Sky Raiders

By Brandon Mull

This is the first book in a 5 book series entitled Five Kingdoms. My boys and I listened to this one as an audio book, and it is really exciting! It catches you from the very beginning!

It's Halloween, and Cole and his friend are out trick or treating. One stop they want to make is at a neighborhood haunted house that is supposed to have the BEST special effects. When they get there, they are led to the basement with others and are captured by strange people. Cole manages to hide but watches his friends and the strangers climb down a hole in the ground. One mentions that the way will close soon so no one will be able to follow them. Cole makes a choice to sneak up behind and try to rescue his friends. Unfortunately, he's in for a big surprise!

He is transported to a new world, a world that is made up of Five Kingdoms. And they aren't just regular worlds, but worlds filled with special magic. Some of the kidnapped kids also possess this magic and going to be sold to the highest bidder. Cole gets captured while trying to rescue his friends and is sold to Sky Raiders. Sky Raiders are a group of people who raid and pillage castles in the clouds, strange castles that are made up of different items and substances.

While there, Cole meets Mira, a girl who needs his help. Together with Jace and Twitch, Cole and Mira escape from the Sky Raiders and go beyond the cloud wall where they meet a former High Shaper who helps them. Secrets are revealed, and a quest is planned, a quest that will put them directly in the path of the monster Carnag.

Only by working together do the kids defeat the monster and save the day. But the adventure is not over yet. They need to head to the other kingdoms to find Mira's sisters and right the wrong that was done to them long ago. 

What I liked about this book: This book was filled with adventure and non-stop action! My boys couldn't wait to find out what happened next, begging me to play more. The characters are varied and exciting, and new surprises are around every corner. It was creative and imaginative, with new monsters and creatures. 

I would recommend this books for middle school boys and girls, and anyone who likes action and adventure. It was a fun book!

Vampire Academy

By Richelle Mead

Vampire Academy is a story about vampires, but it's also about friendship, loyalty, and finding yourself.

Rose is a dhampir, a half-Moroi (vampire) and a guardian.  Her best friend, Lissa, is a royal princess in Moroi society. Rose and Lissa have a special relationship, one where Rose can sense Lissa's emotions. Rose also feels very protective of Lissa and will do whatever she needs to keep her safe. They should be at the Vampire Academy in Montana, but Rose helped Lissa escape 2 years ago to help keep her safe from an unseen danger. After 2 years on the run, the Academy has finally caught up to them and are determined to bring them back.

The reception back at the Academy is chilly, but they are expected to stay and work on catching up in their classes. Rose struggles to keep keep up with the others in her class, but she's extra determined...and has extra practices with Lissa's new extra guardian, Dimitri. Dimitri is from Russia and is beyond hot. He takes his work very seriously, but he starts to warm up around Rose.

As the months roll on by, things start to happen, startling things to Lissa. She finds dead animals in her room, bloody and violently killed. Lissa struggles not to panic and fights with depression. But through it all, Rose is there to help her. Rose, however, can't keep her safe all the time. She will need help from Dimitri and others to rescue Lissa from herself and from one who kidnaps her for her special abilities. In the end, Lissa is saved, the bad guy is put away, and Rose and Dimitri have to fight their attraction to each other. Action, adventure, romance, heartache, and tears...it's all there in the Vampire Academy. 

What I like about this book: It is the beginning of a new series, so that means I have more time to get to know the characters. Also Rose is a complex character, and I like complex characters.  Rose is loyal and fiercely passionate about Lissa and protecting her. But Rose is also impulsive and vulnerable at times.

What I didn't like about this book: While the story line is great and the characters are pretty cool, there are a few things that make me pause about this book. First off, there are a bunch of swear words in the book. Now, I'm not against swear words, but I'm not for them either. There is a time and place, but using them over and over when not necessary is not the time or place. And though the characters are older (17 or 18) and it's more realistic that they use swear words, I don't feel comfortable sharing those kinds of books with middle school students. Also, there are a lot of sexual references. Rose is considered gorgeous compared to the Moroi with her bigger chest, and there is a time when she's shirtless with a boy. There's also another time when she and Dimitri are under a lust spell and she's pretty much naked.  Another thing that gives me pause is that Lissa struggles with depression and to help, she cuts herself. I understand that that is a way that some people cope with their emotions, it is, again, not something I want my middle schoolers to be exposed to.

I would recommend this book to UPPER middle school students and young adults who are mature. It is probably more of a girl book. I don't think boys would like this one very much. 

The Westing Game

By Ellen Raskin

The Westing Game is one of my favorite mysteries and is something along the lines of Agatha Christie.  There's a murder, a bomber, a burglar, 16 suspects, and the most elaborate game imaginable. There are more twists and turns in this story that you can guess. And just when you think you have it, you don't!

The Westing Game starts off with Barney Northrup, a realtor and totally fake person, renting off all the apartments and business places to all sorts of different people within the newly built Sunset Towers. Two months after they all move in, Sam Westing, the wealthy entrepreneur and namesake of the town, is found dead in his bed in his mansion up the hill from Sunset Towers. And just like that...the game is started. 

Most of the tenants and residents of Sunset Towers are invited to come to the mansion for the reading of the will and find out instead that they will be playing a game...and game that will give them $2,000,000 if they win. And to win, they must find the name of the murderer. 

The players are paired up and given clues, and they work together to solve the crime.  Tensions run high, and a few bombs go off, landing 2 victims in the hospital. Everyone is suspicious of everyone else, and all the clues seem to lead in different directions. As time dwindles, no one really knows who did it, but they're all doing their best. Working together might just be the solution, but it might end up being too late. Will anyone win? Who did it? Does anyone nab the $2,000,000?  All the answers are just a book away!

What I like about this book: There are some fabulous characters in this book. One that I enjoy the most is Turtle, a 13 year old girl whose real name is Tabitha Ruth. She's clever, fierce, and tough. Also, the clues and built up to the solution is brilliant.  They all lead one way, but it all ends up being a red herring to lead you astray.  It's fun and exciting!

What I don't like about this book: Because there are so many characters, sometimes they are hard to keep track of who is who. When I would read this with my middle school students, we would have a chart to fill out to help remind us who each character was. That's the only downfall of this book.

I would recommend this story for middle school boys and girls, and really anyone who enjoys a great mystery! The Westing Game is a must read!

Legendary

By Stephanie Garber

Caraval part 2!?!?!?! Yes!!!!!!

Legendary picks up right where Caraval finished, except instead of Scarlett being the protagonist, it is now Tella. Where Scarlett is cautious and fearful, Tella is spontaneous and fearless. She always jumps in with two feet, hardly looking where she's going. But though she's impulsive, she's much more clever that others give her credit for.  And it's her turn to play the game of Caraval...with a much greater prize for winning.

Unbeknownst to us in the previous book, Tella made a deal with a secret correspondent, hoping to find information about the mother who abandoned her and Scarlett long ago. In exchange for this information, she only needs one thing...Legend's true name, a name no one knows or is able to speak aloud.

Even though the last Caraval has just finished and another should not happen for another year, Legend's crew of performers pack up and head to the capital of the kingdom for a special birthday celebration for the Empress. Scarlett and Tella get to tag along, but Scarlett refuses to play in this next game. Tella's on her own...except for Dante, the beyond-godlike man who has decided that Tella needs his help.

The rules seem to be the same for this Caraval, except that this time, everything is supposed to be real. It's not a game. Tella has a hard time believing this, but too much is happening that convinces her otherwise.  She becomes betrothed to Jacks and discovers that he is one of the long-forgotten Fates, godlike beings who used humans as playthings. His plan is to bring the other Fates back from their entrapment and rule the world again. 

As Tella closes in on the end of the game and her prize, her heart is pulled in too many directions. Can she save her mother and the man she's fallen in love with? Can she stop the world from being ruled by too much power? And the biggest question of all...who is Legend?

This is the second book in the Caraval series, and as a second book, it does not disappoint! It has twists and turns, romance and adventure. You, again, are on the edge of your seat, breathlessly waiting for the next revelation and surprise and the ending will leave you with an open mouth.  It is so good! AND...the final book is coming out soon! Can't wait!

What I liked about this book: Well, if you can't tell, there is so much I like about this book. The author, again, delivers a strong, complex, conflicted character. She also has such a unique way of describing the images she wants you to see, although this time it isn't with colors like with Scarlett.  It is a must read book!

I recommend this book to middle school students and young adults. As with last time, boys and girls, alike, will devour this book!

Caraval

By Stephanie Garber

Caraval! What an amazing, inventive story! This book is phenomenal from the start and hard to put down. Once you think you know what's real, something else comes to light and forget it! You're back to square one. 

Caraval follows a young lady named Scarlett. Scarlett is 18 years old, about to get married to a man she's never met, terrified of her abusive father, and protective of her younger sister, Tella. She will do anything to protect Tella, even marry a man who she believes with whisk them away and save them from their father. But then, she receives a ticket to Caraval.

Caraval is a mysterious, magical event put on every year by Legend, its mysterious, magical creator. And every year it is different. This year, Scarlett receives 3 tickets, and even though she's desperately wanted to go for many years, she can't risk upsetting her father and missing her wedding. However, Tella and Julian, a sailor in port for a bit, have other ideas. They kidnap her and bring her to Caraval, held this year on Legend's own island.  And it is just as magical as Scarlett imagined...and deadly. This year, the game revolves around Scarlett and Tella, and the one who wins must be the one who finds the kidnapped Tella.

Scarlett, fearful of all that's around her, is warned not to get swept away by the game and not to forget that not everything is real. Magic abounds, weaving together colors and sounds and real and fantasy until even you don't know what is genuine or not. In the space of 5 nights, Scarlett learns to let go of her fear, learns to trust herself and others, and learns what the meaning of sacrifice is. She follows the clues until it leads to Tella, but it's not all happiness and rainbows when they reunite. She must make a difficult, heart-breaking decision in the end.
Don't get swept away...and don't forget it's only a game!

What I liked about this book: I couldn't put it down! The story is so complex and imaginative, and it's fun to see what comes next. It keeps you on the edge of your seat, especially when Scarlett starts to trust Julian and their relationship grows. She is also a wonderfully complex character who is selfless and just wants to protect her sister. Also, the way the author describes the images she sees is beautiful and colorful. She uses colors to describe sounds and tastes and it sucks the reader in. In the end, when you're excited the story is over, it leaves the reader with another twist. A twist that compels the reader to want to hear more... Good thing there's another book!

I would recommend this book to middle school students and young adults. It is not girly, but full of adventure and excitement so boys will want to devour it too. I pretty sure this author is now one of my new favorites!

Encylopedia Brown series

By Donald Sobol

Encyclopedia Brown: Boy Detective is the first in a great series of books that have been around for a long time. I remember reading them when I was a child, and they were as great then as they are now.  I pulled the first one out of my collection and read it to my boys. They begged me to keep reading.
Encyclopedia Brown is a 12 year old boy who reads lots of books. He, of course, remembers everything he reads. That's why they call him Encyclopedia. He often helps out his father, the town's police chief, solve stumping mysteries, usually with only asking one question. Encyclopedia decides to start his own business to help other people by solving their mysteries. He only charges $.25 per day (wow!).  Each chapter in the book is its own mystery with the solution in the back. Each mystery is unique, the clues hidden well within each chapter. If you pay attention to them, you can figure out the mysteries.
These are fantastic books, and like I said, my boys loved them! I received a bunch from a neighbor whose boys were older so my boys have been eating them up in the last week.  The books are short, no more than 150 pages, and have all the solutions in the back. These are also great books to work on observation and thinking skills. My boys are getting better at finding the little details that give away the solutions, but some are trickier than others.
This series of books is great for elementary and middle school girls and boys. They are all well written and thought out, with similiar characters in each. They are fun and quick reads that are just fun, especially when you can figure out the mystery!

The False Prince

By Jennifer Nielsen

This is one of my favorite books to read to kids. I've read it to a few of my classes, and they always enjoy it.  It is quick-witted, action-packed, and full of twists and turns.

In the beginning of the books, you meet Sage, a 14 year old orphan who just stole a turkey.  He's stopped and bought by a wealthy noble named Connor Bevin.  Connor has a plan, a devious plot that is dangerous. Besides Sage, Connor has also bought 3 other 14 year old boys, all orphans that are similar in size and description. One of the boys, Latamer, decides he doesn't want to participate so Connor has him killed to show how serious this is. Sage is furious, but listens well. He's all about what's best for him, and what's best for him right now is not getting killed.

Connor's plan is simple but dangerous. The King, Queen, and Crowned-Prince Darius were killed. The other prince, Jaron, went missing 4 years ago and is assumed dead though no body was ever found. Connor's plan is to take one of the remaining boys and turn him into the lost Prince Jaron, helping him to ascend to the throne.  Connor will not take no for an answer, nor will be be gentle. They have 2 weeks.

Sage is not one for taking orders or doing anything that makes him work.  He defies Connor at every turn, his mouth and quick-wit often getting him into trouble. But he knows that if he's not chosen to be prince, he will be killed.  Sage is also one for many secrets, finding others and keeping his.  He sneaks out every night, climbing around the outside of the manor or tiptoeing through the secret passageways, gathering information.
In the end, Sage makes sure he's the one chosen as Prince. He's got a great secret up his sleeve that thwarts Connor's ultimate plan, and he saves the other two boys. In the end, Sage becomes the Prince.  Many people are not happy, especially Connor who is arrested for killing the King, Queen, and Prince Darius, and war threatens the borders of the country.  All set up for a second book!

What I liked: I love Sage! He is smart, quick, and lively.  He does what is best, even if you don't see it right away. Everything he does has a purpose and reason. He always has a secret plan up his sleeve and a witty remark to throw in your face. He is a fantastic main character.  Some of the side characters are just as wonderful. The story line and twists are spectacular.

There is nothing I didn't like about this book or the other 2 in the series.  These are phenomenal books! I would recommend them for middle school kids and young adults, boys and girls.  It is a fun book!