I missed this series when it first came out, but I’ve heard it mentioned so many times that I had to read it for myself. Wow! What an awesome middle grade fantasy series! I was hooked in the first chapter. I checked all five books out from the library this summer then had to battle […]
Open Minds (Mindjack Trilogy, book one), Susan Kaye Quinn, 2011, Book Review
I am so excited to share this book! I have read over two hundred MG/YA books since reading The Hunger Games, a series that totally floored me. Out of those hundreds, Open Minds is the only one that glued my butt to my couch as The Hunger Games did. In fact, this review will be a […]
The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials, book three), by Philip Pullman, 2000
I did it. I read through the final book of this trilogy. If you haven’t read my first two reviews, you should probably start there. I was not that impressed with book two. The story moved on to several new characters and new settings while the old ones I came to love were set aside, […]
The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials, book two), by Philip Pullman, 1997, Book Review
The Subtle Knife continues the story of Lyra, who is destined to change the universe as we know it. She has crossed over to another world and the main focus actually shifts from Lyra to a young boy named Will, who is from Earth. The story begins with Will, who is desperate to hide his […]
The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, book one), by Philip Pullman, 1995
I’ve heard a great deal of controversy over this book in recent years, particularly when the movie came out five years ago. It was time to tackle it and make my own judgments. What I found was a complex, evocative, skillfully crafted tale with breathtaking scenes, highly developed characters, and a plot that is out […]
Time Enough for Drums, by Ann Rinaldi, 1986, Book Review
Ann Rinaldi has become a household name in YA historical fiction, and this is one of her most acclaimed books. It’s been on my reading list for some time. The year is 1775, and fifteen-year-old Jemima Emerson is a headstrong young lady. She’s not a bad child; she simply doesn’t think before she acts, and […]
Tears of a Tiger, by Sharon Draper, 1994, Book Review
“In Memorium Robbie Washington, captain of our basketball team, was killed after the November 7 game in a terrible automobile accident…” …and Andy was the one driving the car. Drunk. He didn’t mean for it to happen. He didn’t want anyone to get hurt, especially not his best friend. They were just having a bit […]
Son (The Giver, book four), by Lois Lowry, 2012, Book Review
This year I read (in some cases, reread) through The Giver trilogy. Patricia Tilton, of Children’s Books Heal, read one of my reviews and decided to take on the trilogy herself. She discovered that Ms. Lowry had just published a fourth book this year. I located it right away. Thanks for the heads up, Pat! Son […]
The Bloody Jack Adventures, by L. A. Meyer, Series Review
I’m doing something a little different today. Instead of reviewing a single book, I’m going to highlight an entire series. This is because I started the series well before I started my blog and I just read book six. Since I never reviewed one through five, and I have no intention of rereading them right […]
Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, 1818, Book Review
I’m not a fan of horror, but the first time I read Frankenstein, it left me, well, horrified, but in pleasant sort of way. It was such a tragedy. I felt such sympathy and revulsion for both Victor and his monster. I was astonished at the monster’s feelings. Who would ever consider his point of […]