middle grade — Page 3

The Sailweaver’s Son combines traditional fantasy with a dash of steampunk and takes young readers to a unique world—Etherium. A world where mountains rise like islands above a sea of clouds and adventurers travel the sky in sail-driven airships.

When fifteen year-old Tak rescues the survivor of an airship destroyed by one of the giant flammable gas bubbles mysteriously appearing in the sky of Etherium, the authorities react like a flock of startled grekks.

Admiral Scud accuses Tak of sabotage and treason. Tak’s father grounds him for reckless airmanship. Rumors spread that the bubbles are weapons devised by the Gublins, a race of loathsome but ingenious underground creatures. The King’s advisors call for war, hoping to win much-needed Gublin coal.

To clear his name, solve the mystery, and prevent a misguided war, Tak must do what anyone knows is suicide—visit the Gublins and find out what they’re up to. When the wizard’s adopted daughter, an oddly beautiful and irksomely intelligent girl from the Eastern kingdoms, asks Tak to help her do just that, he can’t say no.

The adventure will take Tak from the deepest underground caves to a desperate battle on Etherium’s highest mountaintop. It will force him to face his worst fears, and to grow up faster than he expected.

Author Bio

Jeff Minerd thought he stopped writing fiction a long time ago until the story for The Sailweaver’s Son came to him not in a dream but after a dream. He is grateful for that, and for the opportunity to explore the world of Etherium and entertain others with what he finds there.

Jeff has a son, Noah, who is also a writer and avid reader. Jeff hopes to one day place in the top ten—or maybe even top five—of Noah’s favorite authors. But the competition is pretty stiff.

In a previous lifetime, Jeff published short fiction in literary journals including The North American Review. One of his stories won the F. Scott Fitzgerald competition, judged by former NPR book reviewer Alan Cheuse.

More recently, Jeff has worked as a science and medical writer for publications and organizations including the National Institutes of Health, MedPage Today, The Futurist magazine, and the Scientist magazine.

Jeff lives in Rochester, NY.

Links

Mini-Reviews: The Inn Between, Love Me Never, The Girl I Used to Be

August 27, 2016 Leave a Comment

Time for some mini-reviews! What are mini-reviews, you ask? As the title suggests, these are short reviews, consisting of one paragraph tops, about a book. It’s a way to catch up on the books I’ve read a while ago, but never got around to reviewing.

The Inn Between

Tite: The Inn Between

Author: Marina Cohen

Genre: Middle Grade, Horror

Rating: 4,5 stars

Purchase: Amazon

The Shining meets “Hotel California” in this supremely creepy middle grade novel about the bizarre things that happen to two girls stranded at a desert inn.

Eleven-year-old Quinn has had some bad experiences lately. She was caught cheating in school, and then one day, her little sister Emma disappeared while walking home from school. She never returned

When Quinn’s best friend Kara has to move away, she goes on one last trip with Kara and her family. They stop over at the first hotel they see, a Victorian inn that instantly gives Quinn the creeps, and she begins to notice strange things happening around them. When Kara’s parents and then brother disappear without a trace, the girls are stranded in a hotel full of strange guests, hallways that twist back in on themselves, and a particularly nasty surprise lurking beneath the floorboards. Will the girls be able to solve the mystery of what happened to Kara’s family before it’s too late?

Review: Spooky rather than downright scary, but since it’s for middle graders, that works fine. A lot of mystery, excellent characters, definite chills, and so many amazing twists. Very unpredictable, and one of my favorite reads this year.

Love Me Never

Title: Love Me Never

Author: Sara Wolf

Genre: Young Adult, Romance

Rating: 2 stars

Purchase: Amazon

Read the book that Kirkus Reviews called: “A complex, witty page-turner, ideal for YA fans of scandal and romance.”

Don’t love your enemy. Declare war on him.

Seventeen-year-old Isis Blake hasn’t fallen in love in three years, nine weeks, and five days, and after what happened last time, she intends to keep it that way. Since then she’s lost eighty-five pounds, gotten four streaks of purple in her hair, and moved to Buttcrack-of-Nowhere, Ohio, to help her mom escape a bad relationship.

All the girls in her new school want one thing—Jack Hunter, the Ice Prince of East Summit High. Hot as an Armani ad, smart enough to get into Yale, and colder than the Arctic, Jack Hunter’s never gone out with anyone. Sure, people have seen him downtown with beautiful women, but he’s never given high school girls the time of day. Until Isis punches him in the face.

Jack’s met his match. Suddenly everything is a game.

The goal: Make the other beg for mercy.
The game board: East Summit High.
The reward: Something neither of them expected.

Review: A traumatized girl with a dark past. A traumatized guy with a dark past, which made him cold and distant (yet he’s also incredibly hot). Roamnce happens, but there’s also a love triangle of sorts, and while the plot is okay but not that original, the writing was annoying. The story was filled with so many awkward situations, immature humour, and things that were so over the top they were impossible. Most of the characters were idiots.

The Girl I Used to Be

Title: The Girl I Used to Be

Author: April Henry

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Rating: 4 stars

Purchase: Amazon

When Olivia’s mother was killed, everyone suspected her father of murder. But his whereabouts remained a mystery. Fast forward fourteen years. New evidence now proves Olivia’s father was actually murdered on the same fateful day her mother died. That means there’s a killer still at large. It’s up to Olivia to uncover who that may be. But can she do that before the killer tracks her down first?

Review: An original, fast-paced novel about the past, the secrets of the past, and how they can come back to destroy everything else. Olivia is searching for answers, but those answers might put her life in danger. I don’t want to give too much away, but if you’re looking for a spine-chilling thriller, then I recommend this book.

Filed Under: Mini-Reviews Tagged With: horror, middle grade, mini-reviews, mystery, romance, thriller, young adult

Mini-Reviews: Betrayed, Beware That Girl, The Haunted Stepsister

August 20, 2016 Leave a Comment

Betrayed

Tite: Betrayed

Author: Lynn Carthage

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Rating: 4 stars

Purchase: Amazon

When Phoebe Irving moved from San Francisco to my English country village, we discovered how much we have in common. We also realized that her family’s home, the Arnaud Manor, has a twisted history that goes back centuries. Though the bloodthirsty Madame Arnaud is finally gone, a trip to the palace of Versailles in France proves that trouble still haunts us. With our friend Eleanor’s help, we’re trying to figure out the Arnaud legacy and our role in it . . . and whether the future holds the chance for Phoebe and me to make a real connection.

Boy meets girl. Obstacles arise. Love conquers all. You know the routine. But sometimes those you trust the most wind up betraying you. . . .

Review: After reviewing the first book in this series, I wanted to read the second book. I wasn’t dissapointed. This was a creepy ghost mystery, along with time travel, excellent settings (like Versailles!) and great characters. The author did a good job on the French history.

Beware That Girl

Title: Beware The Girl

Author: Teresa Toten

Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery

Rating: 2 stars

Purchase: Amazon

For fans of We Were Liars, The Girl on the Train, and Gone Girl, this powerful psychological thriller with multiple mysteries is set against the backdrop of the megawealthy elite of New York City. Toten delves into the mesmerizing yet dysfunctional world of those who manipulate but seem ever so charming. With its gripping pace and Hitchcockian twists, Beware That Girl will keep readers guessing until the very last line.

The Haves. The Have-Nots. Kate O’Brian appears to be a Have-Not. Her whole life has been a series of setbacks she’s had to snake her way out of—some more sinister than others. But she’s determined to change that. She’s book smart. She’s street-smart. Oh, and she’s also a masterful liar.

As the scholarship student at the Waverly School in NYC, Kate has her work cut out for her: her plan is to climb the social ladder and land a spot at Yale. She’s already found her “people” among the senior class “it” girls—specifically in the cosseted, mega-wealthy yet deeply damaged Olivia Sumner. As for Olivia, she considers Kate the best friend she’s always needed, the sister she never had.

When the handsome and whip-smart Mark Redkin joins the Waverly administration, he immediately charms his way into the faculty’s and students’ lives—becoming especially close to Olivia, a fact she’s intent on keeping to herself. It becomes increasingly obvious that Redkin poses a threat to Kate, too, in a way she can’t reveal—and can’t afford to ignore. How close can Kate and Olivia get to Mark without having to share their dark pasts?

Review: Gossip Girl, if slightly darker. Private school girls, designer clothing, but also cringe-worthy dialogue and whiny monologues. Most of the characters are stereotypes come to life, and the “twist” and the end was actually very predictable.

The Haunted Stepsister

Title: The Haunted Stepsister

Author: Medeia Sharif

Genre: Horror, Middle Grade

Rating: 3 stars

Purchase: Amazon

Sixth grade isn’t easy for Jesenya Moradi, especially since her father’s recent remarriage and tension with her new stepsister, Kammy. After an incident at school that nearly destroyed Kammy’s life, Jess has been desperate to get on Kammy’s good side. But a fateful trip to an allegedly haunted bathroom changes both girls’ lives forever.
The rumors about the bathroom are true, and now Jess is convinced a demon’s possessing Kammy. Eerie things happen whenever she’s around – flying objects, flickering lights, not to mention the fact that something, or someone, is making people into its puppets.
Worse, the demon seems fixated on making Jess confess her part in ruining Kammy’s reputation. Sticking to her Muslim faith, Jess enlists the help of an imam to exorcise the demon from Kammy. But can they get rid of the demon before it destroys her new family?

Review: An okay story. The writing style was clumsy at best, and the characters weren’t very likeable – they were rather bland, and didn’t always act in character either. I did like the story, and the addition of a blended family. It wasn’t that thrilling, but I did enjoy it.

Filed Under: Mini-Reviews Tagged With: horror, middle grade, mini-reviews, mystery, paranormal, thriller, young adult

Book Review: Raising Sleeping Stones by P.H.T. Bennett

July 24, 2016 Leave a Comment

Title: Raising Sleeping Stones
Author: P.H.T. Bennett
Genre: MG Fantasy
Age Group: Middle Grade
Rating: 4 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by Enchanted Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review.

Like every kid in Solasenda, 11-year-old Kiva Stone has been far too busy training for one of the five town guilds to think about something as useless as dreaming. But when she and her sister DeeDee uncover a mysterious plot to get rid of them, their only hope lies with a shadowy group of people who get unimaginable powers from their dreams. As the girls escape with them up the river, they start learning secret dreaming techniques that have been forbidden for centuries. But how can they learn enough to stand against the enemies chasing them? The answer lies in the shattered history of Orora Crona, the lost Valley of Dreams, and whoever can piece it together first will rule for centuries to come.

In Raising Sleeping Stones, 11-year-old Kiva Stone spends the majority of her time training for one of the five town guilds. She doesn’t have time to play, let alone dream. When Kiva and her sister DeeDee uncover a plot to get rid of them, their only hope is a mysterious group of people who get unimaginable powers from their dreams. As they are taught secret dreaming techniques that have been forbidden for centuries, enemies flock around them.

As in most fantasy books, the characters go on a quest of self-discovery and meanwhile explore the world around them. Despite that, the book feels very original, the world building is solid, and the characters are intriguing. Kiva, and also DeeDee, go through a lot of character growth throughout the book. They’re not the same people at the end as they were at the start. The proces is gradual, but as a reader, you can feel it.

The world building really impressed me. The writing was fast-paced and I was completely engrossed in the story from the moment I started reading.

The book is ideal for middle graders and young adults, and offers a rich, lush fantasy setting and engaging story.

Giveaway

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Filed Under: Book Tours, Enchanted Book Tours, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Reviews Tagged With: book reviews, book tours, enchanted book promotions, fantasy, middle grade

Book Tours: Starter Day Party Raising Sleeping Stones

June 27, 2016 Leave a Comment

The third starter day party I’m hosting today is for middle grade fantasy “Raising Sleeping Stones”. The tour runs from June 27 to July 27. Stay tuned for my review on July 24!

Tour Schedule

June 27^th: Starter Day Party @ I Heart Reading

June 29^th: Book Excerpt @ The Reading Guru

July 1^st: Promo Post @ I’m an Eclectic Reader

July 2^nd: Book Excerpt @ The Bookworm Lodge

July 4^th: Author Interview @ The Single Librarian

July 5^th: Book Review and Giveaway @ The Single Librarian

July 6^th: Book Excerpt @ Bookish Madness

July 8^th: Promo Post @ Maari Loves Her Indies

July 8^th: Book Excerpt and Giveaway @ Literary Musings

July 10^th: Promo Post @ Bookaholic Ramblings

July 12^th: Book Review @ SolaFide Publishing Blog

July 13^th: Promo Post @ Cassidy Crimson’s Blog

July 13^th: Book Excerpt @ Bedazzled Reading

July 15^th: Character Interview and Giveaway @ The Book Daily

July 16^th: Book Excerpt @ Indy Book Fairy

July 18^th: Author Interview @ Majanka’s Blog

July 20^th: Book Excerpt @ The Recipe Fairy

July 22^nd: Promo Post @ Hollow Readers

July 24^th: Book Review and Giveaway @ I Heart Reading

July 25^th: Book Excerpt @ Editor Charlene’s Blog

July 26^th: Author Interview @ Books are Forever

July 27^th: Book Review @ Books are Forever

About the Book

Title: Raising Sleeping Stones

Author: P.H.T. Bennett

Genre: MG Fantasy

Like every kid in Solasenda, 11-year-old Kiva Stone has been far too busy training for one of the five town guilds to think about something as useless as dreaming. But when she and her sister DeeDee uncover a mysterious plot to get rid of them, their only hope lies with a shadowy group of people who get unimaginable powers from their dreams. As the girls escape with them up the river, they start learning secret dreaming techniques that have been forbidden for centuries. But how can they learn enough to stand against the enemies chasing them? The answer lies in the shattered history of Orora Crona, the lost Valley of Dreams, and whoever can piece it together first will rule for centuries to come.

Author Bio

P.H.T. Bennet began exploring his dreams when he was a child and has never bothered to stop. He had the good luck to have two daughters, Juliette and Paola, who not only served as the inspirations for DeeDee and Kiva, the main characters of Raising Sleeping Stones, but also helped him turn their family dreamwork sessions into this book. His lucky streak grew when he married his lovely wife, Mim,who tolerates his turning on a light in the middle of the night to write down ever-crazier dreams and talking about them in the morning as long as he lets her sleep in, first. His favorite dreams involve flying, visiting the dead, and replaying nightmares until they reveal their secrets.

Pratt’s latest projects are editing Book Two of the Orora Crona Chronicles and planning a virtual summer dreaming camp with other dream authors.

Links

Buy on Amazon

Website: http://www.raisingstones.com/

Facebook: http://bit.ly/RSSfacebook

Twitter: @phtbennet

Filed Under: Book Tours, Enchanted Book Tours, Starter Day Party Tagged With: book tours, enchanted book promotions, fantasy, middle grade, starter day party

Book Review: Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions Book 2: Wizardry Goes Wild

May 13, 2016 Leave a Comment

Title: Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions Book 2: Wizardry Goes Wild
Author: Sunayna Prasad
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Age Group: Middle Grade
Rating: 4 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by Enchanted Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review.

After months of living a normal life, thirteen-year-old Alyssa McCarthy faces magic again. Only this time, though, she is cursed with it, thanks to an old depressed skeleton named Errol. Alyssa’s time with her godfather, Alex, will never be the same again, as she can perform sorcery, but never control it.

From letting out enchantments at school to creating outdoor disasters, Alyssa is bound to face consequences. She can only get rid of her powers if she can boost her confidence levels and improve her bravery. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. She must measure those abilities with a special device called a skillometer. Will she be able to get rid of her unwanted wizardry?

Alyssa McCarthy is back for another adventure in Wizardry Goes Wild. This time, she’s cursed with magic, but she struggles to control it – a talented sorcrer she is not. Alyssa doesn’t want to be a wizard at all, but she can only get rid of her powers if she raises her confidence and improves her bravery.

I enjoyed the first book in this series, so I was glad to see Alyssa again. She’s a wonderful, bright girl, and in this book, she’s on a bit of a personal quest, making it easy for the reader to get to know her even better.

The blend of technology and magic works well, the plot is fast-paced, and the characters are very likeable. Middle graders will love this book.

Filed Under: Book Tours, Enchanted Book Tours, Middle Grade, Reviews Tagged With: book tours, enchanted book promotions, fantasy, middle grade

Book Tours: Starter Day Party Wizardry Goes Wild

April 14, 2016 Leave a Comment

I’m hosting the starter day party today for the book tour for MG fantasy “Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions Book Two: Wizardry Goes Wild”. The tour runs from April 14 to June 14. Stay tuned for my review on May 13!

Tour Schedule

April 14th: Starter Day Party @ I Heart Reading

April 14^th: Promo Post @ Stormy Night Reviewing

April 17th: Guest Post @ Bedazzled Reading

April 19th: Promo Post @ Domestic Chanteuse

April 20th: Promo Post @ Indy Book Fairy

April 23^rd: Book Review and Author Interview @ Cindy Reads A Lot

April 25^th: Promo Post @ The Single Librarian

April 28^th: Guest Post @ SolaFide Publishing

April 30^th: Promo Post @ I’m an Eclectic Reader

May 2^nd: Promo Post @ The Book Gazette

May 4^th: Author Interview and Book Review @ Dorine White’s Blog

May 6^th: Promo Post @ 365 Days of Reading

May 9^th: Guest Post @ Editor Charlene’s Blog

May 10^th: Promo Post @ Cassidy Crimson’s Blog

May 13^th: Book Review @ I Heart Reading

May 16^th: Promo Post @ Maari Loves Her Indies

May 18^th: Character Interview @ The Book Daily

May 20^th: Book Review @ Bedazzled Reading

May 23^rd: Book Review @ Books are Forever

May 25^th: Promo Post @ Bookworm for Kids

May 28^th: Promo Post @ Bookaholic Ramblings

May 30^th: Promo Post @ The Reading Guru

June 2^nd: Book Review @ Books, Books & More Books

June 5^th: Promo Post @ Hollow Readers

June 8^th: Author Interview @ Majanka’s Blog

June 12^th: Book Review @ Editor Charlene’s Blog

June 14^th: Book Review @ Bookish Madness

About the Book

Title: Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions Book 2: Wizardry Goes Wild

Author: Sunayna Prasad

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

After months of living a normal life, thirteen-year-old Alyssa McCarthy faces magic again. Only this time, though, she is cursed with it, thanks to an old depressed skeleton named Errol. Alyssa’s time with her godfather, Alex, will never be the same again, as she can perform sorcery, but never control it.

From letting out enchantments at school to creating outdoor disasters, Alyssa is bound to face consequences. She can only get rid of her powers if she can boost her confidence levels and improve her bravery. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. She must measure those abilities with a special device called a skillometer. Will she be able to get rid of her unwanted wizardry?

Author Bio

Sunayna Prasad is a college student studying art. In her free time, she likes to write fiction. She is also the author of From Frights to Flaws, which is the first installment of the series, Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions. Sunayna lives in New York with her family.

Links

Website

Facebook

Buy Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions Book One: From Frights to Flaws on Amazon

Buy Wizardry Goes Wild on Amazon (Kindle) or Amazon (Paperback)

Filed Under: Book Tours, Enchanted Book Tours, Starter Day Party Tagged With: book tours, enchanted book promotions, fantasy, middle grade, starter day party

Mini-Reviews: Haunted by the Abyss, The Haunting of Tenth Avenue Theater, The Mirror Chronicles

January 20, 2016 1 Comment

Haunted by the Abyss

Tite: Haunted by the Abyss

Author: Sarah Soderlund

Genre: Non-Fiction, True Haunting

Rating: 3,5 stars

Purchase: Amazon

Journey into the terrifying abyss, where malevolent spirits and otherworldly beasts lurk. From childhood experiences with demons and aliens to a Missouri cemetery filled with phantom drums and territorial ghosts, these first-hand accounts of paranormal phenomena will chill your bones and thrill your mind.

Sarah Soderlund, also known as Paranormal Sarah, has been psychically gifted since childhood. Her intuitive abilities, coupled with her education and extensive astral world investigative skills, provide a unique and fascinating perspective into the supernatural. She describes not only what happened in her haunted childhood home, but also why some houses are “alive” and how ghost energy can slam doors, whisper your name, or even manifest as a full-blown or partial apparition. Haunted by the Abyss takes you deep into Sarah’s investigations, where you’ll discover that these stories aren’t just scary . . . they’re real.

Review: An interesting account of Sarah Soderlund, Paranormal Sarah as she’s nicknamed, her gift to see spirits and her experience with the supernatural. She talks about the things she went through growing up in a haunted home, and then her experiences afterward – and she sure has a lot of experience. The book was an easy, quik read, but entertaining nevertheless.

The Haunting of the Tenth Avenue Theater

Title: The Haunting of the Tenth Avenue Theater

Author: Alex Matsuo

Genre: Non-Fiction, True Haunting

Rating: 2,5 stars

Purchase: Amazon

Is San Diego’s renowned Tenth Avenue Theater home to an unlikely cast of ghosts—and if so, what has kept the spirits of the dead bound to this venue of entertainment and illusion? From reports of a child’s tragic death on the premises to a suicide stemming from overwhelming guilt, there is grief, turmoil, and unfinished business lingering within these walls.

Alex Matsuo, an actress by day and a ghost hunter by night, was granted unlimited access to the haunted property where she has performed as an actor and staged professional readings of her plays. Investigating the popular and thriving theater she has always considered home, Alex must unravel the turbulent history of the building in order to find out why the ghosts of the Tenth never want to leave.

Review: Having never heard of this theater or the ghosts that haunt it, I was intrigued to learn more. However, the story involved a lot more around the author and her thoughts, feelings and perceptions than it did around the ghost stories. The actual history and research of the ghost sightings was also not extensive enough, as if the author just briefly glanced over it. The writing wasn’t stellar either.

The Bell Between Worlds

Title: The Bell Between Worlds

Author: Ian Johnstone

Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy

Rating: 4 stars

Purchase: Amazon

Half of your soul is missing.
The lost part is in the mirror.
And unless Sylas Tate can save you, you will never be whole again.

Sylas Tate leads a lonely existence since his mother died. But then the tolling of a giant bell draws him into another world known as the Other, where he discovers not only that he has an inborn talent for the nature-influenced magic of the Fourth Way, but also that his mother might just have come from this strange parallel place.

Meanwhile, evil forces are stirring, and an astounding revelation awaits Sylas as to the true nature of the Other. As violence looms and the stakes get ever higher, Sylas must seek out a girl called Naeo who might just be the other half of his soul – otherwise the entire universe may fall…

Review: Sylas felt like a real person, so alive and realistic that I could just picture him being an actual person. He was flawed too, and those flaws made him more realistic. The writing was haunting and imaginative, and the story unique and original, with excellent world-building. The only downside I’d say would be the author’s tendency to use long descriptions sometimes, derailing the narrative.

Filed Under: Fantasy, Ghosts & Hauntings, Middle Grade, Mini-Reviews, Non-Fiction Tagged With: fantasy, ghosts, middle grade, mini-reviews, non-fiction, true haunting

Mini-Reviews: Little Sister Death, Her Final Breath, The Worlds Traveler

January 16, 2016 1 Comment

Little Sister Death

Tite: Little Sister Death

Author: William Gay

Genre: Horror

Rating: 3,5 stars

Purchase: Amazon

David Binder is a young, successful writer living in Chicago and suffering from writer’s block. He stares at the blank page, and the blank page stares back—until inspiration strikes in the form of a ghost story that captivated him as a child.

With his pregnant wife and young daughter in tow, he sets out to explore the myth of Virginia Beale, Faery Queen of the Haunted Dell. But as his investigation takes him deeper and deeper into the legacy of blood and violence that casts its shadow over the old Beale farm, Binder finds himself obsessed with a force that’s as wicked as it is seductive.

A stirring literary rendition of Tennessee’s famed Curse of the Bell Witch, Little Sister Death skillfully toes the line between Southern Gothic and horror, and further cements William Gay’s legacy as not only one of the South’s finest writers, but among the best that American literature has to offer.

Review: I love ghost stories, and this one is no exception, although at times, it didn’t catch my attention quite as much as I thought it would. It’s basically a retelling of the Bell Witch Haunting, but now when David Binder and his family move to the Baele homestead, where he hopes to find inspiration for a new book. The bouncing from era to era is a little difficult to follow at first, and makes it harder to connect to the characters. However, in the end it all ties up nicely.

Her Final Breath

Title: Her Final Breath

Author: Robert Dugoni

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Rating: 3,5 stars

Purchase: Amazon

Homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite has returned to the police force after the sensational retrial of her sister’s killer. Still scarred from that ordeal, Tracy is pulled into an investigation that threatens to end her career, if not her life.

A serial killer known as the Cowboy is killing young women in cheap motels in North Seattle. Even after a stalker leaves a menacing message for Crosswhite, suggesting the killer or a copycat could be targeting her personally, she is charged with bringing the murderer to justice. With clues scarce and more victims dying, Tracy realizes the key to solving the murders may lie in a decade-old homicide investigation that others, including her captain, Johnny Nolasco, would prefer to keep buried. With the Cowboy on the hunt, can Tracy find the evidence to stop him, or will she become his next victim?

Review: I enjoyed the first book in the series, so I picked up the second one too. It was an okay read, and it had a few surprises, but the case unfortunately wasn’t all that interesting or original. Some of the drama seemed useless and done half a million times already. It did get better toward the end, and I did still enjoy myself reading it.

The Worlds Traveler

Title: The World Traveler

Author: M.L. Roble

Genre: Middle Grade

Rating: 3 stars

Purchase: Amazon

Life on the run from madman Martin Reimer gets in the way of everything.

For fourteen-year-old Phillip, it has meant having to stay hidden, unable to use his gift of moving through maps to search for his missing father. But the arrival of a stranger named Delroy brings unexpected opportunity, for Delroy is a man with the ability to travel worlds hidden within our own and he was sent by Phillip’s father. Now Phillip will do everything he can to find his dad, even if it means tricking Delroy into helping him or a quest through those hidden worlds.

Even if leaving home means Martin can now find him…

Follow in the adventures of Phillip Stone and Natalie Bristol from the award-winning book The Magician’s Doll!

Review: I didn’t know the book was a sequel, until I started reading. I didn’t really need the first book to grasp what was going on though. I enjoyed the story, but there was a lack of consistency, and the author used telling instead of showing. The pacing went from slow to fast in milliseconds too. So while it’s enjoyable, the writing could use some work, and the story wasn’t alwways consistent either.

Filed Under: Horror, Middle Grade, Mini-Reviews, Mystery and Suspense Tagged With: horror, middle grade, mini-reviews, mystery, thriller

Mini-Reviews: The Lost Girl, Abandon, Took

January 13, 2016 3 Comments

The Lost Girl

Tite: The Lost Girl

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: Young Adult, Horror

Rating: 4 stars

Purchase: Amazon

Generations of children and teens have grown up on R.L. Stine’s bestselling and hugely popular horror series, Fear Street and Goosebumps. Now, the Fear Street series is back with a chilling new installment, packed with pure nightmare fodder that will scare Stine’s avid fan base of teen readers and adults.

New student Lizzy Palmer is the talk of Shadyside High. Michael and his girlfriend Pepper befriend her, but the closer they get to her, the stranger she seems… and the more attractive she is to Michael. He invites her to join him on a snowmobile race that ends in a tragic accident. Soon, Michael’s friends start being murdered, and Pepper becomes convinced that Lizzy is behind the killings. But to her total shock, she and Michael are drawn into a tragic story of an unthinkable betrayal committed over 60 years ago. Frightening and tense in the way that only this master of horror can deliver, The Lost Girl is another terrifying Fear Street novel by the king of juvenile horror.

Review: When I was a kid, I loved the Fear Street books. They even inspired me to write my own horror series. “The Lost Girl” still has some of that Fear Street magic, like with the two time periods interacting, and it’s no surprise R.L. Stine still has some surprises up his sleeve, and knows how to tell a story. That the book still manages to creep me out means the Fear Street series hasn’t lost its charm at all, and that it’s still deliciously creepy.

Abandon

Title: Abandon

Author: Blake Crouch

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Paranormal

Rating: 4 stars

Purchase: Amazon

A gripping thriller from Blake Crouch, internationally bestselling author of the Wayward Pines trilogy.

On Christmas Day in 1893, every man, woman, and child in a remote gold-mining town disappeared, belongings forsaken, meals left to freeze in vacant cabins—and not a single bone was ever found.

One hundred sixteen years later, two backcountry guides are hired by a history professor and his journalist daughter to lead them to the abandoned mining town so they can learn what happened. Recently, a similar party had also attempted to explore the town and was never heard from again. Now the area is believed to be haunted. This crew is about to discover, twenty miles from civilization with a blizzard bearing down, that they are not alone, and the past is very much alive.

Review: A surprising read filled with twists, that jumps from 1893 into the present seamlessly. It offers excellent characters, especially Abigail Foster and her crew, who move into the town of Abandon. All characters have quirks that make them stand out, and all of them have a past they bring to the table. The book had a clautrophic vibe, and definitely gave me the chills a few times.

Took

Title: Took

Author: Mary Downing Hahn

Genre: Horror, Middle Grade, Ghosts

Rating: 4,5 stars

Purchase: Amazon

“Folks say Old Auntie takes a girl and keeps her fifty years—then lets her go and takes another one.” Thirteen-year-old Daniel Anderson doesn’t believe Brody Mason’s crazy stories about the ghost witch who lives up on Brewster’s Hill with Bloody Bones, her man-eating razorback hog. He figures Brody’s probably just trying to scare him since he’s the new kid . . . a “stuck-up snot” from Connecticut. But Daniel’s seven-year-old sister Erica has become more and more withdrawn, talking to her lookalike doll. When she disappears into the woods one day, he knows something is terribly wrong. Did the witch strike? Has Erica been “took”?

Review: A haunted house/woods story with a twist. Old Auntie was amazing, and she was creepy enough that ten-year-old me would’ve been half terrified to go to sleep. But adult me loves this creepy old hag living in the woods and taking kids. Daniel was amazing. So intelligent for a boy his age, so brave when he risked everything to save his sister. A page turner, for adults AND middle graders.

Filed Under: Horror, Middle Grade, Mini-Reviews, Young Adult Tagged With: horror, middle grade, mini-reviews, mystery, paranormal, young adult

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Abandon

Took

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