Guest Post - Halloween Books to Unleash Your Inner Kid

Today's post is by MJ Ware, Author of Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb.  Thanks, MJ for helping promote my blog. Lady D.

Even before publishing Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb (SZJMB), I wrote a lot of horror stories. However, since I write almost exclusively for kids and teens my stories aren't anything like your traditional, terrifying, horror stories. They're more blood and snot than blood and guts. With that in mind, I've compiled a list of great books to wake up your inner child, or maybe your inner young adult, this Halloween season.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan – I'm starting off with this one because, as a YA book it will appeal to more adults, plus it has zombies! Mary lives in the woods as part of a community surrounded by a fence that (usually) keeps the undead out. This one is really more of a romance novel with zombies. Still, it has great imagery which really makes it spooky.

The Witches by Roald Dahl – This book is definitely a kid's book, but it's so well written, anyone who loves books will enjoy it. And, compared to most of Dahl's other books, it’s pretty dark; in fact it's one of the 100 most banned children's books on account of the violence.

Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury – It doesn't get any more Halloween than this. It's a great story about a gang of guys (and one girl) who run into a haunted house while trick-or-treating. After you finish the book, check out the Emmy award winning cartoon version:



Coraline by Neil Gaiman – Gaiman is a master of scary books and Coraline is one of his best. Even if you've seen the movie, don't skip the book. It's a quick read at 35k (and it's one of those books that's hard to put down). Once you're finished, you might want to check out Gaiman's more adult themed The Grave Yard Book.

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury – Okay, Bradbury is one of my favorite authors, so he's allowed two books on the list. Something Wicked This Way Comes, is much darker than The Halloween Tree, having deeper and more serious themes. It was published as an adult book, but really, it's a coming of age story that resonates with young and old alike.

Welcome to Horrorland by R.L. Stine – What list of scary books would be complete without something from the Goosebumps series? Obviously, this one's light reading and only for readers who enjoy kidlit. With its fast action and short chapters it's also a great choice for that reluctant reader in your life.

About the author:

M.J.A. Ware, known as M.J. to his friends, lives in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains with his wife and two daughters. He wrote Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb because he felt there was a need for a zombie book with a broader appeal than just hard-core horror fans. A book that would not only appeal to both adults and teens, but would be teen safe.

When not writing about aliens, monsters and ghosts, he runs a company where he designs award winning video arcades. He’s currently polishing his latest novel, Girls Bite, a paranormal vampire story told from a guy's perspective.

Find SZJMB at: Amazon (print and ebook) Barnes & Noble  SmashWords  Apple

Win a Free ebook copy SZJMB. Enter by 10/31. Winner chosen at random and will be announced on or around 11/1.



Note from Lady D: If you like guest posts, comment here on the blog. I'll try to arrange more such posts according to the feedback I receive from you readers. Commenting is welcome and, at the moment, unmoderated.

Richly Layered

Heirs of Mars - a tale of sacrifice and revenge on the red planet
Joseph Robert Lewis
Joseph Robert Lewis (2010),
Kindle Edition - Print length 368 pages
Rated 4 stars of 5 possible

Heirs of Mars, written by author Joseph Robert Lewis, is a tale of life on the planet Mars, both for those born on the red planet, and those who immigrated there from Earth. The novel alternates chapters narrated by six main characters, men and women who represent the various groups who inherit the planet from previous explorers. These six characters each have a unique point of view to relate, and as such, each character adds another layer of interest to the story.

I find multi-focal novels a challenge to read since the point of view changes as the chapters transition from one character to the next. Still, such novels provide more information and more in-depth knowledge for the reader than would be available if the story were told by only one character, as some characters see things and events that many of the other characters do not see and/or know nothing about. Transitions between the multiple viewpoints are well done in this sometimes suspenseful, always fascinating tale of Mars.

Artificial intelligence, cloning, and robotics, are well-depicted in this novel. These heavy science themes do not make the story too complex for the average reader to follow, yet they add another dimension to the atmosphere of the tale.  Over and over again in the literature of Earth, we see the same themes repeated. People fear that which they do not understand. This simple theme has been explored by many authors among many genres and is given a slightly different face here, in the colonist's fear of the newborn clones.

Recommended to readers age 14 and up who love reading science fiction.  While this review is based on the Kindle edition, this ebook is available in various other formats, but, alas, not yet in printed formats (or, at least none that I've been able to locate) and on several different websites.

Heirs of Mars - a tale of sacrifice and revenge on the red planet; was provided to me free by the author in exchange for this review. As always, accepting the novel only obligates me to write a review. No promises were made as to what the content of my review might be.  This review, for which no financial compensation has been received by the reviewer, appears on Dragon Views, LibraryThing, Amazon.com and other sites deemed appropriate by the reviewer.

Family Secrets Revealed

The Girl in the Lighthouse
Roxane Tepfer Sanford
Metier Books (2009)
Paperback, 256 pages
Rated 5 stars of 5 possible

The Arrington family is hiding a devastating secret. Before long, the secret is uncovered, changing life as young Lillian Arrignton knows it into something vastly different, as well as uncovering a mystery that her parents have long concealed.

The novel is short, intensely gripping and does not turn the reader loose. One is compelled to keep turning pages to find out what happens next. While the first half of the novel extensively develops the main characters (and meny of the supporting characters as well), this part of the story does not move slowly, as happens all too often.

The last half of the novel surprises the reader a bit, dark, ominous and gothic, not what would be expected from the title nor even the first half of the book... Yet the transisiton was well done and barely noticible, as Lillian's life changes during the course of the story.

The Girl in the Lighthouse is the first novel in the Arrington series.  As such, it sets the stage for things to come, but is, in its own way, a complete story as well... One could read just this novel without pursuing the story further, but after meeting Lillian Arrington, the reader might not wish to stop here... I know I don't.

Recommended to fans of mystery and gothic novels, as well as those readers who just like a short, intense novel. A signed, paperback copy of this novel was provided to me free in exchange for this review. As always, accepting the novel only obligates me to write a review. No promises were made as to what the content of my review would be. 

This review has been posted on Dragon Views, LibraryThing, Amazon.com, and wherever else I may deem appropriate.

No Clear Nemesis, Neutral Characters

Elephant Milk
By Diane Sherry Case
Miraculous Books (2010),
Paperback, 164 pages
Rated 3 stars of 5 possible

Elephant Milk is a surreal, coming of age story that takes place in 1969, mostly in Mexico. Amid her experiments with sex, drugs and finding herself, 17-year-old Sean also has to deal with her dysfunctional family and her mother's obsession with being a famous movie star.  After finding some black clothes beside the road that are wet with blood, Sean makes the decision that the best way to deal with her problems is to run away to Mexico, after her boyfriend.  Once in Mexico, Sean needs a way to get around, so she joins a traveling Circus... and that's where the real fun begins.

I should preface my remarks about this book by saying I'm not the intended audience for this book. Still, I appreciated some of the events in the story and the characterization. Diane Sherry Case has created some interesting characters, and has caught the flavor of the time depicted.  So, with that said, why did I rate the book only 3 stars?  Admittedly, this story even had 4 star potential, but the good characters just weren't likable enough... in fact, with the exception of Sean and her circus master/boss, and his wife, Ana, I found all the characters to be fairly neutral. There also is not any clear nemesis in the story, which could have made the book more interesting, if a bit longer. I had such high hopes for that too, when Sean found the bloody black clothing.

There are points in the story that would make for good discussion group material and the intended audience may appreciate Sean and her confused time of self-enlightenment more than I could. Oh, and the cover art - absolutely wonderful. That's what drew me to this book in the first place.

This book was received free from the author in exchange for this review. This review has been simultaneously posted at Dragon Views, LibraryThing, and Amazon.com

 

A Satisfying Tale

Doctor Margaret's Sea Chest
Waheed Rabbani
Smashwords.com (2009)
Mobi, PDF and other e-formats
Rated 5 stars of 5 Possible

Also available in the following formats:
Infinity Publishing (May 21, 2010)
Audio: 12 CDs, 17 hours (unabridged)
You Write On; (December 8, 2008)
Paperback, 436 pages

Doctor Margaret's Sea Chest is historical fiction, set in the mid 1800’s in North America, England, Crimea and India. The saga covers India's struggle for freedom. This rather long tale is but one third of a more massive saga, yet it is nicely paced. There is a nice balance between drama, romance, and suspense which serves to keep the story consistently interesting, but it is mainly focused on the action rather than too much description. 

The characters are well-developed enough that I could feel Margaret's despair when her family disapproved of her desire to marry her cousin, her jubilation at finally becoming a doctor as she wanted, despite the disapproval of her parents, and her other emotions as the story progressed. As I finished the last pages of this book, I felt as if I were leaving friends behind. In fact, I am so hooked on the story that the cliff-hanger ending has me sitting on the edge of my chair while awaiting Book II of The Azadi Trilogy: The Rani's Doctor.

Almost as interesting as the novel, there is a glossary at the end of the story which defines the unfamiliar words used so that the reader can get more from the novel than would be the case if he/she were just skipping over the unfamilar words without understanding them.

Recommended reading for those who love reading historical fiction and also for those looking for something refreshingly different.  Mobi format file received free from author in exchange for this review. This review is simultaneously published on Dragon Views, LibraryThing, Amazon.com and YA Books Central.

Doesn't Quite Live Up To Promise

Powerless: The Synthesis
Jason Letts
Powerless Books (2010) PDF format, 228 pages
Rated 3 stars of 5 possible

Powerless: The Synthesis is the first of a new YA fantasy-adventure series, and is apparently also the author's first book. Mira Ipswich is 15 years old and tired of being kept at home by her overly protective parents. She wants to go out into the mist and find out what life is like on the outside. But Mira lacks one thing everyone else has and that lack makes her different than everyone else, and vulnerable as well.

Powerless has a nice balance of dialogue and description, well-developed characters of the kind you love and the kind you love to hate, and an interesting plot. I liked the story and can't wait for the next book to see what happens with Mira and her friends and family... but I hope to see some improvement in the writing too.

Some parts of the story aren't as well thought out as might be the case. For instance, an incident in chapter nine seems to happen without enough foreshadowing and hits the reader like one of the rocks thrown by a supporting character in a later chapter... I won't say which incident as I like to keep my reviews as spoiler-free as possible in case someone is reading the review prior to having read the book. Additionally, Mira's class ranking changed dramatically from the beginning of the school year to the end... which stretched my suspension of disbelief, perhaps just a little too much given that she started 9 years behind the other students and so was not as prepared as her fourteen class mates...

Also as mentioned by at least one other reviewer, the young teens of Mira's class sometimes act younger than they are.  I won't say that makes the story less appealing to the targeted age group, but having the teens act a bit more mature certainly wouldn't hurt anything. The other thing I noticed which distracted me from the story some is that there are occasional errors of a typographical nature scattered throughout the book... Errors such as these really should be corrected prior to publication. So, two stars deducted for the flaws mentioned.

I'll make a note here for those bound to disagree with my rating of this book. My ratings are based solely on the quality of the writing: plot, characterization, (and if reviewing a finished copy) grammar, spelling, factual or other types of errors noted in a book will all count for or against the rating of a particular book.  The author's ethical conduct and/or political views have no place in a review, as far as I am concerned, so I don't even take them into consideration. I am capable of evaluating the writing without agreeing or disagreeing with the author's ethics and politics.

I received the PDF of this book free from the author via LibraryThing Member Giveaways in exchange for this review. This review was simultaneously published on Dragon Views, LibraryThing, YABooks Central, and Amazon.com

Exploring The Rainforest

Dragon Keeper: Volume One of the Rain Wilds Chronicles
and Volume 10 in the Realm of the Elderlings series
By Robin Hobb
Eos (2010),
Hardcover, 496 pages
Rated 5 stars of 5 possible

Dragonkeeper is both the first book of a new series and the tenth of a massive previous series by this talented author. Both series are set in the same world. Dragonkeeper is set in a rainforest type area and tells the story of dragons who didn't properly develop, so the beasts need help from humans to survive. Meanwhile, the councils at Bingtown, Cassarick, and Trehaug want the dragons moved farther away from the human settlements, so they hire some young people who have few or no ties to civilization to escort the dragons up river toward a legendary city of the Elderlings, known as Kelsingra. Nobody knows exactly where Kelsingra is, but the dragons have their memories and say they will know Kelsingra when they see it.

The author takes many pages to get the characters ready for their journey, which makes for a slow start to this interesting novel. Given the terrain and the hardships of a low technology world, the preparation time is probably realistic, if a little less interesting than the larger portion of the book. Dragon Keeper is loaded with a cast of interesting and well-developed characters of all kinds. Some surprising plot twists add interest and keep the reader turning the pages until the cliff-hanger ending is reached, leaving some questions unanswered and several obvious paths to the beginning of book two of this exciting new series.

Recommended for fantasy fans ages 14 and up.  This review has been simultaneously published on Dragon Views and LibraryThing.

Good Versus Evil - With A Twist

Burned: Volume 7 in the House of Night series
P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast
St. Martin's Griffin (2010),
Hardcover, 384 pages
Rated 4 stars of 5 possible

The first thing I noticed about the novel, Burned, is the quiet elegance of the dust jacket design which you can see to your left, courtesy of the publisher. Pictures of the previous six novels grace the back cover.  Yes, once again I find myself reading a series but not starting with the first book. Since I'm new to the House of Night series, this will be a good test to see if this book can stand alone.  A well-written series book should be able to stand alone, but some series books other than this have failed the test. The next thing I noticed: the inside of the dust jacket could double as a poster.  No doubt, some teens will love that feature. And even stripped of the dust jacket entirely, this is one very nice looking book. Front, back and spine boards are illustrated in a design that coordinates with, yet does not duplicate the design used for the dust jacket. That's a nice change from the plain, undecorated covers used on so many books these days.  So much for the impressive appearance... now to get at the contents.

Burned hooked me at once and has been an interesting read. The characters, for the most part, are well developed, and believable. However, at times, the teen-speak seems a bit too mature for the characters. While not entirely flawless, the writing is very well done. I'm fairly sure that fans of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight will probably love the House of Night series, while those who don't love Twilight aren't likely to love Burned either. As for me, I'm very interested in what contemporary writers are doing with vampires; this is quite different than the prototype, Count Dracula, and highly enjoyable. This book makes me want to round up the entire series so I can read them in order.

While the basic plot of Burned is good versus evil, which is probably the oldest plot in the universe, this mother-daughter team approaches the ancient battle from new directions and with intriguing characters. This easy to read, fairly fast-paced tale has it all; the good, the bad, the aggravating... right down to some scenes being a little too drawn-out. Now for that test I mentioned a few paragraphs back... While Burned doesn't entirely fail as a stand alone novel, some references to past events (probably described in one or another of the previous six novels) could do with a bit more explanation.

I highly recommed the House of Night series to fans of vampire literature and to those looking for something different to read. While starting with Burned is possible, it's not the best place to begin this series.  Instead, go back and read Marked first, followed by the other volumes of this series in order of publication (Betrayed, Chosen, Untamed, Hunted, Tempted), ending with Burned. That way, you won't get a lost feeling when some of the past events are mentioned.

The publisher has also graciously allowed me to post links to the video trailer, the song from the trailer, and first chapter of the book, all of which you will find below. A finished copy of the hardcover first edition of this book was provided to me free by the publisher in exchange for this review. The text of this review has simultaneously been published on Dragon Views and LibraryThing, including the links to the extra bonus material. I will probably also post the text of the review sans the good stuff on Amazon.com.

Trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmJjEDZJkYc

Song: http://www.houseofnightseries.com/pages/downloads.html#songs

First chapter: http://www.houseofnightseries.com/pages/burnedxrpt.html

House Of Night Website: http://www.houseofnightseries.com/index.html

Relocation, Vampire Style

Still Sucks to Be Me:
The All-true Confessions of Mina Smith, Teen Vampire
By Kimberly Pauley
Mirrorstone (11 May, 2010),
Hardcover, 384 pages
Rated 5 stars of 5 possible.

Coming soon... and every bit as good as her first book. Kimberly Pauley has done it again... Yes, I can say that because I'm one of the lucky recipients of an advance copy of Still Sucks To Be Me, which arrived in my possession on May 6. Kimberly writes in a fast, easy-breezy style that will charm you and keep you turning the pages to see what happens next.

Still Sucks To Be Me takes up where Kimberly's first book, leaves off, and moves the story of Mina Hamilton Smith and her family forward, with laughter on almost every page.  Kimberly has kept what was good from her first book - those myth and truth snippets at the head of each chapter, plus pages from Mina's notebook, and added some fresh new scenery as Mina and her family relocate, and brought along some new characters and their attendant drama. Most of the action takes place in a small Louisiana town where everyone knows everyone else (and their business). Primarily aimed at the young adult market, Mrs. Pauley's books also appeal to the teens inside the adults we have become.

While you most certainly can read Still Sucks To Be Me alone, why not read both books, for twice the fun? Recommended reading for those looking for something different and fun to read. You won't be sorry!

An advance copy of Still Sucks To Be Me was provided to me free by Kimberly Pauley in exchange for this review, however, long before I was able to get my hands on the advance copy, I pre-ordered the hardcover version because I knew this is one book that belongs in my permanent collection. This review has been simultaneously posted on Amazon.com, Dragon Views, Library Thing and YA Books Central.com

Still Sucks To Be Me Launch Contest - (Now Over)

Oh Coolness! Kimberly Pauley's new book is coming out on May 11 and you can win a copy! That's right, You can win a copy of Still Sucks To Be Me, signed by the author. But that's not all.  Kim has put together prize packages containing both of her fantastic books and other cool stuff. See the details and enter the contest on Kim's author website: http://www.kimberlypauley.com/2010/05/03/still-sucks-to-be-me-launch-including-epic-contest/.  Don't forget to come back here and read my review of Still Sucks To Be Me, which I expect to post on Sunday May 9th... but I'm not going to commit to an exact posting time.

Sucks to Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire (maybe)
By Kimberly Pauley
Mirrorstone (26 Aug 2008) Hardcover, 294 pages
Mirrorstone (11 Aug 2009) Paperback, 304 pages
Mirrorstone (26 Jan 2010) Kindle edition
Rated 5 Stars

"...I'll have to say, my only regret is that it had to end... Who would have known that a vampire story doesn't have to be scary?Yes, Sucks to Be Me is a vampire story, but nothing like you've ever read before... so throw all your old notions and pre-conceived ideas about vampires out the window because that's not what you'll find in Kim's new book. What you will find is a barrel of fun... vampire style." Read the rest of my review of Sucks To Be Me

Still Sucks to Be Me: The All-true Confessions of Mina Smith, Teen Vampire
By Kimberly Pauley
Mirrorstone (11 May, 2010), Hardcover, 384 pages

Coming soon... and every bit as good as her first book. Kimberly Pauley has done it again... and yes, I can say that because I'm one of the lucky recipients of an advance copy, which arrived in my possession on May 6 and which I've almost finished reading already. Kimberly writes in a fast, easy-breezy style that will charm you and keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. Aimed at the young adult market, Mrs. Pauley's books also appeal to the teens inside the adults we've become. 

Nice Blend of History and Fiction

Fever 1793
Laurie Halse Anderson
Aladdin Paperbacks (March 2002),
Paperback, 265 pages
Rated 4 stars of 5 possible

The Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793 and its aftermath have been historically documented, providing much factual information on which this novel is based. Other reviewers have done a good job summarizing the story, so I won't repeat their efforts here.  Instead, I'll just tell you why I think you should read the book.

Following the novel is an 8 page appendix revealing that many of the events portrayed in the novel actually did happen and that some of the characters were based on real historical persons. While I like seeing such a feature in books that are based on actual events, a bibliography of source material used would also have been a nice feature for a book like this one.

The nearly seamless blending of historical fact with fiction, and her believable, historically consistent characters that help make Laurie Halse Anderson's novel a page turner; one of the best reasons for reading it would be pure enjoyment. The characters are well-developed and the writing exceptionally good. The story is told from start to finish in about 240 pages and moves forward at a nice pace, so it's not overly long and certainly not boring either, with the rich historical content on which the novel is based.

I recommend this novel to readers age 14 and up who are interested in historical events told through fiction. While written specifically with young adult females in mind, this book should appeal to all ages and both genders through it's strong characters and well-defined story.  This review has been simultaneously posted on Dragonviews and Library Thing.

Cookie Cutter Characters

Dirty Little Angels
By Chris Tusa
Pdf review copy 170 pages
Publisher: Livingston Press (2009)
Rated 3 stars of 5 possible

Dirty Little Angels is the story of a dysfunctional family living in the slums of New Orleans. The story is somewhat dark and suspensful at points... While this story is fiction, it is all too accurately reflcted in real life. Financial hardship, adultry, drug usage, psychotic instability and more are depicted front and center in this book. Tragically, none of the characters seems willing to accept responsibility for or try to correct the deficits in their characters.

Aside from being set in the south and the dark tinge to the plot, this novel does not stand comparison with To Kill a Mocking Bird or any contemporary literature of which I'm aware. Other novels have at least some characters that the reader can like and care about, but the characters in Dirty Little Angels are all the same - flawed and black-hearted with few redeeming characteristics that I could find.

Sixteen year-old Hailey Trosclair is no different from the other characters in that she has her own twisted sense of right and wrong. She values her family but is far too willing to cross the faint line between legal and illegal, between sanity and insanity.  A few times, I really wanted to slap her silly; hanging out with the wrong sort of people just about got her what she deserved.  If this story had gone on much longer, I could see everyone caught in the downward spiral of self-destruction.

This review is simultaneously published on Amazon.com, Dragonviews, and LibraryThing.

Bizarre Excuses

The Cat Ate My Gym Suit  
by Paula Danziger      
Format: Paperback, 148 pages  
Publisher: Yearling (1983)
Rated 3 stars of 5 possible

Marcy Lewis, a girl with a poor self-image and a slight weight problem hates gym class, so she gives her teacher some bizarre and untrue excuses why she can't particpate in the class activities. This book's title is just one of those excuses. Then, along comes Ms. Finney, a new English teacher who does not believe in saluting the flag and teaches her classes using controversial methods that make the more conservative members of the community - including Mr. Stone, the school principal - feel uncomfortable. Marcy's father is also opposed to the methods used by Ms. Finney. The thing is, Ms. Finney not only teaches good English and makes her classes interesting, she also teaches good commuication skills, thinking outside the box, and gives the students a new-found confidence in themselves.

The concept is good, the writing decent, but the humor falls flat all too often, so I'm downgrading the rating of this book to just three stars because I don't feel the story has the impact it could possibly have. Of the suporting cast of characters, Marcy's mother could be a little more aware that she's probably a big part of her daugher's weight problem by serving ice cream whenever Marcy comes home after a bad day at school - of which there are far too many... Mother, of course does realize her contribution to Marcy's excess weight but is rather slow to do anything about it; nor does Marcy ever seem to realize what she is doing to herself.

And then there's the little brother, Stuart. He loves Marcy with the innocence that only very young children seem to have, but he's far too cute and is not just a scene stealer but a complete show-stealer. Too much focus is on little brother. More focus should be on Marcy, since she is the main character and little Stuart only part of a large supporting cast.

Recommended for Paula Danziger fans... and might be usable as a discussion book in junior highschool English classes.  Regrettably, it's not for everyone.

Fantasy At Its Zaniest

Dark Lord of Derkholm
By Diana Wynne Jones
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Greenwillow; 1st edition (October 29, 1998)
Rated 5 stars of 5 possible

Derkholm is a fantasy world peopled with wizards and griffins and dragons and a variety of other interesting types of people, including some who are ordinary and some extraordinary.  It is also a tourist attraction for another world, but the people of Derkholm are fed up with the tyrannical Mr. Chesney and his pilgrim parties so they petition their High Chancellor to put a stop to these expeditions once and for all.

What follows is more fun than a barrel of monkeys when Wizard Derk is chosen to be this year's Dark Lord and his son Blade is chosen to be the Wizard Guide. Even the dragons and griffins have to get into the act... and then, of course, Murphy's Law intervenes. Dark Lord of Derkholm is fantasy at its zaniest. I haven't laughed so hard since I first read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy many years ago.

Recommended to fantasy lovers age 12 and up who are not put off by some violence in the story, which, in this case is a necessary part of the plot.

Almost A Changeling

The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett
Hardcover: 375 pages
The Phillips Publishing Co (1910, 1911)
Rated 4 stars of 5 possible

Written nearly 100 years ago, The Secret Garden is one of many coming of age stories in existence. Mary Lennox, a very unpleasant young girl, is suddenly orphaned. She travels from India, where she was born and spent the first part of her life, to England so that she may be cared for by her only surviving relative, an old Uncle, who has a secret that he has kept for ten years.

The author had me intrigued first with Mary, then with her Uncle's secret... and after that, with Mary's progress as she becomes more civilized, changing from a half-wild and completely unlikable person into someone the reader can care about and who is important to other characters in the story...

Despite variances in the English language which have occurred within the last century, I found this refreshing and delightful tale was easily understandable and quite different from most of the YA novels of today. I recommend it to all readers from age 10 and up who are looking for something different. 

While this book can probably be found either used or in a new edition at many bookstores, the reader will also be able to download The Secret Garden free from Project Gutenberg. There are several different formats from which to choose at the first link, Or, if you prefer to listen, Project Gutenberg has several different audio formats available as well.

The True Cost of Power

The Fifth Ring
by Mitchell Graham
Mass Market Paperback: 528 pages
Publisher: Eos (January 28, 2003)
Rated 4 stars of 5 possible

A young boy's fencing skill earns him a prize at once beautiful and terrible: a ring which contains the power to enslave a world. To his sorrow, young Mathew Lewin learns the true cost of wearing the awesome ring.

The Fifth Ring is a dark fantasy tale; mostly action with few completely developed characters. Those few characters are of both necessary types - the ones you can care about and the ones you love to hate. The book also contains a couple of nice features; a map of the fantasy world occupying two full pages near the front of the volume and a six page glossary of names and places in the back.  If one reads the glossary first, this creates a foundation for better understanding the story.

Due to the powerful rings in this tale, a comparison with Tolkien's Lord of the Rings briefly crossed my mind; however, this is a far different and much less complicated saga, more suited to the average person than Mr. Tolkien's work.

The well-placed bits of description in this tale don't slow the pace of the action, as can happen when too much descriptive detail is provided. Recommended for readers ages 12 and up who favor action over description and enjoy tales set in fantasy worlds.

Intricate and Touching

Lark and Termite
by Jane Anne Phillips
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Knopf (January 6, 2009)
Rated 4 stars of 5 possible

There are times when a book crosses my path that I would not have purchased for myself, but I read the book because it's there in front of me. Most of these are disappointing and a discouraging waste of my time. After all, I should know what I like, should I not? However, sometimes there are surprising exceptions to that rule.  One such exception was a book I received at Christmas in 2007; For One More Day by Mitch Albom haunts me still, though I've only read it the one time. 

Now, Lark and Termite has moved into my mind right beside For One More Day... yes, Lark and Termite haunts me in that same inimitable way.  It is a story of the power of loss and love, the echoing ramifications of war, family secrets, dreams and ghosts and the unseen, almost magical bonds that unite and sustain us.  Lark, a girl on the verge of adulthood cares for her younger brother Termite.  As the story unfolds, we see into the hearts and thoughts of the leading characters, even Termite, who, unable to walk, talk or express himself in a normal fashion, nevertheless has ways of making his wants and needs known to those around him, if only they would listen.  Lark listens to her brother.

Lark and Termite is nicely paced and each of the main characters tells a portion of his or her story in turn. While the point of view shifts with each chapter, the transitions are very well done. The kaleidoscopic viewpoint does not jar the senses as could be the case with a book written by a less skilled author.  I could not put it down.  Lark and Termite is a relatively short novel yet has as much or more impact on the reader's senses as longer books do.  Recommended for readers ages 15 and up who may be looking for one of those stories that touch your heart.

Conspiracy on the High Seas

The Red Wolf Conspiracy
by Robert V. S. Redick
Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Del Rey (April 28, 2009)
Rated 4 stars of 5 possible

Mr. Redick's debut novel, The Red Wolf Conspiracy, takes place in a fantasy world in which the main mode of travel is by sailing ship, which leads to adventure on the high seas for the story's main characters. This story begins shortly after a terrible war, when a six-hundred-year-old ship sets sail for enemy lands in order to create an enduring peace between the world's two greatest monarchies. When the characters uncover a dark conspiracy surrounding the Red Wolf, a legendary and dangerous artifact, they must face a host of dangerous foe and fight for their very lives while uncovering secrets that could destroy both empires.

While the first half of this novel is fast-paced and well written, I found the middle to be slow and cumbersome, not nearly as well-fashioned as the first part. The ending, though satisfactory and set to merge well with the sequel, failed to make up for the humps, bumps and downright clumsy feel of the middle part of the book, where some elements seemed ill-timed or out of place.  The concept is marvelous, very intriguing, but the middle of the story could benefit from some editing and possibly from another draft to smooth out some of the inconsistencies.

Over all, not bad for a first novel.  I eagerly await the next installment of the series and hope to see some improvement in the flow of the storyline. Recommended to adult fantasy and sea-faring fans who don't mind the violence, which may be disturbing to some readers.

The Queen's Thief

The Queen of Attolia
by Megan Whalen Turner
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen (April 26, 2000)
Rated 4 Stars of 5 Possible

When Eugenides, the Thief of Eddis, discovers that his country is at war with Attolia, he must steal a man, he must steal a Queen, he must steal peace. Eugenides discovers that his greatest triumph - and his greatest loss - comes in capturing something the Queen of Attolia thought she had lost long ago... © 2000, Megan Whalen Turner

This second volume of The Queen's Thief  series inserts its hook in the reader within the first few pages and does not let go until you've reached the end of this amazingly well written tale about the Queen of Attolia and the talented thief who can steal anything he wishes.  The shades of romance entertwined with the non-stop action and page-turning adventure make Mrs. Turner's novel into an unforgettable fantasy for young and old alike.

While many series books become too dependent on the volumes which preceeded them, The Queen of Attolia is either a new adventure for someone who has not read the first volume of the series or a beloved addition to the longer saga. The Queen of Attolia entertwines nicely with the first volume and leaves one expecting more, which, natually, follows in volume 3 of The Queen's Thief  series; yet this stand-alone quality is invaluable for leading readers to an author they may never have tried before as well as allowing the reader to choose whether to read a single adventure or the entire series.

Recommended for readers ages 9 to 99 who don't mind a bit of violence in their fantasy.

Decisions and Discussions

The Brave Apprentice
by P. W. Catanese
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Aladdin (June 21, 2005)
Rated 4 stars of 5 possible

"Seven at one blow!" That's what they say about the Brave Little Tailor -- he killed seven foes with one blow. But no one can prove it's even true. Besides, that took place a long time ago, and the Brave Little Tailor is now an old man. So what happens when an army of angry trolls invades his kingdom? Excerpt above © 2005 P.W. Catanese.

Find out when you read this further tales adventure. Rather than retelling the old fairy tales, P. W. Catanese has come up with the concept of sequelizing those old favorite stories, writing original stories based on the old concepts, but carrying them to a new generation of fans and introducing readers to new characters.

While the publisher markets this novel for readers between the ages 9 and 12, it is also fun for fantasy readers of any age who would like a quick, easy read without leaving their favorite genre.  As should be expected in a tale of good versus evil, there is some violence which may make this story unsuitable for readers ages 10 and under, depending on the individual reader's maturity level. With that caviat, I recommend parents of the younger readers preview this novel ahead of their children and turn it into a prompt for a great family discussion after everyone has read the book.