Peter and the Starcatchers by Barry and Pearson

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Don't even think of starting this book unless you're sitting in a comfortable chair and have lots of time. A fast-paced, impossible-to-put-down adventure awaits as the young orphan Peter and his mates are dispatched to an island ruled by the evil King Zarboff. They set sail aboard the Never Land, a ship carrying a precious and mysterious trunk in its cargo hold-and the journey quickly becomes fraught with excitement and danger. Discover richly developed characters in the sweet but sophisticated Molly, the scary but familiar Black Stache, and the fearless Peter. Treacherous battles with pirates, foreboding thunderstorms at sea, and evocative writing immerse the reader in a story that slowly and finally reveals the secrets and mysteries of the beloved Peter Pan.
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I read this book some time ago and was reminded of it recently. It was a really good book, one I could not put down. Too many late nights. How did Neverland get there? Peter Pan? Fairy dust? Who was Captain Hook anyway? Wendy? Well, this fun and thrilling book gives us some supposed history on the childhood classic, Peter Pan. I would recommend this book for the average 3rd or 4th grader. The suspense is there, but nothing graphic. My daughters read this in 3rd and 4th grade and gave it to several friends as a book of choice for gifts. That must indicate that it is really quite a good read.

Note: I have not read any of the other books in this series.

Heroes of Olympus series: Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up on a school bus holding hands with a girl. Apparently she’s his girlfriend Piper, his best friend is a kid named Leo, and they’re all students in the Wilderness School, a boarding school for “bad kids.” What he did to end up here, Jason has no idea—except that everything seems very wrong.

Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, and her vivid nightmares reveal that he’s in terrible danger. Now her boyfriend doesn’t recognize her, and when a freak storm and strange creatures attack during a school field trip, she, Jason, and Leo are whisked away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood. What is going on?

Leo has a way with tools. His new cabin at Camp Half-Blood is filled with them. Seriously, the place beats Wilderness School hands down, with its weapons training, monsters, and fine-looking girls. What’s troubling is the curse everyone keeps talking about, and that a camper’s gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist they are all—including Leo—related to a god.

Rick Riordan, the best-selling author of the Percy Jackson series, pumps up the action and suspense in The Lost Hero, the first book in The Heroes of Olympus series.  Fans of demi-gods, prophesies, and quests will be left breathless--and panting for Book Two.
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They're not joking. Jason and friends are thrown into action without knowing anything, right away! The pace never slows down and surprises lurk in every chapter. True to his past writing Rick Riordan has done it again, another series shaping up to be a great read! This book is better for kids who are good readers, who have studied some mythology or read the Percy Jackson books (but not necessary) and are 10 and older. Younger teens will enjoy this book series as well. Written with action and personality, you are going to love these new characters and be rooting for their success as if it were your own.  I have the second one on hold and the third one on PRE hold as it is not out yet. Can't wait to read them all.

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My 15 year old and I have now read three of these. Great books! We are eager to read the fourth one when it comes out next fall. Too long to wait! They held our attention well. Not to mention when we went to see an exhibit on Pompeii we actually had an understanding of Greek and Roman society and gods and godesses, etc. that we would not have had. Good education couched in a fiction book. Double good.

Thanks for another great series Rick Riordan!

The Door Within Trilogy by Thomas Batson

The Door Within trilogy by Thomas Batson
Aidan Thomas is miserable. And it's much more than the strange nightmares he's been having. Just when life seemed to be coming together for Aidan, his parents suddenly move the family across the country to take care of his wheelchair-bound grandfather. When strange events begin to occur, Aidan is drawn into his grandfather's basement where he discovers three ancient scrolls and an invitation to another world.
No longer confined to the realm of his own imagination, Aidan embarks on an adventure where he joins them in the struggle between good and evil. With the fate of two worlds hanging in the balance, Aidan faces Paragory, the eternal enemy. Will Aidan be willing to risk everything and trust the unseen hand of the one true King? The answer comes from The Door Within.

The Rise of the Wyrm Lord 
Separated from his friend by a thousand miles and unable to return to The Realm of Glimpses himself, Aidan Thomas needs a way to reach Robby with the message of King Eliam, the one true King.
Enter Antoinette Lynn Reed, a bright but headstrong young lady who believes in the Scrolls of Alleble and has a passion for full-contact Kendo. When Aidan discovers that Antoinette has been called to enter The Realm, he solicits her help to find Robby's Glimpse before it is too late.
When she arrives in Alleble, Antoinette finds the kingdom is in turmoil. Alleble's allies are inexplicably beginning to turn away, renouncing former ties with King Eliam. And there are rumors that the dark Prince of Paragory is seeking an ancient evil to crush Alleble once and for all.
Can Antoinette and a team of Alleble's finest knights learn the secret of Paragory's growing power? And will they be able to stop the Rise of the Wyrm Lord?

 The Final Storm
Still staggering under Paragor's relentless attacks, Alleble's remaining allies flee from the four corners of The Realm to safety within the Kingdom's walls. But there is little time for Alleble to mourn before Paragor, the Wyrm Lord, and the deadly Seven Sleepers unite against the followers of King Eliam. As Alleble begins to lose hope, Paragor unleashes The Final Storm. Will anyone survive to see the dawn?
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 Talk about a gripping series!!!! I could not read them fast enough. While the first book started out a bit slow and vague it picked up very fast and the beginning was a necessity for the story to flow right. My 14 year old daughter read this book, at 12 and has been after me to read it for a couple years! Why I was so slow to pick it up I will never know. It is really a great series and well worth the read. This book is good for boys and girls who are good readers, ages 10 and up. There are some gripping and suspenseful scenes, as well as battle graphics that would not be appropriate for a younger reader.

Return to Exile, The Hunter Chronicles by EJ Patton

ONE BOY. UNTOLD ENEMIES. WEAPONS MADE OUT OF GARBAGE.

SERIOUSLY, WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

Eleven years ago, a band of ancient hunters battled an army of monsters in the town of Exile, and Phineas T. Pimiscule rescued his nephew, Sky, from a terrible evil. For eleven years, Sky Weathers has studied traps, puzzles, science, and the secret lore of the Hunters of Legend, believing it all a game. For eleven years, Sky's parents have dragged him across the U.S. and back again, moving from city to city in an effort to hide him from dark enemies while, unbeknownst to Sky, his uncle Phineas sacrificed everything to protect him.

For eleven years, Sky Weathers has known nothing of that day.

But on the eve of Sky's twelfth birthday and his family's long-awaited return to the town of Exile, Phineas disappears. To find him, Sky joins forces with a ragtag group of teenaged monster hunters who trap creatures using weapons made out of garbage and know even less than he does. But Phineas's disappearance is just the beginning; if Sky can't solve the riddles his uncle left for him in the next two days, Exile will burn. Sky's only hope for a solution lies in confronting the mysterious secrets he's denied for so long: Why did his family leave Exile on that day eleven years ago? What, exactly, has Phineas been preparing him for? And, the biggest mystery of all, who is Sky really and why does everyone want to kill him?!

Featuring lively characters, quirky humor, and an action-packed plot that covers the gamut of every monster you've never heard of, Return to Exile--a modern day fantasy adventure--is brimming with boy and girl appeal and is a gem for reluctant young readers and adults young and old. 

Artwork by Caldecott-honoree John Rocco, illustrator of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Heroes of Olympus, The Kane Chronicles, and the Caldecott-nominated Blackout.

Return to Exile is the first book in The Hunter Chronicles series.

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This was a good book. At first I was not really sold on it. A bit slow and vague, I felt lost and confused. But, that was how the character felt too. I think the author was just drawing me in to the character feelings and life. Background would have given away the story and the point of the book is to discover the background story. So, as I read and discovered more I really liked the characters and the plot. Monsters abound in this book and you grow to understand them more through Sky and his strange connection to them. In the end you are really rooting for him to win and for the kids to befriend him for real. No one this intriguing should be without a band of friends to solve dangerous riddles with.

This is not a hard book, easy to read. It is not overly graphic and the plot is not thick or complicated.  Monster alert with some minor gore. Riddles are the key to this book, so if riddles are your thing, this book is for you! I would suggest this book for an advanced younger reader in 2nd -4th grade. It is also good for a moderate reader in older elementary or middle school.

39 Clues, Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan

The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan, is the first book in the 39 clues series. This is a good book, very clean, appropriate for good readers in 2nd grade and older readers as well. It is not scary and has just enough suspense to keep the reader interested and using his or her imagination.  I will read all 39 as I can. This book certainly caught my interest, who writes 39 books, can they actually keep them being good? Yes, I think they can. This is a short and easy read and so as the story builds book by book it will be a great way to read. I think my boys will get into this one when they are a bit better readers. I will read the first one out loud to get them hooked. :)

Basically, a brother and sister are attending the funeral of the only relative they had who took an interest and cared for them. Orphans now for certain, they feel lost and alone. The funeral ends up being a bit of a shock as they find that the family is so large and diverse, however, mystery awaits and the family links are key. Given a challenge in order to receive inheritance, teams of various family members set out to solve a riddle and be the first to claim the prize. What it is no one knows and who will win? Well, there are 39 clues........... so keep reading we must!

Official: What would happen if you discovered that your family was one of the most powerful in human history? What if you were told that the source of the family's power was hidden around the world in the form of 39 clues? What if you were given a choice - take a million dollars and walk away ...or get the first clue and begin the search? At the reading of their grandmother's will, Dan and Amy are given this choice - and they take the clue. Immediately, they are caught in a dangerous race against their own family members. The hunt is on. Think you've gone everywhere books can take you? Think again. Books are going to a new place, but you have to follow the clues to get there. Join Amy and Dan as they begin the hunt for the 39 Clues in "Book One: The Maze of Bones". The high-octane adventures will continue for a total of ten exhilarating books written by well-known authors over two years. The 39 Clues also encompasses hundreds of game cards and an online world that allows you to play a part in the story and compete for 100s of prizes, totalling over GBP50,000.

Matched by Allyson Condie

Matched is the first of a dystopian Trilogy written by Allyson Condie.
The official summery is:

All her life, Cassia has never had a choice. The Society dictates everything: when and how to play, where to work, where to live, what to eat and wear, when to die, and most importantly to Cassia as she turns 17, whom to marry. When she is Matched with her best friend Xander, things couldn't be more perfect. But why did her neighbor Ky's face show up on her match disk as well?

The story is great for Teens. This series has some romance in it, a bit more than I would prefer for my daughters, but nothing over the top or graphic. Really just kissing and hand holding. Ok, I am in denial that they are teens. And they both liked the first two books. Anyway, the story follows a teen girl who lives in a society that is completetly fabricated to keep people safe and perfect. Safe. This is a relative term that could be good or bad. What are they kept safe from? Maybe they are not as safe as it would seem. Maybe the society is not all it is made out to be. Journey with Cassia, Xander and Ky as they grow up in a society that has controlled every possible aspect of their life. Explore with them if this is a good thing or bad and what can be done. 

The first book moves more slowly than warranted. It is largely 3rd person, which is not my preferred style of writing. Loads of description. It really sets the stage for the following book, Crossed, and so it is really important to read it to get the whole picture. It ends with a bang and leaves you hanging. The second book is all action and suspense. Lots of description here too. It also leaves you in a bind. What choice will Cassia make? What do I want her to decide? Ahhhh............ The third and final book, Reached, comes out this November and the library does not have it available for reserve yet. So, I might have to wait a while, which is going to be suspenseful in and of itself. I am eager to read it and see how things turn out!

We have now read all three. This is a great series. My 13 year old and I really enjoyed it. It moved too slowly for my 15 year old. I think that this is a great book and it will provoke kids to think about society and the purpose of it.

The Trilogy by Ally Condie

Matched
Crossed
Reached