Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins



Title: Gregor the Overlander
Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Junior Fiction
Rating: 5



I’ll admit, I picked this book up because after reading The Hunger Games trilogy a couple of years ago I wanted to see what else Suzanne Collins could do.  I  had a hard to believing she could tame down her writing enough so that younger kids could comprehend it and not be scared out of their wits.  I was sooo impressed with this book and how well written it is for the intended age group, and cannot wait to read the rest in this series.  I will definitely start recommending this series to more kids looking for adventure novels or something “fun”.

Gregor, a poor, responsible young boy has recently lost his father and starts taking on the tasks of being the "man" of the house.  He does his chores and passes up going to summer camp to take care of his two-year-old sister Boots, and his aging grandma.

However, his summer soon takes a turn when he runs to chase Boots down a vent in the laundry room...and is transported to the "Underland".  Once in the Underland, Gregor faces many difficult choices and challenges thrown his way.  Giant evil rats, huge bats, enormous cockroaches and a strange looking race of humans greet Gregor and Boots in the Underland.  Plus a mysterious prophecy and a whisper of his father leave Gregor confused and shaken, can he overcome all of this?

Gregor the Overlander snuck in so many life lessons, kids reading this book won't even know they are learning to become better people, and adults will be reminded of the people they should try to be every day.  Kindness, forvgiveness, equality, and the ability to hope are repeated throughout this novel making it a fun and exciting adventure with depth.  The reader will find themselves thinking about the story after they have finished reading it, looking at life a little bit differently.

"Even if times got bad, he would never again deny himself the possibility that the future might be happy even if the present was painful. He would allow himself dreams."

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Title: Wonderstruck
Author: Brian Selznick
Genre: Junior Fiction
Rating: 5

After waking up at 2am with far too much on mind (Summer Reading Program, new house, impending wedding, etc.) I picked up Wonderstruck and did not go back to sleep until 4am (oops!), but that's how all consuming this book is.  It is an amazing read!  I am a solidified fan of Brian Selznick now. The Invention of Hugo Cabret is absolutely amazing too.

Review:
A young boy's journey through loss, tragedy, difficult changes, and ultimately the discovery of a lifetime. Ben loses his mother and must live with his aunt, uncle, and cousins. Then he faces another major set back when he tries to discover more about his father who he has never met. Ben sets off on the adventure of his lifetime to meet his father, and although the journey and outcome aren't exactly what he expects the results are astounding and change his life forever.

Along with Ben's journey, the story of a young deaf girl named Rose is also told mainly through pictures. The two stories interweave and mesh together perfectly adding an extra element to the book.

The story is masterfully told through not only carefully chosen words, but perfectly suited pictures. This was an awesome novel which people of all ages will enjoy and re-read just to see if they missed anything the first time.

"Ben wished the world was organized by the Dewey decimal system. That way you'd be able to find whatever you were looking for..."

The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan



Title: The Serpent's Shadow
Author: Rick Riordan
Genre: Junior Fiction
Rating: 4.5


 Super sad that this is "supposed" to be the last book in Riordan's Kane Chronicles series.  However, fingers crossed, this isn't actually the case.  I got the feeling after reading this book that maybe (hopefully) a book combining Egyptian mythology with the Greek/Roman mythology is in the future.

I love Riordan's junior fiction books, but I do find the Kane Chronicles more difficult to follow  than the Percy Jackson or Lost Heroes of Olympus series.  Most likely because I am just more familiar with Greek mythology than Egyptian mythology.  That being said, I love being able to learn mroe about Egytian mythology through this series.

In this book, the battle to stop Apophis, the god of Chaos, is the center of the plot.  Of course Carter and Sadie Kane's messy yet entertaining love lives are also part of the plot line.  The Kane children face numerous challenges and obstacles they need to overcome which make for a book packed full of non-stop actiona and adventure. Don't start this book unless you have plenty of time to read becasue it will be one which is really hard to put down.

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Title: A Great and Terrible Beauty
Author: Libba Bray
Genre: YA Historical Fiction/Fantasy
Rating: 3.5

This was not a bad read, but it wasn't particularly great either. I probably had too high of expectations going into it though.  Historical fiction, mixed with fantasy, and a touch of romance; a bit too good to be true.  The characters didn't particularly click with me, but maybe that's because I never understood the popular and annoying 16 year old mindset. They just seemed like the type of people at school I would have avoided at all costs, but maybe that was the point of the book; to show the snotty kids perspective?  Whatever the case, I will probably try and finish the series at some point because for some reason I can't quite put my finger on, I'm curious.  Maybe the next ones will be better?

Overview:
After a terrifying vision and the murder of her mother, Gemma's life is changed forever.  She is sent to boarding school in England after a life in India and discovers the difficulty of fitting in, making friends, staying true to herself, while also learning about a dangerous secret Order and her connection to it.  A gift she didn't know she had also appears and she must learn how to manage it. However, a mysterious young man has followed her from India to England to warn Gemma against using this new gift she has discovered, but should she listen? Gemma faces many difficult decsions, but will she make the right choices?

The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart



The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict
Trenton Lee Stewart
Junior Fiction
Rating: 4.5

I was so excited when I saw that this book had come out.  I absolutely love the three previous Mysterious Benedict Society books.  They are great reads for kids and young adults (and adults too of course :) because they are packed with adventure, mystery, and drama. While at the same time the stories teach valuable lessons about freindship, bullying, and other weighty issues.

Review:
This book tells us about Nicholas Benedict's (the "teacher" of the children in the three previous novels) unusual childhood.  I was skeptical.  I thought I would be disappointed since the children I have grown to love in the other novels weren't in this story, but that was not the case.  I loved the characters just as much in this novel!  It was very cool to see how all of the characters in this novel grew and some of the reasons why they turned into the people they do in the previously published novels.

Nicholas Benedict is your not-so-typical, super-smart, narcolpetic young boy. This story begins with his journey to a new orphanage (as Mr. Benedict is an orphan himself) called Rothschild's End.  He dreams of a fresh start where he will have freinds and fit in, unfortunately that is not what happens immediately.  Nicholas is warned of the Spiders, the orphanage's notorious bullies, before he even enters the building and the Headmaster, Mr. Collum,  is not a compassionate or caring man.

However, Nicholas' stay at Rothschild's End isn't all bad.  He is able to learn many valuable life lessons, gain a couple amazing new friends (John and Violet), all while on the hunt for a hidden treasure.  Will Nicholas and his two friends figure out where the treasure is located before the Mr. Collum?  Can Nicholas ever "defeat" the Spiders? Is it possible for someone so different to fit in?

Gilt by Katherine Longshore

Title: Gilt
Author: Katherine Longshore
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.5

I received Gilt from the Early Reviewer's program on Library Thing and one again was able to discover a wonderful book I probably would have never purchased on my own.  I enjoy historical fiction, but am leary of purchasing these type of novels because it's hard to find an author who writes them well. Gilt was a fun historical fiction novel, written more so for teens, (most of the conflict revolves around teen drama) but can be applied and enjoyed by all ages.
Review:
Gilt is a teen historical fiction novel about the Henry VIII debacle. This story focuses around Cat's, Catherine Howard, story told from the perspective of Cat's childhood friend Kiity.

Even though Henry VII and Cat are in the novel, Kitty's transformation from a girl who does whatever she is told to a free-thinking individual is the main focus. Gilt is filled with romance, hte intrigue of court life, difficult choices, consequences, and revelations.

This novel was one I couldn't put down. It held all the elements of a great historical fiction novel. I would definitely recommend this to others, mainly teens, who enjoy historical fiction especially about Henry VII. It's not as detailed as a Phillipa Gregory novel, but a good fast read.

The Secrets of Mary Bowser by Lois Leveen

Title: The Secrets of Mary Bowser
Author: Lois Leveen
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.5

I received this as part of an Early Reviewer program through LibraryThing and was super excited because I haven't read a Civil War era story in quite some time.  I was really impressed by this novel because of all the historical detail in it and how inspiring the story is for the reader.

Review:
Centered around a strong female African American character, this book provides a story filled with inspiration and hope.
Mary is a slave in Richmond, Virginia who is set free and sent North to receive an education by her wealthy mistress, Bet Van Lew. Mary leaves her beloved parents behind in Virginia to receive her education and realizes that she wants more than to just be free and educated; she wants to make a difference and help end slavery. So when Mary is given the chance to return to Richmond and turn spy for the Union against President Jefferson Davis, she takes it. Along the way, Mary is confronted with many difficult choices, discovers love and loss, and risks everything she has to help end slavery.
A wonderful, inspirational story the reader will enjoy while also learning something about American history