Midnight Frost

Midnight Frost: A Mythos Academy Novel   By: Jennifer Estep

Gwen is still heartbroken that Logan has disappeared.  She knows that he only left because he was freaked out after stabbing her, and she just wants to talk to him and tell him that she is okay, and knows that he will not turn back into a Reaper.  But now Gwen has a new problem, someone tries to poison her, but instead her boss Nickamedes.  Gwen researches and finds that she has only one option to save him, going to find a very rare flower.  Her and her friends fly to Colorado to another Mythos Academy, here she meets Rory, her cousin, and Gwen finds out much more about her family's past and how there are Reapers that she never knew of. Gwen knows that this whole mission is a trap but, they must move forward to save Nickamedes, and she does get help from a couple unlikely places.

This was another great addition to the Mythos Academy novels.  Gwen continues to move forward with each heartbreaking event in her life.  Gwen also learns more about herself in this novel, and is stronger in the end. As always, I love the storyline of this novel, the creatures and events make me not want to put it down.  If you haven't read the other books in the series, pick them up first!  Perfect teen read.

I borrowed this from the public library.
ISBN: 978-0-7582-8149-4

Other books in the series are First Frost, Touch of Frost, Kiss of Frost, Dark Frost, Crimson Frost

Emerald Green

Emerald Green: Book 3 of the Ruby Red Trilogy By: Kerstin Gier

Gwen is very confused and sad, Gideon told her that telling her he loved her was all a game and he really didn't.  Gwen is determined to continue on and do what she needs to do even with her broken heart.  When she returns to visit her grandfather in the past, she finds the clue that she has been looking for, and is able to find the hidden object that everyone is looking for.  But as the prophecy foretells, Gwen must die, and things don't always go according to plan when you find out something about you that you were not expecting.

This was a great end to a wonderful trilogy, although I was very frustrated at the end and was left wanting to know more of what happens to the characters.  I again loved the Gweneth was a strong girl, who even with a broken heart was going to do what she needed to do.  Gier is a great author that drags you into a story that you don't want to leave.

I borrowed this from the public library
ISBN: 978-0-8050-9267-7

Daisy Gets Lost

Daisy Gets Lost  By: Chris Raschka

This is a beautiful wordless book about a dog named Daisy that gets lost.  I picked it up because we had a beautiful dog with that name and I was not disappointed.  Great pictures and fun read.


I borrowed this from the public library
ISBN: 978-0-449-81741-4

How to Hide a Lion

How to Hide a Lion By: Helen Stephens

How would you hide a lion in your house?  I don't think it is possible, but Iris is going to try. She finds all sorts of places that her friend lion can hide. Until her parents find him and get scared. Lion runs away and hides from the people, until he finds some burglars.  This was a cute read aloud for elementary school readers.  The story is funny and the pictures are great.

I borrowed this from the public library
ISBN: 978-0-8050-9834-1

A Moose That Says Mooooooo

A Moose That Says Mooooooo By: Jennifer Hamburg Pictures By: Sue Truesdell

This is the story of a girl who wants to invent her own zoo.  The first thing would be a moose that says "Mooo".  As the funny animals keep getting added to the zoo, the girl finds out that maybe running a zoo of funny animals is not the best idea. With great pictures and fun rhymes this is the perfect read aloud book for any age.

I borrowed this from the public library
ISBN: 978-0-374-35058-1

The Ward

The Ward By: Jordana Frankel

Ren lives in what used to be New York. Now the ocean has taken over most of the ground and the people have moved higher.  Ren is a racer, and must make money to help her sister who has the virus.  But Ren also has a secret, she works for the Blues, making extra money to try to find fresh water.  When her two worlds collide and she is used by the people around her Ren gets herself into a bad position, but she knows that she will do anything to help find the cure and keep her sister and the world alive.

This book was pretty good. At first I felt is was slow going because I was trying to piece together what had happened to the world  and learn the characters.  I loved the character Ren, who was devoted to helping people no matter the cost.  I liked that the end turned out different than I was anticipating.  Great teen read.

I borrowed this from the public library
ISBN: 978-0-06-209534-3

Confessions of a Murder Suspect

Confessions of a Murder Suspect By: James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

Tandy and her siblings were home the night that their parents were murdered.  None of them heard what happened and now they are confused and want answers. But when Tandy becomes the prime suspect and begins to dig into their parent's lives, she finds much more than she thought.  While trying to prove her innocence she is not prepared for what she finds out about her family.

I cannot say that I really enjoyed this book.  I tried to like it because it was recommended.  It just was not that interesting for me. But teens out there might find that the plot is a good one.  I really liked the title of the book and was excited to read it.

I borrowed this from the public library.
ISBN: 978-0-316-20698-3

Waking Dragons

Waking Dragons By: Jane Yolen Illustrated By: Derek Anderson

This is a short cute book about a knight that has to wake up and care for a couple dragons before he goes to school.  The illustrations make this book, they are bright and inviting.
It is simple and fun for young readers. My 4 year old really enjoyed it. 

I borrowed this from the public library
ISBN: 978-1-4169-9032

The 5th Wave

The 5th Wave By: Rick Yancey

Cassie is all alone and trying to survive.  She believes is the lone survivor from her family since the Others have come.  It has been 4 waves of terror for the world as they have taken over, killed, and infected people with a deadly virus. She just wants to find out if her brother is alive and she is trying to get to the place she believes he was taken.  But to get there is a struggle and a terrifying journey filled with pain and memories.

I thought that this book was just alright. I know that some teens will definitely get interested in it though and so I would recommend it to those that like alien take overs.  I did get hooked on the main character Cassie and wanted her to find her brother.  I think I just got lost in all the details, that didn't make a clear picture for me.

I borrowed this from the public library
ISBN: 978-0-399-16241-1

Homesick

Homesick By: Kate Klise

Benny just wants a normal life. He lives with his father, his mother left because his father cannot stop collecting so much junk.  Benny wants his mom to come home and wishes that things could go back. But as he lives with his hoarder father he knows that he needs to help take care of him.  Benny finds one thing that he enjoys, helping his neighbor with his radio show.  When a huge tornado takes everything away from them, and Benny's mom comes back to take him away, Benny knows that things are not going to be the same and that is ok. He knows that he will be ok if he believes in what he can do.

This book was good, but at times I wanted more from it. I felt that it was an interesting story because it shows a little about what goes on in the life of the children of people that hoard.  It didn't got into to much emotional details, but you could tell that Benny didn't like the house he lived in and it was hard for him.  I would recommend this book for upper elementary and beginning middle school readers.

I borrowed this from the public library

ISBN: 978-1-250-00842-8

The Diviners

The Diviners By: Libba Bray

This is the story of an ancient magic that is being released to do evil on the earth.  The characters in the story have no idea that they are all playing into the game of an evil force that will try to destroy  them and everyone around them.  Evie has been sent to live with her uncle in New York after she tells a secret of one of the most important people in her small town of Ohio.  She has always had the power to know things by touching objects and reading the memories she just didn't know she could use it to help solve a murder.  Sam has always been able to go unseen. This makes him a great thief.  But he needs to use his power for good to help those around him. Henry can dream walk, but lately the dreams are different and he sees real people he knows and they see him back. And finally Jericho, who is hiding a huge secret.  He doesn't want anyone to know just how different he is but knows that someday someone will find out.

This book is to complex to tell a good summary. It was a great one though. It had magic, murder, mystery, and dram.  Everything about it was great. I thought that each character started as a selfish one and in the end they saw that they needed to be more open to helping each other. There was love drama that got interesting. And of course the evil that was coming to get them all.  Great teen read, but recently I saw an internet article that said that this was one of the teen reads that adults must read.

I borrowed this from the public library
ISBN: 978-0-316-12611-3

Treasure Hunters

Treasure Hunters By: James Patterson

The Kidd family is not your ordinary family.  They live on a ship, and search the world for treasure.  One terrible day on the open sea a storm takes Mr. Kidd and he is lost at sea.  This leaves Tommy, Storm, and our narrators Bick and Beck all alone.  The four kids decide to try to keep going, and then they run into some trouble with a costumer of their father's that wants his treasure. The Kidd kids, must search for the lost treasure, look for their father, and stay out of harms way.  But they do get a great adventure.

This was a fun pirate adventure for any upper elementary reader.  The book is full of fun, and Beck the illustrator does a great job of bringing the story to life.  I enjoyed that the narrators were the kids in the story writing down their journey.  I know that any adventure seeking reader will love this fun book. Also, the ending is not an ending but the opening of a sequel.


I borrowed this from the public library
ISBN: 978-0-316-20756-0

far far away

far far away By: Tom McNeal

Jeremy has a hard life, his mother is gone and his father is a recluse.  He spends his days trying to go to school and knowing that the book store that they live in will soon be gone. Jeremy has a ghost friend that listens to his problems and gives him advice.  This ghost is very helpful to Jeremy, but the others in town laugh at him because he talks to himself so much.  Ginger is Jeremy's human friend and they do a lot together.  But there is something strange going on in their little town.  Kids are disappearing and there is something strange about the town baker, and you just can't put your finger on it.

This was a good book.  It had a very different story line that I liked.  I felt sorry for Jeremy, as he did have to struggle through life to make things work out the good way.  The ghost narrator of the book was an interesting character that kept the story interesting with his side comments and the back story of his life too.  Good teen read.

I borrowed this from the public library
ISBN: 978-0-375-84972-5

The Nazi Hunters

The Nazi Hunters By: Neal Bascomb
This is the true story of a group of Holocaust survivors that were able to find one of the men that helped to torment Jewish people during the Holocaust.  Adolf Eichmann was a terrible man, who interestingly enough did not agree with the torment of the people in the beginning of the Holocaust but then turned into one of the most horrible men of the war.   In this book the survivors take matters into their own hands and hunt for Eichmann determined to bring him to justice.

A fascinating story of horrible tragedy and cunning detective work.  Of course this book brings some very sad and depressing things to light but I was interested in the people that decided they would work to make sure that this man was tried for the crimes he committed.  What a tale of bravery.  Great teen nonfiction read!

I borrowed this from the public library
ISBN: 978-0-545-43099-9