2011+May

What? Starting over?? The four writers cover history of the Cahils from 1507 (the original family and formular), 1526 (Madeline the fifth Cahill grown up), 1942 (Grace at 13) and Amy and Dan in the present. I enjoyed this one, with the historical chapters, but I see an endless set of sequels. OK 4th+
 * Vespers Rising, Book Eleven of 39 Clues** by Riordan, Lerangis, Korman, and Watson

**The Maze Runner** by James Dashner Thomas wakes up in an elevator that opens in the Glade, surrounded by boys. He has no specific memory of who he is or what he is supposed to do. The story consists of the unfolding of the backstory along with complications of living in the Maze. Scorch Trials is the sequel. YA for extreme violence. This is something of a knockoff of Hunger Games--future dystopia and solution of a deadly game to save the world. Boys will probably like this one.

**Cloaked** by Alex Flinn A combination of several fairy tales, this story has witches, spells, princesses, and our hero--Johnny, the shoemaker. Not stellar writing, but lots of fun and complications. YA for the romance and some violence (minor)--could be OK for fifth grades. I liked the shoe quotes that Johnny and Meg trade. Johnny is snared by a beautiful princess and sent on a quest to save her brother the frog. He has some "tools" like an earpiece that enables him to speak with animals that were once humans, and a cloak that transports him whereever he wishes. OK.

**Magic Pickle and the Planet of the grapes** by Scott Morse The Maic Pickle is a secret weapon who is battling the Brotherhood of the Evil Produce, specifically the evil Razin. Pretty predictable but lots of fun and corny jokes. Lots of graphic illustrations like Wimpy Kid. OK. 3rd. Quick read.

**Clockwork Angel** by Cassandra Clare (The Infernal Devices book One) Prequel to Mortal Instruments--City of Bones, etc. London 1878 Tessa Gray is searching for her brother. She is kidnapped by the evil Dark Sisters and then rescued by Shadowhunters who recognize that Tessa is part of a larger plot to seize power over mundanes and downworlders alike. Connections to the modern day series are tenuous except for the construct of sons of angels, the fairie world, and politics of Idris, etc. Definitely leaves most of the plot hanging at the end. Who is Tessa? Where is the Magistrer? What happened to Nate? What is Will's dark secret? And what's with the clockwork angel?

**Hero** by Mike Lupica Zack Harriman follows the mystery surrounding his father's death. He then discovers he has powers that are also mysterious. This seems to be an opening in a series. Only some of the mystery is solved. It is easier than Alex Rider and not as hard as many of Lupica's sports books. 4th+ OK

**Firehorse** by Diane Lee Wilson 1872 and Rachel has moved to stiffling Boston where she pines for her horse Peaches. Then Governor's Gal, the fire chief's horse, is badly burned at a fire. Rachel not only struggles to save her but realizes her own calling is to be a veterinarian. The undercurrent of the mystery of an arsonist, resulting in the Great Boston Fire (true). This reads really well for historical fiction. Some romance, and a difficult foal delivery. OK for 5th + Well written.

**No Passengers Beyond This Point** by Gennifer Choldenko. ( also wrote Al Capone does my shirts. This is a very unusual book. India, Finn and Mouse find themselves uprooted and on the way to Uncle Red's in Colorado after their mother loses their house in foreclosure. Told in alternating chapters by these distinctive children, we find them in

**Black: the circle Book One** by Ted DeKker "The Birth of Evil". Thomas Hunter sleeps only to wake up in another world. He learns that there is to be an awful viral outbreak that will decimate the world. And in the dream world evil is overwhelming mankind. Who is Thomas and what is he to do? This was difficult to read just because you know from the beginning it is going to describe the fall of man.

**Thomas and the Dragon Queen** by Shutta Crum Always known as being the small one, Thomas if finally chosen to be a knight's squire and eventually a knight himself. He sets off to rescue Princess Eleanor from the Dragon Queen, Bridgoltha. He faces impossible tasks and loses every gift he starts with. This has large print and is not too long. I expected a fluffy beginning chapter book, but this has some substance to it. Thomas has much to overcome including his own attitudes. I really liked this one. The interactions between Thomas and the dragon queen are creative and touching especially when he apologizes and rolls on his back as the sign of being sorry. "You came here armed with armed with plenty of weapons. …You thought to best me with your bravery and your honesty." Excellent.

**Red: the circle Book Two** by Ted DeKker "The Heroic Rescue". As with most serious novels there are multiple layers of meaning in most of this. Yes Monique is finally rescued (too late?) And mankind is rescued by Elyon (also seemingly too late!) The Christian references are pretty blatent. I don't know how this reads for someone unfamiliar with that framework. Justin (the Christ figure) offers himself, but I'm not sure where he came from in the story. Definitely for older kids.

**Princess Ben** by Catherine Gilbert Murdock Ben (Benevolence) finds herself under the tutelage (slavitude?) of Queen Regent Sophia. Locked in a tower room, Ben discovers the wizards' room and starts to study magic. Prince Florian of Drachensbett has his eyes on the kingdom of Montagne by possibly marrying their princess. This is a complicated but satisfying fairy tale withlost of allusions to other fairy tales, as well as tremendous personal growth in Princess Ben herself. Excellent. YA for slight sexual references. Best quote: "Every fairy tale, it seems, concludes with the bland phrase 'happily ever after.' Yet every couple I have ever known would agree that nothing about marriage is forever happy. There are moments of bliss, to be sure, and lengthy spans of satisfied companionship. Yet these come at no small effort, and the girl who reads such fiction dreaming her troubles will end ere she departs the altar is well advised to seek at once a rational woman to set her straight." p. 338

**White: the circle Book Three** "The Great Pursuit". I was dragging for a while thinking that I need to finish these--they are so long. But the ending in this one was worth it. The virus is resolved with great sacrifice, and the Great Romance triumphs over evil. The moving point in this one was how much God loves us ins spite of the horrible disease we are infected with--sin. Thomas falls deeply in love with Cherise who resists until overwhelmed by the power of love. Surprisingly I have no issues with DeKker's theology. Written for adults but nothing objectionable for mature middleschoolers.

**Linger** by maggie stiefvater Oh man, I had to drag myself through this one. It's more romance than paranormal. Grace and Sam are blissfully enjoying their soulmate status including nightly sleepovers where they would never never have sex. But then complications (or it wouldn't be a story, right?) as parents drop the hammer (oh evil and wicked parents), an angst-driven rock star becomes a new wolf, and Grace starts to feel stirrings of an illness inside of her. The plot is OK but so much is stretched out. Cole seems to spend half the book naked (how titilating) and adults are all oblivious. Sorry, not my style. Middleschool girls will probably love this. YA for sex talk. Oh and violence.