Category: Best for 12 and up
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Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard
Sophie Quire and the Last StoryguardBy: Jonathan AuxierMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 12 and up A(nother) perfectly magical fairy tale! I am SO digging Jonathan Auxier. His middle grade stories are exactly the right balance between challenging and accessible for his target audience. Most authors who try to write for the middle…
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Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic EyesBy: Jonathan AuxierMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 12 and up A perfectly magical fairy tale! I am SO digging Jonathan Auxier. His middle grade stories are exactly the right balance between challenging and accessible for his target audience. Most authors who try to write for the middle…
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House Arrest: This one’s gonna stick…
House ArrestBy: K.A. HoltMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 12 and up This one’s gonna stick… My niece declared House Arrest her favorite book, and of course I had to join her club. That’s how cool she is. I finished it in about about 6 hours. That’s how good it is. It’s about…
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Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster
Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her MonsterBy: Jonathan AuxierMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 12 and up Chim, Chim, Cher-ee? Sweep: The Story of a Girl and her Monster is another from Middle Grade author extraordinaire, Jonathan Auxier (OX-ee-aa). It’s hard to find really great Middle Grade books. So many Middle…
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A Guest Review of The Worlds We Leave Behind
The Worlds We Leave BehindBy: A F HarroldReviewer Rating: 3Best for: 12 and up Timeline and more timelinesGuest book review by Julie Q: What’s the book about? The story is good but frustrating because of one question: “What if?” I think the question that has been asked so many times is illustrated beautifully here. A…
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The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne: I WANT MORE!
The Outlaws Scarlett and BrowneBy: Jonathan StroudMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 12 and up Jonathan Stroud strikes again! Based on my previous experience with Jonathan Stroud, I fully expected to enjoy his newest, The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne. I liked Bartimaeus, and Lockwood & Co holds a spot firmly on my “Best…
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Castle in the Air and House of Many Ways
Castle in the Air (Howl’s Moving Castle, #2)House of Many Ways (Howl’s Moving Castle, #3)By: Diana Wynne JonesMy Rating: Four out of Five StarsBest for: 12 and up A magical gem of a story! Howl’s Moving Castle was published in 1986, and Castle in the Clouds was published in 1990. House of Many Ways was…
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Howl’s Moving Castle: A Bit Odd, A Bit Fun
Howl’s Moving CastleBy: Diana Wynne JonesMy Rating: Four out of Five StarsBest for: 12 and up A little bit odd, a lot bit fun I’ve been hearing about Howl’s Moving Castle for years, so I figured it was time to give it a try. I’m glad I did! Howls Moving Castle is an enchanting story…
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The Legend of Black Jack
The Legend of Black JackBy: A.R. WithamMy Rating: Three out of Five StarsBest for: 12 and up All brawn, no brain There are some really, REALLY gushing reviews out there for The Legend of Black Jack. Apparently there are a whole lot of readers who found The Legend of Black Jack to be a transformational…
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Tress of the Emerald Sea: A joy to read
Tress of the Emerald SeaBy: THE Brandon SandersonMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS (If only there were more stars to give! ALL THE STARS!)Best for: 12 and up What’s better than The Princess Bride? BrandoSando is. Ah, Brandon Sanderson. Thank you for sharing your stories. This was one of your best. If you’re not…
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The Parasite: Michael Vey is Back! Wait…why is Michael Vey back?
The Parasite (Michael Vey, book 8)By: Richard Paul EvansMy Rating: Three out of Five StarsBest for: 12 and up Michael Vey is Back! Wait…why is Michael Vey back? I have some great Michael Vey memories! The series ended in 2017 in a mostly happy place, and while book 7 fell a bit flat with a…
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Bastille vs the Evil Librarians: We’ve only been waiting 15 years. Nbd.
Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians (Alcatraz, Book #1)The Scrivener’s Bones (Alcatraz, Book #2)The Knights of Crystallia (Alcatraz, Book #3)The Shattered Lens (Alcatraz, Book #4)The Dark Talent (Alcatraz, Book #5)Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians (Alcatraz, Book #6)By: Brandon SandersonMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE starsBest for: 12 and up We’ve only been waiting 15 years. Nbd.…
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Empty Smiles: Who loves creepy clowns? (ME!)
Small Spaces (Small Spaces, book 1)Dead Voiced (Small Spaces, book 2)Dark Waters (Small Spaces, book 3)Empty Smiles (Small Spaces, book 4)By: Katherine ArdenMy Rating: Four out of five starsBest for: 12 and up Those clowns are the creepiest of all! I know Katherine Arden best from The Winternight Trilogy, her fantastic historical fantasy series set…
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The Wheel of Time, Books 1-5: This. Is. Long.
The Wheel of Time 1-5The Eye of the WorldThe Great HuntThe Dragon RebornThe Shadow RisingThe Fires of HeavenBy: Robert JordanMy Rating: Four out of five stars.Best for: 12 and up A journey of 12,000 pages starts at page 1 If you’ve been with me for a while, you’ll know I’ve been putting off reading The…
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Dark One: So that’s a graphic novel? Huh.
Dark OneBy: Brandon SandersonMy Rating: Four out of Five StarsBest for: 12 and up So that’s a graphic novel? Huh. My graphic novel experience has been limited to the middle grade stuff my kids like to read, so I don’t much experience to compare with Dark One. I’m happy to share my thoughts as a…
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Evershore: Brandon, Inc is getting better
Evershore (Skyward Flight: Novella 3)By: Janci Patterson and Brandon SandersonMy Rating: Five out of five starsBest for: 12 and up Excellent, but still waiting for more! Evershore is the 3rd Skyward Flight Novella that tells the story of what’s happening to Spensa’s friends while she is stuck in the Nowhere during the events of Cytonic,…
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#Cytonic: I NEED MORE–NOW!!
Cytonic (Skyward, Book 3)By: THE Brandon SandersonMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest For: 12 and up Sanderson Strikes Again…I just wish I didn’t have to wait so long for book 4! The Skyward series is fantasy-standard-bearer Brandon Sanderson’s first foray into Science Fiction, and it’s pretty great. Turns out, it’s less Science Fiction and…
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#Unknown: More Augmented Reality, Please!
Unknown (Unreal, Book 2)By: Cindy GundersonMy Rating: Four out of Five StarsBest for: 12 and up AR?! Yes please! You know what’s cool? Augmented Reality. The possibilities are endless! At least, I thought it was cool–until crafty authors started telling stories about all the ways governments and corporations might use AR to passively exploit us…
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#DarkWaters: More creepy fun!
Dark Waters (Small Spaces, book 3)By: Katherine ArdenMy Rating: Four out of five starsBest for: 12 and up What!? An unexpected cliffhanger!!! I know Katherine Arden best from The Winternight Trilogy, her fantastic historical fantasy series set in long ago Russia. It’s a wonderful story, full of with amazing characters, connections to myths and traditions,…
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#DeadVoices: Go SCARE yourself!
Dead Voices (Small Spaces, book 2)By: Katherine ArdenMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best for: 12 and up If this is middle grade, why was I so freaked out?! I know Katherine Arden best from The Winternight Trilogy, her fantastic historical fantasy series set in long ago Russia. It’s a wonderful story, full of amazing…
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Sunreach: A NOT Sanderson, Sanderson book
Sunreach (Skyward Flight: Novella 1)By: Janci Patterson and Brandon SandersonMy Rating: Four out of five starsBest for: 12 and up A novella? Ya right… Seriously, every time Brandon Sanderson writes a book that’s under 250 pages and calls it a “novella” I laugh out loud. It’s like he just wants to remind the other authors…
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#Unreal: Why am I such a nerd?
Unreal (The Unreal Series, Book #1)By: Cindy GundersonMy Review: Four out of Five StarsBest for: 12 and up Sigh. Why am I such a nerd? I’m such a nerd when it comes to AR. (That’s Augmented Reality for everyone less nerdy than me.) It’s when you use a computer to change what your eyes see.…
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A Book Club Guest Review of My Name is River and Hope Girl
My name is River (River, Book 1)Hope Girl (River, Book 2)By: Wendy DunhamGuest Review Rating: Four out of Five StarsBest For: 12 and up Tough subjects done wellA Guest Book Review by Julie Hilton River is a girl with a mysterious parent situation, a friend who dies in suspicious circumstance, an ill grandmother, and feelings…
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#BeforetheBrokenStar: Meh for me, but maybe not for you!
Before the Broken Star (The Evermore Chronicles #1)By: Emily R. KingMy Rating: Three out of Five StarsBest for: 12 and up So…meh. I think there are probably some teenage girls who’ll really enjoy Before the Broken Star. This dad of teenage girls, unfortunately, did not. At some point, the book must have been on sale…
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#Dragonlance: 80s Fantasy Doesn’t Translate…
Dragons of Autumn Twilight (Dragonlance Chronicles, Book 1)Dragons of Winter Night (Dragonlance Chronicles, Book 2)Dragons of Spring Dawning (Dragonlance Chronicles, Book 3)By: Margaret Weis and Tracy HickmanMy Rating: Three out of Five StarsBest for: 12 and up Ah, junior high! I remember the Dragonlance books with early-teenage fondness, and I’ve been wanting to reconnect with…
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A Book Club Guest Review of Just Mercy (YA Adaptation)
Just Mercy (adapted for young adults)By: Bryan StephensonMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best for: 12 and up Just Mercy or Miraculous Mercy?Guest Review by Julie Hilton A new lawyer wants to help people who were wrongly convicted and on death row. The major story about Walter McMillian, accused of murder and his road to…
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A Book Club Guest Review of The Other Side of the Stars
The Other Side of the StarsBy: Katherine KingReviewer Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 12 and up Beautiful and unexpected love story set in and after WWIIA guest review by Catina Haverlock After the sudden death of her parents, Gita finds herself alone on the family farm in post WWII America. She has absolutely…
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#DragonandThief: Dragons in Space–Finally!!!
Dragon and Thief (The Dragonback Series, Book 1)Dragon and Soldier (The Dragonback Series, Book 2)Dragon and Slave (The Dragonback Series, Book 3)Dragon and Herdsman (The Dragonback Series, Book 4)Dragon and Judge (The Dragonback Series, Book 5)Dragon and Liberator (The Dragonback Series, Book 6)By: Timothy ZahnMy Rating: Three out of Five StarsBest for: 12 and up…
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#Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow–Knock, knock, knocking on Harry’s door…
Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, Book 3)By: Jessica TownsendMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS!!!Best For: 12 and up I don’t know if there will ever be another Harry, although everyone’s always looking for it. After three books though, things are looking pretty great for Morrigan Crow. I don’t know what the future…
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A Book Club Guest Review of Letters from a Slave Girl: The Story of Harriet Jacobs
Letters from a slave girl: the story of Harriet JacobsBy: Mary E LyonsReviewer Rating: Four out of Five StarsBest for: 12 and up A Good Picture of Slavery Pre Civil WarReview by Julie Hilton I think if this weren’t a re-write of the original book by Harriet Jacobs (Incidents in the life of a Slave)…
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A Book Club Guest Review of Where the Forest Meets the Stars
Where the Forest Meets the StarsBy: Glendy VanderahReviewer Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARSBest for: 12 and up A Five Star Read!Review by: Julie Hilton A post grad student is recovering from a death, and a serious medical condition, and a breakup. She is working in a remote area, secluded and using work to both…
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A Book Club Guest Review of Billy Cannon: A Long, Long Run
Billy Cannon: A Long, Long RunBy: Charles N deGravellesReviewer Rating: FIVE out of FIVE StarsBest for: 12 and up A Story of Success, Pride, a Fall and RedemptionReview by: Julie Hilton This book is the only time I am aware of that Billy really opened up about his life story. Since he is my cousin,…
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#ThickasThieves: The only thing you know is you don’t know anything!
Thick as Thieves (The Queen’s Thief, Book 5)By: Megan Whalen TurnerMy Review: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest For: Advanced 12 and up Finally, a new book in The Queen’s Thief series! Book 5, Thick as Thieves, was published 7 years after book 4! This reader chose to wait an additional 3 years to read it…
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#AConspiracyofKings: It’s a cantputitdowner
A Conspiracy of Kings (The Queen’s Thief, #4) By: Megan Whalen Turner My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS! Best for: Advanced 12 and up Oct 2020 The great The Queen’s Thief re-read of 2020 continues! I’ve just finished book 4, and thus ends the “re-read” part of my re-read. Book 5 was published in…
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#TheKingofAttolia: How to be awesome.
The King of Attolia (The Queen’s Thief, #3) By: Megan Whalen Turner My Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS! Best for: Advanced 12 and up October 2020 This series re-read is going beautifully. My re-read of both book 1 and book 2 made me wish I’d left book-specific reviews the first time instead of the…
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#TheQueenofAttolia: This is how you do it.
The Queen of Attolia (The Queen’s Thief, Book 2) By: Megan Whalen Turner My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS Best for: Advanced 12 and up October 2020 I’m enjoying my re-read of this wonderful series! Going through a second time, I find myself wishing I hadn’t only left a series review the first time.…
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#TheThief: A slow build to the big reveal. And it’s awesome!
The Thief (The Queen’s Thief, #1)By: Megan Whalen TurnerMy Rating: Four out of Five StarsBest for: 12 and up Oct 10 to Oct 13 2020Wow, I really gushed over this series the first time. I’ve just finished my re-read of book 1, The Thief, and I’m wondering if I was a little too dramatic. I…
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#FasterThanFalling: Hope you’re not scared of heights…
Faster Than Falling (The Skylighter Adventures, Book 1)By: Nathan Van CoopsMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS!Best for: 12 and up Nathan Van Coops has created a wonderful new story set in a wonderful new world. Faster Than Falling is a scyfy-pirate-steampunk-adventure, and it was a BLAST to read! On this world, the sky is…
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#WizardforHire: Magical fun–But what makes something magical?
Wizard for Hire (Wizard for Hire, Book 1) Apprentice Needed (Wizard for Hire, Book 2) Magic Required (Wizard for Hire, Book 3) By: Obert Skye My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars! Best for: Independent readers 12 and up, but great to read aloud with the whole family! The Wizard for Hire Trilogy wasn’t exactly…
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#ArtemisFowl: Hilarious, Magical Fun!
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1) The Arctic Incident (Artemis Fowl, Book 2) The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, Book 3) The Opal Deception (Artemis Fowl, Book 4) The Lost Colony (Artemis Fowl, Book 5) The Time Paradox (Artemis Fowl, Book 6) The Atlantis Complex (Artemis Fowl, Book 7) The Last Guardian (Artemis Fowl, Book 8)…
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#TheCalloftheWild: That’s not a BOOK–that’s a TIME MACHINE!
The Call of the Wild By: Jack London My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS Best for: Advanced 12 and up Have you ever wanted to time travel? Read a classic novel. Jack London’s most famous book is a classic in every way. Buck is the four-legged narrator of this wonderful story. When he’s dog-napped…
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#Matched: Hunger Games Lite. Kinda.
Matched (Matched, Book 1) Crossed (Matched, Book 2) Reached (Matched, Book 3) By: Ally Condie My Rating: Three out of Five Stars Best for: 12 and up I keep hearing this series is the next Hunger Games, but I don’t see it. Hunger Games lite, maybe. There wasn’t much by way of hunger or games…
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#Starsight (Skyward #2): I WANT MORE!
Starsight (Skyward #2) By: Brandon Sanderson My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: Advanced 12 and up Skyward was Fantasy-standard-bearer Brandon Sanderson’s first foray into Science Fiction, and it was awesome. It turned out to be less Science Fiction and more Space Fantasy, but that’s absolutely okay. That’s how I’d classify Star Wars,…
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#Flipped: I’m FLIPPED for Flipped!
FlippedBy: Wendelin Van DraanenMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars!Best for: 12 and up Well, dang. I’m flipped for Flipped. I LOVED this book! Empathy and and kids are like oil and water. Been to Junior High lately? My favorite books for young people are ones that help them see their life through a different…
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#MyPlainJane: Jane Eyre + The Sixth Sense = The scratch for the itch you didn’t know you had
My Plain Jane (The Lady Janies #2) By: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows My Rating: Four out of Five Stars Best for: 12 and up Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows: Authors. Friends. Committed to fixing history by rewriting one sad story at a time… …and killing it. My Plain Jane tells…
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#Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow: Dialed to 11
Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, Book 2) By: Jessican Townsend My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE Stars Best for: 12 and up Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow is book 2 in a new upper-middle grade series. Book 2 was as good as book 1, and now I’m looking forward to book 3!…
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#Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, #1): It’s Wunderous!
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, #1) By: Jessica Townsend My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE Stars Best for: 12 and up This is the first book in a new upper-middle grade series, and guess what? It was great! You think you have it bad? There’s no way your life is worse than Morrigan…
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#AChristmasCarol: Uncultured no longer
A Christmas Carol By: Charles Dickens My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: 12 and up My first Dickens won’t by my last. A Christmas Carol is charming, easy to read, and a lot of fun to read as the source material for so much of what “Christmas” has become. And under 100…
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#TheRuleofThree: The de-Evolution of Society
The Rule of Three (The Rule of Three, Book 1) The Fight for Power (The Rule of Three, Book 2) Will to Survive (The Rule of Three, Book 3) By: Eric Walters My Rating: Four out of Five stars Best for: 12 and up Imagine: Everything with a circuit board breaks. Thanos-snap instant. No warning.…
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#Skyward: Callsign–AWESOME
Skyward By: THE Brandon Sanderson My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: 12 and up What happens when the king of Fantasy writes Science Fiction? You get magical science fiction… …and it’s awesome! Three generations ago, humans crash landed on a deserted planet. Giant underground living spaces, tech manufacturing facilities, and layers of…
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#Leviathan: So, what else have I been missing?
Leviathan (Leviathan, Book #1) Bohemoth (Leviathan, Book #2) Goliath (Leviathan, Book #3) By: Scott Westerfeld My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: 10 and up I liked the Leviathan trilogy so much it made me wonder why I didn’t know about it before…and what else am I missing out on?! WWI alternative history,…
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#Leviathan: Why am I just now learning about this?
Leviathan By: Scott Westerfeld My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE Stars Best for: 10 and up This was one of those books you read and wonder why you didn’t know about it before. WWI alternative history, written for upper middle grade. A girl who pretends to be a boy to join the British air force.…
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#Bartimaeus Trilogy: Fun story, lame characters…
Series Review: The Bartimaeus Trilogy By: Jonathan Stroud Book 1: The Amulet of Samarkand Book 2: The Golem’s Eye Book 3: Ptolemy’s Gate My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars I recently was wildly impressed by Jonathan Stroud’s Lockwood & Co series. If you haven’t read that, you are missing out on some Harry…
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#TheAmuletofSamarkand, (Bartimaeus, #1): Looking for a hero…
The Amulet of Samarkand, Bartimaeus #1 By: Jonathan Stroud My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars I recently was wildly impressed by Jonathan Stroud’s Lockwood & Co series. If you haven’t read that, you are missing out on some Harry Potter sized fun. Go now. Fueled by the feeling I’d discovered something brilliant and new,…
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#Lockwood&Co: Freaky. Awesome. Freaky Awesome.
Lockwood & Co. Book 1: The Screaming Staircase Book 2: The Whispering Skull Book 3: The Hollow Boy Book 4: The Creeping Shadow Book 5: The Empty Grave By: Jonathan Stroud My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars I feel like Simon Cowell standing up to give my rare and reluctant standing ovation, but here…
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#TheScreamingStaircase (Lockwood & Co, #1): A new favorite series!
The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co, #1) By: Jonathan Stroud My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Now here’s a new favorite series I can’t wait to share! It’s modern-day England, except for one thing: “the Problem.” Beginning around 50 years ago, ghosts inexplicably began to run rampant, disrupting lives of the living. These aren’t…
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#Lirael (The Abhorsen Trilogy, #2): Obviously, I missed something.
Lirael (The Abhorsen Trilogy, #2) By: Garth Nix My Rating: 3 stars out of 5 Huh. There are a lot of people who really love this book. Obviously I missed something. I found the plot tedious…which is understandable because NOTHING HAPPENS. I kept holding out for some big resolution at the end that would explain…
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#Sabriel (Abhorsen, #1): Unique Fantasy, Cool Magic, and Saving the World
Sabriel (Abhorsen #1) By: Garth Nix My Rating: Four out of Five Stars A young friend told me recently this was an all time favorite, so I wanted to check it out. The verdict: It’s good! Once I got past the author’s tendency to use overly dramatic descriptions for…everything, I found a unique story with…
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#EarthmanJack is Back!
Earthman Jack vs. The Intergalactic Manhunt: Book 1 of the Conclave Trilogy Earthman Jack vs. The Ring of Fire: Book 2 of the Conclave Trilogy Earthman Jack vs. The Conclave of Corruption: Book 3 of the Conclave Trilogy By: Matthew Kadish Rating: Five out of Five Stars for all three You guys really need to…
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#Percepliquis (The Riyria Revelations, part #6): The bibliophile’s dilemma…
Percepliquis by Michael J. Sullivan My rating: 5 of 5 stars Question: What is the bibliophile’s dilemma? Answer: The books you can’t help but read as fast as possible are the same books you wish would never end. Solutions? I’d love to hear them. Until then, I hope to find more books that hurt…
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#Wintertide (The Riyria Revelations, #5): And next comes the end…
Wintertide by Michael J. Sullivan My rating: 4 of 5 stars Can’t…breath…must…keep…reading… Book 6 is a glorious 600+ pages. If you can’t tell, this is really great. Series review to come. Happy Reading. Series review: Question: What is the bibliophile’s dilemma? Answer: The books you can’t help but read as fast as possible are…
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#TheEmeraldStorm (The Riyria Revelations, #4): The Empire just struck back.
The Emerald Storm by Michael J. Sullivan My rating: 4 of 5 stars Oh no. The Empire just struck back. No time to talk, book 5 is next. Happy Reading! Series Review Question: What is the bibliophile’s dilemma? Answer: The books you can’t help but read as fast as possible are the same books…
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#NyphronRising (The Riyria Revelations, #3): Good guys win!
Nyphron Rising by Michael J. Sullivan My rating: 4 of 5 stars Yes! Good guys win awesomely! Sometimes that’s all the book review you need. Now leave me alone, I’m reading book four… Series Review: Question: What is the bibliophile’s dilemma? Answer: The books you can’t help but read as fast as possible are…
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#Avempartha (The Riyria Revelations, part #2): Ah, now I get it!
Avempartha by Michael J. Sullivan My rating: 5 of 5 stars Now I get it. Book one was poorly written and hard to read, but the story pulled me along. It was okay. I’m glad I stuck with it, because book two shot right passed okay, skipped pretty good all together, and landed somewhere…
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#TheCrownConspiracy (The Riyria Revelations, #1): This book is naked!
The Crown Conspiracy by Michael J. Sullivan My rating: 3 of 5 stars I call it like I see it. This book has no clothes. Reviewers I trust promise things get much better from here. I’m going to keep going, but honestly this book was rough. Wooden writing, one dimensional characters, convenient plot resolutions.…
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#TheGirlWhoDranktheMoon: Magic. Whimsy. Love.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon By: Kelly Barnhill My Rating: Five out of Five stars Fantastical. Magical. Mysterious. Whimsical. Full of Light. Tragic. Sorrowful. Scary. Dark Happy. Exciting. Fun. Friends. Family. Love. The Girl Who Drank the Moon was a wonderful! The characters drew me in. The story kept me close. The message sealed…
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7)
5/5 stars Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7) by J.K. Rowling August 2016 re-read: Oh Dobby! What a treasure. The world is a better place because of Harry Potter. Originally read July 24th, 2007 What’s not to say about Harry? As a body, the 7 Harry books have to be in the…
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6)
5/5 stars Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6) by J.K. Rowling August 2016 Re-read: And now we come to the end. Originally read July 19th, 2005 What’s not to say about Harry? As a body, the 7 Harry books have to be in the discussion of all time best. ALL TIME BEST.
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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5)
5/5 stars Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5) by J.K. Rowling August 2016 re-read: I never realized Harry was an idiot in this book. This realization may or may not correlate with the fact that my daughter has also just turned 15… Originally read June 23, 2003. What’s not to…
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4)
5/5 stars Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4) by J.K. Rowling Sept 2019 Harry Potter journey with the kids: My 9 year old’s face as we read the graveyard scenes together…eyes like saucers, her intense focus on my face while I read. I think I’ve got her hooked. She’ll never be…
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The Swap
5/5 stars The Swap by Megan Shull I try to be a well rounded reader. I’m open to everything but zombies (gross) and romance novels (a different gross). So while this book is targeted for tween girls, I thought it sounded fun and I’m always on the look out for something to recommend to my…
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Loot
4/5 stars Loot by Jude Watson When the bad guys are really the good guys… Welcome to the wonderful world of books, where kids can steal jewelry, be good at it, get away with it, avoid any consequences for breaking the law, and still be considered the good guys! That’s what happens in Loot–and I…
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Calamity (Reckoners, #3)
5/5 stars Calamity (Reckoners, #3) by Brandon Sanderson If time flies when your having fun… If the speed at which time seems to pass is a measure of how much fun you are having, BS must have had the fun box cranked to an 11 when he wrote Calamity. That had to have been the…
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Library of Souls (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children, #3)
3/5 stars Library of Souls (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children, #3) by Ransom Riggs Not peculiar enough in some ways, too peculiar in others… While I’m a fan of Mrs. Peregrine and all her children, I found book 3 to be lacking just a bit. There were too little of the parts that made the first…
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Earthman Jack vs. The Secret Army (The Earthman Jack Space Saga, #2)
5/5 stars Earthman Jack vs. The Secret Army (The Earthman Jack Space Saga, #2) by Matthew Kadish To Be Published on 9/15/15… Earthman Jack is Really, Really Cool… A while back, Hugh Howey—indie author extraordinaire and vocal advocate for self-published authors—shared a letter on his blog from some guy named Matt Kadish who had…
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Firefight (Reckoners, #2)
5/5 stars Firefight (Reckoners, #2) by Brandon Sanderson This Just In… Brandon Sanderson can do no wrong. Well, I guess he can almost do wrong. I just finished Firefight, and I thought it was awesome—better than Steelheart, actually. But now my heart is racing and my mind is buzzing—and I’m stranded mid-story until sometime in…
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The Giver (The Giver Quartet, #1)
5/5 stars The Giver (The Giver Quartet, #1) by Lois Lowry 20 Years Old and Still Holding Its Own Was there such a thing as YA Dystopian literature before The Giver? I don’t know, but I’m quite certain we’d never know Katniss or Tris if Jonus had never existed. I missed out on reading The…
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Earthman Jack vs. the Ghost Planet (The Earthman Jack Space Saga, #1): Harry Potter, meet Earthman Jack
Earthman Jack vs. the Ghost Planet (The Earthman Jack Space Saga, #1) By: Matthew Kadish My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Harry Potter, meet Earthman Jack… WOW Wow wow wow wow wow wow. Wow. Okay, so pretend that poor, destitute J.K. Rowling was sitting in that little coffee shop writing Harry Potter in 2014…
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Hollow City (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, # 2)
5/5 stars Hollow City (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, # 2) by Ransom Riggs An Awesome Story That Grabs You in a Most Peculiar Way… I enjoyed the first Peculiar story. My only complaint about it was that as cool as the pictures were, it felt like the author wrote the story to match…
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Mitosis (Reckoners, #1.5)
5/5 stars Mitosis (Reckoners, #1.5) by Brandon Sanderson Brandon Sanderson Writes Fast…But I Still Wish He Could Write Faster! I haven’t met a Brandon Sanderson story I didn’t like a whole lot. Steelheart was a great start to the Reckoners Series, and I broke my own rule and read it before the series was finished.…
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Steelheart (Reckoners, #1)
Steelheart (Reckoners, #1) By: Brandon Sanderson My Review: FIVE out of FIVE Stars Must read! Stealheart is really, REALLY cool! The future has Superheros…but in this future, the Superheros are the bad guys. Get ready for a ride! 12 and up. Happy Reading!
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The Lord of Opium (Matteo Alacran #2)
4/5 stars The Lord of Opium (Matteo Alacran #2) by Nancy Farmer There’s some pretty harsh reviews for Lord of Opium, but I don’t understand why. This follow up to The House of the Scorpion was very, very good!
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The House of the Scorpion
5/5 stars The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer Definetly a 5 star read for me. The story was moving, the characters were deep, and the ending was happy. Full of ethical quandries and thought provocing questions, there is plenty to talk about. While there is no actual drug use, the story is about…
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The Rithmatist (Rithmatist, #1)
4/5 stars The Rithmatist (Rithmatist, #1) by Brandon Sanderson By now it’s obvious that anything from the pen of Brandon Sanderson is going to be great. The Rithmatist is no exception. Once again, this story is fun, smart, VERY original, and left me wanting more.
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The Enchantress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #6)
3/5 stars The Enchantress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #6) by Michael Scott A review of The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel books 1-6 Oh the frustration! What do I do now? I loved the series! Through 5 and ¾ books I was thrilled. Everything was pointing to a new addition to…
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The Warlock (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #5)
5/5 stars The Warlock (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #5) by Michael Scott Awesome! I can’t wait to finish and review the series. One book left! ****** All done! Here’s the series review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/434781684
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The Necromancer (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #4)
5/5 stars The Necromancer (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #4) by Michael Scott Awesome! Two more left! ****** All done! Here’s the series review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/434781684
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The Sorceress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #3)
5/5 stars The Sorceress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #3) by Michael Scott They are getting better and better! Series review to come once I’ve read them all . . . ****** All done! Here’s the series review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/434781684
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The Magician (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #2)
5/5 stars The Magician (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #2) by Michael Scott The story is heating up . . . I’ll review the series when I finish the last book. ****** All done! Here’s the series review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/434781684
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The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #1)
4/5 stars The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #1) by Michael Scott This was a fun story! I’ll withhold final judgment until I’ve finished the series. But for now I’ll say that I’m plesently surprised and happy to have found The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel! ****** All done! Here’s the…
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The Outsiders
4/5 stars The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton Somehow I made it through junior high and high school without ever being asked to read The Outsiders. It’s too bad; I think I would have liked it even more then. It’s a great story….it lives up to the hype. The lessons are simple to grasp, and I…
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The Hobbit
5/5 stars The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien Ahh, The Hobbit! This was actually my second time reading it–the first time I was a young teenager. I usally remember pretty well the details of the books I read, but for some reason with The Hobbit I didn’t remember much at all. Most of my memories of…
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Shadow of the Giant (Shadow, #4)
4/5 stars Shadow of the Giant (Shadow, #4) by Orson Scott Card It’s hard to write a review for a book like Shadow of the Giant, because it’s really just the last chapter of a much larger story. I give 5 stars on this review not only because Giant was a great book by itself,…
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Shadow Puppets (Shadow Series, #3)
4/5 stars Shadow Puppets (Shadow Series, #3) by Orson Scott Card Great book! I’ve about exhausted by Enderverse commentary in reviews of the previous books, so not much left to say about Shadow Puppets except that it fits well with the rest of the series.
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Shadow of the Hegemon (Shadow, #2)
4/5 stars Shadow of the Hegemon (Shadow, #2) by Orson Scott Card So, a bit of an a round-about way of getting to a review of Shadow of the Hegemon . . . Ender’s Game and Enders Shawdow–two exciting books about the same exact same thing, but told from the perspectives of two different characters…
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Ender’s Shadow (Shadow, #1)
Ender’s Shadow By: Orson Scott Card My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars A quick primer on Ender . . . In the future, Earth has been attacked once by the Buggers, an alien race of insect like creatures, and Earth’s unified military expects another attack. To prepare for the impending invasion, the best and…
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Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children, #1)
4/5 stars Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children, #1) by Ransom Riggs Miss Peregrines turned out to be NOTHING like I thought it would be–and that’s just fine with me because the story was great! One of the coolest parts of the story are the photographs the author weaves…
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#ThePrincessBride: Is this a kissing book?
The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern’s Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure By (Abridged by): William Goldman My Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS Best for: 12 and up (see content note below) Who doesn’t love The Princess Bride? I now firmly believe two things: 1) Authors of books should always be the script…
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The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
5 out of 5 stars I’m not sure if this one would fly today, but I have good memories of it. If my kids brought it home from the library I’d love for them to read it.
One Man Book Club 