The Overton Window by Glenn Beck

415 pages

"A plan to destroy America, a hundred years in the making, is about to be unleashed...can it be stopped?

There is a powerful technique called the Overton Window that can shape our lives, our laws, and our future. It manipulates public perception so that ideas once seen as radical become acceptable over time. Move the Window and you can change the debate. Change the debate and you change the country...Now, in the face of a catastrophic terrorist attack, an apathetic young man is plunged into the maelstrom of political discourse and basic survival as he races to uncover the conspirators behind the destruction, and to save both the woman he loves and the individual freedoms he once took for granted." -Back Cover

This was a decent thriller. The idea that many of the ideas in this book are based on real things and possibilities makes it even more so. It's taken to the extreme, but that's the point. Glenn Beck's always trying to get America to wake up to the loss of our freedoms and the country that our Founding Fathers established. You convince people to give up some of their constitutional rights in the name of security. You blame school shootings on the guns and not the people, etc.. Slowly, you shift that Window until the conversation/debate is what you want it to be to further your agenda. Noah's dad is a real piece of work. I didn't know there's a sequel to this when I finished it, so I was a little disappointed that it left you hanging somewhat, but then again, so did Agenda 21. It's probably more fitting that way because then the reader gets to "write" the ending. It's like saying, "Hey, it's not too late to change things but it will require action."

Cragbridge Hall: The Inventor's Secret by Chad Morris

336 pages

"Imagine a school in the year 2074 where students don't read history, but watch it happen around them; where running in gym class isn't around a track, but up a virtual mountain; and where learning about animals means becoming one through an avatar. Welcome to Cragbridge Hall, the most advanced and prestigious school in the world.

Twins Abby and Derick Cragbridge are excited as new students to use their famed grandfather's inventions that make Cragbridge Hall so incredible. But when their grandfather and parents go missing, the twins must follow a mysterious trail of clues left by their grandfather. They must find out where their family is, learn who they can trust, and discover what secrets are hidden within Cragbridge Hall.

Abby and Derick soon realize they are caught in a race with a fierce adversary to discover their grandfather's greatest secret--a dangerous discovery that could alter both history and reality." -Dust Jacket

This was a pretty good book, although the "greatest secret" was pretty obvious. The thing I liked most about this book was the way it reminds the reader or introduces the reader to some historical events, in particular Blackbeard's demise, Frederick Douglass learning to read, and the story of the Endurance in a way that's interesting to the reader. I found myself wanting to learn more about these events after reading this book. I also liked what Oscar Cragbridge said about tragedy and why one shouldn't want to or try to alter history.

Abby & Derick were likable enough. Abby was rejected by Cragbridge Hall but her grandfather got her in. She's accused of not being good enough to be there and ostracized by everyone but Carol, who eventually becomes her roommate. The fact that Abby has failed at things in her life proves to be a big asset at one point of the book because it's taught her to persevere. Rafa is a TA who is skilled with avatars and he plays a crucial role in this book as well.

I think my kids would like this book, especially my youngest two. There's a sequel coming out soon so we'll see if that one's even better.




{SPOILER ALERT}
List of characters (so I can remember when the sequel comes out!):
Derick & Abby Cragbridge - Twins, given lockets by their grandfather which help them know something's happened to him. Abby gives hers to who she thinks is a police officer early on but who really works for Muns.
Jefferson & Hailey Cragbridge - Abby & Derick's parents
Oscar Cragbridge - Grandfather, Inventor, Founder of Cragbridge Hall
Carol Reese - Abby's roommate and friend, sometimes annoyingly talkative
Rafa - Older student who helps Derick save his grandpa using a gorilla & rhino avatar
Charles Muns - Businessman who hires scientists to try to figure out time travel, arch rival of Oscar Cragbridge who kidnaps him and puts Jefferson & Hailey on the Titanic to try to get Oscar to reveal his secrets
Mr. Hendricks - Teacher at Cragbridge Hall who's kind to Abby & Derick but who works for Muns. Had a locket stolen from Coach
Minerva Entrese - English teacher at Cragbridge Hall who is cold at first but it's only because she used to work for Muns and she knows she's being watched. She's trying to appear to not be sympathetic to Oscar. She stopped working for him and helps Abby & Derick rescue their grandfather.
Coach Horne - Basketball coach, trusted by Oscar Cragbridge. Had his locket stolen and it winds up being the one Mr. Hendricks had. Tries to stop Hendricks after Abby goes through the Bridge to rescue her parents.
Coach Adonavich - Also trusted by Oscar Cragbridge and has a locket. Helped stop Hendricks as well.

The Ability by M.M. Vaughan

330 pages

"Some kids excel in art, others in sports or math. But Christopher Lane's talents lie only in thieving and lying--or so he's always been told. So it comes as a shock to everyone, not least to Chris himself, when he wins a prize at an exclusive academy after a very unusual interview.

It turns out Chris does have a natural gift for one thing--something that every child can do during their twelfth year, though few will ever find out.

He can enter people's minds.

Now Chris must learn to use this power, his Ability, to make the world a safer place. But while Chris is perfecting his talent, twin brothers Ernest and Mortimer are using their Ability to carry out the plan their mother has spent many years perfecting. And she's not interested in saving anyone. All she wants is revenge." -Dust Jacket

I saw this book on Amazon, bought it, my daughter stole it and read it, and then recommended it to me.  I liked the idea of this book, that when a child is 12 they can access their mind's full capacity which gives them powers and abilities that others don't have. Chris is a likable character. His father died in a war several years earlier and his mother has not been able to cope with life since then. Chris is forced to take care of her in their rundown home and try to pay the bills which is often done through stealing, but he has a good heart and a conscience. I especially like how this is evidenced when he keeps his promise to a man who gave him money even though it gets him in trouble. Miss Sonata conducts a strange interview after he's been expelled from school and then informs Chris that he's been awarded a position at the Myers Holt Academy. Only five other children have been chosen. Once he gets to the school (deep underground) he finds out that the academy has recently been reopened because of strange events happening to high profile people who also attended the Academy. Sir Bentley works with the prime minister and MI-6. The new class's first assignment is to find out who is behind the irreversible attacks on former students and stop them from hurting anyone else.

This book fell victim to what I was worried about--that the climax was much less exciting than the buildup. Ernest and Mortimer are identical twins. Mortimer is the more evil of the two but the mother who adopts them is much worse. Her real identity is pretty obvious from the beginning, but why she becomes so evil was a little weak. It might have been good to give the reader more background as to what happened to her after her friends left her. The showdown which you know is coming at the end was awfully brief and not very exciting. The attacks in the rest of the book were much more sinister and fun to read. {Minor spoiler alert} I didn't like how Chris goes home to a house that has been fixed up but a mother who hasn't changed even though he's been led to believe otherwise. The book definitely leaves the door open for a sequel, which I hope will be even better. It's a little hard to believe that Ernest will be an adequate villain so we'll see what the author does with that.

Agenda 21 by Glenn Beck

277 pages

"'I was just a baby when we were relocated and I don't remember much. Everybody has that black hole at the beginning of their life. That time you can't remember. Your first step. Your first taste of table food. My real memories begin in our assigned living area in Compound 14.'

Just a generation ago, this place was called America. Now, after the worldwide implementation of a UN-led program called Agenda 21, it's simply known as 'the Republic.' There is no president. No Congress. No Supreme Court. No freedom.

There are only the Authorities.

Citizens have two primary goals in the new Republic: to create clean energy and to create new human life. Those who cannot do either are of no use to society.

This bleak and barren existence is all that eighteen-year-old Emmeline has ever known. She dutifully walks her energy board daily and accepts all male pairings assigned to her by the Authorities. Like most citizens, she keeps her head down and her eyes closed.

Until the day they come for her mother.

'You save what you think you're going to lose.'

Woken up to the harsh reality of her life and her family's future inside the Republic, Emmeline begins to search for the truth. Why are all citizens confined to ubiquitous concrete living spaces? Why are Compounds guarded by Gatekeepers who track all movements? Why are food, water and energy rationed so strictly? And, most important, why are babies taken from their mothers at birth?

As Emmeline begins to understand the true objectives of Agenda 21 she realizes that she is up against far more than she ever thought. With the Authorities closing in, and nowhere to run, Emmeline embarks on an audacious plan to save her family and expose the Republic - but is she already too late?" -Dust Jacket

This is the first Glenn Beck book I've read. The chilling aspect of this book is that Agenda 21 is real and you can see how it is infiltrating our lives today if you know what to look for. This book is Agenda 21 taken to the extreme but it's not completely unimaginable in our future. The afterword is worth reading.

Emmeline is likable enough albeit sort of bland. That's not her fault though, considering where she lives and how she's grown up. Can you imagine walking on a treadmill pretty much all day every day and that's about all you do? Your home is a concrete box and the animals outside the fence are fed better and treated better than you are. Babies are taken from their mothers because the Authorities know best how to raise them...and then they wonder why the children aren't thriving. (Speaking of which, I saw an interesting story on the news about how music affects babies in the NICU.) Emmeline's world is changed when she has a baby and it is taken from her to be raised in the Children's Village. Then she's paired with someone she actually cares about and realizes that she has things to lose and things to fight for. Her mother has stashed mementos in her mattress for Emmeline to find that remind her of life before and that will help her in the future. The book ended a bit abruptly for me. I'm sure it's meant to leave the reader with hope for Emmeline and let you imagine what happened next, but sometimes it's nice to know what the author would have written had he kept going!

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

355 pages

"Sometimes love does conquer all.

You are about to travel to Edgecombe St. Mary, a small village in the English countryside filled with rolling hills, thatched cottages, and cast of characters both hilariously original and as familiar as the members of your own family. Among them is Major Ernest Pettigrew (retired), the unlikely hero of Helen Simonson's wondrous debut. Wry, courtly, opinionated, and completely endearing, Major Pettigrew is one of the most indelible characters in contemporary fiction, and from the very first page of this remarkable novel he will steal your heart.

The Major leads a quiet life valuing the proper things that Englishmen have lived by for generations: honor, duty, decorum, and a properly brewed cup of tea. But then his brother's death sparks an unexpected friendship with Mrs. Jasmina Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper from the village. Drawn together by their shared love of literature and the loss of their spouses, the Major and Mrs. Ali soon find their friendship blossoming into something more. But village society insists on embracing him as the quintessential local and regarding her as the permanent foreigner. Can their relationship survive the risks one takes when pursuing happiness in the face of culture and tradition?" -Dust Jacket

I've wanted to read this book for a long time and just kept waiting for the right used-book price on Amazon. It didn't disappoint, although for some reason it felt like a story that would have taken place more in the 1950's or 60's for some reason. Maybe that's because the Major is so old-fashioned and traditional, or maybe it's because he lives in a small village that is set in its ways and cultural biases. Either way, it took me about half the book to reconcile the story with the time period. It didn't detract from the story however.

Major Pettigrew is very endearing. He has some great one-liners and the conversations between him and Mrs. Ali are flirty, intelligent and amusing. There are some other quirky characters in this book. The ladies in the village are gossipy--think the type of women in The Music Man. That's what they reminded me of. The annual gathering/dance was hilarious, right up until the point where it creates conflict for the Major and Mrs. Ali. That's the catalyst for forcing the Major to confront his feelings for Mrs. Ali.

This was an entertaining and heart-warming story of finding love a second time and of overcoming cultural diversity to do it. I liked the Major's internal dialogue of not being a young man anymore as he pursues Mrs. Ali and his finally being brave enough to say how he feels as he rescues Mrs. Ali from her overbearing family. She in turn, is quite forward, especially toward the end of the book. They're a cute couple and the story ends in the perfect place.

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

205 pages

"THEY'RE JUST STRANGE LITTLE GUYS
Shy Mole, who dreams of an exciting new life by the endless River. Ratty, a friendly, unflappable, altogether civilized chap. Gruff Badger, who hates absolutely everyone--except all his friends. And Toad, Ohh, Toad--glorious, crazy, doomed Toad: Toad the pampered braggart, Toad the desperate thief, Toad the hunted fugitive and hero of his own silly dreams.
WHO HAVE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES
From buzzing summer days to winter's killing cold, from gentle picnics to deeds of mighty daring, from wild escapes to a meeting with a god...
Everyone should have a life like this--
And friends like these." -Back Cover

I'm pretty sure I've seen the cartoon movie of this book but I wasn't sure I'd ever read the book. What convinced me to read it now was the foreword's description of how this book came about. "Grahame started it as a series of episodes for his partially blind four-year-old son, Alastair, nicknamed 'Mouse.' Storytelling to Alastair at bedtimes had been a long, established custom in the Grahame house." Alastair went on a trip without his dad. His dad promised to send him a story each day so he wouldn't miss them. The Wind in the Willows are those stories. My husband tells our kids stories almost every night at dinner and we always talk about writing those down one day.

Apparently Kenneth Grahame didn't have the happiest life, or at least not the one he dreamed of. He was not able to attend the university he wanted to and worked for years in a job he didn't love. His real passion was writing and he dreamt of living a quiet life along the river, much like Rat.

I wouldn't necessarily consider this a children's story. I think it's better suited for young adults and adults to be fully appreciated, but everyone can relate to its idea of being a good friend. Rat instantly accepts Mole when he first meets him and treats him as if they've been best friends forever. Rat is maybe my favorite character. He's kind to everyone and always thinks of others. Badger has a reputation for being cranky but he also cares about his friends. (I think the cranky thing is just an act.) He can be gruff though if he needs to be; he's the one who stages an intervention for Toad. These three characters are very good-natured.

Toad is crazy but in a really lovable way. I love the part where he sees a motor car and just has to drive it. That compulsion is what leads to so much trouble. Toad is the comic part of the story--the jailbreak, the fat lady on the barge, running all over the country in a washerwoman's outfit--it's all great fun. He gets himself into all kinds of trouble and then when he gets out of it--sometimes by luck and sometimes through the help of others--he thinks it's because he's so great and he takes the credit. He rarely thinks of others, but in the end shows that he's capable of change.

There are a couple of fantasy elements to this story (aside from the whole talking animal thing) that seemed a little whimsical and maybe a bit out of place. Mole and Rat meet Pan when they're out looking for Otter's son. I liked how Pan was watching over the little otter. Grahame obviously felt a love of nature and that nature takes care of its own. Rat also encounters an older, well-traveled rat whose story-telling of life on the road puts Rat in a trance and almost causes him to leave his home.

These little animals are completely endearing. Grahame told his illustrator, Ernest H. Shepard, "I love these little people, be kind to them." They do seem like people. It took me a second glance at one chapter to realize that there are also humans in this book, too. I'm not sure if that helps or hurt the story. Overall though, this is a great story of friendship, adventure, and home. It was a fun read.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

338 pages

*Not to be confused with that other book (although apparently it often has been) which also contains the phrase "shades of gray" in its title and is shrink-wrapped at the bookstore! That would be a rude awakening either way I'm sure. (I won't be reading that other book.)

"Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother's life was worth a pocket watch.

In 1941, fifteen-year-old Lina is preparing for art school, first dates, and all that summer has to offer. But one night, the Soviet secret police barge into her home, deporting her along with her mother and younger brother. They are being sent to Siberia. Lina's father has been separated from the family and sentenced to death in a prison camp. All is lost.

Lina fights for her life, fearless, vowing that if she survives she will honor her family, and the thousands like hers, by documenting their experience in art and writing. She risks everything to use her art as messages, hoping they will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive.

It is a long and harrowing journey, and it is only their incredible strength, love, and hope that pull Lina and her family through each day. But will love be enough to keep them alive?" -Dust Jacket

I have several books in my library that I haven't read yet because it just doesn't feel like the right time. That was the case with this one for several months. Being about WWII, I was afraid that it would be incredibly sad and I wasn't ready for a good cry yet. Then it snowed and got really cold and all of a sudden it felt like the right time. At times it was incredibly sad, but with so many books like this, it was also incredibly uplifting. I think more books are written about the treatment of the Jews during WWII than about what Stalin did to millions of people and although this is a fictional story it is based on real events.

I have wondered before if I would stay true to myself if put in circumstances as horrific as these. Would I be the one to complain that all is lost and feel hopeless? Would I become selfish and lose my humanity in order to stay alive? Would I give up and want to die? Or would I try to help and lift those around me? Would I grasp on to the smallest rays of hope to keep me going? I don't know. I hope it would be the latter. Lina's mother is an example of the latter. She maintains her dignity and continues to look after those around her. She saves her family and gives them the courage to survive.

In this book there is love, laughter, horror, misery, more misery, death and hope. Between the shades of gray there are rays of light. There are characters that you become attached to and those you feel sorry for, the NKVD officer Kretzsky in particular. Christmas and Lina's birthday are particularly sweet. You can be grateful even when you have nothing. It's incredible to think that this fictional family suffered all they did for more than a decade and at the end of it they weren't allowed to talk about what happened to them because they were viewed as criminals. Despite being released, they lived with the fear of being imprisoned, or worse, if they said what really happened. Lina's art stands as the only witness to what she went through.

This is a moving, well-written story. I'd definitely recommend it.





{SPOILER ALERT}

There is one loose end in this story that isn't tied up and I wish it would have been, although I don't think that would have been as realistic.

You never find out if Lina's father was really killed or not. Lina and her mother are told that he was but it is never confirmed. I know that so many people who were sent to prison camps during the war never found their loved ones again or knew what really happened to them. I would hope that if Lina's father had survived that they would have found each other. I rather doubt that that part of the story had a happily ever after.

I'm so glad that Lina and Andrius found each other! That loose end would have driven me crazy. I've always said I'm a sucker for love and I'm glad that theirs survived. Andrius was a favorite.

Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood

196 pages

"Frankie yanked at his towel. 'I hope the pool's even open,' he mumbled.
'Wait a minute,' I said. 'It'll be open. I'm going swimming. Why would they close the Community Pool now, when everybody needs a place to swim?'
'I heard something.'
'Nobody's closing our pool. Where'd you hear that?'
'My daddy. But it's a secret,' Frankie answered, and headed off like he hadn't said a thing.
I raced after him, all the time thinking why in tarnation would our pool be closing on the hottest day of the summer, just twelve days before the Fourth of July, my twelfth birthday? And what was the big secret anyhow?" -Back Cover

This was a good book for a middle grade reader about the beginnings of the civil rights movement in the south. There's no cross burning or rallies. It's a lot like The Help in its style. It touches on the aspect of how hard it was for many southerners to change their thinking about how things had always been. Glory is the daughter of the town preacher. Freedom Fighters have recently come to town to fight for equal rights and Glory befriends the daughter of one of the doctors who has come to work in the free clinic. Meanwhile, Glory's older sister has started dating Robbie Fox, a boy who's come to stay with his grandmother and whose secret is that he spent some time in jail for defending his African American friend in a diner.

Glory is upset about the pool being closed at first because it will ruin her birthday. As she starts to understand the reason it was closed, she is inspired to take action. She writes a letter to the editor of the newspaper expressing her displeasure. Her letter is not printed but it causes quite a stir among some of the town council who in turn want her father to discipline her. Instead, her father tells her how proud he is of her.

Glory learns, over the course of a summer, about how--in her words--hateful prejudice is like dog poop: they both stink. She learns that some people are just mean while others are good. Some people want to hold on to their prejudices and are afraid of change, while others want to help precipitate change for the better. Her new friend from up north, the town librarian, and her maid, Emma, all play a role in helping Glory realize what is wrong with the town and how a child can make a difference. I liked that message and also how in the end the library brought the good townspeople together. Glory gives her father courage to speak up and stand up to those who try to make the rules. He tells the ornery old crank on the town council that "books have no color. And they don't care who reads them." One person can make a difference if he/she has the courage to.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio: Kids Review

313 pages

"August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school--until now. He's about to enter fifth grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid, then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?" -Dust Jacket

I finished reading this book last night to my 10- and 8-year-olds. I asked them what they thought about it. They both said, "In the beginning no one was nice to Auggie, but in the end they were all friends." I think that sums up the beauty of this book. Auggie is the wonder referenced in the title. His personality is contagious.

This time around I was struck by the social bravery of Summer and Jack. They are Auggie's first friends, especially Summer. Summer does not listen to or worry about what the rest of the kids are saying and sits by Auggie at lunch because she wants to. Although Jack caves to the pressure one time, in the end he's Auggie's most loyal friend. I hope my girls are that kind of friend, the kind that judges a person based on character and not appearance.

Whenever anyone asks me for a book recommendation, this is always my first response. I love this book so much. I tell people it's a book about kindness and the world needs more kindness. It is a literary gem.


**The second time around I noticed that there are a few "Oh my G--" phrases in this book. Because I read this out loud I just changed those for my kids.

Endurance by Ann Aguirre

73 pages (as estimated by Amazon)

I found this e-book as I was searching other things on Amazon. It takes place in between Enclave and Outpost and tells what happened to the College Enclave where Deuce grew up right after she was exiled. It was worth the $0.99, despite the multiple typos. Obviously it was rushed through editing, or not edited at all. Still, it adds another element to this dystopian world that hopefully will get explored in more e-books or in the final book of the series. 

{SPOILERS}

I was really glad to read that Stone and Thimble survived! I like how they ended up in a bunker. Hopefully Thimble will learn some more things about what happened during the apocalypse. Then I hope that they reunite with Deuce and Fade eventually. I'd love to see Stone & Thimble, Deuce & Fade, and Stalker and Tegan get to live in peace at the end.  

Outpost by Ann Aguirre

317 pages

"Deuce's whole world has changed since reader's first met her in Enclave. Now living topside in a community called Salvation, she has a new set of problems. Down below, she was considered an adult and she contributed to the enclave. Now above ground, she's viewed as a brat in need of training by the people of Salvation. She doesn't fit in with the other girls: She hates cooking, sewing, and school. Deuce only knows how to fight.

To make matters worse, her Hunter partner Fade, keeps Deuce at a distance. Her feelings for Fade haven't changed, but he seems not to want her around anymore. Confused and lonely, she starts looking for a way out.

Deuce pursues a chance to serve in the summer patrols--those responsible for making sure the growers and planters can work the fields without danger of Freak attack. It should be routine, but things have been changing on the surface, just as they did below ground. The Freaks are smarter. They're watching. Waiting. Planning. The monsters don't intend to let Salvation survive, and it may take a girl like Deuce to turn the tide." -Dust Jacket

I loved how Deuce's world gets turned upside down once she's topside and she has to learn how the new world works. I thought it was so smart to have her go from being considered an adult in the enclave, sure of her purpose and skills, to a child in Salvation who is forced to learn menial tasks and go to school. It created an interesting dynamic throughout the first part of the story. Deuce knows her place in Salvation isn't secure. She has to adapt to the new rules or risk being cast out. But she knows who she is: She's a Huntress who's survived and done more than most of the adults in Salvation. I loved how Deuce learned about love and emotional connection in this sequel. Edmund and Mamma Oakes are great foster parents. They take her in and care about her, showing her what it's like to have a family. Longshot, the man who rescued Deuce and her friends in the forest, also becomes like a father to her. He respects her skills and values her opinion. Deuce has never known what it feels like to have so many people love and care about her and she has to explore those new feelings. She also has to explore her new feelings for Fade. She learns that she's more than just a Huntress, she's also a girl, and she has to figure out how those two sides of her fit together. She is no longer the same girl she was in Enclave and I was glad for that. I like seeing her with more compassion, feeling, and more reason to fight than just an obligation to. She has people to fight for and she learns that love makes you stronger not weaker.

I love the Freaks in this book. In Enclave they had gotten smarter, but it's nothing compared with what Salvation faces topside. The Freaks are not zombies, they are mutants, and they prove that they are capable of thought and planning. That is disastrous on more than one occasion for Salvation.  Deuce's skills become invaluable to Salvation, but at the same time create problems for her. The town was founded on some religious tenants, one of which includes the idea that women should do women's work and if they don't the town will face punishment from heaven. Deuce is not a typical woman obviously. She fights better than most of the men and does so over and over. Some of the more superstitious townspeople blame her for the town's problems.

There was so much more character development in this novel. In the first book you don't like Stalker much. He doesn't have many redeeming qualities but that is just a result of his life to that point. He's had to be tough in order to survive. He's capable of a lot more and his true character comes out in this book. It creates an interesting love triangle. You can't hate someone who is willing to change and be better.

{SPOILERS}

A love triangle plus a trilogy equals conflict and no real resolution until the end. The romantic reader keeps reading when there's the "will they?" or "won't they?"/"who will she choose?" reason to keep reading. I like Stalker. He's in love with Deuce because she's unlike any girl he's ever met, she's strong. That love makes him dependable. He's hoping that Deuce will choose him and being available whenever she needs him. He even tells Deuce that Fade is "soft in ways that you and I aren't. Ultimately, you're going to break him." Of course when something like that is said/written it's a foreshadowing of things to come.

I like Fade better. He has a goodness about him that not even Deuce has...yet. (I think she'll get there by the end.) Stalker and Deuce are very similar in terms of doing whatever it takes to survive. Their experience has taught them to kill or be killed basically. Fade is tough and will fight and kill when he needs to, but that's not all life is for him. You can tell that his life with his parents before the enclave made him who he is and not what he has to become in order to survive. He loves Deuce and he sacrifices a lot for her. It's a lot like the Gale-Katniss-Peeta love triangle. Ann Aguirre gives us a few moments of respite for Deuce and Fade before totally pulling the rug out from under us. What happens was completely unexpected (for me anyway) and heartbreaking. I think she's set things up for a great ending to the series. It will be interesting to see how the group that has set out for help will fare with their physical and mental injuries. Dang that year-long wait.

This series reminds me a lot of a PG-13 version of The Passage by Justin Cronin. The worlds are very similar, only instead of vampires this series has mutants and no language.*


*This is a PG-13 series. There is quite a bit of blood and gore but it's not in your face or tasteless. It's just enough to get the point across as to how violent this world is and what the Freaks are capable of. There are also some references to sex and rape. Underground and in the ruins of the city, women are used mostly as breeders. Underground it is their job, topside it's forced upon them. Younger readers might miss these references. The author does an appropriate job of not being graphic with it, but this is not a series for younger readers. It's more for older teenagers and young adults.

Enclave by Ann Aguirre

259 pages

"In Deuce's world, an enclave deep underground, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed 'brat' has trained to join one of three groups--Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear--to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading the ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She's worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing's going to stop her, not even a brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce's troubles are just beginning.

Fade doesn't like following orders. Deuce has never known a boy like him before, someone as likely to touch her gently as use his knives with feral grace. As Deuce's perception shifts, so does the balance in the battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat due to their sheer numbers, now show signs of cunning and even strategy...but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. No matter how hard she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she's ever known." -Dust Jacket

I used to not re-read previous books in a series when a sequel came out, but I've found that the sequels are so much more enjoyable when I do. You tend to forget things in a year. Plus, with these kinds of books you tend to rush through them the firs time because there's so much action that you can't put it down, but in reading that way you miss a lot of the more subtler parts of the story. That was exactly the case with this book. Deuce is a great character. She's strong and brave. She's trained her whole life for one purpose and she's been taught that being emotional is weak. To protect her enclave, she has to be able to kill without thinking and do what she's told. Fade, on the other hand, has not grown up in the enclave and has been conscripted into the Hunters. His choice: fight or die. The enclave is not compassionate; they do what must be done in order to survive. The elders (men in their 20's) make decisions that they feel is best for the enclave, but Deuce begins to see that their decisions are not always just or right.

I have three favorite dystopian series that are all pretty-much tied for top spot: The Hunger Games, Divergent, and this, the Razorland series. Ann Aguirre has created a great dystopian world that's both horrifying and hopeful at the same time.

{SPOILERS}

After being praised by the enclave for acts of bravery, Deuce stands up for a friend who she feels is being framed for something he didn't do and gets herself exiled in his place. Not realizing what she's done for him, Stone shuns her along with the rest of the enclave. She is forced to leave the only home she's ever known, but she doesn't go alone. Fade leaves with her. Together they brave Topside where Fade spent the first nine years of his life. Deuce has been told stories about life Topside and made to fear it. Slowly she comes to realize that not everything she has taught is true. But life Topside is just as brutal as life underground. Topside there are gangs that are violent and territorial and that don't treat girls kindly. Fade and Deuce try to sneak through the city without being noticed, but eventually they are caught by Stalker and his gang of wolves, as they call themselves. Deuce is taken as a breeder and hunting Fade becomes the sport of the day. They cut him and then release him. Deuce escapes with the help of another girl named Tegan. Tegan has been abused by the gang and wants to go with Deuce. Together they find Fade and take out a bunch of Stalker's gang.

They find an old friend of Fade's who shows them maps that lead to the library. Deuce wants answers and Fade has said he thinks she can find them there. Unbeknownst to them, Stalker has been tracking them. At the library, they are ambushed by Freaks. Stalker and his gang have not encountered them before and Stalker loses all the guys he's brought with him in the fight. Tegan is wounded and so is Deuce. Fade, Deuce, Tegan and Stalker head north, following a story of Fade's father that people escaped north. Things get bad for them in the forest. Tegan can't walk and Deuce's injuries (which she hides) are in need of treatment. While suffering from fever and infection, Deuce has a dream in which Silk (her old Hunter trainer) appears to her and tells her that the enclave has been overrun by Freaks and she's the last Huntress. Silk tells her to keep the campfire alive no matter what. The fire eventually leads a man named Longshot to them who then takes them to the safe haven of Salvation.

Brotherband Chronicles: The Invaders by John Flanagan

429 pages

"As champions of the Brotherband competition, Hal and the rest of the Herons were given one simple assignment: safeguard the Skandians' most sacred artifact, the Andomal.

They failed.

To redeem themselves, the Herons must track down the thief Zavac and his pirate crew and recover the Andomal. But that means traversing stormy seas, surviving a bitter winter, and battling a group of deadly bandits willing to protect their prize at all costs." -Dust Jacket

I still haven't met a John Flanagan book I haven't liked. I think Brotherband Chronicles has a greater sense of camaraderie than Ranger's Apprentice does. That doesn't make it better, just different, which is a great thing in a new series. Ranger's Apprentice had that too, but it was centered around the King's Rangers, who tend to work alone. Halt, Will and Horace would have adventures together but they weren't together all the time. The Herons are together all the time and it creates some fun interactions between them, especially when they get tired of being together. I like how smart Hal is. I like how cranky Thorn is but how much he cares about the boys, Hal in particular, and how he finds a renewed sense of purpose being with them. 

This book is pretty much non-stop adventure. Zavac is a much more despicable character than the villains of RA. He has no regard for human life which is evident in his brutality in this book. Can't wait until October!

{SPOILER ALERT}

Hal & his crew take shelter in Shelter Bay to escape the weather. They've pushed hard for several days through turbulent seas to put enough distance between them and their home they're running from. Eventually the crew gets restless and starts arguing and fighting among themselves. Thorn tells Hal that he needs to put a stop to it and give them something to do. The boys are bored. Hal puts Thorn in charge of training. Thorn runs them through exercises and battle drills. He tells them that he was the Maktig for three years in a row so that they will take his training seriously. Hal & Ingvar start working on a huge crossbow (Mangler) to mount to the bow of the Heron.

Meanwhile, Zavac and his pirates attack a small trading ship from Limmat and learn that the town has a hidden emerald mine. He attacks the city, killing many of the townspeople in a cunning plan. He uses a captured Skandian trade ship to trick the townspeople, making the ship look like it's running from Raven, when instead Raven is using it to get the boom lowered in the harbor and attack the town. They've also enlisted another pirate ship, Viper, to help in the attack. Lydia is a Limmatan who has been out in the woods hunting and comes back to find her town being attacked. She is dressed like a boy. The pirates see her, a chase ensues, and she gets away in a small skiff, but she's lost an oar so she's set adrift in the ocean. She is found by the Heron and tells Hal what's happened in the town. 

Erak sends Svengal out in Wolfwind to try to find Hal and help him get back the Andomal. The first time Hal sees Wolfwind he makes a run for it though because he's afraid they're there to take him back to Hallasholm. Hal, Lydia and Stig go back to Limmat to check things out. Lydia leads them through the marshes where they meet up with Barat, a guy who's cocky and in love with Lydia, and they form an alliance with him and about 40 other townspeople who have escaped. They leave Barat and his men in the marshland and return to Shelter Bay where Wolfwind is lying in wait. Svengal tells Hal that he's there to help him, not take him back. 

Hal starts formulating a plan to attack Zavac that involves three parts: Barat and his men will attack from one side, Svengal and the Wolfwind crew from the other, and the Heron will attack the watchtowers with Mangler. There are some tense preparations that have to be made, one of which is Hal and Jesper floating in on a log to place an oil bag on a gate. They are almost lost at sea. Hal's plan goes smoothly until Ingvar (the only one who can load Mangler) is shot with an arrow during their assault on the watchtowers. Edvin (crew cook & healer) tends to Ingvar's wound. It makes Hal realize that his decisions have life or death consequences and Hal begins to question his abilities. Thorn reminds him that that's what it means to be a skirl. Ulf and Wulf take over loading Mangler and the assault continues. Lydia proves indispensable because she is deadly with her throwing darts. She takes out many of the pirates' best archers. 

The assault on the pirates is successful, the town is retaken, but Zavac sneaks away. Zavac burns Viper and Stingray (the captured Skandian ship), killing any of its crew on board. Raven starts to head out to see while the Heron and Wolfwind make a run to cut it off before leaving the harbor. Wolfwind gets to Raven first, is rammed by Raven, and starts taking on water. Heron narrowly escapes being rammed by the pirates and then Hal has to decide whether to follow the pirates or help Svengal. If he chooses to follow Zavac, Wolfwind will go under and its crew will drown. He chooses to save Svengal. The townspeople throw a huge party, Barat--trying to make a play to become the new mayor of the town--gives a rousing speech in which he declares that he will marry Lydia. Hal and his crew leave to chase the Raven and Lydia asks to join them. She does not want to marry Barat and she wants vengeance. The pirates killed her grandfather in the attack on Limmat. Svengal is forced to stay in Limmat until Wolfwind is repaired. It's suffered serious damage so it will take at least several weeks.  

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

313 pages

"August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school--until now. He's about to enter fifth grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been that new kid, then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?" -Dust Jacket

I have read a lot of books. Some have moved me to tears, some have made me laugh, some have kept me up late, but only a select few get to be called favorites. This is one of them. This book is all about the power of kindness. I love that. I think the world needs that. I will be reading this book to my kids before they start school this year and maybe every year after that.

Auggie is a normal 10-year-old boy in every way but his face. His family loves him and they love each other. (I like when families aren't dysfunctional.) I love that this book changes points of view--brilliant!--because it adds insight into what some of the other characters are going through and it helps the reader be less judgmental of some of the bad things they do and proud of the heroic things they do. I also love that you don't know exactly what Auggie's face looks like until his sister's chapters (which are especially touching, I thought) and by then you love Auggie and could care less what he looks like, yet what he looks like is the reason the kids do what they do because they don't get that luxury. It's an interesting juxtaposition.   

One of the teachers posts monthly precepts in his classroom that are little gems for all of us:
SEPTEMBER: "When given the chance between being right or being kind, choose kind." -Dr. Wayne W. Dryer
OCTOBER: "Your deeds are your monuments." -inscription on an Egyptian tomb
NOVEMBER: "Have no friends not equal to yourself." -Confucius
DECEMBER: "Audentes fortuna iuvat." (Fortune favors the bold.) -Virgil
JANUARY: "No man is an island, entire of itself." -John Donne
FEBRUARY: "It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers." -James Thurber
MARCH: "Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much." -Blaise Pascal
APRIL: "What is beautiful is good, and who is good will soon be beautiful." -Sappho
MAY:
"Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as you ever can." -John Wesley's rule
JUNE: "Just follow the day and reach for the sun!" -The Polyphonic Spree, "Light and Day"
AUGGIE'S PRECEPT MAILED TO MR. BROWNE DURING THE SUMMER: "Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their life because we all overcometh the world."

Makes me want to have monthly precepts for our family, starting with these.

I think the theme or message of this book is summed up by Mr. Tushman at the fifth grade commencement:

"...but what I want you, my students, to take away from your middle-school experience, is the sure knowledge that, in the future you make for yourselves, anything is possible. If every single person in this room made it a rule that wherever you are, whenever you can, you will try to act a little kinder than is necessary--the world would really be a better place. And if you do this, if you act just a little kinder than is necessary, someone else, somewhere, may recognize in you, in every single one of you, the face of God."

Love this book!

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

342 pages

"FOUR BOYS.
ONE TREACHEROUS PLAN.
AN ENTIRE KINGDOM TO FOOL.

In a faraway land, civil war is brewing. To unify his kingdom's divided people, a nobleman named Conner devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him on the throne. Four orphans are forced to compete for the role, including a defiant and clever boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point--he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. His rivals will be devising their own plots as well, so Sage must trust no one and keep his thoughts hidden.

As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of deceit unfolds, until finally, a truth is revealed that may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together." -Dust Jacket

This book reminded me a little bit of The Thief, one of my favorites of last year, only not nearly as good. Sage is a smart-mouthed, act-before-he-thinks type of character which makes him instantly likable, much like Gen, only I don't think he's quite are smart as Gen. He's also brave and does things to protect others, so he's not entirely self-centered. This book is the first in a trilogy and it just recently came out, but it ended in a way that wrapped up this first part of the story. There is a plot twist near the end that you could sort of see coming but which will make the next book(s) interesting. There were also some other likable characters, particularly Mott.





{MAJOR SPOILER}

If I were to have an issue with this story, it would be in how Sage's true identity comes out. The reader's been given little hints all along the way that Sage is really the long-lost prince, but the way he reveals the truth is a bit puzzling. He tells Mott while they're standing along the riverbank, but it's done in a new chapter and told from a third-person point-of-view. I'm not sure if that was to drag out the surprise for a little bit longer or what, but I would have liked it better if the author would have just let Mott & Sage/Jaron continue on with their conversation in the same chapter. Prince Jaron escaped from the ship, before the pirates sunk it, and then was later found by his brother and father. His father, the king, told him that he must not come back home--apparently because he feared for their safety--and that he'd have a hard life ahead of him. Jaron changed his identity and became the orphan Sage and for the past four years had been living on the street and in an orphanage. But...his father provided a way for him to come home and reclaim the throne eventually.

After the truth is revealed (only to Mott), the storyline seems to then make a fast-paced dash to the end. I would have liked Sage to toy with Conner a bit more. He gets what's coming to him but it would have been more fun to see Conner think his plan had succeeded for longer than five minutes before Prince Jaron brought the curtains down.

There were a few unanswered questions for me: What would have happened if Conner hadn't found him at the orphanage? Would he have just made his way to the naming ceremony anyway and reclaimed the throne then or done it differently? What would Sage have done if Conner hadn't picked him to be his prince? I guess Sage was at least smart enough to make sure that didn't happen and he did let things drag on to uncover all of Conner's deceitfulness.

It will be fun to see if Conner escapes the dungeons, if Roden and Cregan try to exact revenge in some way, and if Tobias stays loyal to Jaron.

The Fault in our Stars by John Green

313 pages

"Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten." -Dust Jacket

I've been putting off reading this book because I knew it would give me a good cry and it did, for about half the book. But it was so worth it. There is a reason this book has 600+ 5-star ratings on Amazon. As Jodi Picoult wrote on the cover, "Electric...filled with staccato bursts of humor and tragedy." Read it. You will be very glad you did. That's all.


*There is some language in this book, but frankly, I'd swear at cancer too.

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

534 pages

"The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace freed from captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing, so is the boy she hates: her brother Sebastian, who is determined to bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.

The Clave's magic cannot locate either boy, but Jace can't stay away from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith's magic has wrought--Jace and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other.

Only a few people believe that Jace can still be saved. Together, Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle bargain with the sinister Seelie Queen, contemplate deals with demons, and turn at last to the merciless, weapon-making Iron Sisters, who might be able to forge a weapon that can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. If the Iron Sisters can't help, their only hope is to challenge Heaven and Hell--a risk that could claim their lives.

And they must do it without Clary. For Clary is playing a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace's soul. She's willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?" -Dust Jacket

After reading book 4 I kind of wished this series would have ended with book 3, City of Glass. There was a lot of "hasn't Jace suffered enough?" among fans and it felt like Cassandra Clare was just dragging things along, writing more books to make more money, whatever. But then I read her reason for continuing: that even though other characters thought Jace had been redeemed and was worthy of love, he didn't feel that way and he needed to get to that point for himself; he was still doubting himself at the end of book 3. I liked that idea and started to support the idea of three more books, despite the three-year wait for the end.

I read some of the reviews on Amazon for this book while I waited for it to come in the mail. It got an average 3.5/5 stars, which isn't that great for a 5th book. People complained that it was slow-moving, the author constantly described what people were wearing and how beautiful Jace is, etc. I think because I started it not expecting to like it very much that I liked it better. The first half is a little slow, and she does describe what characters are wearing a lot--which sometimes adds nothing to the story--but the second half was great. I liked that it didn't end with a major cliff-hanger. It sets up the last book for a major showdown which I think will be even more exciting than the showdown with Valentine.

{SPOILERS}

I liked what happened with Jace. He spent most of the book under Sebastian's control but for the few minutes that he was himself again I felt like he'd come a long way personally. Being the mindless servant of someone else showed him how much he loved his life and the people in it and how much he was willing to fight to get it back. It also let him understand Sebastian, Valentine and his real father more, and to be able to see how he is different from those people. His love for Clary is at the heart of everything he does, even under Sebastian's control. One of the characters early on said that some people have special destinies and special tortures reserved for them. Jace is apparently one of those. Being filled with heavenly fire will be an interesting twist for the final book. I'm sure it will allow him to fight (and defeat?) Sebastian; I'm just hoping that it doesn't cost him his life or Clary. I always hope for a happy ending after adversity. It was nice to get the real Jace back and hear his funny, sarcastic remarks again. Thank goodness he finally realized that he and Clary are better off and stronger together, no more pushing each other away to protect the other person. They'll just have to make sure Jace doesn't burn her when they're together. It's always something with them!

Having the angel require the Mark of Cain from Simon in exchange for a weapon that could sever the bond between Jace and Sebastian was a great plot twist. It makes Simon vulnerable again. I think he and Maureen will have to fight in the next book. She's the scariest 13-year-old I've read in a long time.

I don't care for the romance between Alec and Magnus. I like them both individually, but I'm not a fan of their relationship in a young adult book. I wouldn't let my teenager read this series because of that. Plus, Alec is a jealous teenager the whole time. He's jealous that Magnus has been around for so long and that he'll live forever. That jealousy drives him to almost make a deal with Camille to find out how to make him mortal again. Obviously that doesn't go over well with Magnus.

Sebastian is truly evil, but he's also incredibly lonely. I liked getting to know him better in this book. He's still manipulative and tells lies and will do anything it takes to get what he wants, but he also yearns for companionship, to the point where there is a really uncomfortable scene between him and Clary which I think goes to show that despite feeling a little bit sorry for him he's still despicable. He wipes out all sympathy you might have felt for him by the end of the book. I think it was smart to have Jace and Clary spend all that time with him. Even though they don't know where he is or what his end game is by the end of the book, they have learned more about his personality and motives. He is not the same kind of evil as his father. He's much, much worse.

Is Brother Zachariah really Stephen Herondale? Did he not really die? He's got to be someone with a connection to the Lightwoods and Herondales to take such a personal interest in Jace's well-being and what's going on.

I'm getting tired of saying this, but I'll have to wait a year to find out how this ends. I'm not all that interested in Cassandra Clare's other Shadowhunter series. I read Clockwork Angel  and it felt like a regurgitated version of The Mortal Instruments just with different characters. I've heard she's going to write a third series now. Maybe it's cool to see how some characters (Magnus) weave in and out of all these stories, and maybe I'll read them eventually, but right now there are just too many other books I want to read.

Seeds of Rebellion by Brandon Mull (Book 2 of Beyonders)

483 pages

"Jason Walker needs to find a way back to Lyrian. Rachel remains stranded there, and Jason has precious information that the friends he left behind must learn in order to have any hope of surviving and defeating the evil emperor Maldor.

When he finally succeeds in returning to the strange and imperiled world, Jason immediately finds himself in more danger than ever as the most wanted fugitive on the continent. Meanwhile, Rachel has begun to discover new abilities of her own that may prove vital against Maldor's tyranny.

In the aftermath of a failed quest, a new mission arises--to assemble the remaining heroes of Lyrian. Can the necessary allies be convinced before the emperor crushes the young uprising? Jason, Rachel, and their band of battered heroes will face new enemies and demanding obstacles as they strive to launch a desperate rebellion." -Dust Jacket

{MINOR SPOILERS}

This is the second book in the trilogy and, as is typical of middle books, it's the filler. That doesn't mean it's not a great read--in fact that are a lot of deep life-lesson tidbits that bring quite a bit of depth to this story--it just means that you get a lot of traveling around, small adventures, and collecting/preparing the necessary people for the third book where you will get the real confrontation between Maldor and Galloran and company. (My money's on Galloran. He's Beyonders' Aragorn.) My problem was that I haven't read the first book since last year when it first came out and I've read a lot in between. I couldn't remember specifics about some of the characters and it made it hard to follow along for the first half of the book. I kept thinking that maybe I should stop and re-read the first book again. I still think I should do that and then read this one again.

I've said before that Brandon Mull is one of my favorite authors because I really like him as a person. He's also a good writer and only getting better I think. Fablehaven was great, but I think I like this one better. Brandon is skilled at writing likable characters, but also characters that are rich and multi-faceted. He always has at least one character that provides comic relief and Ferrin does that in this series, but he and Jason have a very enlightening and serious conversation that really showed, in a rather heartbreaking way, the internal struggles that afflict Ferrin. He's not just all jokes and removable body parts. He is genetically-engineered to serve Maldor. That's why the displacers (his race) were created. He has grown so accustomed to using and betraying those around him. It's so second nature to him that you really feel like he doesn't know whether or not he will be true to Galloran's cause or whether or not he even believes in it. I think he will have a significant part to play in the conclusion of this story.

Brandon Mull is also great at creating fantasy characters. There are some good ones in this book--the worm zombies, the tree people, the drinlings and of course the people of the seed. This book ended with the oracle's prophecy about the outcome of the rebellion and I like the direction Mull appears to be going with it. There is some foreshadowing that several of the main characters will have some hard times ahead in the fight against Maldor. While I've grown to love each character, I also think that a true, classic story of good versus evil never ends with all the good guys surviving. War means sacrifice and doing hard things. That's what defines bravery and these characters are plenty brave. I fully expect to cry in the third book...next spring!



*During that long wait there are some good books coming out: Insurgent, a sequel to Divergent, my favorite dystopian novel of last year, City of Lost Souls, which is a guilty pleasure 5th book in The Mortal Instruments, and The Drowned Cities, a companion book (not necessarily sequel?) to Shipbreaker, not my favorite book because I felt like it fell short of its possibilities but with enough promise that I'll probably read this other one.

The Aviary by Kathleen O'Dell

337 pages

"The Glendoveer mansion was once the magnificent home of a famous magician and illusionist. But now it is crumbling and nearly closed down - home only to the magician's aging widow, a cage full of exotic birds, a cook, a housekeeper, and the housekeeper's eleven-year-old daughter, Clara.

Clara loves Mrs. Glendoveer, but the birds in the aviary frighten her - they always seem to screech and squall whenever she's near. Until one day when the mynah...speaks. 'Elliot,' he says. 'Hurry!'

When Clara asks if the name Elliot means anything, she unwittingly tugs at the edge of a decades-old mystery. She learns the tragic tale of the Glendoveer children, who were kidnapped and later drowned - all but baby Elliot, who was never seen again. No arrest was ever made, but the children's own father, the great magician, stood accused until his death.

As Clara digs deeper into the Glendoveers' past, she stumbles onto secrets from her own past as well. Will the mysteries never end? Somehow the birds in the aviary seem to be at the center of it all, and Clara can't shake the feeling that they are trying to tell her something. If only the mynah would say more than 'Elliot!'" -Dust Jacket

This book is a fun magical mystery. I think it's perfect for the age group it's written for, which I think is grades 5-9. It's sort of reminiscent of movies like The Prestige and The Illusionist.  I love the cover of the book with the green and black. I think, however, that it gives away a little too much of the mystery of this story. I think it would have been better also if the book's description didn't reveal that the birds can talk. Adults can easily and rather quickly figure out who the birds are. The mystery then lies in who the villain is and what will happen to the birds.

The story itself was suspenseful enough to keep me picking it up any chance I got. I was eager for that ultimate confrontation between the villain and Clara and Daphne so I was a bit disappointed that it was so short and sort of Home Alone-like. I wanted it to be scarier! But, for young people who read this book it was just right - entertaining and a teensy bit scary - and Clara is only eleven after all. There's really no other way Clara and Daphne could have confronted adults. There were a couple of twists at the end that made the story wrap up nicely.

As I was reading, my 12-year-old daughter kept asking, "Is it good, really good, or great?" I kept making her wait for my answer until the end. I'd say it was "really good" and recommend reading it. It might even be a fun 8 o'clock club read at our house.

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

314 pages

"High on the slopes of Mount Eskel, Miri's family has lived forever, pounding a meager living from the stone of the mountain itself. Miri dreams of working alongside the others in the quarry, but she has never been allowed to work there - perhaps, she thinks, because she is so small.

Then word comes from the lowlands: the king's priests have divined that the prince's bride-to-be - the next princess - will come from Mount Eskel. The prince himself will travel to the village to choose his bride, but first all eligible girls must attend a makeshift academy to prepare for royal lowlander life.

At the school, Miri finds herself confronting both bitter competition among the girls and her own conflicted desires to be chosen. Yet when danger comes to the academy, it is Miri, named for a tiny mountain flower, who must find a way to save her classmates - and the chance for the future that each of them is eager to secure as her own." -Dust Jacket

This is a lovely little book. I thoroughly enjoyed it (and am glad for a chance to read again after spending a few weeks remodeling a bathroom). I loved the messages about home, family, and friendship. I really liked the one magical element in this story of quarry speech - that you could be so connected to a place and a people that you could speak to each other (without really speaking) through shared memories. I love how it impacted the story.

I love the message of education, that it opens up the world and all of its possibilities. Miri begins to see things differently and she uses her new knowledge to change the lives of the people in her village and in so doing realizes how much she loves those people and Mount Eskel. All the characters are developed enough that you feel like you know them. I loved the way the story ended and my favorite line in the whole book? "Maybe Mount Eskel didn't need a princess, just an academy."

I think I just used the word "love" a lot. This is a great book for all ages.