Book Review: The Magician's Fire

Premise: Harry Houdini and his two best friends are starting to command a crowd for their escape acts. All's well until Harry's elderly mentor, Herbie, disappears in a cloud of purple smoke. Certain that Herbie is in danger, Harry is determined to find and rescue him even if it means risking his own life.

Title: The Magician's Fire
Author: Simon Nicholson
Length: 240 pages
Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction
Series or Stand alone: Book 1 of a new series, Young Houdini
Content appropriate for: Grades 3-6
Format: Digital ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley

Three adjectives that describe this book: mysterious, exciting, dangerous

I wasn't expecting much out of this book. While the cover is exciting, there's something about it that seems kind of predictable. But I was still looking forward to reading it because year after year, my 5th graders love Harry Houdini.

Shortly into The Magician's Fire I was proven wrong. This book is fun, fast-paced, and well-written. Populated with magic tricks, illusions, sneaky villains, and death defying escapes, it was a really fun read.

The level of character development (quite a bit for 3 primary and 2 secondary characters) and plot complexity (one straightforward tale with some twists) makes it a great selection for the middle grades. The use of the iconic figure of Harry Houdini will also make it a grabber for less-confident readers.

Historical Fiction can be challenging for middle graders, but historic New York City was painted in clear details that made for a great backdrop.

My only complaint is that I kept wondering how much of young Harry's story was based on fact. An author's note to this effect  would have been a great addition.

* Excellent post by Simon Nicholson about his inspiration to write this book
* The Magician's Fire website with educator guide and excerpt

Book Review: Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis

Premise: Nolan longs for a life uninterrupted. Every time he blinks, he's yanked from his Arizona town into Amara's mind, a world away, which makes even simple things like hobbies and homework impossible. He's spent years as a powerless observer of Amara's life. Amara, a servant tasked with protecting a cursed princess, has no idea he's there until he learns to control her, and they communicate for the first time. Amara is terrified. Then, she's furious.

Title: Otherbound
Author: Corinne Duyvis
Length: 400 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content Appropriate For: Grades 9-12
Format: Digital ARC provided by Amulet Books via NetGalley
Publication Date: June 17, 2014

Three adjectives that describe this book: unique, intriguing, dangerous

I was intrigued by Otherbound. I love reading the worlds that authors create, and in this book Corinne Duyvis had to create two vastly different worlds. I was eager to see how she would manage the switching back and forth between worlds, and if it would be confusing as the reader. The short answer is that the switching between worlds was smooth and easy to follow, but the world development had a few holes.

The Night Gardener

Premise: Molly and Kip are barely surviving when they are offered a job as servants at the supremely creepy, derelict Windsor estate. The people living there are pale, with sunken dark eyes. And the house is visited each evening by a mysterious "night man" who tends a strange tree. Soon Molly and Kip find themselves enmeshed in an ancient curse that threatens the lives of everyone at the Windsor estate.

Title: The Night Gardener
Author: Jonathan Auxier
Length: 368 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content Appropriate For: Grades 5-8
Format: eARC courtesy of Amulet books via NetGalley
Release Date: May 20, 2014

Three adjectives that describe this book: gripping, dangerous, spooky

Oh man this book is terrific! The creepiness builds steadily until the unbelievably dark seems totally plausible. That's one reason why I typically avoid scary stories - they seem so fake that it's hard for me to buy in to them. In this case, however, Auxier has crafted a tale that is wholly believable. He does it by starting with mundane and carefully adding the creepy, ghost elements.

Be warned, though, this book is not for the faint of heart. The idea of a creepy man walking around your house at night, standing over your bed, is sure to give some readers nightmares. Not to mention the collection of violent deaths and super-creepy-soul-stealing tree.

Wonderfully written, beautifully paced, and populated by a cast of richly interesting characters, The Night Gardener kept me totally glued to the page.

This post is part of the A to Z Challenge.

Paperboy by Vince Vawter

Premise: An 11-year-old boy living in Memphis in 1959 throws the meanest fastball in town, but talking is a whole different ball game. He can barely say a word without stuttering, not even his own name. So when he takes over his best friend's paper route for the month of July, he knows he'll be forced to communicate with the different customers, including a housewife who drinks too much and a retired merchant marine who seems to know just about everything. (from Random House)

Title and Author: Paperboy by Vince Vawter
Length: 240 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Stand alone
Format: Hardback purchased for classroom library
Content appropriate for: Grade 6-8

Three adjectives that describe this book: complex, dangerous, intense

I found Paperboy to be really compelling. I've never read anything quite like it. Being inside the head of a stutterer was fascinating - he had to think about all kinds of things that most people never have to worry about. I was also fascinated by the relationship between the narrator and his African American caregiver, Mam. Books for the middle grade audience about the 1950s don't usually come from the world of wealthy white people with live-in black maids.

The official trailer:


Still - three things frustrated me. Perhaps they're just my issues, but...

This book had a lot of violence in it. Sometimes it felt over the top. A student told me that she felt "uncomfortable" about these scenes, but I think that may have been the point. I didn't live in Memphis in the 50s, so I'm not sure how accurately these things were portrayed.

The jacket promises that Paperboy tackles race and segregation issues, but these elements were more of a backdrop. Occasionally the narrator mentions that he thinks it's unfair for the zoo or movie theater to have restrictive race policies. I wish these elements had been more central to the story, but I think the author may have consciously decided to make the story center on the narrator and his stuttering struggles. In that context, the race stuff is rightfully sidelined.

Finally, the narrator meets an important mentor on his paper route and the story really builds to a big reveal. One piece is discovered at a time, with four total. However, when the 4th piece is finally discovered, there is absolutely no clarity about their meaning. The narrator and his mentor are left hanging, and this wonderful relationship falls stale.

Overall, I really enjoyed Paperboy, but it wasn't quite the book I had hoped it would be. Perhaps those are just my issues, though.

3.5 stars

 

Shadow Throne: Terrific Ending to an Intriguing Trilogy

Premise: The official tagline says it all - Can a king save his kingdom, when his own survival seems unlikely?

Title & Author: The Shadow Throne by Jennifer Nielsen
Length: 336 pages
Genre: Realistic Fantasy
Series or Stand-alone: Book 3 in the Ascendance Trilogy (The False Prince)
Content appropriate for: Grades 5-8
Format: Digital ARC thanks to Scholastic via netgalley.com
Publication Date: February 25, 2014

Three adjectives that describe this book: adventurous, action-packed, dangerous

I was beyond excited to receive an Advanced Reader Copy from Scholastic. I absolutely loved the scrappy scheming of the first two books, The False Prince and The Runaway King. I was hoping for a lot more of that in this final book. Maybe even an epic amount of scheming. I suppose those expectations made The Shadow Throne a bit slow-going a first. Don't get me wrong - there is scrappy, sneaky, intrigue - just not at the beginning.

Consider yourself warned:
If you find yourself missing the old Jaron - because now that he's king he has been captured and had the scrappiness beaten out of him - have faith, you will see that Jaron again and your patience will be justly rewarded.

The Shadow Throne focuses on a war in Carthya. This war has been brewing throughout the series and now it is finally arriving at Carthya's borders. Shockingly outnumbered, King Jaron must find creative ways to fight his enemies. But before even the first battle, Jaron is captured by enemy soldiers and held for questioning behind enemy lines.

Though slow-going at first, The Shadow Throne really graduated these characters from scrappy, inexperienced orphans to carefully-plotting, duty-bound leaders. The action and battle scenes are wonderfully written, and Jaron's sneaky plots are perfectly executed.

Overall, The Shadow Throne is a perfect ending to this wonderful trilogy. I consider the series an excellent introduction to my favorite genre, castle-intrigue. Taken as a whole, The Ascendance Trilogy is the complete package with engaging writing, complete characters, and an edge-of-your-seat plot.

4 stars

Book Blast & Giveaway Jack Templar and the Lord of the Vampires

Jack is back!

After his adventures at the Monster Hunter Academy (which included fighting a goblin army, befriending an ancient werewolf, and battling two fire breathing dragons), Jack Templar was hoping for a rest. No such luck.

In the newest title, Book #3 of the Jack Templar Monster Hunter series, Jack embarks on a quest to track down and acquire the first of the five mythical Jerusalem Stones, an ancient power found by his ancestors the Templar Knights. Only the reunited Stones can stop Ren Lucre, the Dark Lord who holds Jack’s father hostage and prepares for an all-out war against an unsuspecting human world. But each Stone is held by a different Creach Lord and recovering them will not be easy.

I am about to start reading the newest installment, Jack Templar and the Lord of the Vampires (Book 3). My review will be part of an Official Blog Tour and will be posted here on October 18, 2013.

If you haven't tried this series - you absolutely should! The Jack Templar books are like a more advanced, darker, and more frenetic version of the Percy Jackson series. But what really drew me to these books was the back-story. You can read the story in Jeff's own words in his post at the Nerdy Book Club. My synopsis is below, but his telling is really very powerful:

Author, Jeff Gunhus, wrote the first chapter of Jack Templar, Monster Hunter to encourage his 11 year old son to read. His son wasn't interested in reading, so Jeff started meeting with him for father-son reading time each morning. To spice it up, he wrote the first chapter of Jack Templar. Yep - This book was literally written to grab young readers and keep a-hold of 'em. And it worked! Both of Jeff's sons got involved in the writing process and soon they had a whole book, which they published on Amazon. Now the series has just released Book 3 and has developed a strong fan base.

Be sure to check out my reviews:
My review of Book 1: Jack Templar, Monster Hunter
My review of Book 2: Jack Templar and the Monster Hunter Academy

Jack Templar Monster Hunter was chosen as a Book of the Year Finalist by Foreword Reviews.



BookBlast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash; Ends 10/31/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Creepy Ghost Story, Stunning Illustrations

Premise: Billy wishes he had never taken a job as a prison guard. Now that he has been transferred to the night shift, Billy's discovering that this is no ordinary prison. Not only do the haunted cells have a history of killing their inmates, but the prisoner in the Witch Well must be tended every night. Sooner or later, it will be Billy's turn.

Title: Ghost Prison
Author: Joseph Delaney
Length: 112 pages
Genre: Fantasy (Horror)
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content Appropriate For: Grades 5-8
Format: Digital ARC provided by the publisher via netgalley.com

Three adjectives that describe this book: spooky, dangerous, mysterious

Delaney's new work is a departure from his famous Spook stories such as The Last Apprentice. Rather than a full-length novel in a well-developed world, Ghost Prison is essentially a short story designed for maximum creepiness. And boy does it deliver!

Abbreviated Review: Shamer's Daughter

Abbreviated reviews are just shorter and use a more simple format. Here we go:

The Shamer's Daughter is a great fantasy novel set in a somewhat medieval world. There are two fantasy elements to this world that really make the book stand out:

1. DRAGONS. And not just any dragons. These are vicious, terrifying dragons that drip poison from their fangs. These dragons tear apart people and goats in seconds. The danger is palpable and violence is vivid.

2. Shamers. The main character, Dina, is the daughter of the local Shamer. Both she and her mother possess the "gift" of Shaming - they can look someone in the eye and read their deepest secrets. The Shamer can use this skill to determine a person's guilt after a crime and to bring that person to their knees from debilitating shame.

In the novel, a murder has been committed and the Shamer is called upon to find the murderer. Ultimately, Dina finds herself caught up in a dangerous chess-match that threatens to trade her mother's life for political power.

Although the plot is somewhat predictable, I found the story fun to read with enjoyable pacing. I especially enjoyed the fact that the female protagonist intelligent, brave, and believable. I think most middle school readers will LOVE this book!

Appropriate for grades 7-10

4.5 stars

The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer

Premise: Riley, a teenage orphan boy in London circa 1898, is apprenticed to Albert Garrick, assassin extraordinaire. When their latest victim disappears into an FBI-monitored wormhole, Riley finds himself along for a ride into the future. In present-day London, Riley knows his days are numbered until the assassin comes to the future looking for him.

Title: The Reluctant Assassin
Author: Eoin Colfer
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Series or Stand Alone: The first book in the W.A.R.P series
Content appropriate for: Grades 8-12
Format: Digital ARC from Disney Book Group via Netgalley.com

3 adjectives that describe this book: dangerous, gritty, tedious

Although I really enjoyed Colfer's famed Artemis Fowl series and his less well-known book The Supernaturalist, I was anxious to start this newest book. I suppose it's because I had recently finished the poorly-titled book, The Accidental Time Traveller, which had virtually no time travel in it. I really enjoy a time travel story - The Time Paradox is one of my favorite Artemis books. Needless to say, I wasn't in the mood to be disappointed by another so-called time travel book. So, now for the good news - there's LOTS of time travel in The Reluctant Assassin. The characters zip back and forth between the present day and 1898 quite frequently. Hooray!

Abbreviated Review: Sabriel by Garth Nix

Abbreviated Reviews are just shorter and use a more simple format. Here we go:

I saw this book at the used book store many times. I often picked it up, then put it back down. I mean, look at this terrible, boring, old-lady cover:

AWFUL cover

Then I read some other Garth Nix titles and saw a different cover... Boy am I glad I finally picked up Sabriel! It's definitely going on my Favorites Shelf!

BETTER cover!

Sabriel is an epic high fantasy, set in a world that is literally on the borders. The story revolves around the border between life and death. Sabriel is a necromancer, but not just any necromancer. She and her father, Abhorsen, are sworn to bind the death in Death. They often have to travel into Death themselves to do this. The story is set on another important border - between a realm of magic and that of ordinary (1920's ish) society. Both borders have been in a perpetual state of unrest for the last 20 years. The Dead aren't staying dead and scary Free Magics are creeping across The Wall into the rest of the world. Now Sabriel's father is trapped in death... or actually dead? She must find him and save the kingdom from a terrible enemy set on releasing all of the Dead and taking power for himself.

Sure. This sounds like your typical high fantasy, girl-on-a-quest-to-save-the-world novel. I thought so too. But Garth Nix weaves a story like no other. The setting is both beautiful and eerie. The magic is simple, but powerful. And the villains are really really scary. Sabriel is a hero worth believing in. She never whines or hands over the reigns to her male companion. Garth Nix knows how to write strong female protagonists. Count this book a new favorite.

Content appropriate for grades 9-12

5 stars

The Recruit by Robert Muchamore

Premise: CHERUB agents are highly trained, extremely talented--and all under the age of seventeen. For official purposes, these agents do not exist. They are sent out on missions to spy on terrorists, hack into crucial documents, and gather intel on global threats—all without gadgets or weapons. It is an exceptionally dangerous job, but these agents have one crucial advantage: adults never suspect that teens are spying on them. James is the latest CHERUB recruit. He’s a bit of a troublemaker, but he’s also brilliant. And CHERUB needs him. Before he can start in the field he must first survive one hundred grueling days of basic training, where even the toughest recruits don’t make it to the end....(Amazon)

Title: The Recruit
Author: Robert Muchamore
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Series or Stand Alone: First book in the Cherub series
Content appropriate for: Grades 7-10 
 Warning: Some Strong Language                                

                    4.5 stars
                                       

Three Adjectives: dangerous, intriguing, page-turner

There are many ways that I could try to describe this book to you. Many of these ways would include using words that were mentioned in this book, which brings me to my first point: Though James (the protagonist)  is 11 years old, I would not recommend this book to a young audience because of the strong language peppered throughout the story. But rather than detracting from the story, the profanity enriches the character building and the believe-ability of the plot. 

Usually when you think about child spies you think about criminal hijinks and light-hearted humor, not broken bones and anthrax.So many stories of children as operatives tend to be "child proofed" so much so that it waters down any of potential of real action and drama. The Recruit is most certainly the exception to this rule. Robert Muchamore creates a much rougher world than most readers would expect.  He successfully walks the fine line between morality and danger when handling the subject of children in potentially deadly situations, and leaves just enough up to chance to keep me turning to page from beginning to end. 

From the bone-crushing agony of basic training to the intense game of espionage, teen readers will not be disappointed with this thriller of a novel. You will definitely want the second book, The Dealer, close at hand after finishing this one.

Gregor and the Code of Claw by Suzanne Collins

Premise: The war between the rats and humans! This is the last book in the five-book series. It is decidedly darker, but also has plenty of edge-of-your-seat action. This book encompasses the great war between the rats and the humans, and Gregor has a critical role to play. 

Title: Gregor and the Code of Claw
Author: Suzanne Collins
Length: 412 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Series or Stand-Alone: last book in a 5-book series
Content appropriate for: grades 4-7

4 stars

3 adjectives that describe this book: exciting, dangerous, intense

In typical Suzanne Collins fashion, the realistic brutality of war was intermingled with moments of shocking revelation and quiet reflection. Much of the book has Gregor and his friends waiting for things to happen. Though this is quite a realistic look at war, it also made the plot drag at times. At first I was disappointed by the lack of epic battle scenes (there are about three), but eventually I developed a real appreciation for the evolving interactions between characters and species. Collins avoided the temptation to go out with a bang and focused on really taking her characters deeper and expanding the imagined world more fully. These are writing elements she is especially good at.

As she does in her more famous series, Hunger Games, Collins kills off a beloved character. Though this is terribly sad (tears were shed), it's a great plot device that makes character risks more palpable. Also, like Hunger Games, this final book has a somewhat unresolved ending that left me unfulfilled. Having completed both series, I wonder if writing the end is a weak spot for Collins. In both series, the endings conclude the action well-enough, but they leave me disappointed. Oh well. On the whole, I think the Gregor series is stronger than the Hunger Games trilogy.

Overall, I'd give this book 4 stars, but the series gets 5 stars as a whole. The Underland Chronicles has all of the elements that grab students - those exemplified in the Percy Jackson series. But I think Collins does a better job of making her series more engaging, complex, and meaningful. I already have a slew of students vying to read them!