The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co. #1), by Jonathan Stroud ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Middle School Fiction, Mystery, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

401 Pages

Synopsis: A sinister Problem has occurred in London: all nature of ghosts, haunts, spirits, and specters are appearing throughout the city, and they aren’t exactly friendly. Only young people have the psychic ability required to see—and eradicate—these supernatural foes. Many different Psychic Detection Agencies have cropped up to handle the dangerous work, and they are in fierce competition for business. In The Screaming Staircase, the plucky and talented Lucy Carlyle teams up with Anthony Lockwood, the charismatic leader of Lockwood & Co., a small agency that runs independent of any adult supervision. After an assignment leads to both a grisly discovery and a disastrous end, Lucy, Anthony, and their sarcastic colleague, George, are forced to take part in the perilous investigation of Combe Carey Hall, one of the most haunted houses in England. Will Lockwood & Co. survive the Hall’s legendary Screaming Staircase and Red Room to see another day? 

I’ve had this series on my tbr for what seems like forever, but somehow just never seemed to find the time to start it. So, when the first book, The Screaming Staircase, popped up on NetGalley as a Read Now offer, I immediately jumped, and now I’m left asking why I waited so long.

I have to be honest and say that Lucy, who’s the narrator is a little on the dull side. Her personality is well developed, but she’s very reserved, especially when compared to the gallant Anthony and amusing George. I liked her, but she seemed to be missing a certain spark. The relationship between the three is at the heart of this book and I liked that they weren’t copycat characters of others from series like Harry Potter. They’re engaging and work well together, and I was fully invested in seeing what happened with them 

I loved the world-building which is set around an alternate current day London, which has an almost Victorian age feel. There’s a bit of an info-dump which does slow the pace somewhat, but it still makes for a suspenseful and at times, humorous read. 

Despite the couple of issues I had, overall I thought The Screaming Staircase was an enjoyable beginning to the Lockwood & Co. series and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the books. I think middle-school age kids will gobble this creepy tale.

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Dragon’s Green (Worldquake Sequence #1) by, Scarlett Thomas – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Alternative Fiction, Books, Fantasy, Middle School Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Release Date: Available Now

384 Pages

Synopsis: Effie Truelove believes in magic, as does her grandfather Griffin (although he refuses to do any magic, let alone teach Effie how to use it). After a mysterious incident leaves Griffin close to death, Effie is given an unusual silver ring and told she must look after her grandfather’s library of rare and powerful books. But then the books fall into the hands of shady scholar Leonard Levar, and Effie is propelled into the most dangerous adventure of her life.

Now, Effie and her friends–nerdy Maxmillian, rugby-mad Wolf, helpful Lexy, and eccentric Raven–must discover their true powers if they are to get the books back. And Effie alone will have to travel to the Otherworld, she will discover the true meaning of the strange old book called Dragon’s Green…

Dragon’s Green is Scarlett Thomas’s first book written for children, and what a marvelous beginning it is! Effie Truelove is a heroine in the same vein as Harry Potter. She’s courageous, loyal, and determined to do the right thing. But her true strength comes from the support of friends, who are just as well-developed as Effie. They’re an entertaining mix of kids who are always willing to come to each other’s aid. The dialogue between them is clever and funny, which further adds to the enjoyment of the story. The world-building is simply phenomenal. The story is set in an alternative London after a catastrophic earthquake has destroyed the majority of technology and seemingly, magic. You can probably guess from the cover and premise, that books play a central role here, which makes this even more appealing. The only reason why I haven’t given this a perfect 5 star rating, is because except for Effie’s grandfather and Maxmillian’s mother, who both seem to know more than they’re willing to share with our intrepid heroes, most of the adults are at best, uncaring, and at worst absolutely horrible. They’re very reminiscent of the way adults are depicted in Roald Dahl’s books. I was left wishing they were a little more original, but the rest of the story is so wonderful that this is a minor complaint. Dragon’s Green is a fantastic and creative beginning to this new middle grade series, and I highly recommend it to fans of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. I can’t wait for the next book!

Rebel Genius ~ By Michael Dante DiMartino – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adventurw, Fantasy, Middle School Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Roaring Brook Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: October 4th, 2016

384 Pages

Synopsis: In twelve-year-old Giacomo’s Renaissance-inspired world, art is powerful, dangerous, and outlawed. Every artist possesses a Genius, a birdlike creature that is the living embodiment of an artist’s creative spirit. Those caught with one face a punishment akin to death, so when Giacomo discovers he has a Genius, he knows he’s in serious trouble.

Luckily, he finds safety in a secret studio where young artists and their Geniuses train in sacred geometry to channel their energies as weapons. But when a murderous artist goes after the three sacred tools–objects that would allow him to destroy the world and everyone in his path–Giacomo and his friends must risk their lives to stop him.

For anyone who isn’t familiar with the name Michael Dante DiMartino, he’s the co-creator of the multiple award-winning animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender and the sequel The Legend of Korra. So being the geek that I am, I immediately jumped on this as soon as it popped up on NetGalley, especially when I read the premise. I love stories set in renaissance worlds, so I was prepared to be completely captivated, and for the most part I was. I have to be honest and say I thought that the first few chapters were a little slow. It seemed like a lot was thrown in regarding characters and world-building in a very rushed sort of fashion. By the time I had reached the fourth chapter though, things evened out. I was also dismayed that there was just as much an emphasis on geometry as there was art. Of course this was probably due to the fact that I flunked geometry not once but TWICE in high school! Thankfully there are these beautifully drawn sketches provided by the author that not only made this element easier to follow, but also really brought to life the characters and their world. Giacamo is an underdog that I think many kids will relate too. He goes from being an orphan who’s forced to live in the sewers, to realizing he’s an outlaw artist who now has a Genius of his own. Even with all this being thrown at him, he jumps right in and with his new friends, does everything he can to save the world. There is a large cast of characters and some aren’t quite as developed as others. I was especially frustrated with the fact that the villain of the story, the evil Empress barely makes an appearance, and that’s only during the epic battle near the end. I also thought some of the dialogue was sloppily written and came across stilted at times. I was initially going to rate this 3-3 1/2 stars, but what saved this book for me was the uniqueness and gorgeousness of the world-building. Well, that and I REALLY want my own Genius! It’s also extremely fast-paced and filled with swashbuckling fight scenes, which even though it was almost 400 pages, made it a quick read for me. Despite it’s flaws, Rebel Genius is an exciting middle grade adventure that kids will love and will also appeal to creative types and math lovers alike. No, it’s nothing like Avatar, but that’s not a bad thing. I’m quite looking forward to the next book!

The Mighty Odds (Mighty Odds #1) ~ By Amy Ignatow – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Bullying, Death, Fantasy, Humor, Middle School Fiction, Racism, Superheroes

Thanks to NetGalley and Abrams/Amulet for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 13th, 2016

240 Pages

Synopsis: When a sweet nerd, an artsy cartoonist, a social outcast, and the most popular girl in school are involved in a mysterious bus accident, this seemingly random group of kids starts to notice from very strange abilities they did not have before. Artsy Martina can change her eye color. Nerdy Nick can teleport…four inches to the left. Outcast Farshad develops super strength, but only in his thumbs. And Cookie, the It Girl of school’s most popular clique, has suddenly developed the ability to read minds…when those minds are thinking about directions. They are oddly mighty–especially together.

This group–who would never hang out under normal circumstances–must now combine all their strengths to figure out what happened during the bus accident. With alternating narratives from each of the heroes, including illustrated pieces from Martina.

The start to a new series by Amy Ignatow, author of The Popularity Papers, The Mighty Odds is off to a rollicking good start. Ignatow has taken the theme of misfit kids, attaining superpowers, banding together to save the world, turned it on it’s head and throws in bullying, racism, and middle school politics for good measure. And unbelievably this works! Each character is richly drawn. For example Cookie, the only black kid in school has carved out a place for herself as the leader of the popular clique. She actually has more in common then she thinks with Farshad who at the beginning of the book she derisively refers to as “The Arab Kid” or even worse “Terror Boy”. But she’s not the only one guilty of using stereotypes to label her schoolmates. One of my favorite characters, Jay, whose somewhat ADD and always looks at the positive side to life is enamored with Cookie and calls her his “gorgeous Nubian queen” and says that someday they’ll “make coffee-colored babies”. He comes from a small town and Cookie is the only black person he’s ever met. Coming from a smallish town myself which is definitely not ethically diverse, I can understand this somewhat, but it still made me cringe. Also addressed is Farshad being the victim of anti-Muslim sentiment, and Nick’s dealing with his dying father. There are so many heavy issues brought up, but balancing those are some truly funny moments. Also adding to the appeal are Martina’s illustrations. Martina actually reminded me a little of Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter series. She has a kind of quirky, zany view of the world, but once you really pay attention to what she’s saying/drawing, somehow it all makes sense. The ending leaves things open for the next book as the mystery of who exactly the villains are and what are they up to isn’t really answered. This first book mainly serves as an introduction to this band of misfits while successfully working in societal issues along the way. It’s funny and poignant at the same time, and I believe it’s one of the more clever and appealing books for tweens that I’ve read this year. 

Once Upon a Zombie (Book One: The Color of Fear) ~ By Billy Phillips and Jenny Nissenson – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Fairytales, Fantasy, Horror Fiction, Middle School Fiction, Mystery, Relationships, Siblings

 I received this book from NetGalley and The Toon Studio Press in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: Unexplainablenews.com is reporting strange phenomena in cemeteries in Scotland, Germany, Italy, and America. Only one individual knows what’s happening–and why! This person also knows the one girl who can prevent an unspeakable and imminent catastrophe from taking place. But will she? When Caitlin Fletcher’s mom disappeared (or left?) Four years ago, Caitlin began suffering from breathless bouts of anxiety. Her new move to London, with her Dad and brainiac sister, threatens to lead to more situations that will trigger panic. Now she’s having anxiety over the possibility of having anxiety! Caitlin’s life takes a turn for the bizarre when she’s tricked into climbing down a “rabbit hole”, landing in a wondrous fairy tale universe–except it’s crawling with savage, starving, blood-eyed zombies. But what’s scarier – a blood thirsty zombie, a panic attack…or the painful truth? 

When I first saw Once Upon a Zombie offered on NetGalley, I thought I had died and gone to heaven! I mean what could be better than some of the most beloved fairytale characters being turned into zombies? Well, as it turns out, not much. Billy Phillips has created a positively perfect mash-up of horror and fantasy, while at the same time, sending an important message which should resonate with it’s readers.

With all these Zombie Princesses like Rapunzel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White around, it would have been easy for the character of fourteen-year-old Caitlin to get lost amidst all those strong personalities. While she’s always been anxious, since her mother’s disappearance four years ago, her anxiety has increased exponentially. When we first meet her she’s literally hyperventilating over the idea of attending a school dance. This beginning is the weakest part of the story as it deals with your typical high school drama, without adding anything new. However, once Caitlin and her younger sister Natalie slide down the rabbit hole, well, that’s when the incredible world-building begins, and the adventure takes off. 

Caitlin and the precocious Natalie are the perfect team. Where Caitlin is timid and overthinks things, Natalie is impulsive and adventurous. Their personalities perfectly balance each other. The Zombie Princesses led by the strong and determined Rapunzel, are a wonderful and funny supporting cast. Sleeping Beauty keeps having to take naps, although these wind up being quite useful as she has visions during them. Snow White is the one with the truly kind and generous heart, even when it comes to saving a zombie Big Bad Wolf. And finally Cinderella who interjects some of the funniest lines due to her voracious appetite. In smaller roles are such iconic figures as Belle, The Little Mermaid and of course Alice, and I’m hoping we’ll see more of them in subsequent books. 

There’s a nice little romance between Caitlin and one of her classmates, Jack. While he immediately jumps into danger to help Caitlin, he also appreciates her strengths, sometimes more than she does herself. He’s a sweet, supportive and caring guy with a secret of his own, and will have many tween girls sighing over him.

While all these elements plus a thoroughly entertaining plot make for a truly enjoyable read, what I loved the most about this book was how it addresses the concept of fear. You see, this is the core of the story. The different types of fear and which are beneficial, and which wind up crippling us. It’s brilliantly written as the central theme without taking away from the story itself.

While I first received the ebook from NetGalley, I also wound up with the print version from the publisher. I was originally planning on donating it to my library, but I wound up loving it so much I don’t know if I can part with it.

And let me tell you, the cover is absolutely exquisite and seeing it on your computer or e-reader doesn’t do it justice. It has equally beautiful artwork on the inside flap and the back cover. In fact, if you’re going to buy it I’d recommend purchasing the hardcover. While I’d say it’s written primarily for a tween audience, Once Upon a Zombie will appeal to all audiences with it’s exciting plot and unforgettable characters. It’s the first book in what will be a trilogy and I’m excited to see what happens in the next book.

Serafina and the Black Cloak ~ by Robert Beatty – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Folklore, Historical Fiction, Middle School Fiction, Mysteries, North Carolina

 I received this e-Arc from NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: July 14, 2015

Synopsis ~ “Never go into the deep parts of the forest, for there are many dangers there and they will ensnare your soul.”

Serafina has never had a reason to disobey her pa and venture beyond the grounds of Biltmore Estate. There’s plenty to explore in the shadowed corridors of her vast home, but she must take care to never be seen. None of the rich folk upstairs know that Serafina exists; she and her pa, the estate’ s maintenance man, have secretly lived in the basement as long as Serafina can remember. 

But when children at the estate start disappearing, only Serafina knows who the culprit is: a terrifying man in a black cloak who stalks Biltmore’s corridors at night. Following her own harrowing escape, Serafina risks everything by joining forces with Braeden Vanderbilt, the young nephew of Biltmore’s owners. Braeden and Serafina must uncover the Man in the Black Cloak’s true identity before all the children vanish one by one.

Serafina’s hunt leads her into the very forest she’s been taught to fear. There she discovers a forgotten legacy of magic that is bound to her own identity. In order to save the children of Biltmore, Serafina must seek the answers that will unlock the puzzle of her past.

Book Trailer: http://bit.ly/1JVlMOq

I don’t read a lot of Middle School age fiction, but there was something about the cover of this book that caught my eye. When I watched the book trailer I was completely hooked.

Serafina and the Black Cloak takes place in the late 1800s and is set in Ashville, North Carolina. What makes this beautiful and remote setting even more interesting is that it actually exists. You can explore Biltmore House and it’s history by visiting: http://www.biltmore.com

Being extremely poor, Serafina and her “Pa” have no choice but to live in the basement of Biltmore, unbeknownst to the residents of this vast estate. Serafina is definitely not your average child. Not being able to interact with the other children who visit and live on the estate has turned her into a bit of a wild child. She amuses herself by roaming the hallways at night and catching rats. It’s during one of these nocturnal adventures that she stumbles across the Man in the Black Cloak as he corners a terrified child and makes her disappear. Swift-footed Serafina is able to escape his clutches, but she’s determined to find out who this villain is. Much to her surprise, she finally uncovers the mystery of her origins, which her protective father has always kept hidden from her.

Serafina is the type of fictional character I wish I had known when I was twelve. Despite her lack of formal education, Serafina is smart and fearless. She also will do anything to rescue the missing children, even if it puts her own life in danger. She’s funny and astute, and her observations on her surroundings and the other residents of Biltmore are perfect. The story is told from her perspective and being told in her charming dialect makes it that much more entertaining.

Braeden is the perfect partner for Serafina. An orphan, he’s had to grow up rather quickly and at times seems wise beyond his years. He’s as courageous as Serafina, yet his wisdom helps temper her impulsiveness. I had the sense while I was reading that these were two lost souls destined to find one another. 

The identity of the villain isn’t a huge surprise, but nevertheless the build-up to his unmasking is still exciting. Even while suspecting him I found myself fervently hoping I was wrong, because I actually liked him.

Except for a slightly slow start, Seraphina and the Black Cloak is exciting and full of twists and turns. It’s an imaginative and spooky tale that should have wide appeal for tweens and those of us who haven’t let go of their inner child. While the ending pretty much wraps everything up I have a feeling there will be more books detailing further adventures of young Serafina and Braeden. And, since this is being published by Disney, I also wouldn’t be surprised or disappointed if this wound up being turned into a movie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elijah Dart: Angel of Death ~ By Jonathan Ferrara, Illustrated By Aaron Ferrara – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Family Relationships, Friendships, Middle School Fiction, Paranormal Fiction, Spirituality, YA Fiction

 I received this ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review.

~ The next Angel of Death has been chosen…

Before his fourteenth birthday, ordinary Elijah Dart would have never gone snooping around in a graveyard, joined an old ghost for tea, or battled Hellhounds with a scythe. If only he hadn’t followed the Reapers through the graveyard on All Hallows Eve, he would have never been in training to take his father’s place as the next Angel of Death.

Before I share my thoughts on this book, if you haven’t checked out Jonathan’s and Aaron’s blog at http://husbandandhusband.net you really should. It’s one of my new favorite blogs thanks to their marvelous insights and their great sense of humor.

Elijah Dart is a curious mix of humor and darkness which Jonathan Ferrara blends together quite deftly. Using death as a central theme has been done by many authors with varying levels of success. Jonathan has taken this theme and added a uniqueness of its own, which I found refreshing. Elijah is such an appealing character, that what he goes through in the book really tugged at my heartstrings. Even before finding out his legacy, Elijah is a misfit. He’s just turned that awkward age of fourteen, his family lives next to a graveyard, and he doesn’t really have any friends. Even his two older brothers bully him. When you add to that mix, the discovery of his destiny, well you can definitely understand him freaking out a bit. But, he pulls himself together pretty quickly, and accepts the mantle which has been forced upon him. Helping him is a rather special dog named Grim. Their relationship provides some of the most humorous moments in the book. While they share a mutual disdain for one another in the beginning, the way their relationship develops is truly touching. The mythology behind the story is compelling and original and will appeal to teens and adults. Like the author’s previous book; The Blackwell Family Secret, it finds its basis in Christianity, but once again, the combination of religion and the supernatural makes the story even more interesting. Jonathan adds some intriguing twists which really had me thinking. What brings everything together are the family dynamics. Gregory and Helena Dart are phenomenal  parents, even if Helena is a terrible cook, and they won’t let their kids participate in Halloween festivities. They adore all their children and are extremely supportive. Cory and Steven are Elijah’s older brothers and reminded me of slightly scarier versions of Fred and George Weasley. I kept referring to them as the “Gruesome Twosome” in my head! The youngest of the siblings is little Myra who shows herself to be wise beyond her six years at times. There’s also Grandma Dart, (who interjects her own brand of humor), and finally the mysterious Cousin Patricia, and her daughter Hayden. All these characters form a solid foundation behind Elijah in one way or another. Putting the finishing touches on this appealing story are Aaron Ferrara’s whimsical illustrations which begin each chapter. He also created the beautiful cover art. Jonathan packs an amazing amount of detail into a 128 page book, but it did leave me with some unanswered questions, so I can’t wait for the second book to come out. There were some grammatical errors and awkward turns of phrases, but they weren’t enough to spoil my enjoyment of the book. Young teens will identify with Elijah and be enchanted with his adventures. I also think adults who read YA fiction will enjoy this promising new book. I’m looking forward to reading more about Elijah in the second book; Elijah Dart: Carnival of Bones, due Fall 2015.

The Iron Trial ~ by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare – 3.0 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Fantasy, Magical Boarding Schools, Middle School Fiction

 Synopsis: Twelve year old Callum Hunt has always been told by his father to stay away from magic because it’s dangerous. His mother was killed, and Callum’s leg was permanently damaged because of a war between mages. So now that it’s time for him to face the Iron Trial to see if he’s worthy to be accepted into the Magesterium, Callum does his best to fail. Unfortunately that backfires and he finds himself in a strange school where over the course of five years he and the other students will be trained in the magical use of the four elements; earth, fire, air, water. But there’s much more going on than Call ever could have imagined. “The Enemy” with whom a fragile truce has existed since Call was an infant is on the move and recruiting. Worse, Call is about to find out why his father was so determined to keep him away from magic.

So, this was me getting my copy of The Iron Trial at the library:  

As soon as I got home I immediately dived in. I mean a middle school book by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare! What could possibly go wrong? So I began reading about the beginning adventures of Harry, Ron, and Hermione at Hogwarts… Ahem. I mean Callum, Aaron, and Tamara at The Magesterium. The three are selected by the wisest wizard, er, Mage of them all, Dumbledore! Oops, I meant to say Master Rufus. Okay. I’m going to stop being snarky now. Obviously I feel this was just too much like Harry Potter. But honestly. Almost every character is a copy. Draco clone? Check. Snape clone? Check. Voldemort clone? Check. This is me halfway through the book:

As much as I’m a devoted Harry Potter fan I have no issue with books that are similar. J.K. Rowling did not corner the market on magical schools, wizards, evil villains, etc… One of my favorite children’s series after Harry is Jenny Nimmo’s Children of the Red King which over six or seven books follows young Charlie at a magic school. While there are similarities, there are also plenty of differences that make these books unique. The problem I had in this first book of what’s supposed to be a five book series is that the similarities were so numerous that it became distracting. Especially the villain, “The Enemy” which is really short for “The Enemy of Death” because he’s obsessed with defeating, wait for it, death! Seriously? These two authors couldn’t come up with something a little different? To be fair, although Tamara could be Hermione’s twin sister in spirit if not in looks, neither Call nor Aaron are complete carbon copies of Harry and Ron. And that is an example of why I gave this 3 stars and not 2. There are a few differences and twists with the characters and the plot that have instilled a small flutter of hope that perhaps starting with the next book, they will further be fleshed out. I also wonder if as I was reading it, was I looking at it too much as an adult. That maybe an eleven year old wouldn’t mind. Also, if the reader was someone who hasn’t read Harry, I think they may definitely like it. Arrgghh! This is so frustrating! So, will I try the second book? Probably. The question is will it be because of that small flutter of hope I mentioned, or because I’m a masochist? Your guess is as good as mine.

This is me having finished The Iron Trial: