• Reviews

    Hostage Three

    Hostage Three by Nick Lake is a thrilling story of human survival in an unexpected situation. Amy is almost 18, still grieves for her mother, detests her new stepmother and has no desire to spend the next 12 months on a yacht sailing around the world with her father and…

  • Reviews

    The Key and the Flame

    This was my first book by Claire Caterer and it was definitely a fun-filled magical adventure for middle grade readers and it’s definitely left with an open ending for a follow-up story. Eleven-year-old Holly is always being told that she needs to get her head out of the clouds and…

  • Reviews

    The Limit

    Looking for something new to read based in a futuristic world that could very well be real?  Look no further than The Limit by Kristen Landon.  With reviews by science fiction authors James Dashner and Margaret Peterson Haddix, The Limit was a fast-paced thriller that I truly enjoyed. Thirteen-year-old Matt’s…

  • Reviews

    The Adventures of a South Pole Pig

    There hasn’t been a pig like this since Wilbur!  Flora, is a farm pig who dreams of life outside of the pigpen.  Her biggest dream is to pull a sled like the sled dogs being trained on the farm.  Soon she has her chance when she is taken with the…

  • Reviews

    Reboot

    I was scavenging for books late last week when I realized I had nothing to read for the weekend and came across Reboot on an end cap near the science fiction books.  Without giving it a second glance (except to check the publication date), I grabbed it off the shelf…

  • Reviews

    Spy School

    This is another book I read on vacation.  Spy School is about Ben Ripley, a awkward, science geek whose dream job would be to work for the CIA.  Ben is not surprised to be selected to attend a magnate school with a focus on science, but he is surprised to…

  • Reviews

    The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop

    The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop written by British author, Kate Saunders was a surprisingly adventurous story for middle grade boys and girls alike.  Another book reviewer described it as a cross between James Bond and Roald Dahl, and I would have to agree.  Eleven-year old twins, Oz and Lily move…

  • Reviews

    The Runaway King

    I fell in love with The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen and couldn’t wait for The Runaway King to be published nad I was not disappointed!  A fast-paced story with something for everyone including pirates, thieves, sword fights, a kingdom on the verge of war, a love triangle, and…

  • Reviews

    The Colossus Rises

    If you’re a librarian like me, there is a constant stream of kids asking, “What do I read now?”  Even if you’re not a librarian, you may have asked yourself this as well.  It’s always difficult after you find a great author or series to jump into something else you…

  • Reviews

    Horten’s Miraculous Mechanisms

      Horten’s Miraculous Mechanisms is a captivating mystery filled with magic tricks, nosy triplets and a small boy who is much older than he looks.  This story also has a number of funny, wacky parts that made me laugh out loud.  Stuart Horten, whose name can be shortened to “shorten”…