The Runaway King by Jennifer Nielson

This is the second book in the Ascendance Trilogy.

Just weeks after Jaron has taken the throne, an assassination attempt forces him into a deadly situation. Rumors of a coming war are winding their way between the castle walls, and Jaron feels the pressure quietly mounting within Carthya. Soon, it becomes clear that deserting the kingdom may be his only hope of saving it. But the further Jaron is forced to run from his identity, the more he wonders if it is possible to go too far. Will he ever be able to return home again? Or will he have to sacrifice his own life in order to save his kingdom?

This was a good follow-up to the first book. At times it was a little slow, not a lot of action, but I still enjoyed it. Jaron was a character that I did not like in the first book and that I have come to like in this one. There are a lot of similar books that I enjoyed much more, such as one of my all-time favorites- The Ranger's Apprentice, but there are other books that are far worse. Worth reading.

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel--a café owner with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous café hostess. She will protect those she loves with every bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known.

 

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the unusual characters and the small town atmosphere. Mo had spunk and strength and I always like to see that in my female characters! Interesting twist with the murder mystery, but the best part for me were all the complicated, but loving relationships.

New Books to Highlight

Wow! I haven't been reading and I haven't been blogging about books! What have I been doing? Where does the time go? The first 5 months of this year seems to have just flown by- with a capital whoooooosh!

So, here we go back on track with our Summer Reading Program. Here are some books I have read recently...
Jake and Lily are twins. Despite their slightly different interests and temperaments, they feel exactly the same—like two halves of one person. But the year they turn eleven, everything changes. Their parents announce it’s time for separate bedrooms. Jake starts hanging out with a pack of boys on the block. And Lily is devastated, not to mention angry. Who is she without Jake? And as her brother falls under the influence of the neighborhood bully, he also must ask himself—who is the real Jake?

I didn't really like the main storyline about the conflict between the twins as much as I liked the side story of Jake and his friends bullying another boy in the neighborhood. I think that part made the book much more interesting and emotional for me. Quick read from a well-known author.

Liar & Spy is a story about games and friendship. Seventh-grader Georges moves into a Brooklyn apartment building and meets Safer, a twelve-year-old self-appointed spy. Georges becomes Safer's first spy recruit. His assignment? Tracking the mysterious Mr. X, who lives in the apartment upstairs. But as Safer becomes more demanding, Georges starts to wonder: How far is too far to go for your only friend?

I really did not like this one. It wasn't suspenseful or mysterious. It was rather quirky, like the characters and the ending.

In the town of Placid, Wisconsin, in 1871, Georgie Burkhardt is known for two things: her uncanny aim with a rifle and her habit of speaking her mind plainly.

But when Georgie blurts out something she shouldn't, her older sister Agatha flees, running off with a pack of "pigeoners" trailing the passenger pigeon migration. And when the sheriff returns to town with an unidentifiable body—wearing Agatha's blue-green ball gown—everyone assumes the worst. Except Georgie. Refusing to believe the facts that are laid down (and coffined) before her, Georgie sets out on a journey to find her sister. She will track every last clue and shred of evidence to bring Agatha home. Yet even with resolute determination and her trusty Springfield single-shot, Georgie is not prepared for what she faces on the western frontier.

 

This book is ALL the lists for a possible Newbery contender, but I really did not enjoy it. I really did not like the main character, Georgie. Although as readers, we are meant to see her determination and grit, I just saw a bossy, rude, annoying girl that acted way too old for her age. It was interesting that the story was set in WI and the details about the passenger pigeons, but the rest left me wanting for more.

 

In the Urwald, you don't step off the path. Trolls, werewolves, and butter churn–riding witches lurk amid the clawing branches, eager to swoop up the unwary. Jinx has always feared leaving the path—then he meets the wizard Simon Magus.
Jinx knows that wizards are evil. But Simon's kitchen is cozy, and he seems cranky rather than wicked. Staying with him appears to be Jinx's safest, and perhaps only, option. As Jinx's curiosity about magic grows, he learns to listen to the trees as closely as he does to Simon's unusual visitors. The more Jinx discovers, the more determined he becomes to explore beyond the security of well-trodden paths.
But in the Urwald, a little healthy fear is never out of place, for magic—and magicians—can be as dangerous as the forest. And soon Jinx must decide which is the greater threat.



 

I thought from the description of this book that I would really enjoy it. I love fantasy. There were many parts I did enjoy but the most compelling part of the story- the relationship between Jinx and Simon fell short for me. I didn't feel the relationship had enough warmth or kindness to believe in the bond. The relationship is familiar in stories- the old crotchety old man who lives alone befriends a lonely young boy and  becomes a mentor and father figure. But I just never felt that with this one.

Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact by A.J. Hartley

Eleven-year-old Darwen Arkwright discovers another world through the old mirror hanging in his closet--a world that holds as many dangers as it does wonders.

This was a good fantasy adventure book that I would put in the hands of boys. Darwen is living in Atlanta with his aunt. He was raised in England. He feels out of place and different- not only the way he talks, but he is also biracial. His aunt sends him to this private military school and it just keeps getting worse for him.

He meets a strange shop owner who gives him a mirror and after sunset, he is able to go through the mirror into another world.

I enjoyed the book and wanted to find out what was happening and why. Some parts were distracting-like how his "differences" actually solicited very nasty behavior from both other students and teachers at this school.  I just wanted to find out about the other world and why it was there.

I believe there will be a sequel and although I liked this book, I think I will pass on the sequel.

Dragon Castle by Joseph Bruchac

Young Prince Rashko is frustrated with his family - no one does any thinking but him! The kingdom and castle seem to be in the hands of fools. So when Rashko's parents mysteriously disappear and the evil Baron Temny parks his army outside the castle walls, it is up to the young prince to save the day. But there is more to this castle and its history than meets the eye, and Rashko will have to embrace his ancestry, harness a dragon, and use his sword-fighting skills to stop the baron and save the kingdom. Along the way, he realizes that his family is not quite as stupid as he always thought.



I liked this one. I usually like swords, castles, dragons and such. It was an entertaining fantasy. Alternating stories told in alternating chapters bothers me a lot. The flow of the story is interrupted for me. I feel like just when I am getting into it, the book changes to the other storyline, but this one flowed a lot better because the two stories were so intertwined. The ending was wrapped up to quickly, but overall this was a good read.


The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen

This first book in a planned trilogy is action-oriented fantasy, but don’t expect magical creatures. Instead, it revolves around political intrigue. Sage is a street-savvy orphan, and along with two other boys he is recruited by Conner, a nobleman who wants to remake them in the image of their country’s lost prince, a victim of pirates and presumed dead. The task is urgent, as the rest of the royal family has been murdered and civil war seems imminent. As the boys, chosen for their passing resemblance to Prince Jaron, compete to assume a new identity and the throne, Sage discovers some unpleasant truths about their host, beyond his treasonous plans to pass one of them off as royalty. Sage is a likable hero full of smart-alecky snarkiness.

Well, it was the smart-alecky snarkiness that was beginning to bother me because it was relentless. But, then there was a big twist and turn and the story got really interesting for me! I then  raced through the last quarter of the book. It definitely was a surprise to me and ended well.

I liked the story. I like stories set in the times of 'kingdoms' with swords and duty and honor, etc. I have enjoyed similar stories like Avi's Crispin: The Cross of Lead, John Flanagan's The Ranger's Apprentice, Graceling by Kristin Cashore, Mistwood by Leah Cypress, etc. So, when I started reading this I began to like it, but Sage's constant snarkiness began to take its toll. It seemed to be over-the-top, but then there was a surprise and it all made more sense.

This is the first book in the trilogy and I do believe I will take the time to see what happens next!

What Am I Reading?

Ok, these are the current books I have on my nightstand! I am going to power through them! They are all getting "buzz" on all the Newbery blogs. So, we will see...and I will let you know!

Small as an Elephant by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Ever since Jack can remember, his mom has been unpredictable, sometimes loving and fun, other times caught in a whirlwind of energy and "spinning" wildly until it's over. But Jack never thought his mom would take off during the night and leave him at a campground in Acadia National Park, with no way to reach her and barely enough money for food. Any other kid would report his mom gone, but Jack knows by now that he needs to figure things out for himself - starting with how to get from the backwoods of Maine to his home in Boston before Social Services catches on. With nothing but a small toy elephant to keep him company, Jack begins the long journey south, a journey that will test his wits and his loyalties - and his trust that he may be part of a larger herd after all.


This is a quick read that's intense and emotional. Jack wakes up in his tent with his mom gone. He has only $14, no food, no supplies, no help. He doesn't feel like he can go to an adult and ask for help because they would find out about his mom's illness and take him away from her. So, he tries to figure things out on his own. But, as you can imagine, he kind of makes a mess out of it.  Can you imagine being an 11 year-old and having to deal with this type of situation? Can you imagine doing this to a child, your own child? These are the questions that I thought about as I read the book.


This is one of those books that I think is thought-provoking for an adult, but am always curious if it will appeal to children. I'll have to wait and see...

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Wonderstruck is the follow-up to Brian Selznick's Caldecott Medal winning book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. The illustrations in that book were AMAZING and the illustrations in Wonderstruck are equally AMAZING and there are about 100 pages more of them!

There are alternating stories being told, one in text and one in the illustrations, and they end up coming together at the end. I enjoyed this book. It was touching, moving and sad, but I liked it's simplicity and honesty in dealing with real-world problems, relationships and feelings.

And the illustrations, of course, are AMAZING!

Summary:
Ben and Rose secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known. Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother's room and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing.

Set fifty years apart, these two independent stories--Ben's told in words, Rose's in pictures--weave back and forth with mesmerizing symmetry. How they unfold and ultimately intertwine will surprise you, challenge you, and leave you breathless with wonder.

Breaking Stalin's Nose

Sasha Zaichik has known the laws of the Soviet Young Pioneers since the age of six:

The Young Pioneer is devoted to Comrade Stalin, the Communist Party, and Communism.

A Young Pioneer is a reliable comrade and always acts according to conscience.

A Young Pioneer has a right to criticize shortcomings.

But now that it is finally time to join the Young Pioneers, the day Sasha has awaited for so long, everything seems to go awry. He breaks a classmate's glasses with a snowball. He accidentally damages a bust of Stalin in the school hallway. And worst of all, his father, the best Communist he knows, was arrested just last night.

This book won a Newbery Honor this year. It is a short, pretty intense and depressing book. It was interesting to me as an adult, but I don't see children 4th grade and up really understanding the time in history that the story takes place in - Stalinist USSR. So, I think it will make a great book that teachers can use when covering that time period in history, but I don't think it will be popular for leisure reading for children unless they are a real history buff!

The Mostly True Story of Jack by Kelly Barnhill

When Jack is sent to Hazelwood, Iowa, to live with his strange aunt and uncle, he expects a summer of boredom. Little does he know that the people of Hazelwood have been waiting for him for quite a long time.

When he arrives, three astonishing things happen: First, he makes friends -- not imaginary friends but actual friends. Second, he is beaten up by the town bully; the bullies at home always ignored him. Third, the richest man in town begins to plot Jack's imminent, and hopefully painful, demise. It's up to Jack to figure out why suddenly everyone cares so much about him. Back home he was practically, well, invisible.

Well, this was definitely a different kind of story- unexpected. I was not sure of where the story was leading and I was trying to figure it out, but, for me, there just wasn't enough to believe it all or buy into the whole story. When I finished, I felt like there were pieces missing. Although this one and in fact, Wildwood, both have been on so many lists for great new books, I just wouldn't put them on the top of any of my lists for great new reads.

Wildwood: The Wildwood Chronicles, Book 1 by Colin Meloy

When her baby brother is kidnapped by crows, Prue McKeel begins an adventure that will take her and her friend Curtis way beyond her hometown and deep into the Impassable Wilderness. There they uncover a secret world in the midst of violent upheaval, a world full of warring creatures, peace-loving mystics and powerful figures with the darkest intentions. What begins as a rescue mission becomes something much bigger as the two friends find themselves entwined in a struggle for the very freedom of this wilderness. A wilderness the locals call Wildwood.

This remined me a lot of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. These kids are in this other world, there's a nasty witch, animals talk, the kids are predestined to be there, etc... It was an ok book for me. The plot and characters seemed all too familiar. Nothing I would try to convince you to read. It was a bit too slow for me. I had the urge to skip ahead many times. It appears it's going to be a series or trilogy and I don't think I will be reading the next installment.

The Aviary by Kathleen O'Dell

Twelve-year-old Clara Dooley has spent her whole life in the Glendoveer mansion, where her mother is a servant to the kind and elderly matron of the house. Clara has never known another home. In fact, she's confined to the grand estate due to a mysterious heart condition. But it's a comfortable life, and if it weren't for the creepy squawking birds in the aviary out back, a completely peaceful one too.

But once old Mrs. Glendoveer passes away, Clara comes to learn many dark secrets about the family. The Glendoveers suffered a horrific tragedy: their children were kidnapped, then drowned. And their father George Glendoveer, a famous magician and illusionist, stood accused until his death. As Clara digs deeper and deeper into the terrifying events, the five birds in the aviary seem to be trying to tell her something. And Clara comes to wonder: what is their true identity? Clara sets out to solve a decades-old murder mystery—and in doing so, unlocks a secret in her own life, too.


Wow! This was a great book! It was full of mystery and suspense and I kept trying to piece together what happened. It is very well written and the characters fully developed. It is a  historical fiction, fantasy and mystery novel all interwoven into one! 

New Series that I Love!

The Story Behind is a great series that we just got in and I love them. I wish books like this would have been around when I was younger because I would have devoured them! They are full of historical information regarding one topic- like rubber, salt, diamonds, toilets, etc.

They are full of great information for those kids that love all the factoids and they have great illustrations and photos as well. Chock-full of information for the curious!

Favorite Series- New Book

One of my favorite series, Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan, ended this year with the 10th book in the series. I thought it was all over for my beloved  Halt and Will. But there is a new book- The Lost Stories!

Inspired by questions and letters his loyal readers have sent over the years, John Flanagan offers a gift in response: a collection of "lost" tales that fill in the gaps between Ranger's Apprentice novels. For the first time, readers can learn the truth behind how Will came to be orphaned and what his real relationship to Halt is, or watch Alyss in action as the young Araluen diplomat disguises herself and becomes the perfect spy. Can't wait to read it!

Also, John Flanagan has a new series, Brotherband Chronicles.

I am excited to read this as well!

Visit by Author Margaret Peterson Haddix

Margaret Peterson Haddix will be at the library on Monday, September 19th from 5:30-6:30pm. She is the author of Just Ella, The Missing series, the Shadow Children series and the 10th book in the 39 Clues series.


She will talk about her new book, Torn, the 4th book in The Missing series. There will be time for questions and book signings. Buy one there or bring your own!

No registration is required. Everyone is welcome.

Great New Trilogy

The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

Kate, Michael, and Emma have suffered through ten years of odious orphanage "care"; now they have slipped into the care of the eccentric, disturbingly mysterious Dr. Pym. While exploring their new home, the children discover a magical green book. With that discovery, a decade of tedium dissolves into cascades of dangerous time travel adventures and struggles with a beautiful witch and decidedly less attractive zombielike Screechers.

I thought the book was gripping, adventurous and exciting. I definitely would recommend it!

The Ranger's Apprentice, Book 10: The Emperor of Nihon-Ja

It is finally here! The 10th and last book in one of my favorite series!I have only read some of it so far...but, as always, I love it. I am sad that this series will end.

If you haven't read it, I encourage you to start. I love the characters. I love the action. I love everything about it. Great read for 4th and up!

Summary of first book:
Like the other 15-year-old wards of Castle Redmont, Will is nervous about Choosing Day, when each of them will be assigned to a different master for training. Though his dearest wish is to enter the Battleschool, his small stature prevents it. Instead, Will is apprenticed to the grim-faced, mysterious Ranger. Soon Will learns that becoming a ranger is more difficult, dangerous, and worthwhile than he had imagined. He earns the respect of his elders and the friendship of a former foe, but all this is prelude to the great adventure that follows, when his skills wielding a knife and keeping a heightened awareness of his surroundings become vital to the survival of his mentor and the safety of the kingdom.

Starfish by James Crowley

Blackfoot Nation siblings, Lionel and Beatrice, steal a horse and run away from their boarding school to spend nine months hidden in a cabin in the Montana mountains. They survive in the old ways, thanks to the teachings of their grandfather.

I enjoyed this historical fiction book. I loved the character of Beatrice who was strong and fearless and her younger brother, Lionel, who looked up to her so. I enjoyed their adventures and admired their determination to live free like their ancestors.