middle grade fantasy

Book Review: Dealing with Dragons

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Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
Dealing with Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #1) 
by Patricia C. Wrede, Peter de Sève (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Princess Cimorene, who hates the endless embroidery lessons and dancing lessons at court, decides to run away and ends up being the “captive princess” of the Dragon Kazul. Studying Latin, cooking anything she likes, and concocting magic spells are exactly what Cimorene loves, and she has the time of her life with Kazul. If only those pesky knights and princes would stop hanging around trying to rescue her! When a group of sneaky wizards start spying in the dragon’s caves, only Cimorene has the wits and courage to stop them. Continue reading →

Book Review: The Samurai’s Tale

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The Samurai's Tale by Erik Christian Haugaard

The Samurai’s Tale 
by Erik Christian Haugaard

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Taro’s family are all killed by invading soldiers, but the captain saves young Taro alive to be a servant. Taro vows to become a samurai, and regain the wealthy position his father once held. He begins as a lowly kitchen boy, but quickly is placed in higher positions of trust. He gains the respect of men in power and slowly rises in the ranks to follow his dream, but the shifting wars in Japan threaten to destroy everything he knows. Continue reading →

Book Review: The List

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The List
The List by Patricia Forde

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this story about a post-apocalyptic society where words are considered dangerous, and people are forced to use only The List, a small selection of words approved by the ruler of their small surviving community. Only the Wordsmith is allowed to know and use words outside of the List.
The main character, Letta, is apprenticed to the Wordsmith, and her love for the beauty of language is a major theme throughout the book. Letta uncovers a plot to rid the entire community of ALL their words, and she is caught in the midst of a desperate rebellion, full of intrigue and adventure. But is Letta willing to risk everything, just to save a few words? Continue reading →

Book Review: Jake Ransom and the Howling Sphinx

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Jake Ransom and the Howling Sphinx
Jake Ransom and the Howling Sphinx by James Rollins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jake and his sister Kady are thrown into another mythical world of the past, this time with a lost tribe from Egypt. Jake’s old friends are pulled into the desert with him, and they must fight to survive in the strange land. Once the young Princess Nefertiti takes them as captive slaves to the capital city, the dangerous plans of the Skull King become apparent, and even the Princess will turn to Jake for help in fighting against that ancient evil. Surrounded by mystical beasts and magical stones, Jake and his friends are in the thick of another wild adventure!

I LOVE the action in this story! The plot takes a million twists and turns, the puzzles and mysteries keep me guessing, and I can barely stop reading because every scene flows into more action. Continue reading →

Book Review: Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow

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Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow
Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow by James Rollins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just as good as the first time I read it!

Jake and Kady’s parents were archaeologists, lost and presumed dead in the jungles while they studied ancient Mayan pyramids. When Jake and Kady use an artifact their parents found, they are transported to a mysterious world of dinosaurs and lost tribes of people. They’ve barely had time to explore and make a few friends, when the lost civilization comes under attack from the evil Skull King. Jake and Kady must choose between searching for a way home, and defending the strange world they’ve been dropped into.

Magic crystals, strange alchemy, ancient tribes and traditions, extinct animals, and archaic festivals; this adventure has such a beautifully imaginative world! Continue reading →

Book Review: Life Charmer: Koda’s Quest

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Life Charmer: Koda's Quest
Life Charmer: Koda’s Quest by Kristal Shaff

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When Koda picks up an ancient Native American arrowhead, he is endowed with the power of the Life Charmer, and is able to control the life force of animals. He can carve a wooden totem or likeness and summon the spirit of a living animal into the wood. But because of these god-like powers, Koda is being hunted by monsters of Native American myth and legend, and he must find allies in unlikely places among the tribes if he is to defeat his enemies and prove himself to the gods. The tribal council of elders sends Koda on a quest to prove his worth, and while Koda is still learning about his abilities, he will need the help of his new friends to stay alive.

This book reminds me strongly of the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. Koda is sarcastic and funny, and he surrounds himself with a variety of delightfully weird characters. The book mixes the modern-day world with ancient myth and magic. And of course, there is nothing quite like a heroic quest against monsters! Continue reading →

Book Review: A Wizard Abroad

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A Wizard Abroad
A Wizard Abroad by Diane Duane

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nita is shipped off to Ireland to stay with her Aunt Annie for a few weeks. The barriers between Ireland and the Old World of Tir na nOg are thin, and Nita must help the Irish wizards to ward off nightmare creatures from the past. Legends and monsters from Irish legend come into the realm of reality, and only Nita and her friends have the magical power and the connections to stop them.

As always, it is utterly impossible to describe the wonder, the grandeur, the sheer enchantment of a book by Diane Duane. There’s something so indescribably foreign and deliciously familiar in all her characters. Continue reading →

Book Review: No Passengers Beyond This Point

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No Passengers Beyond This Point
No Passengers Beyond This Point by Gennifer Choldenko

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

When three siblings get on a plane to go live with their Uncle Red, they are whisked away to a mysterious land of Falling Bird, where they must choose to become citizens, or remain passengers and try to return home. The temptations are many, and the siblings have to deal with their grief over leaving their old home, and decide if they truly are willing to step into a new adventure with their Uncle Red. Each of the children deals with their turmoil in a different way, and they make emotional choices in the face of danger.

The plot is all over the place, and there are a lot of things that are left unexplained. Continue reading →

Book Review: The Book of Wonders

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The Book of Wonders
The Book of Wonders by Jasmine Richards

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I’m so disappointed in this book. The cover made it look wonderful, but the characters are two-dimensional, the story is trite, and the dialogue is boring. I read it all the way through, but it never really captured my attention or my emotions. Continue reading →

Book Review: The Forgotten Sisters

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The Forgotten Sisters
The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this series so much! Every book is wonderful!
In this book, Miri is asked to be a tutor at a Princess Academy for some distant cousins of the royal family. But Miri is not expecting to be teaching Poise, Elocution, and Etiquette in a backwoods swamp filled with reed huts, snakes, and alligators. As always, Miri is ready for a challenge, but when war threatens the peaceful country of Asland, the people are looking to Miri to solve their problems and bring peace. The political situation begins to unravel, and only Miri and her new Princess Academy students can expose the lies and deception that are plunging the country into a bloody war. Continue reading →