The Scorch Trials Review

I am always apprehensive when continuing a series.  I often fear I will be let down and no longer want to continue.  I had all of the apprehension wiped away within minutes of starting The Scorch Trials!

The book begins within hours of Tom, Teresa, and the other Gladers escape from the maze.  Their time of relief is short lived when Tom discovers that Teresa is missing and a strange man in white explains they will be moving on to the next phase.  Included in the next phase, they have all been given a disease which is used to influence any of them who might want to not participate in the next phase.  They also notice they have all been tattooed with what part they will play in the next phase.  Thomas has been labeled “to be killed by Group B.”

As they move through the Scorch, they are met with many different types of enemies.  They meet the people who have gone crazy from the disease, the girls from Group B, and many other wonderful creatures created by WICKED.  More of Thomas’s memories return but he still can’t figure out the part he played in the creation of the maze and he still can’t find Teresa.  He and the Gladers also find other allies to help them reach the safe point, hopefully before time runs out.

This book is even more action packed than The Maze Runner.  It keeps the reader on their toes and always guessing what will happen next.  Another major influence of the book is the sense of not being able to trust anyone, and when it comes to Thomas, that includes himself.  Readers will not be disappointed in the second installment of the series.

Confessions of a Murder Suspect Review

This is the story of a crime. Tandy's parents have been murdered in the night, and before she can discover their bodies, the police are already knocking at the door. With the doors locked tight, the only possibility for a killer is someone who is already in the house, including Tandy herself. She is not willing to cancel anyone in her family out of her investigation, and she will do her best to find her parents' killer.

The writing in this book is quite phenomenal. The story bounces from chapter to sections called confessions. The story is directed right at the reader and it is especially obvious in the confessional sections which feel like a private conversation between Tandy and the reader. As you read, you often wonder if Tandy could be the killer because she never rules herself out. The depth of the family’s oddities becomes more and more evident as the story progresses. These are not children who were raised in the typical way. They were raised to be wealthy and great, and their parents were determined to do everything in their power to make sure the children become what they want them to be.

The story is fast paced and filled with a feeling that you are on the edge of your seat through the entire book. Pieces of background help fill in the gaps and help you understand the Angel family. You never doubt for a moment what any of them are capable of doing. This was a pleasure to read and I highly recommend it for Junior High reading level and up.

Prisoner 88

This is a good historical fiction book for younger readers. Jake Evans is convicted of manslaughter at age ten. He is sent to the Idaho Territorial Penitentiary to serve his 5 year sentence. But the prison is not equipt to handle having such a young inmate. Jake meets a variety of characters during his incarceration and he learns how to survive in the prison setting. But he also is allowed to take a job, and have a couple more privledges than most of the other inmates, including having his own pet.

These types of fringe benefits also breed irritation with the other inmates so Jake has another obstacle to overcome. He must figure out how to survive, and be viewed as not a threat from either inmate or guard, so he can last out his 5 years. The allows for you to think about what life was like for this boy and really allows you to get inside his head.

Puppet Review

When I originally selected this book, I did not notice that the focus time period was 1882. I thought I was selecting a book about the persecution of the Jews in World War II. After I realized the story took place many years before WWII I was even more intrigued by the story.

A young girl disappears from her small Hungarian village. Everyone in the town is quick to blame the Jews for her death even though a body has not been found. Julie, a good friend of the girl who vanished remembers that she seemed very sad when she last saw her, and she just can’t bring herself to believe that the Jewish people committed the crime. Julie tries to focus on her own problems which consist of her mother who is dying, her abusive father, and a younger sister for whom she is responsible. But then she notices that the Jews have been beaten and a boy about her age has been turned into a puppet for the court. After enduring beatings and threats against himself and his family, Sam will say whatever the authorities want him to say in order to save his family and himself. Julie can’t shake the idea that the truth must be told, no matter what the cost.

This book takes a good hard look at the darker side of human nature. It also examines how the character of people will change during times of war and fear. Beware of the choices you make and how simple words can fuel an unimaginable fire which could consume an entire town.

Of Poseidon Review

I am not a big fan of mermaids, syrens, etc. but I have to admit that I really enjoyed this book. The action was enough to keep you on your toes and though things were hinted at, nothing was given away. Even the ending was enough to get you geared up to want to read the second book RIGHT NOW!

The story begins with Emma on the beach with her friend, when her friend is attacked by a shark. Galen is also at the beach but he is one of the water and he can't help but notice Emma's violet eyes which are a sign of mer-people. He becomes intrigued by this girl even through the disaster which happens at the beach and he can't help but think she is the one who is meant to be his brother's mate. No matter how much is sister and he try to get her to transform to her mermaid self, she can't seem to find her fins. But she has to be what he thinks she is because she has the gift of Poseidon. (She can communicate with fish) In addition to that problem,the more he is around her, the more he feels pulled to her. This will have severe consequences when it comes time to get her to marry his brother.

This is one that everyone should give a try. There is a little language but no sex or drugs. Basically it is a pretty clean book, I would recommend it for 8th grade and up.

I Had Seen Castles Review

Rylant shines in this fiction work about World War II. This book shows the brutal honesty of what life was like in America during the months leading up to the war and the years that followed. The most poignant part of the book were the raw emotions of what life was like on the front lines and what the soliders, few more than boys, endured during their time overseas.

Unlike most stories told about World War II, this book does not focus on just one event (the Holocaust, Hiroshima, the bombing of Pearl Harbor). Instead, it envelops all the stages of the war through one soldier’s eyes including his return after the war. When you read it you feels as though you are sitting and listening to the soldier's first hand memories of his time leading up to and in the service.

This book could not have been written better. The size of the book is small but it really packs a punch that the reader will feel right down to their very core. This would be an excellent book for struggling readers when working on a WWII unit. I would definitely say this should be only high school and above because it does contain sex, underage drinking, and very vivid accounts of the atrocities of war.

A must read for all.

Tiger's Curse Review

 

A great new twist in the fantasy genre! I have to admit I am a little behind by just now taking the time to read this book after the entire series is already out. The good news is, I can read the entire series and not have to wait for the next book to come out.

This book breathed fresh new life into the YA Fantasy collection. No vampires or werewolves here! Kelsey takes a job working with the circus and finds herself working with the one tiger the circus owns. She feels drawn to the creature and even trusts it enough to pet it one day. When a man comes to buy the tiger she is invited to assist the tiger’s move to India and she jumps at the chance to see the world. But soon after arriving in the foreign country strange things start happening. The driver of the tiger and herself leaves them stranded at a gas station and they have to journey through the jungle to get to the reserve where the tiger is being relocated. Along the way, a strange man appear claiming to be the tiger and Kelsey finds herself playing the part of the person who can save him and his brother from the curse.

The story is filled with old overseas legends and plenty of adventure. Of course the book would not feel complete without a little romance between Kelsey and Ren (the tiger/man) and a little sibling rivalry between the two brothers in both human and tiger form. This book was definitely a page turner and I would say the romance is not so overwhelming that the book would not appeal to the male YA reader.

The book is clean of language, and other than a little romantic banter (nothing inappropriate) is a book anyone would approve of their child reading. The reading level for this would be junior high and up because of length and detail of the story but more mature younger readers would enjoy this book as well. I will be quick to point out that adult alike can also find this book very appealing!

15 Curious Things Found in Library Books!

15 Curious Things Found in Library Books!

The Catastrophic History of You and Me Review

Starting out with this book, I was not sure how I could get through the overzealous drama of a girl who die from “a broken heart”. It took me a while to warm up to Brie but once I did, I couldn’t put the book down. I loved the cover so this was one I just had to read and I received it as a review book. Now I am oh so grateful I took the chance to try this one out.

Not only does Brie die, but she must move through the stages of her death similar to those of mourning. She meets a guy on the other side who she finds annoying but he seems to serve as her guide to the afterlife. (Since she won’t read the book he gives her on the subject!) As she works her ways through the stages, she also decides to drum up a little drama back on Earth for the boy who broke her heart and caused her death. Revenge will be had, but at what cost?

This book is a whole new look at the afterlife for teens and though it is a fun read for about 80% of the book, it also tackles some highly charged emotional issues. I have to admit, some tears were shed. What happens to the family of the loved one who has died? What about her friends? Would she give up her soul for one more day on Earth no matter the cost? What about reincarnation?

From an educator’s opinion, I would say this book is high school and up on the ratings. It does contain: sex, smoking, suicide, sexual identity issues, and if I remember right, some underage drinking. The language is pretty much clean as nothing really jumped out at me when I reflect back. All and all I would say that if you don’t have an issue with the things listed, then let your reader decided if they are mature enough for the content.

Divergent Review

Great book!  I feel like the best parts of The Hunger Games and The Giver have been rolled together to come up with something splendid.  This is a great example of dystopian at its finest. 
Basically the world has been dividing into 5 different factions.  At the age of 16, children can choose to stay in the faction they were born into or they can choose another.  If they chose another, they must pass initiations.  Even they don’t pass, they become factionless.

 Tris comes from the selfless faction Abnegation, but she can’t help but be drawn to the life of the daredevils who are the Dauntless.  As she progresses through the initiations, she discovers she is somehow different from everyone else around her.  She is Divergent, which is the ability to side with more than one faction at a time.  And in a world where the thinking is “faction before blood” she has just become a target. 

Above all else this story is action packed.  This appeals to both sexes and keeps the reader on their toes throughout the book.  There is a little bit of a love story though it is downplayed for most of the book.  It is enough to make this a book for girls as well.  And even though the lead is a girl, there are plenty of rough, tough guys to keep the boys interested as well.  Something for everyone and I am looking forward to the theatrical version which is coming out soon.

Teens will love this book and I can see why is has been nominated for the Abe Lincoln Award.