The Enchantress by Michael Scott

This is the 6th and final book in the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series. This series was awesome. The characters were great and action was non-stop with just enough humor and sarcasm thrown in to make it a great read.


As with all endings, it is tough to analyze it clearly. Did the right people live or die? Did it unfold as you imagined? I think it is always difficult to judge the last book of a great series well because by that point, our own imagination has determined how the story should end. I don't know. The last book is always difficult.

But fans won't be disappointed, I don't think!

Legend by Marie Lu - YA Book

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

I enjoyed this book. I liked both characters. The chapters alternate between each character's perspective. There was a lot of action, some surprises and sides to root for which I always like.

There were two minor things that bothered me. One, the characters are both 15, but it would have made more sense to me or more believable somewhat if they would have been 17-19. They were both so extremely competent, mature, intelligent and worldly that it was difficult to believe they were 15. The other minor element was that what happened to the US how it became to be like it is in the story was confusing and never explained thoroughly. Neither of these complaints really took away from the story, it would have just improved upon the book.

I will plan on reading the next installment!

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore-YA Book

The long-awaited companion to New York Times bestsellers Graceling and Fire.

Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck's reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle--disguised and alone--to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.

I really loved Graceling and liked Fire. The characters were so well developed and the action was great. Bitterblue was introduced in Graceling as a child. I didn't particularly like the character, so I wasn't overly excited about reading this book. But the great writing and plots of the other two convinced me to read it. I was terribly disappointed.

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...

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Oh, this is such a good story- sad, but good. Ivan is a gorilla who was captured as a baby and raised by humans. He lives alone in his domain (cage) in a mall. He is easy going and has come to accept his life at the mall, until a baby elephant is purchased to bring in more customers. Ivan decides the elephant should have a different life and does something about it.

The story is told from his perspective. It's so sweet and touching. It's meant to open the reader's eyes to how humans treat animals and it does so in a very powerful way, I think.

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.

Hunger Games Movie and Controversy

First of all, I would like to say that the Hunger Games Trilogy is a YA book. The content is appropriate for older readers. There is a great deal of violence and other mature topics not meant for younger readers.

If you are interested in a great series for 4th-8th grade, I would suggest Suzanne Collin's first series, The Underland Chronicles. Written by the same author as the Hunger Games Trilogy, the content is more appropriate for 4th graders and up and most important, it is awesome!