A. Today when they did an article on Mockingjay, so I thought I'd check it out. One word. Addictive. I could barely put it down when I was reading it. Cassia has never questioned the Society's way of doing things. After all, everything is designed to be as near to perfection as possible. So when she finds out that her Match (the person who she will marry) is her best friend Xander, she doesn't even think of questioning the pairing. But when the face that shows up on the screen isn't Xander's, but another boy that she knows instead, she begins to realize that maybe the Society isn't always right. Because this is dystopian fiction, I recommend this series for ages 12 and up. Author: Ally Condie.  Release date: 2010 On a scale of 1 being not so good, and 10 being the very best book I've ever read, I rate this book an 8. Oh, and check out Ally's website at http://www.allysoncondie.com/. Keep a hold of your artifacts!

The Edge Chronicles

I was out of things to read over spring break, so I thought I'd try this series. I had read another series by the same author/illustrator team, the Far-Flung Adventures, which I had loved, so I thought I would see if this one was just as good. It was better. The story is set in a world called the Edge, where many different creatures and beings dwell along-side each other, though not always peacefully. There are ten books in this series, but they are not in chronological order. To get the most out of the series, I recommend you read them in this order: 4, 8, 9, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10. The reason for this is that the books cover different time frames, focusing on different people. Installments 4, 8, and 9 are about Quint, son of a sky-pirate. Books 1, 2, and 3 tell the tale of Twig, an orphaned boy who was brought up by wood trolls. Rook is a brave librarian knight whose adventures are recorded in books 5, 6, and 7. Book 10 stands by itself, set years into the future. This series was wonderful, and I particularly enjoyed the rich vocabulary and the amazing illustrations. This is a series well worth your time. I recommend this series for ages 10 and up. Author: Paul Stewart. Illustrator: Chris Riddell. Release date: 1998 On a scale of 1 being not so good, and 10 being the very best series I've ever read, I rate this series a 6. Check out the website at: www.randomhouse.com/kids/edgechronicles/ Don't stray from the path!

The Troll Series

I was browsing the paperback section at the library one day, when I spotted an interesting-looking book on the shelf called Troll Mill.  Being the kind of person who believes in trolls, I picked up the book, saw that it was the second one in a series, and set out to find the first. I'm very glad I did. This is a trilogy, with Troll Fell being the first book, followed by Troll Mill, and Troll Blood. There is an omnibus coming out March 2011, entitled West of the Moon. Peer Ulfsson, the main character, has had some terrible luck. His father has just died and right at the end of the funeral, his cruel long-lost half-uncle Baldur Grimsson shows up. After selling almost all of Peer's possessions and keeping the money, Uncle Baldur drags Peer away from everything he's ever known. Then things get worse. It turns out uncle Baldur has an identical twin who's just as bad as he is, they have a dog who is a trained killer, and the way his Uncles see it, Peer is no better then a slave and should be treated accordingly. Plus, the huge hill is infested with trolls. Peer's only friends are his dog Loki, and the girl who lives up the road. But when Peer discovers a plot that involves giving children to the trolls in exchange for gold, he has no idea what's in store for him. The first book in this series is a bit depressing, although it picks up a bit at the end. It is a pretty clean series, but because some of it might be a little hard to understand, I recommend this series for ages 11 and up. Author: Katherine Langrish. Release date: 2004 On a scale of 1 being not so good, and 10 being the very best series I've ever read, I rate this series a 8.

Septimus Heap

Okay, so I had known about this series for awhile, but hadn't really been interested. Maybe because of all the weird title spellings. But last week I was out of things to read, so I figured I would try it out. IT WAS AWESOME!!! The first book in the series is called Magyk. It starts out with  the murders of a Queen and the ExtraOrdinary wizard, the mysterious death of the Heap family's new baby (who happened to be a seventh son of a seventh son), and the finding of a baby girl in the woods. And all on the same night too. That's about all I can say without giving too much away. So instead, I will tell you if you will like this book or not. If you like magic, wizards, witches, mysteries, swamps, dragons, boats, dragon boats, or anything else along those lines, you will most definitely like this book. If you don't find those  things interesting, read it anyway. You will soon change your mind. There are currently five books in the series (Magyk, Flyte, Physik, Queste, and Syren), along with a companion book (The Magykal Papers). The sixth book is called Darke, and is coming out in June 2011. (U.S.) This series is a bit predictable, but is an enjoyable read. I recommend this series for kids ages ten and up. Author: Angie Sage. Release date: 2005 On a scale of 1 being not so good, and 10 being the very best series I've ever read, I rate this series a 7 1/2.

Visit the website at http://septimusheap.wordpress.com/press.com  Oh, and beware DomDaniel!

Zoobreak

Griffin and his friends are back in the second book of this awesome series. The trouble starts when Griffin's friend Savannah's pet monkey goes missing. Savannah is frantic and asks Griffin to help her find the missing animal. They search, but to no avail. Then, on a class field trip to a floating zoo, they find that the main attraction is Savannah's monkey! But the zoo owner, Mr. Nastase, says that he bought the monkey, although he won't say from where. Will Griffin and his team of friends get the monkey back quietly? Or will they have to pull a zoobreak to stop Mr. Nasty? I loved the first book in this series and I was hoping that the second book would be just as good or better. I definitely was not disappointed. This book has lots of relatable topics, such as friends who are moving to a new school and being underestimated. I recommend this book for kids ages nine and up. Author: Gordan Korman. Release date: 2009  On a scale of 1 being not so good, and 10 being the very best book I've ever read, I rate this book a 7 1/2.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Countdown Post #4

Okay, so I got a little behind in my countdown. The movie comes out at midnight tonight. Oh well. The fourth book in the Harry Potter series is Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. In this book Harry gets to go with the Weasleys to see the Quidditch world cup. But everyone freaks out when the dark mark appears in the sky. Plus everyone is saying that something exciting is going to happen at Hogwarts this year. And sure enough when Harry arrives at Hogwarts, they announce that the Triwizard Tournament which hasn't been held in years due to death incidents, is going to take place this year. Everyone is excited at the arrival of the two rival schools, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. And finally the night comes when the Goblet of Fire will pick the name of the three who compete. The three champions are chosen, but then another name comes out of the cup. And the name is.... Harry Potter. This book has it all. Dragons, merpeople, blast-ended skrewts, nosy journalists, a fight with a friend, and possibly an encounter with Voldemort. I recommend this book for ages 11 and up. Author: J. K. Rowling. Release date: 2000 On a scale of 1 being not so good, and 10 being the very best book I've ever read, I rate this book a 10.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Countdown Post #3

The third countdown post. Five days until the movie! In this book,Harry accidentally blows up his uncle's sister and makes a run for it, thinking that he has been expelled from school. When he reaches the Leaky Cauldron he walks straight into the Minister of Magic himself- who seems strangely relieved to find Harry safe and sound. And everyone is talking about an escaped convict, Sirius Black, who is so dangerous that even the Muggles have been warned. Is Harry somehow connected to Black? Why is Ron's rat acting so weird? And why do the Dementors, the guards of Azkaban, cause Harry to pass out every time they come near him? As Harry grows older in the books, J. K. Rowling's writing becomes better. This book was harder for me to get through the first time I read it. Unfortunately, the book does lose speed about half-way through. Please, stick with it. It gets better.I recommend this book for ages 10 and up. Author: J. K. Rowling. Release date: 1999 On a scale of 1 being not so good, and 10 being the very best book I've ever read, I rate this book a 10.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Countdown Post #2

Second countdown post. 6 days until the movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This is the second book in the greatest series of all time. After having stopped He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named at the end of the school year, Harry is back at his horrible aunt and uncle's house for the summer. Yet all he wants is to be back at school with his friends. But when a strange creature shows up at his house and warns him not to go back to Hogwarts, Harry knows something is up. And sure enough when he goes back to school, people start being attacked. Is the Chamber of Secrets fact, or is it just a legend? Is Harry the heir of Slytherin? And is Voldermort behind it all? I got this book as part of a boxed set that contained books 1-4. This book is rather intense at parts, so I recommend this book for ages 10 and up. Also, if giant snakes give you nightmares, I do not recommend this book. Author: J. K. Rowling. Release date: 1998  

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Countdown Post #1

Because the new Harry Potter movie is coming out in 8 days I am doing my own countdown by reviewing the books. I thought I would start with the first one. But oh my goodness. Where to start? To sum up this book in one word: Genius. This book is the first in the best series of all time. The Harry Potter series. Harry is not an ordinary boy. He lives with his horrible Aunt and Uncle and has a spoiled cousin who picks on him constantly. He has a scar shaped like a lightning-bolt. And weird things are always happening to him. Then strange letters start arriving. Eventually Harry meets Hagrid, the largest man he's ever seen. Hagrid tells him that he's a wizard and that he has been accepted at Hogwarts school of witch craft and wizardry. I read this book for the first time during my summer break after first grade. I admit that I wasn't a huge fan at first. I think part of that is because I was seven at the time, so I recommend this book for ages 10 and up. This is now my favorite series ever. Author: J. K. Rowling. Release date: 1997  On a scale of 1 being not so good, and 10 being the very best book I've ever read, I rate this book a 10.

This Isn't What It Looks Like

This is the forth and newest book in the Secret Series. In this book one of the main characters, Cass, is stuck in a coma after eating chocolate that has sent her consciousness into her ancestral past. Meanwhile, back in her own time her best friend (and the other main character) Max-Ernest, is trying everything he can to wake her up. Will he succeed? Will Cass find out the secret? Will we finally find out who Pseudonymous Bosch is? I found out about this series through the National Geographic Kids magazine last year.  There are three books that come before this one, all of which are very funny. This book does have some words that are hard to understand, so I recommend this book for ages 12 and up. Author: Pseudonymous Bosch. Release date: 2010. On a scale of 1 being not so good, and 10 being the very best book I've ever read, I rate this book a 4 and a 1/2.

Wolf Brother

In this book, set thousands of years ago, the main character, Torak, finds himself alone after a demon bear kills his father. On his own for the first time ever, Torak battles hunger and fever and befriends a wolf cub before being captured and taken to a camp where he finds out a terrible prophecy. A prophecy which could lead to his death. This book and the two that come after it in the series, were given to me many years ago by a relative who lives in Wales. The name of the series kind of scared me off, after all, you would expect a series called The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness to be, well, dark. About a year ago I remembered it and decided to give it a try. In one word, AWESOME! This book has a good balance between non-fiction and fantasy, and incorporates both into the story beautifully. I recommend this book for kids 10 and up. Author: Michelle Paver. Release Date: 2004. On a scale of 1 being not so good, and 10 being the very best book I've ever read, I rate this book a 8.

Swindle

Okay, first blog post. I'll start with Swindle by Gordan Korman.

In this book the main character, 6th grader Griffin Bing, masterminds a plan to steal back a million dollar baseball card that he was swindled out of. He assembles a team of classmates who each have a special talent to get the card back. I first read this book as part of our library's Book Bunch program and it has been my one of my favorites ever since. I think maybe one of the reasons I like it so much is because the kids in the story stand up for themselves. They don't give up without a fight- even if the only people who know what they are doing are themselves. This book has a lot of things kids can relate to, from nosy adults to the prospect of moving. I recommend this book for kids ages nine and up. Author: Gordan Korman. Release date: 2008  On a scale of 1 being not so good, and 10 being the very best book I've ever read, I rate this book a 9 1/2.