Awesome Read: The Inquisitor's Mark

Premise: After the all-out Eighth Day war in Mexico, Jax, Riley, and Evangeline have gone into hiding. There are still rogue Transitioners and evil Kin lords who want to use Riley, a descendant of King Arthur, and Evangeline, a powerful wizard with bloodlines to Merlin, to get control over the Eighth Day. So when Finn Ambrose, a mysterious stranger, contacts Jax claiming to be his uncle, Jax's defenses go up—especially when Finn tells Jax that he’s holding Jax's best friend, Billy, hostage. (from the author)

Title: The Inquisitor's Mark
Author: Dianne K. Salerni
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Series or Stand Alone: Book 2 in the Eighth Day series
Content appropriate for: Grades 5-10
Format: ARC provided by HarperCollins and the author
Publication Date: January 27, 2015

Three adjectives that describe this book: intense, intriguing, exciting

Even better than Book 1! The Inquisitor's Mark is an intense, action-packed fantasy set in a world where Arthurian descendants can enter a secret spell-created day between Wednesday and Thursday.

This one picks up right where The Eighth Day left off, and our characters need to find and protect one of Merlin's descendants, otherwise she will be murdered to destroy the people living in the 8th day.

The Inquisitor's Mark kept me glued to the page throughout. A new set of characters are developed as an enemy clan, and they are creepy and fun to read. I loved the addition of Dorian's perspective for helping us understand just how evil the Dulacs are and how hard it is to make the right decisions.

Salerni also used this book to develop her world even further. We meet magical creatures and explore fascinating time-and-space travel tunnels.

Second books often have a hard time living up to their counterparts, but I found this Book 2 to be even stronger than Book 1, even though Book 1 was a 5 star book for me. Salerni doesn't ease into the story like she did in The Eighth Day, she jumps straight in. The dialogue is more authentic, and the world was crafted more clearly.

Also, I love that this series is steering clear of annoying love triangles. Some twinges of romance exist in the background; as in, he has a crush on her... they're holding hands. As a result, this book focuses on plot and world development, with actual character development, rather than drowning in irritating romance.

If you're looking for a fun, addictive read these books are highly recommended!

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: Airman by Eoin Colfer

Premise: Conor Broekhart, a boy obsessed with flight. He dreams of designing a flying machine and taking to the skies himself. But when Conor witnesses a murder, he is imprisoned by the murderer to keep him silent. In prison, Conor faces brutal conditions, but survives with a relentless focus on escape and revenge.

Title: Airman
Author: Eoin Colfer
Length: 424 pages
Genre: Historical fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content appropriate for: Grades 6-12
Format: Audiobook from the library

Three adjectives that describe this book: action-packed, intriguing, exciting

Eoin Colfer does outstanding historical fiction in this thrilling adventure. Not only was Airman fast-paced and thoroughly gripping, but it was set in a fascinating time and place. Set on the Saltee islands off the coast of Ireland in the late 1880s, Airman is complete and complex with whole and believable characters. The time and place are impeccably developed, with careful and subtle world-building - no annoying info dumping here.


I loved how the story was divided into 3 equally-interesting acts:
* Conor's life, sword fighting, scheming, murder
* Prison, bad guys, scheming, escape
* Flying, adventure, revenge

The inclusion of flight-science was seamless and terrifically interesting. We follow the characters as they theorize, design, build, and test various gliders and planes. So cool!

I wish I had older students so that I could recommend Airman to them, but instead I'll settle for recommending it here.

J is for Jack Templar

I discovered this series by reading Jeff Gunhus's wonderful Nerdy Book Club post, Reaching the Reluctant Reader - One Dad's Journey. In the post he describes how he and his sons came to write this book together (sort of). My curiosity was piqued.

These books are really action-packed. They are perfect for fans of the Percy Jackson books since they are full of quests and monster battling. The plots are a bit more straightforward since there aren't all those pesky gods to confuse you, but they are also much much darker.

I love these books because:

* They are exciting

* My students love them

* They aren't overly complex

* One of the main characters, Eva, is a girl who kicks major butt

* One of the secondary characters, Xavier, fights creatures through math, science, and technology. Xavier reminds us that smart people can be awesome too.

Book 1: Jack Templar, Monster Hunter

Book 2: Jack Templar and the Monster Hunter Academy

Book 3: Jack Templar and the Lord of the Vampires

Book 4: Still in the works

These are independently published books, but you can get them through all the major book retailers.

This post is part of the A to Z Challenge.

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.

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Abbreviated Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Abbreviated Reviews are just that... short, sweet, and to the point. Thanks for visiting.
Premise: Cinder, the cyborg fugitive, has escaped from prison and is desperately searching for answers to her mysterious Lunar past before being captured and killed. Meanwhile, Scarlet's grandmother is missing and a strangely dangerous man, Wolf, offers to help. Both stories reach fever-pitch when they meet up and must work together to evade Queen Levana's forces.

Title & Author: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Length: 454 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Book 2 in the Lunar Chronicles
Content Appropriate for: Grades 6-12

Three adjectives that describe this book: futuristic, exciting, intriguing

In this installment of Meyer's futuristic revamp of classic fairy tales, the battle between Earth and Luna is rapidly approaching. Wow! Wow! Wow! I loved the first book, Cinder, but Scarlet really ratcheted up the intensity. And the way Marissa Meyer wove in the key elements of Little Red Riding Hood - genius! I also appreciate how the romance element is minimized, realistic, and valuable to the plot. That combination is hard to come by in YA these days. Eagerly awaiting book 3!

5 stars

Freak Show and a Murder Mystery - Wild Boy is a Winning Combination

Premise: Wild Boy is a freak. Born fully covered in long brown hair, he has no future except as a freak show oddity in the circus. When he and a fellow circus star are accused of murder, they must find the real killer to clear their names.

Title: Wild Boy
Author: Rob Lloyd Jones
Length: 304 pages
Genre: Historical Mystery
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content Appropriate For: Grades 4-7

Three adjectives that describe this book: gritty, exciting, memorable

Wild Boy Book Review:
Rob Lloyd Jones has combined some seriously interesting elements in this terrific novel. The main characters of Wild Boy and Clarissa are wonderfully crafted and deliciously complex. The struggles of both will stick with me for a long time - Wild Boy is mocked and abused, relegated to life as an outsider just because of how he looks. How can you view yourself as anything but worthless when people can pay a penny to kick you, and even your guardians call you Monster?

The Hypnotists by Gordon Korman

Premise: Crazy things happen whenever Jackson Opus is around. When Jackson is recruited into a special program for hypnotists, he learns to hone his mind-bending powers, but also discovers that hypnotizing people can be a dangerous business.

Title: The Hypnotists
Author: Gordon Korman
Length: 240 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Series or Stand Alone: Book 1 in a new series
Content Appropriate For: Grades 4-7
Format: ARC provided by Scholastic via NetGalley.

Three adjectives that describe this book: addictive, exciting, believable

Usually I wait a few days after reading a book to write up my review so that I can marinate on it for a bit, but I finished this book about 15 minutes ago and I feel compelled to write about it - RIGHT NOW! I find Gordon Korman's novels to be really hit or miss. My students and I really enjoy some of his titles, but find others tedious and dull. The Hypnotists definitely falls into the first category of Korman's works. This is probably my favorite Korman novel ever.

NERDS by Michael Buckley

Premise: An action-packed, tongue-in-cheek take on the world of superheroes and villains. Jackson Jones, 11, transitions from Mr. Popular to complete loser in the time it takes to be fitted for braces with headgear. He soon happens upon the underground headquarters of a group of outcasts called NERDS, who, with the help of technology "upgrades," turn weaknesses like allergies into superpowers, fighting crime in secret until the age of 18...(Amazon)

Title: NERDS

Author: Michael Buckley
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Book 1 of 4 in the N.E.R.D.S. series
Content appropriate for: Grades 4-7                                 

5 stars

                                       

Three Adjectives: hilarious, exciting, nerdy

There are some books you seek out for personal, intellectual and academic growth: things written by Austen Tolstoy, Proust and the like. This however is NOT one of those books! NERDS literally made the ten-year-old boy inside of me squeal with delight with its pages of kid-friendly humor and hi-jinks.

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!