middle grade

Book Review: The Door in the Forest

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The Door in the Forest by Roderick Townley
The Door in the Forest 
by Roderick Townley

2 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Daniel is a boy who cannot tell lies, no matter how much he wants to. Emily is a secretive girl with an eccentric grandmother. Together they try to find a doorway to the mysterious island and the magical secrets it holds. But a sneaky Army Captain has camped out in the town with his soldiers looking for traitors and spies, and he is determined to ferret out Daniel and Emily’s secrets.

This book was only okay. I was disappointed in the story. The big revealed mystery about the island was a major disappointment. I was bored with the characters. The plot barely moves at all. This is not nearly as imaginative as some of this author’s other books. I ended up skimming through the last 50 pages.

Book Review: Poppy

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Poppy by Avi
Poppy,   by Avi

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Poppy and her large mouse family are held in servitude to the formidable owl, Mr. Ocax. When Poppy and her boyfriend, Ragweed, decide to flaunt Mr. Ocax’s rules, it means trouble for the whole mouse family. Only Poppy can discover the truth behind Mr. Ocax’s secret fear, and save her family from starvation!

This story was so cute! I loved the whimsical plot, and the funny characters. The writing is charming, and the illustrations are beautiful.
Poppy is such an idiotic little fool, but she has a good heart and she is brave in the middle of terrifying circumstances (well, terrifying to a mouse).
I loved grumpy old Ereth, and his hilarious insults! He brings so much comedy into the story.

I enjoyed this so much that I’m going to continue on with the sequel, Poppy and Rye.

Book Review: Physik

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Physik by Angie Sage
Physik (Septimus Heap, #3) 
by Angie Sage, Mark Zug (Illustrator)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Septimus and his family are threatened again, this time by the ghost of Queen Etheldredda the Awful. Princess Jenna and Septimus team up to stop her from going through with her evil plans to take over the Kingdom, but of course there are many obstacles, magic conundrums, and secrets from the past to be discovered and overcome.

There are so many vibrant characters in these books, and I love the main characters, Septimus and Jenna. I was so interested in the twisty plot! There is a lot going on in every chapter with many moving parts in the plot that wind around each other.
The writing is rich and flavorful, but still concise and pointed. I loved the map in the beginning, and the small illustrations at the beginning of each chapter.

Can’t wait to read more from this series!

Book Review: The Evil Wizard Smallbone

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The Evil Wizard Smallbone by Delia Sherman
The Evil Wizard Smallbone 
by Delia Sherman 

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Nick runs away from his abusive uncle, only to fall into the hands of an evil wizard! Nick is forced to become Smallbone’s apprentice, but the old man refuses to teach him any magic. Unraveling the secrets of the Evil Wizard Bookshop and the mysterious town of Smallbone Cove, Nick will have to outwit his master before an even more evil wizard, Fidelou, terrorizes and destroys the entire town.

I am delighted with this whimsical tale of wizardry! I love the enchanted town of Smallbone Cove and the rich history of the people there. I love how grumpy and enigmatic Smallbone is, because we slowly discover that he has a heart of gold underneath. I love the twisty plot with all kinds of weird surprises. I like the writing style too! There’s a lot of dry humor and snappy dialogue.  Continue reading →

Graphic Novel Review: Fake Blood

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Fake Blood by Whitney Gardner
Fake Blood 
by Whitney Gardner 

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


A.J. likes a girl.
A girl who is obsessed with vampires.
Conclusion: A.J. must become a vampire. Or at least, dress up like one.

Haha! I knew right away that this would be a funny graphic novel, and I was NOT disappointed! A.J. has a crush on Nia, and pretends to be a vampire to get her attention. But he gets the wrong kind of attention, because Nia dreams of becoming a vampire slayer, and comes after him with a stake!

Oh, I almost died laughing, this was so funny!
I loved the dynamic between A.J.’s two best friends. I loved the sweet flirtations between A.J. and Nia. I loved the colorful cartoony artwork. And I loved the hilarious plot and relatable characters. Continue reading →