Ranger's Apprentice: The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan, 262 pages

"For years, the Kingdom of Araluen has prospered, with the evil Lord Morgarath safely imprisoned by impassable mountains. For years, its people have felt secure. But the scheming hand of the dark lord has not been idle...

On special mission for the Rangers, Will and his friend Horace, an apprentice knight, travel to a neighboring village and discover the unsettling truth: All the villagers have been either slain or captured. But for what purpose? Could it be that Morgarath has finally devised a plan to bring his legions over the supposedly insurmountable pass? If so, the King's army is in imminent danger of being crushed in a fierce ambush.

And Will and Horace are the only ones who can help them." -Book Jacket

**SPOILER ALERT**

Just as fun as the first book...and just as hard to put down. My favorite parts: Gilan training Horace with the short swords, Will's decision to stay on the wrong side of the burning bridge, Evanlyn's courage, Horace's duel with Morgarath, Halt's orneriness after Will leaves - including throwing people into moats, Halt's battle strategies, Halt's love for Will and his determination to find him (even though what he says might very well be a super cheesy line borrowed from The Last of the Mohicans). Still, Halt just might be my favorite.

I can't believe that this author publishes two, sometimes three, books in this series every year.

Ranger's Apprentice The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan, 249 pages

"It was ten minutes before they heard the screaming. It was an unearthly sound that twisted the stomach into knots of fear and turned the blood cold. Involuntarily, the Baron and Sir Rodney reined in as they heard it. Their horses plunged wildly against the reins. It came from straight ahead of them and rose and fell, until the air quaked with the horror of it.
'Good God in heaven!' the Baron exclaimed. 'What is that?'
'It's the Kalkara,' Will said. 'They're hunting.'" -Back Cover

This series has been on my radar (and on my Amazon wish list) for probably two years now. I didn't want to start it because there are nine books so far, but I was in need of a new book to read, it got really good reviews, and the price was right for book 1 a few weeks ago...and books 2, 3, and 4 since. (I love buying used hardcover books on Amazon.)

I was hooked after the first chapter and for the first time in two weeks was grateful that I had a sick kid at home and an excuse to stay home and read for a large portion of the day. This book is really well written. It's a great story that can entertain and appeal to a variety of age groups. All of the characters seem to come to life and make you care about them right away. I can't wait to see how they develop over the series. Halt is mysterious in the same way Aragorn is in Lord of the Rings, my all-time favorite fantasy series. The author uses just the right amount of description, not a million adjectives, which is my biggest pet peeve with the Eragon series. And chapter 22 is fantastic!

Half Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer, 290 pages

"Fletcher Moon has never been like other kids. For one thing, he has had to suffer the humiliating nickname "Half Moon" because of his short stature. But the real reason Fletcher is different is that ever since he was a baby, he's had a nose for sniffing out mysteries. And let's just say, it's not a skill that has been appreciated by many people, including his own family.

That doesn't bother Fletcher, though. After graduating at the top of his Internet class, he is officially certified as the youngest detective in the world. He even has a silver-plated detective's badge to prove it. Everything is going along fine until two things happen: a classmate hires him to solve a crime, and his prized badge is stolen. All signs point to the town's most notorious crime family, the Sharkeys.

As Fletcher follows the clues, evidence of a conspiracy begins to emerge. But before he can crack the case, Fletcher finds himself framed for a serious crime. To clear his name, he will have to pair up with the unlikeliest of allies and go on the run from authorities. Fletcher has twelve hours to find the guilty party - or he is the guilty party." -Jacket

I picked this one up from the thrift store, being a fan of the Artemis Fowl series and wanting to see what other kinds of books Eoin Colfer writes. As an adult I thought this one was a little more juvenile than Fowl. It started out a little slow but picked up towards the middle. It's full of some great one-liners which I think is the best part of Colfer books for adults. My favorite character was Red Sharkey. His family is dealing with the loss of their mother and his father and sister have embraced a life of petty crime. Red is trying to do, and be, better. He goes to school and reads books. (I love that he denies getting a library card and is called out for checking Black Beauty out five times in one month.) I also love the fact that he has a talent that isn't revealed until the end. I think it's good to know before you begin that this story takes place in Ireland, which makes sense seeing as how Eoin Colfer is Irish!

I think this book is probably great for the audience it's intended for: 8-12 year-olds. My daughter gave the first Artemis Fowl book a try and didn't like it - I think because she couldn't understand parts of it - but I think she would really like this one. The girls' club is particularly entertaining. Their club meeting was hilarious. Colfer left the ending open for a sequel which I think, based on how the book ended, would be even better than the first.

Heat Wave by Richard Castle, 196 pages

"A New York real estate tycoon plunges to his death on a Manhattan sidewalk. A trophy wife with a past survives a narrow escape from a brazen attack. Mobsters and moguls with no shortage of reasons to kill trot out their alibis. And then, in the suffocating grip of a record heat wave, comes another shocking murder and a sharp turn in a tense journey into the dirty little secrets of the wealthy. Secrets that prove to be fatal. Secrets that lay hidden in the dark until one NYPD detective shines a light.

Mystery sensation Richard Castle, blockbuster author of the wildly bestselling Derrick Storm novels, introduces his newest character, NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat. Tough, sexy, professional, Nikki Heat carries a passion for justice as she leads one of New York City's top homicide squads. She's hit with an unexpected challenge when the commissioner assigns superstar magazine journalist Jameson Rook to ride along with her to research an article on New York's Finest. Pulitzer Prize-winner Rook is as much a handful as he is handsome. His wise-cracking and meddling aren't her only problems. As she works to unravel the secrets of the murdered real estate tycoon, she must also confront the spark between them. The one called heat." -Book Jacket

First of all, I just have to say that I thought this was such a cool idea when I heard about it - publishing an actual book that comes from a TV show. I love that Richard Castle's bio on the book jacket is his bio from the show. I love that real authors praise Richard Castle's latest novel. Castle is one of my favorites on TV right now. It's an hour of fun. Nathan Fillion is perfect and his one-liners and facial expressions keep me thoroughly entertained. This book is like reading an episode of Castle instead of watching one, which makes it just a little less enjoyable, but not much. It's got witty banter and a decent story. I think I'll keep my eye out for the sequel.

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs, 366 pages

"Once a week, an eclectic group of women comes together at a New York City yarn shop to work on their latest projects - and share the stories of their lives...

At the center of Walker and Daughter is the shop's owner, Georgia, who is overwhelmed with juggling the store and single-handedly raising her teenage daughter. Happy to escape the demands of her life, she looks forward to her Friday Night Knitting Club, where she and her friends - Anita, Peri, Darwin, Lucie, and K.C. - exchange knitting tips, jokes, and their deepest secrets. But when the man who once broke Georgia's heart suddenly shows up, demanding a role in their daughter's life, her world is shattered.

Luckily Georgia's friends are there for encouragement, sharing their own tales of intimacy, heartbreak, and miracle making. And when the unthinkable happens, these women will discover that what they've created isn't just a knitting club: it's a sisterhood." -Back Cover

This book is full of memorable and enjoyable characters. Georgia is powerful, independent, and vulnerable. I'd love to have Dakota cook for me. Everyone should be so lucky to have an Anita. Darwin and Lucie are quirky - and sometimes have some foul mouths. K.C. is determined. James is mature. Marty is honorable. I loved how all these unique individuals came together through their love (or fascination) of knitting and/or the people who knit. I think that it often takes a common interest to get women talking, first superficially, and then more deeply about their lives and struggles. I think most of us women (me, at least) try to appear strong and independent while quietly struggling with...whatever. We go about our lives talking on the surface and never really open up our hearts. Or maybe that's just me. The women in this book start out that way but find out that there is amazing strength within themselves and together.

And the "unthinkable" in this book made me cry.

Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke, 212 pages (8 O'Clock Club Book)

"Igraine, who turns twelve tomorrow, dreams of becoming a famous knight. But today, like most days, life at the family castle remains...rather boring.

Until the nefarious nephew of the baroness next door shows up. Greedy Osmund's got a dastardly plan to capture Pimpernel Castle and steal the magic books that belong to Igraine's mom and dad. Complicating matters, on the eve of the siege her parents misspeak a spell and turn themselves into pigs!

Igraine's birthday wish has come true, and the challenge is bigger than she ever bargained for: Can she find the courage to save the day - and the books?" -Cover

I always know I've picked a good book to read when I end for the night and my kids say, "Nooo!! Just a few more pages!" They did that almost every night with this book. It was perfect for them, ages 6-11. We liked the Sorrowful Knight. The book had a good message. The only thing lacking was my attempt at a British accent. Fortunately that only belonged to the Sorrowful Knight and he didn't speak much. Our last couple of books have been fantasies which was probably not the best idea since they were both action-packed. There were many complaints when I told them our next read is The Sign of the Beaver.

Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex, 357 pages

"Artemis has committed his entire fortune to a project he believes will save the planet and its inhabitants, both human and fairy. Can it be true? Has goodness taken hold of the world's greatest teenage criminal mastermind?

Captain Holly Short is unconvinced, and discovers that Artemis is suffering from Atlantis Complex, a psychosis common in guilt-ridden fairies, not humans, and most likely triggered in Artemis by his dabbling in fairy magic. Symptoms include obsessive-compulsive behavior, paranoia, mulitple personality disorder and, in extreme cases, embarrassing professions of love to a certain feisty LEPrecon fairy.

Unfortunately, Atlantis Complex has struck at the worst possible time. A deadly foe from Holly's past is intent on destroying the actual city of Atlantis. Can Artemis escape the confines of his mind - and the grips of a giant squid - in time to save the underwater metropolis and its fairy inhabitants?" -Book Jacket

Sometimes this series doesn't seem to flow very well from one book to the next for me. I wonder how much time has passed between books because the last few have started with some completely random project/event etc. that has nothing to do with the previous story. Once you can accept that then the stories become more enjoyable. Part of the reason I enjoy this series is Artemis's wit and superiority complex. That's missing from this book and I kind of got annoyed by his OCD self. I did laugh at his alter ego Orion and his professions of love, however.

While not my favorite book in this series (and probably not the last either) it was good for a quick read. There were parts that made me laugh and the giant squid was a nice bonus.