Reveiw: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

Jason has a problem.
He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper, and a best friend named Leo. They’re all students at a boarding school for “bad kids.” What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly?

Piper has a secret.
Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare about his being in trouble. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits during the school trip, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out.

Leo has a way with tools.
When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about, and some camper who's gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god. Does this have anything to do with Jason's amnesia, or the fact that Leo keeps seeing ghosts? 

Jason has no idea where he his, what's happening, or even who he is. On top of that, an annoying boy turns into a monster and attacks him and his so-called "friends." What could go worse? Everything.

Leo has a secret that involves his mother's death. But when his half-siblings tell him about something that sounds strangely familiar, he knows that he can't keep him forever. Teaming up with his friends, he goes off an quest that only a crazy man would join. Well, Leo is crazy.

Piper tries not to make friends with anybody, because if she does, she wouldn't stand to betray them. But as they face dangers together, she finds herself making a choice: her father or them?

Review: The Moorchild by Eloise McGraw

10-15


The child of a fairy folk mother and human father, Moql doesn't fit into either of their worlds. First raised by the fairies, she's exchanged for a human baby and then starts life almost all over again, with a new name, Saaski, and only the faintest knowledge of her origins. "A complex and finely drawn character, Saaski undergoes a gradual awakening to her own true nature that readers will find intriguing and poignant". -- Kirkus Reviews.

Saaski is not a normal girl. She has a weird complexion, eyes that change depending on her mood, and has strange athletic abilities. Because of this, she is always tormented and made fun of by the other children. Her frightening and tough father is the only reason that the rest of the village hasn't abandoned her. Yet.

Saaski just wants to fit in. She's not like the other mischievous pixies. But all the other villagers don't care, except for her ;"parents.'

You'll see why this book is best-selling.

Best. Book. Ever.

Review: The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver

9-13

Warning: Mention of inappropriate things. To learn more, click the label dubbed Mentioning.

 
Evocative of Alice in Wonderland, this novel from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver is a bewitching story about the reaches of loyalty and the enduring power of hope.

Looking across the breakfast table one morning, twelve-year-old Liza feels dread wash over her. Although her younger brother, Patrick, appears the same, Liza knows that he is actually quite different. She is certain that the spindlers—evil, spiderlike beings—came during the night and stole his soul. And Liza is also certain that she is the only one who can rescue him.

Armed with little more than her wits and a huge talking rat for a guide, Liza descends into the dark and ominous underground to save Patrick's soul. Her quest is far from easy: she must brave tree-snakes, the Court of Stones, and shape-shifting scawgs before facing her greatest challenge in the spindlers' lair, where more than just Patrick's soul is at stake.

Liza meets beautiful creatures like the lumer-lupen ( wise beings of light ) and ugly ones like the scawgs ( lizard-like cannibals ). Or gentle things like the nocturni ( dream carriers ) and evil monstrosities like the spindlers ( spider-like horrors that steal peoples' souls ). But will she save her brother Patrick's soul and the many others that the spindlers have stolen?

Liza faces many dangers down Below...and shows just how brave and loyal she really is.

I like the Court of Stones  and the Spindlers' tests.

I like to re-read this book, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over...

Review:The Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

12-18

Warning: Violence. To learn more, click the label dubbed Violence.
Harry Potter is lucky to reach the age of thirteen, since he has already survived the murderous attacks of the feared Dark Lord on more than one occasion. But his hopes for a quiet term concentrating on Quidditch are dashed when a maniacal mass-murderer escapes from Azkaban, pursued by the soul-sucking Dementors who guard the prison. It's assumed that Hogwarts is the safest place for Harry to be. But is it a coincidence that he can feel eyes watching him in the dark, and should he be taking Professor Trelawney's ghoulish predictions seriously?

In divination, Professor Trelawney is acting strange.FINNALY defense against the dark arts, has a good teacher. Hermione is always tired and late for something. Hermione's cat Crookshanks keeps trying to eat Scabbers. Dementors are lurking outside the castle grounds. But that's not the only changes. There's a murderer on a loose!

Nobody's who they seem to be...

This is my least favorite book so far, but it's still good. Hope you enjoy it.

After this book, if your a kid younger then, about ten, try to wait a while for the next book. I know. It's just so tempting.

Review:The Lightning Theif by Rick Riordan

9-18

Warning: Religion and violence.. To learn more, click the labels dubbed Religion and Violence.


Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse-Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends -- one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena -- Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.



Who could think that a dyslexion, ADHD, twelve-year-old boy is the son of Poseidon? Who knows what happened to his mother? Who stole the master bolt? Who thinks Percy will complete the quest? Who suspects they will save his mother? Who can stop asking questions?

Percy is the son of Poseidon. Annabeth is the daughter of Athena. Grover is a satyr.

After Percy discovers the truth, he has to fight Ares! A son of Poseidon against a god? That does sound risky...

The Percy Jackson and The Olympians are popular for a reason.

Review:The Westing Game by, Ellen Raskin

10-15

Warning: Violence. To learn more, click the label dubbed Violence.


A bizarre chain of events begins when sixteen unlikely people gather for the reading of Samuel W. Westing's will. And though no one knows why the eccentric, game-loving millionaire has chosen a virtual stranger - and a possible murderer - to inherit his vast fortune, one things' for sure: Sam Westing may be dead... but that won't stop him from playing one last game!

Readers of my previous blog The Mysterious Benedict Society will love The Westing Game! 200,000,000 dollars are at stake, when Samuel Westing declares he was murdered, and the heirs must discover which one of them killed him. Join Turtle, Angela, Grace, Deere, Theo, Chris, Doug, Hoo, Pulaski, and many others at they race to discover who murdered Westing!

Even though the book tries to focus on all of the characters, it mainly is about Turtle. She's fun-loving and kicks anyone who dares pull her braid!

It might help the most if you read Westing's will. (at the beginning of the book.)

Do you know who did it?   

Review:The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket

9-15

Warning: Violence. To learn more, click the label dubbed


If you have not read anything about the Baudelaire orphans, then before you read even one more sentence, you should know this: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are kindhearted and quick-witted, but their lives, I am sorry to say, are filled with bad luck and misery. All of the stories about these three children are unhappy and wretched, and this one may be the worst of them all.If you haven't got the stomach for a story that includes a hurricane, a signaling device, hungry leeches, cold cucumber soup, a horrible villain, and a doll named Pretty Penny, then this book will probably fill you with despair. I will continue to record these tragic tales, for that is what I do. You, however, should decide for yourself whether you can possibly endure this miserable story.



After Uncle Monty, the Baudelaires think they're lives can't get any worse. When they arrive at Lake Lachrymoose they know they've been wrong. They're new home is so dull and gray, they live with a lady who is pretty much afraid of everything, they go to a restaurant called The Anxious Clown ( you can tell how bad it is just by the name ) and there's a rumor Hurricane Herman is going to strike that very town. Oh yeah and there's man-eating leaches too.

3 things you should know about Aunt Josephine:
1. She is the ultimate grammar lover.
2. She's scared of doorknobs, stoves, the lake,...
3. She is the worst gift-giver EVER.
By now you can see why the Baudelaires really dislike there stay at Lake Lachrymoose.

 The best and funniest part of The Wide Window is when the Baudelaires eat the peppermints!

As I always say: Watch out and don't trust anyone!

Book Review: The Chamber of Secrets, by J.K Rowling

11-18

Warning: Violence. To learn more, click the label dubbed Violence.


The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.

And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls' bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley's younger sister, Ginny.

But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone--or something--starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects...Harry Potter himself!



Harry Potter thinks this school year will be different than the last one. He hopes that he'll be able to focus on his work and his friends. Unfortunately that does not happen. WHAT does happen is that Harry has a near fatal attack from a bludger, Mr. Weasley gets sued due to a car problem, Ron's wand breaks causing chaos, and Professor Gilderoy Lockheart is discovered to be a fake. To top all that off a legendary beast is terrorizing Hogwarts. Will Harry be able defeat the monster?

Harry really needs some help, but his friends have a hard time helping him. Ron has arachnophobia, and Hermione has been petrified. But maybe, just maybe, he will be victorious.

One of the best parts is when Harry enters the moment of danger. ( of course it always is, as I explained in The Sorcerer's Stone. ) You get excited and fidgety even though you know the good guy pretty much always wins. Then you gasp in horror and amazement when you figure out that HE was the bad guy not the other one. After that surprising encounter you clap and cheer at the hero's narrow victory. Some way it always ends in the same way but is manages to still be a good book.

Review: The Fairy-tale Detectives, by Michael Buckley

8-13


For Sabrina and Daphne Grimm, life has not been a fairy tale. After the mysterious disappearance of their parents, the sisters are sent to live with their grandmother--a woman they believed was dead! Granny Relda reveals that the girls have two famous ancestors, the Brothers Grimm, whose classic book of fairy tales is actually a collection of case files of magical mischief. Now the girls must take on the family responsibility of being fairy tale detectives.



When Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are told that fairytales are acutaly REAL they just shake their heads. Well at least Sabrina. But when a giant carries off their grandmother they must find a way to save her. With the help of Puck and Mirror they sneak into a ball, jailbreak a criminal, and narrowly escape a nasty death from an arrow. But will they be able to save Granny Relda and her friend Mr. Canis? The Fairy-Tale Detectives ( and the rest of the series ) is really good.

I don't know which person I like best. Sabrina's clever but has a bad temper, and Daphne's sweet but only six years old.

I don't know why, but I like when they learn about the Brothers Grimm and the other fairytale stuff. Maybe everybody does.

Review: The Reptile Room, by Lemony Snicket

9-15

Warning: Violence. To learn more, click the label dubbed Violence.


Dear Reader,

If you have picked up this book with the hope of finding a simple and cheery tale. I'm afraid you have picked up the wrong book altogether. The story may seem cheery at first, when the Baudelaire children spend time in the company of some interesting reptiles and a giddy uncle, but don't be fooled. If you know anything at all about the unlucky Baudelaire children, you already know that even pleasant events lead down the same road to misery.

In fact, within the pages you now hold in your hands, the three siblings endure a car accident, a terrible odor, a deadly serpent, a long knife, a large brass reading lamp, and the reappearance of a person they'd hoped never to see again.

I am bound to record these tragic events, but you are free to put this book back on the shelf and seek something lighter.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket



The Baudelaires have just escaped from Count Olaf's clutches. This time they're going to meet Uncle Monty. ( aka Montgomery Montgomery. ) Klaus finds a whole library about  reptiles, Violet works on some snake traps, and Sunny spends her time biting ropes. And to make it even more enjoyable they go to the movies. You can tell they really like living with Uncle Monty. But just as they're about to head to Peru a familiar villain steps into their lives again. As you can see The Reptile Room is almost as good as the first.

Uncle Monty is the first ( and probably last ) good guardian the Baudelaires have ever had. He's good-natured, interesting, and funny.

All of the Baudelaires have a plan to prove Count Olaf's crimes. Violet's constructing a lock pick, ( which you should never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, try at home or at least the way Violet's doing it. ) Klaus is keeping Olaf busy, and Sunny's helping him. They might just succeed.

And remember: Watch out for tricks and gimmicks.

Review: The Wishing Spell, by Chris Colfer

8-13


Alex and Conner Bailey's world is about to change, in this fast-paced adventure that uniquely combines our modern day world with the enchanting realm of classic fairy tales.

"The Land of Stories" tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner. Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, they leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about.
But after a series of encounters with witches, wolves, goblins, and trolls alike, getting back home is going to be harder than they thought.



When twins Alex and Connor's grandmother gives them a book they think is just an ordinary...well, book. But when examining it, Alex falls into the book and Connor chases after her. There, they meet friends such as Red Riding Hood, Froggy, Trollbella, Goldilocks, Jack, and the Harp. But they also encounter villains like the Big Bad Wolf, the Evil Queen, and the Bounty Hunter's Daughter. And to top it all off, they discover a secret about their father.

Alex is clever, cunning and smart. She's the top of her class and has saved Connor and their friends many times.

I like the whole story. From meeting Froggy to being captured by the Evil Queen, it is a great book. I'm glad my friend suggested it.

Even though it's sad right before the end, I'm sure fairytale lovers will enjoy it.

Review: Magic Marks The Spot, by Caroline Carlson

7-13


Pirates! Magic! Treasure! A gargoyle? Caroline Carlson's hilarious tween novel The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates #1: Magic Marks the Spot is perfect for fans of Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events and Trenton Lee Stewart's Mysterious Benedict Society.

Hilary Westfield has always dreamed of being a pirate. She can tread water for thirty-seven minutes. She can tie a knot faster than a fleet of sailors, and she already owns a rather pointy sword.

There's only one problem: The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates refuses to let any girl join their ranks of scourges and scallywags.

But Hilary is not the kind of girl to take no for answer. To escape a life of petticoats and politeness at her stuffy finishing school, Hilary sets out in search of her own seaworthy adventure, where she gets swept up in a madcap quest involving a map without an X, a magical treasure that likely doesn't exist, a talking gargoyle, a crew of misfit scallywags, and the most treacherous—and unexpected—villain on the High Seas.

Written with uproarious wit and an inviting storyteller tone, the first book in Caroline Carlson's quirky seafaring series is a piratical tale like no other.



Hilary, a tomboyish girl, hates all the snooty 'proper lady' stuff that her father thinks she should have. She wants to be a pirate. But her father thinks girls can't do that sort of stuff. So does the VNHLP. ( The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates ) After escaping Miss Pimm's ( her finishing school ), she signs up for a pirate training treasure hunt. But this is no ordinary search. They're looking for the famous Enchantress of The Northlands' magic stash! But will a family betrayal stop her in her tracks?

I like Hilary. She's funny, independent, and brave. The gargoyle shares her funny personalty. Charlie's also independent, and Jasper brave.

My favorite part is when they arrive in Gunpowder Island. There, do they not only see Miss Pimm's boat The Dancing Sheep but also her father's. Strange... And then, they find the treasure! But wait. Has it been a wild goose chase all along?

This book is extremely funny. And you'll never guess where the treasure is hidden!

Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J.K. Rowling

10-18

         Warning: Violence. To learn more, click the label dubbed Violence.

Harry Potter has never played a sport while flying on a broomstick. He's never worn a Cloak of Invisibility, befriended a giant, or helped hatch a dragon. All Harry knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley. Harry's room is a tiny cupboard under the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in ten years.

But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to a wonderful place he never dreamed existed. There he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic around every corner, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him... if Harry can survive the encounter.

Harry's parents are dead. He is the 'slave' of his uncle Vernon, aunt Petunia, and bratty cousin Dudley. And he's about to go to a horrible school. ( In gray rags. ) But then he goes to a academy for wizards called Hogwarts. He takes delightful classes like charms. And-not-so-great-ones like potions. But all too soon he discovers a threat to his life: Someone's trying to steal the legendary sorcerer's stone! And with a powerful thing like that who knows what he might do next? This book is one of my favorites along with Percy Jackson and The Olympians and A Series of Unfortunate Events.

I like Ron because he's funny. I also think Hermione is smart. But which one? Pick a person any person...

My favorite part is when they go after the 'bad guy.' ( The part with Fluffy and the potions. Boy I would've never figured that one out.) I read it over and over again. You might too.

Each book is darker than the last so after The Prisoner of Askaban you might want to wait a while.

Book Review: The Bad Beginning, by Lemony Snicket

The Bad Beginning, by Lemony Snicket

9-15 

         Warning: Violence.To learn more, click the label dubbed Violence.

Dear Reader,
I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune.
In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast.
It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

This book starts with Violet, Klaus, and Sunny at the beach. Violet's skipping rocks, Klaus is studying sea creatures, and Sunny is biting things. But then, Mr. Poe appears. He tells them that their parents are dead and he is going to find someone to take care of them. But little do they know that their new guardian will do the exact opposite of 'taking care of them.' You'll love this book (and the rest of the series ) from the word defining to the 'Please excuse this...'. When you're done, you might want to see the movie.

My favorite character is Violet, even though Klaus shows my interest in reading. She's very smart and inventing and is also the oldest Baudelaire. Klaus is the middle child and (like I said ) is the reader of the family. Sunny prefers to bite stuff.

One of my favorite parts of the book is during The Marvelous Marrage. (by Al Funcoot...Or is it? ) Even though Violet is marrying Count Olaf at age FOURTEEN (ew). It is a pleasure just to see how clever Violet is.

But remember: Some of the books have a little bit of a mystery in them, so stay on your toes and trust NO ONE. (Except the Baudelaires, of course.)