Wednesday, April 18, 2012

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter: Book Review



I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You
by Ally Carter
Reading level: Ages 10 and up
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (March 20, 2007)
Buy the book: Amazon
Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school—that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses but it’s really a school for spies.
Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she’s an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the skill of a real “pavement artist”—but can she maneuver a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her?

Cammie Morgan may be an elite spy-in-training, but in her sophomore year, she’s on her most dangerous mission—falling in love.
Cammie attends the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, though this is no ordinary school.  It's a school for girls in training to become spies.  Cammie's nickname is the Chameleon, not a name given lightly.  That is why it bothered her so much that an ordinary boy could notice her, when pro spies could not. His name is Josh. She started becoming friends and more with Josh finding she liked it.

This action-packed book is great for those who like spies, action, romance and lies.  Ally Carter's I'd Tell You I Love You, but Then I'd Have to Kill You is now a favorite of mine and I recommend it to everyone!

My all time favorite character is Bex. She's a really good spy and she the second best spy in the book. Also she is my kind of person. Not perfect and awesome. Cammie is my second favorite because she is the chameleon! Third favorite is Josh! He is cool and smooth. He is also awesome. She did screw a lot of thing up but she's cool. I gave myself the nickname the shadow because I am only seen when I want to be. Or people know I'm there.... My sister Kit is hawk-eye because she's got the eyes of a hawk! Kit can see everything and anyone!! I LOVED this book!!!

Andye, and Kit left me behind when they went to see Ally Carter. I must say I have never met an author in my life (except myself and Faith who has finished a book but it's not published....And I think she forgot all about it...). I REALLY wanted to go because I had started this book already and I wanted to meet the author. Ally Carter said that if she could re-write the books she would kill Josh :,( because everyone is always asking about him. I know why. Because the first book was all about Cammie and Josh!! He just disappears at the end of the book!! And he never really came back. So that makes everyone wonder were he went. Plus he's awesome.

My top 12 favorites are:
1. Harry Potter
2. Goliath
3. Leviathan, Behemoth
4. The False Prince
5. I'd Tell You I Love You But  Then I'd Have To Kill You
6. Percy Jackson
7. The Heroes Of Olympus
8. Howl's Moving Castle
9. Goddess Girls
10.  Time (This is my book and it's still in the making. I'm posting chapters on my blog)
11. Warriors
12. Vampirates 


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Secret Agent Jack Stalwart: The Escape of the Deadly Dinosaur

Jack Stalwart: The Escape of the Deadly Dinosaur
by Elizabeth Singer Hunt
Series: Jack Stalwart book #1
Reading level: Ages 6 and up
Paperback: 110 pages
Publisher: Weinstein Books; First Edition edition (September 4, 2007)
In this action-packed new series, nine-year old secret agent Jack Stalwart travels the globe in search of his missing older brother Max while solving international crimes for the Global Protection Force.

In The Escape of the Deadly Dinosaur, Jack zooms to the city that never sleeps to try to solve the mystery of the missing Allosaurus toe. Starting at the Natural History Museum, Jack's detection takes him to a competitive grade-schooler determined to win the science fair with his experiment crossing his own dog with the DNA from the bone of a dangerous, carnivorous dinosaur. Soon the gargantuan creature is terrorizing New Yorkers and Jack must stop him before he devours the animals in the Central Park zoo!
This book is about a kid named Jack Stalwart.  In this book Jack has to go to New York to the American Museum of Natural History where the hallux of an allosaurus is missing.  Jack finds out that a kid named Thomas stole the hallux and got DNA out of it and turned his dog into an allosaurus.  Jake's job is to bring the hallux back to the museum.

I liked this book because it is easy to read, and it is exciting.  It is a cool book and you don't know what will happen next.  I also like secret agents.  I recommend this book to people who like action!


Friday, April 13, 2012

Ghost Buddy: Zero to Hero by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver



Ghost Buddy: Zero to Hero
by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
Series: Ghost Buddy #1
Reading level: Ages 8 and up
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (January 1, 2012)
Buy the book: Amazon
Billy Broccoli is new to the neighborhood, and wants cool friends and a spot on the baseball team more than anything. But the one thing he never wanted is his own personal ghost. So imagine his surprise when he ends up sharing a room with Hoover Porterhouse, a funny ghost with a whole lot of attitude.

When an obnoxious school bully sets out to demolish Billy, the Hoove comes up with a plan for revenge. It’s all in the Hoove’s Rule Number Forty-Two: Stay cool. And like it or not, Billy and the Hoove have to stick together if Billy ever wants to get in style, get even, and conquer the school.
I really liked this book.  It is funny and interesting and it made me keep reading for a long time.  I like the whole story and how it has a part about Hoover (the ghost) and a part about Billy.  It was easy to read so I could read it myself.

It ended it a big cliffhanger, so I can't wait to read the next book!

I recommend this to people who like funny books, or ghost stories, or books about someone's life.


Thursday, April 12, 2012

Justin Case: Shells, Smells, and the Horrible Flip-Flops of Doom by Rachel Vail



Justin Case: Shells, Smells, and the Horrible Flip-Flops of Doom
by Rachel Vail
Series: Justin Case #2
Reading level: Ages 7 and up
Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (May 8, 2012)
Buy the book: Amazon
Justin is going to start fourth grade—but first, he has to survive the summer. He “gets” to go to camp every day on a bus. He “gets” to experience all sorts of new things: Bugs. Mess hall food. Flip-flops (they hurt the space between his toes and they’re hard to walk in). And (gulp!) swimming.

Justin’s little sister, Elizabeth, seems to deal with camp just fine. So do his friends. Justin is trying very hard not to be a worried kid anymore, especially when it comes to making friends at camp, including a new kid who is kind of . . . rough. After all, Justin is going to be in fourth grade. It’s time to be brave. Right?
This book is about a kid named Justin Case and his life in the summer.  Justin is a weird kid.   He usually goes to a science camp, but he wants to go to a camp called Camp Goldenbrook, which is all about sports.  When he gets there, he finds out he is no good at sports, but he keeps trying. 

I really liked this book a lot.  It is a funny book and I liked how he keeps trying.  It's really easy for me to read, too, which is awesome.  This is one of my favorite books to read on my own.  I recommend this book to people who like reading about normal life, but really funny ones!

You don't have to have read the first Justin Case book to read this one, but you want to!!  Trust me!  Here's my review of Justin Case: School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters



Tuesday, April 10, 2012

The Son Of Neptune by Rick Riordan

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
Reading level: Ages 10 and up
Hardcover: 544 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH; First Edition edition (October 4, 2011)
Buy The Book: Amazon
Percy is confused. When he awoke after his long sleep, he didn’t know much more than his name. His brain-fuzz is lingering, even after the wolf Lupa told him he is a demigod and trained him to fight. Somehow Percy managed to make it to the camp for half-bloods, despite the fact that he had to continually kill monsters that, annoyingly, would not stay dead. But the camp doesn't ring any bells with him.

Hazel is supposed to be dead. When she lived before, she didn’t do a very good job of it. When the Voice took over her mother and commanded Hazel to use her “gift” for an evil purpose, Hazel couldn’t say no. Now, because of her mistake, the future of the world is at risk.
This book is about Percy Jackson. He lost his memory because Juno, aka Hera, has taken it and sent him to a Roman camp called Camp Jupiter. Juno sent him to try to bring the Greek camp, Camp Half-Blood, and the Roman camp, Camp Jupiter, together. Rome and Greece have a rivalry. There are giants that are the sons of Gia the Goddess of the earth and they are trying to beat the gods.

 I really liked this book and I hope the next one comes out soon. I recommend this book to people who like the gods and action. You should read Percy Jackson and the Olympians. The reader on the audiobook is good after you get used to him.




Monday, April 9, 2012

The Invisible Tower by Nils Johnson-Shelton

Reading level: Ages 10 and up
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (January 3, 2012)
Buy The Book: Amazon
Listening Length: 7 hours and 43 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Harper Audio
Buy The Audio: Audible

In Artie Kingfisher's world, wizards named Merlin, fire-breathing dragons, and swords called Excalibur exist only in legends and lore - until the day his video game Otherworld springs to life.
You are special, Arthur, Says the mysterious message in his game. In one week's time you will come to me at the it.
Cryptic clues lead Artie to a strange place called the Invisible Tower, where he discovers that nothing in his life is as it seems. Artie is none other than King Arthur, brought to life in the twenty-first century. Artie has won the battle in the virtual Otherworld - now the key to saving the real Otherworld lies in his hands as well.
Green dragons, hungry wolves, powerful sorcerers - suddenly Artie must battle them all as he wields Excalibur and embarks on a quest worthy of the Knights of the Round Table. With his sister, Kay, by his side, Artie steps into the Otherworld - straight toward his destiny.
I really liked this book.   It is funny and has action, adventure, and fantasy.  I like how the book is like The Sword and the Stone.  My favorite character is Arty.  He is funy and brave.

I listened to it on audio and like the reader.  I would suggest it to people who like The Sword and the Stone and fantasy!

Here's my sister, Reagan's review!



Jake And Lily: By Jerry Spinelli


Reading level: Ages 8 and up
Hardcover: 352 pages
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (May 8, 2012)
Buy The Book: Amazon
This is a story about me, Lily.
And me, Jake.
We're twins and we're exactly alike.
Not exactly!
Whatever. This is a book we wrote about the summer we turned eleven and Jake ditched me.
Please. I just started hanging out with some guys in the neighborhood.
Right. So anyway, this is a book about
goobers and supergoobers
bullies
clubhouses
true friends
things getting built and wrecked and rebuilt
and about figuring out who we are.
We wrote this together
(sort of)
so you'll get to see both sides of our story.
But you'll probably agree with my side.
You always have to have the last word, don't you?
Yes!
This book was AMAZING. At first I REALLY didn't want to read it so I let my friend borrow it. When she was done she was a school and I was helping pack back packs for hungry kids, her mom handed it to me and said, "Natalie REALLY enjoyed this book. Thanks for letting her borrow it!"  So on the car ride home I began reading the book and I couldn't stop! We went to D.C the next day and for the half an hour car trip there I read it (And did my math lol). Then I finished it the next day. Every good book I read ends so quickly! WHY??!!! * sobs* I don't like that. Now I might even read other books by Jerry Spinelli. Like I was GLUED to the book I couldn't stop reading it, now I'm super sad it's over :'(.

I think my favorite character was Lily because she reminds me so much of ME and Faith!  I think my second favorite character is Sydney. She comes later on but she is a lot like Lily, and Lily is a lot like me and Faith! Wow....... I just saw that Jerry Spinelli has 6 kids.... that must be hard to manage..........And he has a bunch of other novels. I own 2. Star Girl and Jake and Lily.  I'll have to try Star Girl!

Love!






The Brave Journey(The Kingdom at the End of the Driveway) by: Jefferson Knapp


  • Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  • Hardcover: 208 pages
  • Publisher: Kraken Books Ltd (July 10, 2011)
  • Buy The Book: Amazon



Title and Author
The Brave Journey Jefferson Knapp

Plot Summary
This book is about a boy named Benjamin Biggs. He is a happy boy with his dog Pugsly. That is until Pugsly dies and Benjamin puts on the dog collar, then his life changed. He started hearing animals talk and when he goes into what he thought was an abandoned fox hole to find a kingdom of animals! So when they told him he was their king and had to go on a journey with them to kill the snake that killed his dog. When he accepts what he must do, he, Roscoe (the fainting goat), Clementine (the fat pig), and Paco (the Brave the dog) go on the journey.

Main Characters
King Benjamin- The 11 year old boy the books view is from. Paco The Brave- is cousins with Pugsly and forms a bond with both kings. King Pugsley- Though he is dead they still have to unravel things about him. Roscoe- faints when scared and gets all stiff. Clementine- Was mistaken for a girl at birth so was named a girl name. Faragis -The snake who must not be named lol

Setting
Mostly this story took place in forests.

Personal Opinion
I didn't really like this book because there was lots of death and being such an animal lover myself I didn't like it how animals died in the book. Not much humor in it and I LOVE humor so another blah. I didn't like how Benjamin didn't feel much...WHAT IS HE, A ROBOT? I mean come on!