Middle Grade Review: Smasher by Scott Bly

 Smasher by Scott Bly

Hardcover, 256 pages

Publication Date: March 25th, 2014 by Blue Sky Press (Scholastic)

Source: Publisher

In this riveting suspense thriller, two children race the clock to stop a futuristic murderer and his plan to enslave the world.In thirty days, a cold-hearted corporate tycoon will unleash a deadly biological computer virus on the entire world. As the public eagerly awaits his invention that promises ultimate relaxation, harmony, and community, the evil big-business sorcerer plans to put an end to freedom.Can he be stopped? The world's only hope is if Charlie, a math genius with otherworldly skills, and Geneva, a robotic girl from the future, can team up to track down some very dark secrets. With a method that uses atomic particles, Geneva and Charlie use "Smasher" to break through the walls of time. They travel to find an unlikely solution. But will it work?Fresh, unique, and gripping, this page-turner also celebrates the power of love, hope, and friendship as it also raises provocative questions about technology, progress, and the nature of persecution.

This is one of those books that is hard to review because it's not a book aimed at me, it's not my genre of choice, but I believe in thinking outside the box and trying most anything. So what I didn't like about it is actually what makes it so good for it's actual targeted audience. This is a middle grade sci-fi thriller. It's very technology based but throws in some supernatural elements and time travel as well. I do like time travel, but the rest of that is not really my favorite. However, for what this is, for who it is for, it's done quite well.

These are some of the things you can expect.

• A boy from the past as the main character and a girl from the future (to us and the boy) who may or may not be a robot and who is able to time travel, camouflage and more. 
• A villain with alternating chapters featuring him (so an adult has a POV but it's third person- as is the other POV's).
• Secondary characters that we question whether they are truly devoted to the villain as we get conflicting information from them. This is not as confusing as it sounds.
• Time travel.
• Lots of technology that is not over explained but may be more easily accepted by the younger readers rather than myself, an adult that wants more thorough explanations.
• The Hum. Yeah- not sure how to explain this. Basically magic. Kind of. 
• Family, friends, humanity and a puppy. 

The beginning of the book was kind of slow for me.  It threw me off a little when Charlie comes from the past (way past) to the future (way future) and picks up on things so easily.  He has kind of an explanation for it, but I think I would have liked a little more of his awe about the whole thing.  

I enjoyed the little mysteries that were revealed but wish there had been maybe more foreshadowing so I could have guessed.  Since it's middle grade these things may not really be so important.

I struggled with the book holding my attention at times.  I guess I would say I wanted more of everything. More character development, more world-building, even more plot. But when you consider the targeted audience I wouldn't say this is actually a negative for the book.  If you gave this book to a middle grade boy or girl that was really into science and technology, you'd be placing it into the perfect hands. This book could be THE BOOK for them. The one that makes them want to read more books.  It's one I would say is probably better going to the right people rather than just recommending it anyone.  It's one I would consider gifting to my nephews who are really into technology.  

For myself I would say this is probably like a 2 star book.  But I also don't think it's fair to label it that because it's not a bad book, it's just not the book for me.  I'm rating it 4 stars because I think that it's a real winner for what it is.  I hope that makes sense.

Disclosure: I received this book for review purposes, all opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

Middle Grade Review- Sherlock, Lupin & Me: The Dark Lady by Irene Adler

Sherlock, Lupin & Me: The Dark Lady by Irene Adler

Hardcover, 240 pages

Published: Jan. 1st, 2014 by Capstone

Source: Publisher

While on summer vacation, little Irene Adler meets a young William Sherlock Holmes. The two share stories of pirates and have battles of wit while running wild on the sunny streets and rooftops. When Sherlock's friend, Lupin, joins in on the fun, they all become fast friends. But the good times end abruptly when a dead body floats ashore on the nearby beach. The young detective trio will have to put all three of their heads together to solve this mystery.

This is a very fun middle grade mystery adventure.  We get the story from Irene and she's telling it in the future, relating what happened. So we know she knows more than she's letting on and throws in nice little clues, or things we might think are clues, to keep us on our toes. Some things may end up being kind of false leads, but it works well because it makes the mystery so much better.  And it's things she may have thought of at the time, so it's not like she's just trying to mix us up.

Irene has a great voice and is very fun to read about.  She's a bit of a rebel (for the time period) and goes off to spend her days with her new friends Sherlock and Lupin.  One day shortly after meeting each other they find a body on the beach.  From there it's easy to guess that of course they are going to try to solve the murder.  There's plenty of action in the book to keep it moving, but there's the necessary character development there as well.

As anyone knows of Sherlock, he's a bit of a quirky guy and as a kid he is as well. It felt like a realistic portrayal of him and it was easy to imagine as him.  Lupin also had a strong personality that came through well.

This was a very fast read that I devoured in just over an hour. It was entertaining and fun but had it's 'scary' bits as well.  I definitely recommend this one to fans of Sherlock and as an introduction to him for kids.  As a bonus, this is a beautifully packaged book. Gorgeous cover with nice little illustrations right inside the cover and in the back.  I'll definitely be hanging on to this one and giving it to my daughter to read when she turns 10.

Disclosure: I received this book for review purposes, all opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

You can win a copy of this book and another HERE.

Secrets, Spies & Sherlock Blog Tour: Excerpt, Review & Giveaway

Welcome to Day 8 of the SECRETS, SPIES & SHERLOCK BLOG TOUR, featuring two exciting new middle grade mystery series: Sherlock, Lupin & Me: The Dark Lady by Irene Adler and Secrets & Spies: Treason by Jo Macauley. Each stop on the 2-week tour will feature fun posts and a chance to win a set of finished copies of the books!  Today’s post features Treason by Jo Macauley.
Excerpt:

(A little background on John: Junior clerk at the Navy Board, handsome John imagines himself in more daring, adventurous circumstances, and he soon has the opportunity when he meets Beth Johnson and becomes part of her gang of spies.)

Clutching the accounts, John made his way back up to the top floor of the building. His nerve faltered somewhat as he stood before that great oak door again, but he was boosted by imagining Beth was watching him, impressed by his bold move. He knocked firmly. There was no reply, but the door had not been closed properly and it swung open as soon as his knuckles made contact, revealing an apparently empty office. John pulled back for a moment and checked that the corridor was clear, trying all the time to bring his nerves under control. He would leave the accounts on Jones’s desk and come back again later to inquire about Will. He took a cautious step inside, then a couple more. 

The sight that met his eyes stopped him dead in his tracks. Arthur Jones’s chair lay on the floor on its side. Papers from his desk were strewn around it, splashed with black ink from an upturned inkpot and red ink from . . . John felt his heart begin to thump against his ribs. He walked over to the desk and took a closer look at the papers. That wasn’t red ink. It was blood! It was splattered all over the table and the papers, forming a trail across the floor. John dropped his accounts down onto the desk. What on earth had happened here? The bloody trail led to a door at the back of the room. He had no idea what — or who — was on the other side, but he knew that he ought to investigate. Something very bad had surely happened here and he couldn’t just walk away and do nothing, however much he might want to. John followed the blood trail right to the door and turned the handle. It opened onto a narrow, dimly-lit passageway. Taking a deep breath, he set off into the shadowy corridor, where he could just make out the trail of vivid red splats going all the way along the passageway and around a corner. They looked like circular warning signs surrounded by crimson exclamation marks that spoke of danger. It was only when the trail came to an end that John looked up. What he saw made his heart stop.

END

Enter below for a chance to win Treason and find out what John found at the end of that trail, as well as a copy of The Dark Lady by Irene Adler!

***Stop by Through the Looking Glass tomorrow for the next stop on the SECRETS, SPIES & SHERLOCK BLOG TOUR and another chance to win!***

Secrets, Spies & Sherlock Blog Tour Schedule:

February 24th: The Dark Lady at The Write Path

February 25th: Treason at I Read Banned Books

February 26th: The Dark Lady at Buried in Books

February 27th: Treason at Loves2Read

February 28th: The Dark Lady at Akossiwa Ketoglo

March 3rd: Treason at GeoLibrarian

March 4th: The Dark Lady at Bookshelf Banter

March 5th: Treason at Candace’s Book Blog

March 6th:  The Dark Lady at Through the Looking Glass

March 7th: Treason at Unconventional Librarian

About Secrets & Spies: Treason by Jo Macauley:

Fourteen-year-old Beth Johnson is a talented and beautiful young actress. She is also a spy. The year is 1664, and Charles II is on the throne, but all is not well in the bustling city of London, and there are those who would gladly kill the king and destroy the Monarchy. One morning, a mysterious ghost ship drifts up the Thames. Sent to investigate by the King's Master of Secrets, Alan Strange, Beth quickly finds herself embroiled in a dangerous adventure. Will Beth be able to unravel the plot to kill the King before it's too late?

Amazon/Barnes & Noble

About Sherlock, Lupin & Me: The Dark Lady by Irene Adler:

While on summer vacation, little Irene Adler meets a young William Sherlock Holmes. The two share stories of pirates and have battles of wit while running wild on the sunny streets and rooftops. When Sherlock's friend, Lupin, joins in on the fun, they all become fast friends. But the good times end abruptly when a dead body floats ashore on the nearby beach. The young detective trio will have to put all three of their heads together to solve this mystery.

Amazon/Barnes & Noble

Treason (Secrets and Spies #1) by Jo MacAuley

Paperback, 225 pages

Source: Publisher

Fourteen-year-old Beth Johnson is a talented and beautiful young actress. She is also a spy. The year is 1664, and Charles II is on the throne, but all is not well in the bustling city of London, and there are those who would gladly kill the king and destroy the Monarchy. One morning, a mysterious ghost ship drifts up the Thames. Sent to investigate by the King’s Master of Secrets, Alan Strange, Beth quickly finds herself embroiled in a dangerous adventure. Will Beth be able to unravel the plot to kill the King before it’s too late?

I was really excited to read this because Secrets and Spies.  I mean, that right there had me saying yes to this one.  While I do enjoy middle grade books it seems like sometimes the historical ones just don't have enough oomph for me. I tend to feel they lack in something to really make them great.  There are a few though that I've loved over the years. Bloody Jack (the series) is one of them and this book might not have been quite as amazing, but it was pretty darn great!  This might be technically middle grade, but it works fine for YA readers.  It's just clean and maybe less creepy than it could be as YA or Adult.

Beth is 14 years old, but I would have guessed 17.  Of course back then 14 was old enough to do quite a lot and so it works just fine that she's so mature.  She is an actress and a spy and in this book she uncovers a plot to kill the King.  Along the way we get to see London a bit through her eyes, which was a pleasant experience, as always.

We also meet John who is a bit shy and timid.  We see that he's brave inside, he just has to tap into it.  He's a bright kid, but hasn't been given a chance to really show his strengths. Strengths he never knew he had.  We also meet Ralph, who has a very strong personality and adds  a lot of fun to the story.  We have some other side characters that were less important, but they all played their roles perfectly.

This book had it's more intense moments, but it was still a light and fun book.  I'll be very curious and anxious to continue the series!

Disclosure: I received this book for review purposes, all opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

One set of the books: Sherlock, Lupin & Me: The Dark Lady and Secrets & Spies: Treason

Open to US only.

Must be 13 or older to enter.

Giveaway provided by the publisher.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Middle Grade Review- Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo

Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo

Illustrated by K.G. Campbell

Hardcover, 233 pages

Published: September 24th, 2013 by Candlewick Press

Source: Purchased

Holy unanticipated occurrences! A cynic meets an unlikely superhero in a genre-breaking new novel by master storyteller Kate DiCamillo. It begins, as the best superhero stories do, with a tragic accident that has unexpected consequences. The squirrel never saw the vacuum cleaner coming, but self-described cynic Flora Belle Buckman, who has read every issue of the comic book Terrible Things Can Happen to You!, is the just the right person to step in and save him. What neither can predict is that Ulysses (the squirrel) has been born anew, with powers of strength, flight, and misspelled poetry—and that Flora will be changed too, as she discovers the possibility of hope and the promise of a capacious heart. From #1 New York Times best-selling author Kate DiCamillo comes a laugh-out-loud story filled with eccentric, endearing characters and featuring an exciting new format—a novel interspersed with comic-style graphic sequences and full-page illustrations, all rendered in black-and-white by up-and-coming artist K.G. Campbell.

I'm a big fan of Kate DiCamillo, but apparently my daughter is an even bigger fan because I have never heard her beg for a book so much.  Her teacher read this in class and she fell in love and HAD to have her own copy.  It's ridiculously hard to say no to your child when they want a BOOK. But especially so when it's a Kate DiCamillo book.

I read this aloud to my children, which was difficult for one reason only- I wanted to keep reading!  Stopping after only a few (very short) chapters was hard, because I adored the book so much.  Flora is smart beyond her years, but I loved her big words and way of thinking.  I thought she was adorable.  Ulysses is a squirrel.  A superhero squirrel. At least according to Flora.  Through the book we see that Ulysses is more of a writer and this is also adorable.  I mean, a squirrel that loves WORDS. How is that not cute?  He also has so much love for Flora that I wanted to just hug his teeny little body.

Through the book are little pieces like comic strips showing some of the more action'y bits.  The illustrations are very cute and fit the story wonderfully.  It's rather hard to read those bits aloud, but it was nice to pull the kids in and discuss a bit.

The writing is stunning.  It's Kate DiCamillo, so of course it is!  But it was fun to read aloud and was entertaining because of the voices I could use for each of these very quirky characters.  I loved every  moment of this book and was very sad when it was over.

Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway- Zoe & Zak and the Yogi's Curse by Lars Guignard

I'm happy to be hosting a stop on the audiobook tour for Zoe & Zak and the Yogi's Curse by Lars Guignard. This is a middle grade fantasy adventure for ages 8+.  Check out the tour page for the full list of tour stops.

Zoe & Zak and the Yogi's Curse by Lars Guignard
Read by Sonja Field
Genre: Middle Grade Magic, Fantasy Adventure. Ages 8-13
Length:  audiobook length is 7 hours 36 minutes Publication Date: November 20, 2013

Zoe and Zak are back in India. Again. And this time they’re attending Moonstock Himalayan Boarding School, which might seem fun except for the fact that the school itself is a little strange. Students ride elephants instead of school buses, snarling monkeys work as security guards, and angry parrots monitor the halls. And even when they manage to get used to the wildlife, the food is absolutely terrible. But living with a bunch of other kids their age can be a lot of fun, too, or at least it seems that way until Zoe’s roommate goes missing. Following the directions written on a steamy bathroom mirror, Zoe and Zak fly through the clouds on their magic carpet to learn that the two of them have been chosen yet again. This time they’ve been asked to lift the Yogi’s Curse. It’s not going to be easy. Zoe and Zak don’t even know what the Yogi’s Curse is let alone how to lift it, but like it or not, they soon discover that a whole lot of people are depending on them. Now, if they’re going to save the day, Zoe and Zak are going to have to fool the monkey guards, avoid the nasty parrots, and maybe even develop a supernatural ability or two. Because lurking beneath Moonstock is a powerful new enemy. And if Zoe and Zak can’t stop him, nobody can.

I would recommend this book to just about anybody.  I think it's perfect for the whole family because the main characters are kids that say and do funny things so the kids will be entertained.  There's also a wonderful adventure and along with the setting and fantasy elements, the adults will be entertained as well.  I think this would be perfect for a family car trip and I would definitely listen to it again.

My favorite part of the book is the adventure, along with the setting. I love that the book takes place in India. We see quite a bit of the country and learn a little about the culture as well.  I love that these kids are going to school there with kids from around the world. What could be better?  Well, maybe the food served. ;)

Zoe and Zak both have distinctive voices and strong personalities and they both shined in this book.  They were funny, though they got serious when they needed to. I laughed at times and other times sat on the edge of my seat because it was so intense.

The audio was pretty perfect!  Sonja Field was able to create very distinctive voices for each character and got the accents perfect. It was easy to tell when each person/creature was talking and I felt every emotion they felt.

If I were to point out things that I liked less, it would be that sometimes I felt the plot moved along a little slowly in the beginning.  I wasn't clear what was suppose to happen right away. But it is a shorter story, so I'm not sure it could have been different.  And I did love the setting and when they talked about the school.

This is a fun fantasy adventure that has wonderful characters, setting, and fantasy elements. I would definitely listen or read it again.

Disclosure: I received this audiobook for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

Audible |  iTunes | Amazon  | GoodReads

About the Author:
Prior to writing novels, Lars Guignard wrote for film and television. As a teenager he attended boarding school in the Indian Himalayas and his experiences there provided the inspiration for the Zoe and Zak series which now include: Zoe & Zak and the Ghost Leopard and Zoe & Zak and the Yogi’s Curse and Zoe & Zak and the Tiger Temple.

He lives in the Pacific Northwest where he dodges bears and cougars while hiking & skiing the magnificent Coast Mountain Range.

For news about new releases, please join his email list here: Zoe&ZakAdventures@gmail.com

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

About the narrator:
Sonja Field combines her life-long passion for reading with her skill as an actress to bring audiobooks to life! A dynamic and versatile narrator, she has logged hundreds of hours recording textbooks with an organization called Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic. She loved recording the action-packed Zoe & Zak and the Yogi's Curse because of its wealth of colorful, quirky, and memorable characters.

Giveaway:

 2 copies of Zoe & Zak and the Yogi's Curse in ebook (worldwide), paperback (US only) or audiobook (where audible.com is accessible)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Middle Grade Review: The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky by Holly Schindler

The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky by Holly Schindler

Hardcover, 240 pages

Published: Feb. 6th, 2014 by Dial

Source: Purchased

“Beasts of the Southern Wild” meets Because of Winn Dixie in this inspiring story of hope.

August “Auggie” Jones lives with her Grandpa Gus, a trash hauler, in a poor part of town. So when her wealthy classmate’s father starts the House Beautification Committee, it’s homes like Auggie’s that are deemed “in violation.” Auggie is determined to prove that she is not as run-down as the outside of her house might suggest. Using the kind of items Gus usually hauls to the scrap heap, a broken toaster becomes a flower; church windows turn into a rainbow walkway; and an old car gets new life as spinning whirligigs. What starts out as a home renovation project becomes much more as Auggie and her grandpa discover a talent they never knew they had—and redefine a whole town’s perception of beauty, one recycled sculpture at a time. Auggie’s talent for creating found art will remind readers that one girl’s trash really is another girl’s treasure.

It's funny, I'm sure I read the description before I bought the book. Or maybe I didn't.  It is Holly Schindler and it has an adorable cover. I would have bought it no matter what it was about. But when I started reading I immediately thought of Because of Winn Dixie and Kate DiCamillo.  The writing in this book is absolutely stunning.  Holly is a brilliant author; this is a different style for her and I LOVED it!  It has a southern small town feel to it and is about a girl who wants to beautify her home that is in the poor part of town. Unfortunately the 'House Beautification Committee' doesn't see it as beautifying and continues to send notices and fine them.  But it's not just them, it's her neighbors as well. No matter how much they try to fix things up, the committee isn't happy.  But not everyone has money to buy new things. So why is patching the roof wrong? Why is fixing up not good enough?  Of course there's more to the story, and I guessed that from the start.  

Auggie is a fresh and wonderful voice. She felt her age, but she was smart and was determined to do right by everyone.  She's the one who gets everyone busy beautifying their homes and doesn't suspect in the least that it could backfire.  At the same time she's dealing with a best friend who found a new best friend. But her new friend is Auggie's worst enemy.  Auggie doesn't make drama out of that though. It's clear she's hurt, but she backs off and lets her friend make that decision.  What she does get upset about is everyone getting in more trouble, when they are trying to do the right thing.  She fights and fights and fights for people to see their neighborhood as beautiful and I had so much respect for this girl who saw beauty in things.  Things didn't need to be new, no- that wasn't beauty at all.  And I loved this message that didn't really feel like a 'message' at all.  

All the neighbors worked together in this book and that is something I would like to teach my children, that we can work with others and things are even better. I live in a neighborhood where most of the neighbors don't really talk to each other.  I know 2 neighbors fairly well and one that brings over eggrolls every New Years, but rarely talk with.  We all seem immersed in our lives and don't really know anything about each other.  I would rather live in an older neighborhood (my neighborhood is new) where everyone knows each other and works together.  That's also part of small town life, and I don't live in a small town either.

I also want to teach my kids that they don't need 'new' things. We can fix things up, or turn things into something different.  I'm looking forward to creating some new things out of our old things for this springs new garden areas.  This book has definitely inspired me!

I highly recommend! And while this is a middle grade novel, it's a novel that I think people of all ages would really enjoy.

Middle Grade Review: If the Shoe Fits (Whatever After #2) by Sarah Mlynowski

Happy New Years everyone!  I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday!

If the Shoe Fits (Whatever After #2) by Sarah Mlynowski

Published: January 2013 by Scholastic

Source: ALAMW 2013 (I think)

This second book in Sarah Mlynowski's charming new series puts a fresh spin on the Cinderella story!

Once upon a time my brother and I found a magic mirror.

Tonight the mirror swept us into Cinderella's fairy tale. Now, we are NOT messing this story up. No way. Cinderella is going to marry her prince just like she's supposed to.

Uh-oh.

Cinderella broke her foot and there's massive swelling. The glass slipper won't fit, the prince won't know she's the one for him, and they won't live happily ever after. And it's all our fault!

To save the day we'll need to:
1. Learn how to use a dustpan
2. Stay out of jail
3. Find Cinderella a job
4. And make sure true love finds its way.

We just have to get it all done before the clock strikes twelve and the chance for a happy ending is gone . . . forever!

I hadn't read the first book, which I figured out is about their first trip through the magic mirror, however this wasn't an issue.  This book stands on it's own just fine as they travel through the magic mirror to Cinderella and her story!

I loved the characters and they felt authentic to their age.  This is a younger middle grade book that was appropriate for both of my children (4 & 8) and was enjoyed by both of them. The main character is Abby but her little brother Jonah goes on the trip with her and is very important to the story.  The fact that they act their age while still being pretty grown up and mature (in regards to some things) felt very realistic to me and made me enjoy the story even more. Reading about them was a lot of fun and it was a perfect read-aloud book.

I loved that there's the message in the book that you don't need a man to rescue you, you can make things happen on your own and should know how to stand on your own two feet.  That may sound a bit mature for little kids but the way the story goes it fits and it made me enjoy the story much more.  I'm not so fond of the stories that are all perfect, where they meet someone once or twice and are suddenly in love and getting married and have a happily ever after. Where that might happen sometimes, it's not the best message in the world for little girls.

The book is fast paced and easy to cruise through.  I read a little each night and this book took me less then a week to read aloud to my kids.  I think I'll definitely go back and get the first one to read.

I would suggest this book for girls ages 8-12 but younger readers may enjoy having it read to them.  There aren't any pictures in it, but the story is short enough it may not be too difficult for early readers (those just starting to read chapter books).  Highly recommend for girly girls who love fairy tales!

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book review consideration, all opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

Middle Grade Review: The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland

The Dragonet Prophecy (Wings of Fire #1) by Tui T. Sutherland

Paperback, 336 pages

Published: May 1st, 2013 by Scholastic (first published in July 2012)

Source: Purchased

The beginning of a thrilling new dragon saga-- now in paperback!

Clay and his friends have grown up under a mountain, secretly raised by the Talons of Peace to fulfill a mysterious prophecy. The five young dragons are destined to end the war that's been raging between the tribes of Pyrrhia -- but how they'll do this, none of them knows.

But not every dragonet wants a destiny. When one of their own is threatened, Clay and his friends decide to escape. Maybe they can break free and end the war at the same time -- or maybe they'll risk everything ...

I read this book with my kids ages 8 and 4.  While the gist of the story is good I found myself having to skim parts because it was too bloody and violent.  Mostly this was for my 8 year old because she's more sensitive to that, but I'm not sure I would recommend it for any 8 year old.  But maybe that's just me.  Personally I would say 10 and up and remember that it's a bit gory and violent at times.  Sometimes it almost shocked me, especially toward the beginning when they were talking about a scavenger, it came upon them and another dragon bit it's head off (or something similar).  I felt it was obvious that the 'scavengers' are humans because of a prior discussion and so this kind of bothered me for some reason. That was just the beginning of what ended up being a fair amount of very descriptive and gory violence.  (Note that the main characters were not violent and did not eat any scavengers or start any violence of any sort.)

The characters in the book are dragons and it's about a group of dragonet's that are suppose to fulfill a prophecy.  These dragons are actually great. They've been semi abused (in my opinion) being raised for this prophecy and have never seen the outside world.  They are all very close and have each others backs. When one is threatened they decide to break free. Once in the world they are in for a real shock though, and the real world is much more harsh then they ever imagined.

This is just the beginning of a story with these dragonet's and I expect much more to come.  The strength they show in supporting each other is my favorite part of the book. They've been told that they aren't good enough and all that, but with support from each other they do have strength and are far better then their 'teachers' ever gave them credit for and because of the their unique situation and background they have a unique stand point and opinion on things.

I felt the world building was maybe a tad weak but being as it's only the beginning I can kind of overlook that.  Only so much can be explored in one book.  We are also with Clay and only know what he knows or is told (other then the very beginning and very end) so we can't really know any more then he does.

If I get the get the next book I'll be reading it to myself and hold off on reading it to my kids until they are older.  I'm curious to see where things go, especially since at the end we got a peek at some stuff that really infuriated me, so I want to know how it plays out.  Overall it was a decent read but nothing I'm going to rave about just yet.

Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Secret Ramblings of Harriet Hughes by Louise Lintvelt

Today I'm excited to host a tour stop on The Secret Ramblings of Harriet Hughes blog tour.  This tour features the first two books, Diary of a Dancing Drama Queen and Diary of a Pop Sensation.  These are adorable middle grade books.  You can find the tour page with the list of tour stops HERE.  This tour was put together by me.  In this post you'll find my reviews of both books.

Diary of a Dancing Drama Queen (The Secret Ramblings of Harriet Hughes #1) by Louise Lintvelt

Harriet Hughes is not your typical 12 year old girl. She does not like pink and she is not what you would call breathtakingly beautiful. Harriet considers herself decidedly average; her sister Abigail on the other hand is very pretty and good at everything. Join Harriet as she makes her way through middle school. In diary of a dancing drama queen Harriet has to face the embarrassment of a dance class after her mother enrolls her and her sister at Madam Zangara’s School of Dance. She is not exactly the best dancer in the world and when the most popular girl in school, Melanie joins the dance class, it marks the start of a fun filled adventure that includes a birthday party, a talent show and a school dance. Will she get asked to the dance by her biggest crush, Oliver Russel? Harriet writes about family, friends, school and boys in a fresh, young voice and the sketches in her diary (secret ramblings) add a touch of whimsy. This funny book is sure to be a hit with 8-12 year old girls.

Find the book: Goodreads | Amazon

Diary of a Dancing Drama Queen was a lot of fun and laughs.  Poor Harriet just has the worst luck and the most embarrassing moments! Fortunately she deals with them with finesse, at least for the  most part.  She may be a bit dramatic at times, but who isn't dramatic at 12 years old?  I remember being my most dramatic at that age. Everything was life or death.  She has a great group of friends though and when she has the most embarrassing moment of her life, they are by her side. 

Harriet is just a normal girl who doesn't feel pretty and has lots of bad luck.  I think that girls will really connect with her for this reason.  She's just normal and very relate-able.

This was a quick read I devoured in an hour or so.  Easy to get through and then want more.

Diary of a Pop Sensation (The Secret Ramblings of Harriet Hughes #2) by Louise Lintvelt

Harriet is whisked off to New York with her best friends to take part in a talent competition. Harriet has to focus on winning the talent competition while trying to deal with the aftermath of the school dance where she was humiliated by her crush Oliver Russel. Join the Daisies as they experience New York for the first time, navigate the twists and turns of the Tween Talent competition and take on the Trendy Triplets. This second book in the Harriet Hughes series is funny, imaginative and entertaining; the perfect read for tween girls.

This book is action packed, without a moment to breath! Harriet and her friends have been selected to be a part of a talent competition on TV.  They are whisked off to NYC to compete.  While it's a dream come true Harriet is still thinking about Oliver and her embarrassing moment back home.  And NYC isn't short on embarrassing moments either.  These small town girls are like fish out of water and the other competitors aren't letting them forget it.  With a few wardrobe malfunctions along with some other humiliating moments, the ride with Harriet is never a boring one!  Fortunately these girls can power through anything and still manage to have the time of their lives!

This was an even faster read then the first.  Less than an hour to cruise through and the perfect story for a pick-me- up on a dark and dreary day.

There was some kissing by secondary characters and I would probably wait to give this to my daughter when she's 10 or 11.  Harriet is 12, so she's thinking of more mature things then my 8 year old.  However, every 8 year old is different.  There's not bad language or anything, just some kissing and Harriet is teasing about it anyway cause UGH, but she writes about it in a very humorous way that would probably just have the younger readers laughing because it's more funny then anything.

Very fun ride!

Disclosure: I received this book for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

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Middle Grade Review: Root Bound by Tanya Karen Gough

Root Bound by Tanya Karen Gough

ebook, 251 pages

Published: June 3rd, 2012 by Baba Yaga Press

Source: Author

"A lighthearted, whimsical confection that will delight both kids and their parents’ inner child." -Kirkus Reviews

How far will you go to find your way home?

Emma and her father are always on the move, travelling from place to place as her father’s work demands. Their new home, however, is different. There’s a frightening woman who lives down the hall: she bears an uncanny resemblance to a witch. A mysterious light comes from her apartment, and a small boy seems to be trapped inside.

School in this town is no happy place either, with an odd principal and a gang of girls who make tormenting Emma their special project. And strangest of all is the fact that there seem to be brownies - basement brownies, in the air vent in her bedroom.

Haunted by visions of her mother, Emma travels through the brownie burrow to the valley of Hades to visit with the goddess Ceres, following a series of clues that lead her across the sea of memory to the centre of the world.

There, on an inhospitable rock floating in a sea of steaming lava, Emma must find a way to release her mother from the sea of memory and restore magic to both the brownie burrow and the human world above.

This was a fantastic, fun and quirky middle grade fantasy adventure.  From the moment I picked it up to the moment I put it down I was fully entranced.  Emma is a character that is easy to connect with.  We feel her pain, her fear, her anger and her frustration and most strongly of all, we feel her sadness.  But we also see her love and her strong belief in right.  Through her we are easily able to accept that brownies are real and live in the ground below us.  We accept that the mythological creatures we have only read about, are in fact real.  We believe that parents that have passed away are still with us but performing a much higher and sacred duty.

Emma starts at a new school and is immediately bullied.  We see her shyness, her fear, her vulnerability.  We feel for her, and we want to help her. Fortunately things start to change right away.  We meet the quirky, strange and altogether weird, brownies as they venture into Over (our world) from Under (their world).  We are introduced to a whole other world when Emma ventures to Under, to try to save the brownies from the evil witch.  The descriptions are done well and the world is easily accessible to our imagination, as are the creatures that dwell within.  

The dialogue, particularly that of the brownies and the other creatures, is done fantastically well.  They have a different way of talking and thinking and they lighten up the tone of the book with their hilarious banter.  Every moment with the brownies was a pleasure even if at times they could be frustrating, talking in circles, but always a lot of fun.  They also proved to be Emma's greatest ally and helped her along this tumultuous journey.

I really loved the characters, creatures and the world created.  While the book didn't feel overly fast paced, it was done at a steady pace.  Never boring and constantly moving forward. The world was so easy to imagine that I nearly believe brownies could live beneath our homes at this very moment!  This is a solid Middle Grade fantasy that readers of middle grade and young adult both, can fully enjoy.  This is the first in a series and I'm anxious to see where Emma's adventures lead her next!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

I'm now putting together a review tour for this in February.  I hope you'll join in the fun!  You can find the tour page HERE.

 

Middle Grade Mini Reviews: The Kicks 1&2 by Alex Morgan

Saving the Team (The Kicks #1) by Alex Morgan

From star soccer player and Olympic gold medalist Alex Morgan comes the first book in an empowering, fun-filled middle grade series about believing in yourself and working as a team.Twelve-year-old Devin loves to play soccer. If she hadn’t just left Connecticut to move across the country, she would have been named seventh-grade captain on her school soccer team.

But now that Devin is starting seventh grade in Kentville, California, all bets are off. After all, some of the best players on the US national team come from California. She’s sure to have stiff competition. Or so she thinks.

When Devin shows up for tryouts, she discovers that the Kentville Kangaroos—otherwise known as the Kicks—are an absolute mess. Their coach couldn’t care less whether the girls win or lose. And Devin is easily one of the most talented players.

The good news is, Devin quickly makes friends with funny, outgoing Jessi; shy but sweet Zoe; and klutzy Emma. Can Devin and her newfound friends pull together and save the team from itself?

My 8 year old daughter really wanted me to read these books aloud to them as their bedtime story.  When I was a kid I liked soccer, but didn't love it, and never played on a team.  I was curious about how prevalent the soccer theme would be and if there were any good messages.

This one had quite a lot of soccer but Devin is a new at school so she's making new friends and finding her place on a new team.  On top of that, this team is a mess.  So there's a lot of friendship in the story as well as finding a place in a new home.  She also has to deal with some slight bullying (it's not really bullying and it's the whole team, so it had a different vibe to it).  Devin is a fun character and I really liked her personality a lot.  She seems to have balance and is a great friend, daughter, student, teammate, etc.  Maybe a bit too good to be true?

 Sabotage Season (The Kicks #2) by Alex Morgan

The Kicks’ championship hopes are being sabotaged in the second book in a series that celebrates confidence and teamwork, from star soccer player and Olympic gold medalist Alex Morgan.

Things are going wrong left and right for the Kentville girls’ soccer team, and Devin’s sure the girls from their rival team, the Pinewood Panthers, are behind the many mishaps. Can Devin get to the bottom of the mystery and stop the sabotage before her team’s championship hopes disappear for good?

The Kicks have finally found a way to turn around and are doing better but now someone is sabotaging the team.  In this book there's a lot of pointing fingers and accusations.  Devin struggles to do the right thing and is much more obsessed with soccer.  She knows they have a chance at playoffs and she's determined they'll make it.  Finally she seems a bit more real, but now we can feel slightly annoyed at her behavior.  She's not such a great friend all the time anymore.  Luckily she learns quickly and she realizes when she's not right.

This book focuses on the soccer more.  There are a lot of details about the game itself which made it harder for me to stay focused since it doesn't interest me.  Luckily the rest of the story was interesting enough and I really loved the lessons this book has.  One- revenge is never a good idea.  Two- it's just a game.  Yeah, you can strive to be better, but never forget about your friends and family and become obsessed.  There's more as well but those are the things jumping into my memory.

I would say these books are best for those 11 and up.  There's talk of boys and crushes and the girls are in middle school.  It's a bit too old for my 8 year old, but nothing bad was in the book to keep from reading it.
I would highly recommend it to middle grade girls who are into sports.  My rating is due to personal preference and has nothing to do with bad writing or anything like that.  I'm just not into sports and it's a strong theme.  I debated 4 stars, but these books just didn't really wow me, so I decided a 3 was more accurate.  I really do love the messages and lessons though and will hold onto them for my daughter so she can read them again when she's a bit older and can appreciate and understand them better.

Middle Grade Review: Odessa Again by Dana Reinhardt

Odessa Again by Dana Reinhardt

Hardcover, 208 pages

Ages: 8-12

Published: May 14, 2013 by Wendy Lamb Books (Random House)

Source: Gift

Fourth grader Odessa Green-Light lives with her mom and her toad of a little brother, Oliver. Her dad is getting remarried, which makes no sense according to Odessa. If the prefix "re" means "to do all over again," shouldn't he be remarrying Mom? Meanwhile, Odessa moves into the attic room of their new house. One day she gets mad and stomps across the attic floor. Then she feels as if she is falling and lands . . . on the attic floor. Turns out that Odessa has gone back in time a whole day! With this new power she can fix all sorts of things--embarrassing moments, big mistakes, and even help Oliver be less of a toad. Her biggest goal: reunite Mom and Dad.

This book was really, really great.  There are so many fantastic things to point out about it.  Not only did the author create an extremely realistic character, but she incorporated a lot of great things into this rather short book.  Without it feeling like a book that is full of lessons, it's full of lessons.  It's really just Odessa's story, but Odessa has a lot to learn in this book and in the way the author tells the story I would say that this also should help a lot of kids who read the book. 

Odessa is in the fourth grade, her parents have recently divorced and her father is getting remarried.  Her mother, herself and her brother Oliver have moved into a new home. There's a lot of change for Odessa and she's not handling it all real well.  She wants her old family back, her old house back.  She is always angry at her brother, and she's having friendship troubles.  Suddenly one day when throwing a hissy fit she jumps on her floor and rewinds 24 hours.  She has to relive that day again.  Soon she realizes she can do this to fix problems and she does it over and over again.  Only each time it knocks off an hour.  So eventually it winds down to only one hour earlier.  Having this ability helps Odessa realize some things.  One- she can't fix everything.  Another is that there are sometimes things she maybe wishes she didn't know.

Through the book we see her learn to approach her friendships a little differently.  We see her learn to love and appreciate her brother much more (he is very shy and has no friends and she's really not nice to him).  We see her struggle with her parents divorce and her fathers new relationship.  And we see her learn to control her anger, because she's a 'shover'.  She has to learn to not deal with her anger by shoving people.  Through Odessa's eyes we see why she thinks the way she does, why she does the things she does.  We know it's wrong, but then we cheer her on when we see the realization come into play.  We watch Odessa grow.  And the whole time it's very realistic and real.  Odessa's voice is spot on for a fourth grade girl, and the story was wrote incredibly well.

I read this one aloud to my kids and it was perfect!  It flowed really well, like reading poetry aloud, you know?  Those are my favorites to read to my kids.  I also loved that I could read a few chapters and then discuss with them, talking about what Odessa might have done wrong and what she did right.   While my husband and I are still married, I do think it's good for my kids to learn about divorce because of their own friends.  My daughters best friends parents are going through a divorce right now and prior to this she didn't even know what it was.  This book approached it well and I think this book is so perfect for a child in a divorced family that I will actually be giving it to her friend because I think it will be helpful. 

I very highly recommend this book for girls ages 8-12 (really, the 8, 9 & 10 year olds are the best age), particularly those who may have behavior problems or are struggling through major life changes.  The book is short, clean and incredibly well wrote.

I have been bad about keeping up with reminding everyone of the posts running.  I've been slightly overwhelmed lately, so I apologize.  But don't forget to check out:

Ali@My Guilty Obsession: Nenia Campbell: Fearscape Series

Berls @ Fantasy is More Fun: Andrea R. Cooper: The Garnet Dagger

Isaiyan@Isaiyan Morrison: Enticed: Monique Snyman

 

and tomorrow:

Ali@My Guilty Obsession: Tyler Jolley-Extracted Series
Heidi@ Rainy Day Ramblings: Andrea Colt: Wavecrossed  

The full schedule can be found HERE so you can make sure you haven't missed out on anything!