The House of Hades by Rick Riordan*****

It finally happened. A teacher took my book from me in class today. Was I reading during an activity or lecture? No, I had already finished my book for the day. But it turns out that my math teacher is a big Percy Jackson fan, and he reallly wanted to read my book. The House of Hades is about Percy Jackson and his gang. He and Annabeth are plunging straight into the Underworld, while Leo and Jason are struggling to even control their own ship. When Annabeth and Percy land in the river of misery, they just want to give up and die. But they manage to find the strength to start their journey into the depths of Hell. Meanwhile, Leo is being robbed by little dwarves, but since they only haves eyes for shiny stuff, Leo is a prime target (he's an engineer). They must seal the Doors of Death and defeat Gaea once and for all.

This book is so good! I have read all the books in this series, all of the Percy Jackson series, and all of the Kane Chronicles. I love Rick Riordan's books. I have always enjoyed these series. Nobody was expecting him to bring Percy back in the second book of this series, but I'm glad he did. I hope everyone else loves these books as well.

Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks*****

Evil Genius is about Cadel, the kid with the IQ higher than his teachers. He was always interested in hacking, but he almost never gets access to a computer without huge supervision. When he graduates high school at the age of thirteen, causing trouble along the way, he goes to the college that his father has made just for him. There he gets a huge computer system and does what he wants whenever he wants, so life is easy for him. He soon learns that life won't be easy all the time--not everything is handed to him on a silver plate.

This book was hilarious! It had humor at all the twists and turns. This book is for anyone looking for the best series (pretty much the best series ever). I recommend this for anyone in fourth or fifth grade because it is very appropriate, but I think older kids will enjoy it as well.

Darkwater by Catherine Fisher*

Darkwater is about Sarah, girl who has lived for over 100 years. Here family's pride has always gotten in the way. To save her father, she must repent. At only 16 years old, she made a deal with an evil being who has existed since the beginning of time. But there's a catch--she has to apologize to him for all of her family's prideful boasts (sometime in the next 100 years). When she starts her apologies, she meets a boy who almost makes her same mistake. He tries to make a deal with the evil being. Can she save Tom from making the same mistake she had made?

This book wasn't good, it wasn't good at all. The books that I've read over the past few days have horribly under-developed plots. At least this book was a super short read. The author needs to build upon Sarah's grandfather losing the house because that's what is interesting about this story. It was not a good read for me, but I hope it is for you.

The Comet's Curse by Dom Testa**

The Comet's Curse is about a group of kids living on Galahad, which is a huge spaceship. This is their home for the next five years. But when one of their shipmates finds a stowaway on the ship, everyone goes into panic mode. The person who built the ship finds out that one of his most trusted scientists is trying to destroy the ship. When the kids find this out, they, of course, try to stop him. This ends up to be a race against time to destroy or save the human race.

This book was okay. I wouldn't be rushing to the store or library to get the others in the series. I think it was a little under-developed compared to most other series books. I think this is for elementary school kids, just for the fact that it is totally appropriate and has a series to keep you interested for a while.

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta**

Finnikin of the Rock is about Finnikin. He lives during the Middle Ages, and his kingdom has been destroyed. He is one of the few people who has escaped the walls of the kingdon when a new (imposter) ruler comes to power and closes the gates. Finnikin is traveling to find Evanjalin, the person who says she knows where his long lost friend is. He only wants to find his friend because his friend is the heir of the kingdom. When Finnikin is sent to jail by Evanjalin, he finds his father. They work together to escape the horrible working camp. They learn that Evanjalin was lying to them--the lost heir is dead. But when she reveals her huge secret, the whole world tilts on its axis.

This book was one of the worse fantasy books that I have read. I think that it just had to much bloodshed and death. This book was very rude overall, so no one under the age of 10 or 11 should read this. I hope you like this book more than me.

A Trick of the Light by Lois Metzger***

A Trick of the Light is about Mike. He is a good boy; he does everything he should. When his mom starts to sleep all the time, he starts to get fatter and fatter. He keeps getting annoyed by a girl who he has known till kindergarten starts to bother him about watching what he eats. The voice in his head tells him to listen to her. He starts to run for hours a day and rarely eats. He starts to become anorexic (or in other people's eyes he is). He is taken to a hospital where they make them eat 6 meals a day, but the voice in his head tells him not to lose his "perfect" body. Mike starts to gain control when his friends become friends again, and when he starts to eat like usual.

This book is an important message to most people. There are many people out there who just don't eat to lose weight, which is very bad for your body. Male anorexia is not as talked about as female anorexia. I'm glad Lois Metzger tacked this issue in a very interesting book.  This is a book for high-schoolers.

Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikealsen*****

Touching Spirit Bear is about Cole. All he has ever known is anger. But when he breaks into a hardware store and brags about it, a boy from school rats him out. Things get ugly. Cole starts to beat Peter up to exact his revenge. Peter tries to run away, but trips and falls, which makes Cole start to rub Peter's head against the sidewalk, sort of like a human sander. Cole is taken to juvie and is given a second chance by Circle Justice, a program that teaches you "love" and "caring." Peter thinks as soon as they come up with a punishment, he can escape. But when he is pummeled by the wind, beaten by a bear, and almost crushed by a tree, he knows that it is over. The Circle Justice group gives Cole another chance. By his own means, Cole must figure out how to control his temper and change his ways.

This book was amazing. There are no other words to describe this book. It ties nature in to a "humane" setting. They dump Cole on an island, a totally abandoned island, which was funny because he thought he could escape. I love this book and it sets a good example (not the beating up kids or breaking into stores). I  think we could all learn something from this book. It is definitely appropriate for middle school kids, but high school students would love it too
.

Freewill by Chris Lynch*

Freewill is about Will, a messed-up sort of kid that death follows around. He has always wanted to be a pilot, but has to work in a wood shop. He is one of the best wood-workers, and all the projects go to the school. They also can be sold, but Will never gets to keep them. When teen suicide starts to kick up, Will knows it's him. His father had death following him around, so why doesn't Will? Will must figure out his life and learn how to live the way he does.

This book is really depressing. I had such a hard time going through this book. It had a weird way of saying "you" because it put the story in your point of view. I really don't have anything good to say about this book. I wouldn't recommend this for anyone.

Into That Forest by Louis Nowra*****

Into That Forest is about Hannah, a girl who lives in a whaling community. When her "friend" Becky visits, her parents decide to take a boat ride. When their boat capsizes, her parents drown. She and Becky are saved by a Tasmanian tiger, and they decide to follow the tiger into the forest to survive. Hannah easily adapts to the ways of the tiger and becomes more like them than human. When she and Becky are taken in by her friend's dad, he kills the daddy tiger by using the girls as "bait." This makes them go into a rage, lashing out and biting everyone they can get their teeth on. Hannah must make the best of her situation and learn the ways of the pack, both tiger and human.

This book has so many emotions. First, she is disbelieving that the boat crashed. Then she just wants to be part of the pack. Finally, her best friend does more than Hannah thought possible. Hannah just wishes that nobody had found her, and that her life could return to the way of the tiger. This book really is a book for everyone--eventually. There are some references to inappopriate behavior. But it is really one of the best books I've ever read. I know you will love it too.

Freaks Like Us by Susan Vaught*****

Freaks Like Us is about Jason, a boy in a messed up life. He is an "alphabet", a kid with a mental disorder. He knows this, and has his little group of alphabets. When his mute friend, Sunshine, disappears, Jason knows he has to find her. But when the FBI thinks that he killed/abducted Sunshine, he tries to hold his own search. When Jason finds her locket in one of their special spots, everybody thinks he took her. Can he find Sunshine? Can he prove he's innocent? And can he escape being an alphabet?

I think this story brings out the best or the worst in people. There are a lot of bullies that would beat up Jason and Drip (his other friend). It also shows how much Jason cares for Sunshine, and that he would do anything for her. I think this book should be read by anyone looking for a book full of emotion.

The Isle of Blood by Rick Yancey****

The Isle of Blood is the third book in the Monstrumologist series. Will is back with Dr. Warthrop, and they are looking for the "holy grail" (as described in the book) of all monsters. But when another apprentice shows up saying that he has applied to be Dr.Warthrop's apprentice, Will gets mad. Will immediately sniffs out a rat, and is worried for the doctor's safety. Will goes to rescue the doctor, but is wrapped up in an adventure of blood, gore, and all general monstumology.

This book is a huge read, it took me the whole day. This book has an adventure feel to it which I love. I loved the whole series, and I read them page to page. If you're ready to commit to a huge series, then you might want to try this series: warning, this book contains many graphics scenes. This book is not for kids under the age of 10. I think this book is a good read overall.

H.I.V.E Escape Velocity by Mark Walden***

H.I.V.E Escape Velocity is the third book in the H.I.V.E series (sorry I missed it before!). Otto is back again with Wing, Shelby, and Laura. When their headmaster, Dr. Nero, is kidnapped, the school goes into total lockdown. Otto has a plan to get out of the school to rescue Nero, but his room is gassed, making it impossible to think. They are being taken to the substitute headmistress, but Raven decides to show up and crash the party. She escapes with Otto and his friends to the Megalodon, which is a super high-tech submarine. They must rescue Nero and stop Number One's diabolical plan. And now, the adventure begins...

This book is a big gap-filler because I accidentally read the other books before this one. I think this book, if read with the rest of the series, would be an amazing book. But I had to be dumb and made this book really boring for myself by not reading it before. This is an excellent series--I highly recommend it.

Paradise Lost by Steven Layne*****

Paradise Lost is about Jack, a boy has been to Hell and back in his first adventure. He is now living a normal life, but when his brother calls him about an arch-rival, everything changes. Jack's girlfriend, Jori, is being stalked, his brother starts behaving weirdly, and his grandmother is poisoned. He gets a video of his brother being beaten, and then Jack knows he must do something. He decides to bring his arch-rival, Mr. Eden, down to his level. Jack must save his brother, his girlfriend, and most importantly, the world.

This book is really funny. The grandmother watches the shopping channel, and has a ton of awesome gadgets from the orders that she places. This book is a gut-buster that will make you want to never put it down. There is a first book to this series, but I seemed to have missed it. It certainly didn't stop me from enjoying this book though.

Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff****

Boy Nobody is about "Ben", a boy who has multiple identities, multiple kills, and multiple enemies. When he is assigned to kill the mayor of New York, the mayor's daughter causes complications at the highest degree. He needs to get close to the mayor, so he decides to get close to the mayor's daughter. But the relationship is more than he expected. The mayor decides to help Ben, and everything goes wrong. Ben finds it difficult to kill the mayor because he cannot hurt the mayor's daughter. Will he fulfill his assignment? Can he listen to his instructions? Will he be true to himself?

This book is an action-adventure novel, made for the rough-and-tough kids who love all the spy and agent stuff. I think this book shows that everyone has feelings, nobody is a rock. Nobody can have a void where their feelings are. It constantly mentions that "Ben" has no feelings (or he has a void of feelings), but he realizes near the end that he really does have feelings. I think that this is a book for high schoolers. It has some inappropriate scenes that make it questionable for a middle school audience.

The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey****

The Curse of the Wendigo is the second book in the Monstrumologist series. Will is adventuring in the wilderness with the doctor to find his friend, Jack Chanler. They soon realize what has happened to him during the time he spent lost in the Canadian wilderness: Jack has changed from a human to a monster. Jack manages to escape the hospital and goes on rampage. He starts killing people in the city to suffice his hunger. But the more people he kills, the more he starves.

This book shows the horrors of fantasy that would torment our minds if they were real. We are lucky there are not beings like this, now or ever. Read this book if you are looking for a great Halloween thrill. Or are you too scared?

The Progarm by Suzanne Young*****

The Program is about Sloane, a girl who lives during a suicide epidemic. She has to be an emotionless being so she is not selected to be in the Program, which erases your memory to "help" you. Sloane is always trying to protect herself and her boyfriend, James, who always says he will protect her from the Program. But when their friend commits suicide, their lives fall apart. First James is taken, then Sloane is taken. She fights her way through the system to remember her memories to save her world. Can she break the system?

This book gives a lot of reasons not to take your life. This just raises everyone's guard (everybody is more alert and in your business) and causes a lot of problems. I think I would rather not like to live in a world like this. It would be depressing; sort of like what the Program looks for. I would recommend this book for high-schoolers. You have to read this book to understand it.

The Last of the High Kings by Kate Thompson

The Last of the High Kings is about J.J and his family. His daughter, Jenny, cannot listen for the world. J.J is constantly trying to wrangle her in. When Jenny is up at an excavation pit, she starts to talk to a ghost and a p'uka (a shape-shifter). Everyone treats her like she's crazy, but J.J knows what she's talking about. He knows she means things from other worlds, like fairies. Will he be able to help Jenny, can he solve the endless riddle, and most of all, can he stop the two worlds from colliding?

This book wasn't very good. It was like it's prequel, The New Policeman (that's in another review). I thought that she definitely could have added more detail to these books. I think most people will find this book hard to get through. I would say this is for all ages.

The Trap by John Smelcer****

The Trap is about Johnny and Albert, Albert being Johnny's grandfather. When Albert becomes stuck in the Alaskan wilderness because he is too stubborn to stop checking his traps, people start to notice. Johnny notices on the second day, and he thinks that his grandfather will waltz in the door smiling. But in reality, he is stuck in his own trap waiting to be found. Albert has to fight wolves to help himself survive the tundra, he must make fires, and he must never give up hope.

This book showed me the Native American culture. Albert stills goes with the old ways. We all need to stop and think about nature and living things around us instead of taking ourselves for kings. I think this book gives a lot of food for thought, and it teaches an especially important lesson about hope. The Trap should be read by all ages.

The Sledding Hill by Chris Crutcher

The Sledding Hill is about Eddie and Billy, best friends since elementary school. Then their lives take a turn for the worse when Eddie's father gets caught in a tire explosion and dies. Billy becomes depressed and kicks a pile of sheetrock. A piece hits his neck and breaks it. He dies, leaving Eddie more alone than ever. After the deaths of the two most important people in his life, Eddie's problems with school change. His mouth has always gotten him in trouble, but now he is mute. The only class he really likes is Really Modern Literature. When his class reads a book written by Chris Crutcher (the author of this book), the local reverend rallies to have the book banned from the school system because of bad language and controversial issues. Eddie, with the help of ghost Billy, must fight the reverend and figure out how to save his class and where he really belongs.

Although this book was about death, judgement, and censorship, I found it to be super humorous, and I personally loved how the author made himself a character in the novel. This is the second book I've read by Crutcher, and I definitely think his style of writing has a way of capturing the real life problems that many teens deal with and that many authors never write about. This really shows the breaking point between religion and school and how superficial judgements can ruin some people's lives. This book should be read by all the teachers and all the students in the world.

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey****

The Monstrumologist is about Will Henry, an assistant to a doctor; and with the creepiest hobby of all: discovering the freaks/monsters in the world. When a dead young girl is brought to the doctor, he questions why. He soon realizes that a monster was feeding on her. The monster is still in the coffin with her, but it is dead. This alerts Will and the doctor to the outbreak that is happening in their town. They must find the lair of the monsters and destroy all that still live.

This book was by far one of the creepiest books that I have ever read. It goes in full detail of all the gore, something I thought was a bit much. This makes me think more about connections in the world because the author constantly gives examples of the world's problems and the things we are most afraid of. If you don't want nightmares, don't read this book. I guess if I can't sleep tonight, I can always read!

The Water Castle by Megan Frazer Blackmore ***

The Water Castle is about Ephraim, a boy who moved to his ancestor's castle when his father has a stroke. He is reluctant to move there because he is leaving all of his friends. When he gets to the castle, he thinks he can start anew. So he decides to act like he's the coolest kid in town to get more popular. He soon realizes that everyone is actully smarter than him, and stronger, and just better over all. When his father is being relocated to a different state, Ephraim knows he must do something. He chooses to find the Fountain of Youth and and cure his father from the side effects of the stroke.

This book is one of the many books written about the Fountain of Youth. I think this book is a bit cliched, but it adds the element of a bad situation instead of just wanting immortality. I think this is a book for all ages.

The Ascension by Michael Carroll*****

The Ascension is about a group of super-humans, Lance, Roz, Abby, and Thunder (aka James). They are just starting to relax when their nemesis, Krodin, rises and takes them back in time. They trek in this new world which is completely different from the one they are used to. As they hunt down Krodin, they may just have to face an evil army of henchmen equipped with some of the most high-tech gadgets they've ever seen.

This book had almost all the elements I love. Fantasy and Sci Fi (plus the added bonus of being in a series) are just the genres I think should be in every book. I thought this book was very creepy with all the talk of killing and destroying certain people (Krodin!), but it isn't too violent. I would recommend this to kids in the middle levels.

NERVE by Jeanne Ryan***

NERVE is about Vee, a girl who is always behind the stage. She decides to take a dare and then becomes addicted to dares. She has to do crazy dares (a few I should not mention) and successfully complete them without telling the people what they're doing. She has to fight her way through the system of dares to get to the final dare which is very different from what everyone expects.

This book is very... different.Of all the books that I've read, this is probably the most inappropriate. I think that this book is best for older teens.

Empty by Suzanne Weyn****

Empty is about Gwen, a girl from a very close future who has no oil. She is always trying to save fuel and money. She is in love with her neighbor, but when he goes to a bonfire where the visiting towns siphon gas from their tanks, things change. As she is waiting for her neighbor to return, her brother is selling illegal gas, which he stores in unsafe containers. Their house burns down and Gwen finds an environmental safe house. She is so astounded by the way this house runs, so she shares it with her friends. This energy just might be the way to save the U.S and the oil economy.

This book brings to mind the problems the world has with oil. Most people act like oil is infinite and will never run out, but they are wrong. Our oil supply is dropping and gas prices are on the rise. We must find a way to create green power so we can have the power we need. I would recommend this to all ages.

Comments Section

This is where you post a comment about recommendations to me or if you are just giving me feedback. I'd really like to here from you.

Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs****

Belly Up is about Theodore, a boy who lives at FunJungle, the coolest new zoo and amusement park. He is having a pretty boring time even though this is the most fun place in the U.S. Then the mascot, Henry the Hippo, is killed.Theo decides to investigate himself and is round up in a race to find or destroy evidence to save the park.

This book was a funny mystery book for all ages. It was a Mark Twain in 2012. I think it is one of the funnier books I  have read, so a definite read for anyone who likes to laugh.

Playing Without the Ball by Rich Wallace***

Playing Without the Ball is about Jay, a 17 year-old with a messed up life. His father left his mother and dragged him to California. He now lives in an apartment above a bar where he works. He is trying to get on the basketball team, but is cut instead. He joins a church team and plays against the church kids for fun. He must figure out where he belongs in this beat down world.

This book was a great story about basketball. I think it shows more of the true colors of the world though. I would not let anyone under the age of thirteen read this book.

Monument 14: Sky on Fire by Emmy Laybourne****

Monument 14: Sky on Fire is about Dean and his brother, Alex. Dean and Alex trade narration each chapter. In this book Dean is staying behind with Astrid and a few other kids. They have survived the chemical leakage and are trying to wait out the chemicals. They have to work together to protect the other kids from the military, disease, and most of all, from themselves.

Alex is traveling to an airport to be airlifted out of the U.S to escape the disease, but they are interrupted by military troops that take over their bus. The remaining kids walk the rest of the way on foot to the airport so they can find help for Dean and Astrid.

This book, like the previous one, has tons of action and tons of surprising moments. I liked thus one just because it had the more survival based fell than the first. I would recommend to a higher age for inappropriate scenes.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams*****

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is about Arthur and his friends trying to find out why Earth was destroyed. He is hitchhiking around the galaxy from ship to ship to find friends and to survive. He comes across a planet of legend that had originally made Earth to find the answer to the universe (which ironically, is the number 42). They must find why Earth was created and why the answer to the universe is 42.

This book was so gust-busting hilarous that I couldn't put the book down. A funny part was when they left the robot to gaurd the ship/computer, but when they came back... he had a funny story: I gave my opinion, and then it commited suicide. This book has a few innaproprette moments, but other than that, it's fine for anyone.

Black Ice by Andrew Lane***

Black Ice is about Sherlock Holmes. He is a teen looking for adventure, but not looking to learn about anything. He is wrapped up in an adventure when his brother, Mycroft, is accused for murder. Sherlock manages to prove him innocent, and Mycroft decides to go to Russia so he can find his "spy" and break him out of jail. This is all messed up when Sherlock's brother is arrested for illegal immigration. Then the actors reveal that they are in a group to a very important Russian man.

This book, being about Sherlock Holmes, has a good mystery aspect within it. It brings some adventure and some violence. I have read better, but if you eat up mystery books, then this is one of the better books for you.

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher*****

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is about Eric and his best friend Sarah. Eric and Sarah have always been outcasts in their school because they are fat and ugly. Sarah has grown up with burns all over her body, which she said happened when she pulled a pot of spaghetti over herself, and Eric is very overweight (until he starts swimming). As Eric becomes more fit, Sarah stops talking and is sent to the hospital. Eric manages to get her to talk, and they form a plan: Ms. Lemery, who is Eric swim coach, will take Sarah home with her, and then will take Sarah to see her mother, who is the only one who can help Sarah escape her past.

This book made me realize that some people have harder lives than others, and nobody should be judged by their appearance. You never know what somebody's life is really like. This is a book for high schoolers.

Book o' the Month for September 2013

I started reading in August, but now I have completed a whole month's worth of books. So here is the book o' the month!

I think Shadowmagic was the best book I read last month because it is my type of style. I like reading fantasy books set in Medieval times; they just have a lot of action. My post on this book also got a lot of page views, so I think other people might like it too.

Some people have asked me how I read a book a day. First, I read on the bus, whenever I get my work done at school, and for a couple of hours each night at home. Second, I also read pretty quickly, so that helps a lot. Third, my parents help me pick out really good books, and I always have something new to read.

Thanks for reading my blog. I hope you find a couple of really good books!

Sylo by D.J Machale****

Sylo is about Tucker, a boy who moved to Pemberwick Island five years ago. He has been friends with a boy named Quinn ever since he moved. Now Pemberwick Island is under a quarantine for a disease which he thinks is caused by a steroid called Ruby. Tucker thinks it is outrageous when the islanders' cell phones and internet stop working. This looks suspicious, but his friend shows him a program which is always streamed live at 6:00 PM. Now it has been prerecorded for them. They realize something more dangerous is stirring on their little island, and that is the biggest surprise for everyone.

This book is very interesting and has many mystery aspects. People aren't allowed to leave the island, people just disappear into thin air, and nobody has figured out why they're trying to quarantine them. This book gets two thumbs up for keeping me entertained the whole way through. This book is pretty violent, but it is appropriate for middle schoolers.