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
 

Scumble by Ingrid Law

OOOO this is a GOOD book.
I picked this one up to see if it would be a good read aloud for my 6 and 7 year olds. YES YES YES!!! This is  a super book and I think I will read it aloud and the companion book Savvy too.

Scumble by Ingrid Law is a winner. This family is just like yours and mine, well, almost. They have super powers but not like The Incredibles. This is just plain fun and entertaining. Have you ever played that game with your kids, what if I could pull anythign out of my pocket I thought of? What if I could jump super high? What if I could use mind control to get my kids to behave? Fun game. This is the book! Here, it is real. How cool is that.
Ledger turned 13, the age when people in his family get their savvy (special power) and wow is his a whopper, will he learn to scumble (control/embrace) his savvy before he causes a really huge disaster? Is his savvy a gift or a curse?  I love the simple story that gets a complicated twist and weaves in the everyday with the super. Ledger is not so unlike us, he must learn to master his fears before he finds that his talent is truly a gift. Hmmm, sounds like the author knows what it is like to be normal, and to realize that none of us are truly all that average. We all have a gift to use and to do it well, there are things to be conquered.  This book is fun, it is cool, it is awesome and I am SO reading all of them! Out loud.

This book would be appropriate for any age. It is written at an older elementary reading level.

This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel

This Dark Endeavor, The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstien by Kenneth Oppel is a teen fiction book for sure. I would not recommend a child under the age of 13 to read this book.
This book is very well written. It crafts an intriguing story out of the ordinary, which is the most captivating. While there was nothing outrageously grabbing about this story it was more than a page turner. This being the case, I would pose some cautions about the book's content. It is dark, it is foreboding, it dabbles in dark magic of ancient times, not made up fantasy stuff. The choices of the characters are real and dramatic and not so unlike any of us if presented with the same set of circumstances. For this reason I recommend parental preview of this book and a good bit of caution. While this book does not have anything to do with vampires and the like, it is going to appeal more to those who are interested in that genera than those who liked Narnia, Fablehaven or even Harry Potter. This book ends like it is the begining of a series. I have not found info on any further writing of a series, so for now it stands alone. And maybe, despite it's being so well written, it should be left there.

Beyonders, A World With No Heroes by Brandon Mull

Beyonders is a new series by Brandon Mull (of the Fablehaven book series). This is the first book in the series. A World Without Heroes starts off a bit clouded. I could not tell where it was going for the first few chapters and almost put it down. A certain bad vibe for getting my teen to read it. However, it picked up quite nicely after a few chapters and knowing Brandon Mull's other works really held me to the reading to see what he brought forth this time. By the time the main character had fallen into another world and discovered a strange............. oh, I can't tell you that would ruin it! Anyway, by that time, I was snatching every available minute to read. The turn of events were clever and surprising, there is much more to be written in this story. I am intrigued with the series and will be reading every one of them as they come out.

And you should too. I even think my teen will make it through the first few chapters and be hooked.

This would be an appropriate book for kids in grades 3-12
Moderate violence, but nothing graphic. Mild romantic interest between the main characters. VERY mild.

fall

Ok, I have been quite lax in updating this. School started and well, I'm not here much. I am going to take a bit and give you a few posts on some books I have read this fall. Scroll on.