With her boundless curiosity and wild spirit, Fer has always felt that she doesn’t belong. Not when the forest is calling to her, when the rush of wind through branches feels more real than school or the quiet farms near her house. Then she saves an injured creature—he looks like a boy, but he’s really something else. He knows who Fer truly is, and invites her through the Way, a passage to a strange, dangerous land.
Fer feels an instant attachment to this realm, where magic is real and oaths forge bonds stronger than iron. But a powerful huntress named the MÓr rules here, and Fer can sense that the land is perilously out of balance. Fer must unlock the secrets about the parents she never knew and claim her true place before the worlds on both sides of the Way descend into endless winter.
I listened to half the book on audio but the other half I actually read. I'll talk about the audio first. The reader, Erin Moon, was really good, she really sounded like a little girl when she did Fer's voice, and she sounded like an old lady when she did Grand-Janes's voice. So the audio was easy to go through, and fun to listen to. I think I like it best when she did Rooks voice because it was rough like it was supposed to be and deep like a boys is. Listen to a sample here!
Now I'll talk about the book. The book had no errors as far as I know which was a relief! And it had no bad language or romance, but a little violence. I enjoyed the reading part almost as much as the listening part! Almost. I think it it was slower for me reading than listening. It took me like a week to read this book though, if that counts for anything. I didn't realize that the author of this book, Sara Prineas, also is the author of The Magic Thief series! (See my review of the Magic Thief HERE) So as I also enjoyed her writing in the Magic Thief I enjoyed the writing here, it was really excellent. The names were very creative, cute, and I liked them all. I think my favorite character is Rook, the mischievous puck boy who can shift into a horse and a dog. He's funny (at least I think so....:)) , and I imagine him cute. But that's just me lol. I think my second favorite character is Fer, cause she's brave always, never scared (which is just plain weird but admirable). I also liked Fer's horse. Can't say his name here! I'm giving too much away already lol. I think if you like books for brave girls, fantasy, and hunting, this is the book for you!!!
The False Prince
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Reading level: Ages 10 and up
Hardcover: 352 pages
Paperback: 342 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press (April 1, 2012)
Buy The Book: amazon
In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.
As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.
This False Prince is about a boy named Sage who lives at an orphanage who one day is bought by a noble man named Conner. He picks up 3 other boys. His intentions for them aren't good, they are even at the brink of treson! He wants one of them to play the role of the lost prince, Jaron who supposedly died 4 years ago by pirates. Supposedly (*Hint, hint!*). All he tells Conner is "I am your Prince." and nothing else. Even if he loses all he will say is "I am you prince.".
I LOVE THIS BOOK!
<3<3<3<3
I love it cause it's really epic! And it's violent! Most of what I love is a spoiler, but trust me, it's amazing. It's probably my favorite book ever!
My favorite character is Sage (Or is it? *hint Hint!*) He's stubborn (like myself) awesome (like myself:) He's like me in guy form! THAT MAKES HIM AWESOME!!!!!!!!!
After I got done reading, I couldn't stop talking about it. I kept trying to tell everyone how amazing it is. So now my friend Joy (she writes for us sometimes) is going to read it too. And my brother.
If you like fantasy and adventure and excitement, or if you have a kid, or know a kid, or like kids, or don't like kids and wish they'd shut up and read, you should buy this book!!
Reading level: Ages 10 and up Paperback: 112 pages Publisher: HarperCollins; Original edition (July 5, 2011)
Buy The Book: Amazon
Newleaf is coming, and Leafstar is proud to see SkyClan thriving under her leadership. The woods are brimming with prey, the warriors den is full, and Leafstar is expecting kits of her own. But a stranger is lurking near SkyClan’s territory, and Leafstar’s newborn kits—and the rest of the young Clan—could be in serious danger.
I really liked this manga. I think it's the best out of all of them because it's more in detail and better writing, more exciting then the rest. My favorite character is most likely Billystorm, Leafstar's mate.
Reading level: Ages 8 and up
Hardcover: 272 pages
Paperback: 266 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (January 31, 2012)
Buy The Book: Amazon
The night is here, but the dark is coming. . . .
Deep in the underworld lies the kingdom of Nebula. Although it is always everlasting night there, Nebula is never dark because all of its people, buildings, and creatures glow with an inner light source protected by the Lightkeepers. But true darkness—the kind that is malicious and blinding—lurks just beyond the kingdom’s gates.
There, the deadly Warriors of the Black Shroud are on the move, destroying and engulfing every outpost with their relentless evil and black despair. And this time, they have a weapon deadlier than anyone has ever encountered before.
Only a Chosen One, someone with the mark of the king, can help save Nebula from destruction. Astonishingly, that Chosen One is discovered in the Outerworld far above Nebula. But he is the unlikeliest of heroes, living in a dark of his own making. Can he accept who he is and lead the forces of the Light against the Warriors of the Black Shroud?
This book is about a boy named Walker. He's a ordinary 11-year-old with a star shaped birth mark on his cheek. Then when a boy named Eddie shows up saying it's the mark of the chosen one everything changes. Eddie brings Walker to his home, Nebula, It is a whole new world filled with monsters, nightmares, and peace in some citys. But Nebula has a problem. The King of the city knows that the warriors of the black shroud are rising, but his kingdom disagrees. The King is getting old and he has no heir. They have always followed the chosen one, the one with the star shaped birth mark on their cheek. They also want Walker to be their King once the current King dies.
Walker- The main person in this book, the chosen one. Eddie- The prince, his past is a mystery. His real name is Prince Edward Frankie- The new girl in town. Fussingham- Not much in the book, he writes the book of the kingdom. Jevon- A light keeper, a knight King Leukos- the king, The chosen one Lumina- The oldest Light Keeper Black Count- The Top evil guy Astrodor- the page
I loved It! It was very creative and fun to read! It had a lot of action, and jokes. I think my favorite character is Eddie. He's funny and he's really cool.
ENJOY BIG ME!! (But I don't thing thats the actual size..... AND I GOT MY HAIR CUT SO IT"S REALLY SHORT NOW!!!)
Gabby is a disgruntled tween angel who has just been assigned to protect her school nemesis and ex-beffie. Problem is her ex-beffie is dating Gabby’s longtime crush. Instead of protecting Angela, Gabby pranks her (since when is sticking toilet paper to her shoe or spinach in her teeth a sin?) Soon, Gabby gets out of control and is put on probation by her SKYAgent, who has anger management issues of his own.
Determined to right her wrongs, Gabby steals an ancient artifact that allows her to return to Earth for just one day. Without knowing, she kicks off a series of events and learns what can happen when you hate someone to death.
From the author:
This book is very different from Untraceable and is appropriate
for girls ages 10-14. The ebook is on sale for 99 cents until
Valentine's Day. After that, it will increase to it's normal price of
$2.99. The paperback is scheduled for mid February.
If you'd like to get periodic author news on any new release dates of future books, please register your email address here. I do not expect to send more than one email a month.
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Yen Press (September 20, 2011)
Language: English
Buy The Book: Amazon
Imagine waking up to find that the world around you - life as you know it - has changed in an instant. That's what happens to Whit Allgood and his sister, Wisty. They thought that they were just a couple of normal teenagers, until their rude awakening at the hands of a dozen armed police! Charged with being a wizard and a witch, accused of having incredible powers they never dreamed possible, the siblings find themselves the targets of an upstart political regime, The New Order, which has swept the country and vowed to wipe "their kind" from existence. Now Whit and Wisty must fight for both their freedom and their lives as they unlock the powers burning inside of them!
This is about ordinary teenage kids named Whit and Wisty. At least they where until the new order was made. They are captured and put into a trail with no lawyer and no chance to talk. They are accused of being a witch and a wizard. Then they find out it is true. As they discover new powers they uncover new things about the world and what it holds. They are imprisoned at a children's hospital that has been turned into a evil prison. They are forced through tests that always threaten their lives with no way of escaping.
I really loved it!! It was action-packed and magical, which I really love. I think my favorite character was Wisty. In the comics she was always making funny faces and doing funny things.
Reading level: Ages 9 and up
Hardcover: 220 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press; 1st edition (September 9, 2008)'
Buy The Book: Amazon
Read by David Pittu
Title and Author
Maze Of Bones: The 39 Clues by Rick Riordan
Plot Summary
This book is about Amy and Dan Cahill. Their parents had died in a fire so all they had left was each other, a grudging aunt, and their very loving grandmother who they just called Grace. So when Grace dies they are left with practically no one to love. Then they are invited to read the will of their beloved Grace and find out that generations of Cahills have tried to make this race, puzzle, and treasure hunt and Grace has succeed in making the 39 clues the siblings are left with a choice, either take a million dollars, or take the clue which would take then on their way to finding the 39 clues but their Aunt had threatened to disown them and call social serves seeing as they had no one but each other to love they took the challenge. But this book is only the first clue to finding them all.
The Audio book review
David Pittu was the reader, and I liked him a lot. He did different voices for the characters and he wasn't annoying. At the end of the audio book it has something the book doesn't.....
Main Characters
Grace Cahill- Even though she's dead she plays a pretty big part in the book Amy Cahill- 14 year old is brave and a coward at the same time. She cares for her brother so much because he's all she has left. She has her point of view every chapter or so. Dan Cahill- 11 years old is braver than his sister Amy but is also a bit of a weirdo. Madison, Reagan(OMG she acts like I do....ahhhh!!! Twins with Madison), Hamilton(Oldest), Eisenhower(dad), Mary-Todd(mom), Arnold (The pit bull): The Holt family are mean and strong all looking like they just came out of boot camp. William McIntyre: He is Grace's Lawyer and help's Amy and Dan with the clues. Sinead, Ned, and Ted: These are triplets That aren't in the book much. Irina Spasky: A Russian Cahill who is more than she looks. Jonah Wizard: A famous TV actor, singer, and book writer who is surprisingly a Cahill His Dad: That is what Jonah Wizards dad is referred to in the book always trailing Jonah. Ian and Natalie Kabra: These brother and sister are rich and can do what ever and when ever they want when they want it. They are dangrous and cant ever be trusted. Alistair Oh: This old man is tricky and you never know who's side he's on. Aunt Beatrice: Sister to Grace she doesn't love Amy and Dan just is their Guardian but never see's them just hires an Au Pair Nellie Gomez: The latest Au Pair who accompanies Amy and Dan places
Setting
Almost every were in France, In Boston, An air port.
Personal Opinion
I liked it, because is was filled with adventure, and mystery. My favorite Character is, *Drums hands on wall* Reagan Holt. She is tough and kind and getting soft though her dad would kill her if he found out.
Sam knows that he and his friend Lloyd made a colossal mistake when they accepted the ride home. They have ended up in a dark mansion in the middle of nowhere with man who means to harm them. But Sam doesn't know how to get them out. They were trapped, then separated. Now they are alone. Will either of them get out alive? This gripping and hypnotic thriller will have you reading late into the night.
REVIEW:
This book was one of the few that I really loved. It was kind of violent, but I loved how realistic it was. I couldn't put it down, I stayed up late at night reading this book, I was involved in the story. Sam was the bravest 11-year-old ever. He would always find the smartest ways to get out of very rough situations. He was my favorite character in the whole book. The kidnapper was my LEAST favorite, he was very cruel to these boys, and pretty dumb all around. Lloyd was not as smart of Sam, but he knew how to make somebody laugh! I was thrilled to read this book. It was funny, it was freaky, and it made me laugh multiple times! It was a great read, Savita Kalhan did an amazing job!
YAY! Today we have the authors of The Goddess Girls Series here to talk about their books with us! About the book:
It's time for the annual Olympic Games, and the four goddessgirls are not happy--especially Artemis. Even though she's better at sports than most of the godboys, she can't compete because rules say the Games are boys-only. No fair!
Led by Artemis, Athena, Persphone and Aphrodite, the ladies of Mount Olympus hatch a plan to get Zeus to open up the games to everyone. Will they succeed--or end up watching from the sidelines again?
These classic myths from the Greek pantheon are given a modern twist that contemporary tweens can relate to, from dealing with bullies like Medusa to a first crush on an unlikely boy. Goddess Girls follows four goddesses-in-training - Athena, Persephone, Aphrodite, and Artemis - as they navigate the ins and outs of divine social life at Mount Olympus Academy, where the most priviledged gods and goddesses of the Greek pantheon hone their mythical skills.
Interview:
What has your writing experience been like, writing The Goddess Girls? Have you enjoyed it?
Writing Goddess Girls together is a blast. It’s so much fun that when the series comes to an end (and we hope that’s still a long way off), we might have a hard time going back to writing solo—at least when it comes to writing middle grade series. In fact, we’ve enjoyed writing together so much that we’ve signed on with our publisher, Aladdin, to write a brand-new Greek mythology-based series for ages 7 – 10. Heroes in Training will debut in August with Book #1: Thunderbolt of Doom.
As for Goddess Girls, after Medusa the Mean (April 2012), our very first Super Special, The Girl Games, will be out in July. The Super Special, which alternates chapters from the points of view of all four of our main goddessgirls, will be followed by Books 9, 10, and 11, which will star (in order) our “P” girls: Pandora, Pheme, and Persephone.
Which one of the Goddess Girls books has been your favorite so far?
Our favorite GG book is almost always the one we happen to be writing at the time. Seeing a story come to life from idea to finished printed (or electronic!) book is what thrills us as writers.
Do you have a favorite character?
We’re probably most fond of Athena. That’s because we both identify with her the most. Like her, we were both good students who liked to read a lot—a typical profile for most writers. Still, our favorite character changes depending on whose story we’re currently writing. We’ve grown rather fond of Artemis while working on Goddess Girls #7: Artemis the Loyal. We like that she’s so take-charge and brave, even when those traits sometimes work to her disadvantage. Truthfully, all of our goddessgirls are dear to our hearts.
What got you started writing these books?
It was Joan’s idea to do a mythology-based series set at a middle school. She’d always been a huge mythology fan. Suzanne quickly became one too in the process of writing the series. After we decided on our four BFF—Athena, Persephone, Aphrodite, and Artemis—we brainstormed other characters and teachers to populate Mount Olympus Academy.
Do you have any advice for young girls who want to be authors one day?
Certainly! This is from Suzanne’s author website. She was an elementary school librarian before she became a full-time writer, and used to teach writing with Grades 3 - 6:
• Read, read, read! Especially, read the type of stuff you want to write. Then write the type of stuff you like to read.
• Write about the things you know about and CARE about (through experience, reading, movies, research, etc.) If you aren’t passionate about your subject, how will you make your reader feel anything?
• Take risks: be honest, show your true feelings.
• If you’re blocked, try freewriting: to discover topics, to get yourself going, to help get past “stuck” points in a story or characterization.
• Let your first draft be as crummy as it needs to be--just get words onto paper. You can fix them up later. "The first draft is the writer’s clay." - Bruce Coville
• Don’t be afraid to throw large amounts of writing away. Cutting words--many times, pages of words--improves writing.
• Word choice: Use interesting verbs and specific nouns. Avoid adverbs and too many adjectives. Simple past tense is usually best.
• Learn how to give and take suggestions for improving a piece of writing. Writers need to know how their writing “comes across” to others. Readers can help by asking questions and pointing out places where they were confused, places where the action or dialogue seemed too “unbelievable,” places where things moved too slowly (or too fast), and, of course, places they especially liked.
• Write, write, write. Keep a journal. Try different kinds of writing: poetry, short stories, nonfiction, plays, picture book, essays, personal experience, etc. You get better at writing by learning the skills involved (the “rules”) and by WRITING. It’s the same kind of process as learning to play a musical instrument or a sport.
Thank you SO MUCH Suzanne and Joan! I've loved The Goddess Girls Series, and can't wait for more and more books!!
Reagan
Would you like to win a copy of Artemis the Loyal? Joan and Suzanne have graciously offered a giveaway for an autographed book, bookmark, and a simple beaded Goddess Girls necklace!! Just enter the form below!
Reading level: Ages 9 and up
Hardcover: 608 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press; 1 edition (September 13, 2011)
Buy The Book: Amazon
NOTE: This book is in the past. NOTE OVER
Two stories, set fifty years apart; interwoven. One told through pictures and the other told through words.
The first story is of Ben, a young boy in the 1977 who just lost his mother and sets out to look for his father. The second story follows Rose, a young girl from 1927's New Jersey who sets out to look for her idol, a movie star.
Both children's search take them to New York City. Both children - deaf - are struggling to find what they are looking for in a world where hearing is normal and sometimes taken for granted. In a sense, they end up mirroring each other's search and face similar hardships. How their lives intertwine in the end, though I was able to guess, was still very bittersweet.
My Review
I liked this book because It's not too emotional, but it is at the same time and I like that. I also like it because Ben is not giving up. He travled miles on his own and he leaves his family just to see if this guy is his dad and he is my age (I think)!
I like it because Rose travels miles too, just to get her mom to notice her and spend time with her because her mom is a movie star.
My favorite characters are:
Ben: He is very cool because of what he did! (See My review above)
Rose: She is SOOOOOOOO AWESOME!!!!!!!!! (You will see in the book and My review above)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio; Unabridged edition (September 21, 2010) Language: English ISBN-10: 1442334282 ISBN-13: 978-1442334281 Buy the Book: Amazon
Twelve-year-old Eva Nine has spent her entire life living in Sanctuary, an underground compound where she is cared for by the motherly robot, Muthr (Multi-Utility Task Help Robot). She's never met another human nor visited the surface and she longs to do both, dreaming of a world - and of the companionship and love to be found there - that she's only seen glimpses of on scraps of paper. When Sanctuary is attacked, Eva is forced to escape to the surface alone, where she soon finds that the reality of life there is more amazing and puzzling than she ever imagined. It is also far more dangerous.
Book Review
I really liked this book. It was AMAZING! I think that The Search For Wondla is in my top ten favorite books. If you like stuff like Harry Potter and the Tigers Curse Series, you will enjoy this book. The book was a little sad, so sad I almost cried. I think I would like to listen to the audio again or maybe actually read it next time. My favorite character was Eva, I liked how she was really brave, and because she is trying to find another human.
Audiobook Review
The reader Teri Hatcher, does really well on reading the story and she also does really well on the different characters. To me, she is the female, non-British Jim Dayle. Teri Hatcher is one of my favorite readers. I would give her 4 Crowns. That's how good I thought she was.
