First Love by James Patterson and Emily Raymond

February 13, 2014 By Leave a Comment

LOVE2
First Love by James Patterson and Emily Raymond
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, YA
Length: Full Length (340 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

An extraordinary portrait of true love that will move anyone who has a first love story of their own. Axi Moore is a “good girl”: She studies hard, stays out of the spotlight, and doesn’t tell anyone how all she really wants is to run away from it all. The only person she can tell is her best friend, Robinson–who she also happens to be madly in love with.

Research shows that one in cheapest levitra http://downtownsault.org/available-properties/downtown-living/ seven men has a chance of getting prostate cancer at some point in their lifetime. Read Pure Himalayan Shilajit Capsule review and find out what you’ve been click for source buy cipla cialis missing. Taking more than one tablet downtownsault.org order generic levitra can lead to serious health consequences. Penegra is a best version of cheap tadalafil overnight . When Axi spontaneously invites Robinson to come with her on an impulsive cross-country road trip, she breaks the rules for the first time in her life. But the adventure quickly turns from carefree to out of control after the teens find themselves on the run from the police. And when Robinson suddenly collapses, Axi has to face the truth that this trip might be his last.

A remarkably moving tale very personal to James Patterson’s own past, FIRST LOVE is testament to the power of first love–and how it can change the rest of your life.

Good girl Axi Moore is about to shock the world – and herself – by doing the unthinkable. Abandoning her father, her perfect grades, and everything else she’s ever held dear, she’s about to propose an adventure to her best friend – and one true love – Robinson. What starts out as a fun getaway from life and obligations soon turns to something much darker. Will love be enough to see Axi through?

Axi Moore and I are an awful lot alike. Good students, good kids, and living life on the straight and narrow. What Axi possesses that I’ve always lacked was an adventurous streak. I found it curious that such a self-proclaimed good girl would drop everything, risking her father’s displeasure as well as her GPA, just to take a spontaneous trip across the country. Love or not, it seemed odd to me. However, as the story unravels, you begin to understand more and more of Axi’s motivation behind what she’s doing. It becomes less of a shock and more of a last-ditch effort to prove herself to Robinson. Axi is one heck of a woman for a teenager.

Robinson is every teenager’s dream as well as every father’s nightmare. High school dropout and car thief supreme, Robinson is charming, witty, and unequivocally devoted to Axi Moore. The story of how two very different kids became such good friends nearly broke my heart. However, it gives you hope when you realize that after all they’ve been through, they are still completely devoted to one another, their friendship, and possibly more. By the end of the novel, Robinson has moved from simply a juvenile delinquent to a very passionate, surprising young man.

Knowing that First Love has root in James Patterson’s own past only makes the story more gripping, more poignant in the end. First Love will run you through all the emotions you own – I found myself laughing one minute, worrying for Axi and Robinson the next, and crying more often than I want to admit to. In spite of all the tears I shed, I found myself uplifted and thankful for having read this novel. One of the best things I’ve read in a long time without a doubt.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Case of the Disappearing Corpse by June Whyte

January 22, 2014 By Leave a Comment

CORPSE
The Case of the Disappearing Corpse by June Whyte
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Young Adult, Suspense/Mystery, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (83 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

The Case of the Disappearing Corpse is a prequel to a series of hilarious mysteries starring Chiana Ryan, an almost-13-year-old wannabe crime writer.

When a babysitter discovers a dead body in her garden, Cha decides to use all her super-sleuth talents to hunt down the murderer–and just maybe win the online crime-writing contest with her story. It’s not as if there’s any lack of clues.

First, there’s the suspicious pink handkerchief with the letter K embroidered in the corner. Then a bent old man in a grey cardigan and baggy trousers tells Cha all about the two aliens who landed their space-mobile on the church roof. And what about the disappearing body that turns up two days later in the garden shed?

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How do you solve a mystery when everyone else is trying to keep you away from the scene of the crime?

Chiana is at an age when she thinks she knows more than the adults in her life. Only time will tell if she is right. I’ve read one of her past adventures, and it was fun to catch up with a character that I’d met before. She’s lodged firmly between childhood and early adulthood. Ms. Whyte captures this sometimes turbulent stage in life with ease. The best scenes involve Chiana slowly learning to understand why adults say and do certain things as she slowly begins to grow up.

I hope to see Chiana mature as an individual in the future. There are glimmers of personal growth in her personality in this instalment of her adventures, but she has more or less remained the same girl I knew in her previous book. At times the repetitiveness of these old conflicts and story arches distracted me from an otherwise engaging plot.

There were also a few plot holes that were never really addressed. Chiana’s investigation includes conversations with people who seem very unlikely to share their findings with a civilian. While it was really interesting to see how she goes about gathering clues, certain scenes would have made more sense had this tale been set in a less privacy-conscious era.

It was difficult to determine the most appropriate age range for this story. The plot and dialogue are written for mid to late elementary students, but the inclusion of a few frightening and potentially disturbing scenes made me bump the age recommendation up to 10+ due to some violent content. None of the scenes are particularly graphic, but I do recommend parental discretion for sensitive and younger readers.

This book is part of a series, but it can be read easily as a standalone novel. It is a plot-based storyline, and as I mentioned earlier Chiana and her friends don’t seem to change a great deal from one adventure to the next. I have only read some of Chiana’s cases but I had no trouble filling in the pieces from the tales I haven’t started yet.

The Case of the Disappearing Corpse is a thrilling murder mystery for middle grade readers. Why not give it a try today?

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Thin Ice by Marsha Qualey

January 20, 2014 By 1 Comment

ThinInce
Thin Ice by Marsha Qualey
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Suspense/Mystery, Contemporary, YA
Length: Full Length (161 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

These work by relaxing the blood vessels in the body; particularly around the genital area. lowest price on levitra The subject title viagra 10mg of the email appears irrelevant to the product they are selling. 3. You would not have to be scared deeprootsmag.org order cheap viagra or shy any longer whenever you ask your partner to go in bed with your partner. Understanding the most common potential causes behind male impotence will need an additional buy levitra deeprootsmag.org form of treatment. Seventeen-year-old Arden Munro has been raised by her older brother, Scott, ever since the death of their parents 10 years earlier. He has been her only family. But now Scott too is dead–or so believe the local police and everyone in Arden’s community. Arden, however, is convinced that Scott has staged his snowmobile accident and purposely disappeared. She will search until she finds him. As Arden obsessively continues her detective hunt, she is forced to examine her feelings of loss and isolation, and to finally realize that these feelings existed long before Scott’s accident. Whether or not her brother reappears, where should Arden turn for the support that usually comes from family? The page-turning mystery leads to a heart-tugging conclusion that is at once hopeful and sad, piercing and satisfying.

Fighting for what you know in your heart to be true in spite of all the evidence to the contrary is incredibly difficult. And when you live in a small community and everyone else is convinced that you are wrong and just deluding yourself, it becomes even harder. But this is just what Arden does when her brother’s snowmobile crashes through the ice on a swift and dangerous river. Everyone believes Scott is dead, but Arden just knows that he isn’t. Or is that just a fantasy to help her avoid dealing with losing the last member of her family?

Arden is an extremely complex seventeen-year-old and her character is very well developed. I liked her and suffered along with her. She makes some poor choices, but then she also makes some very good and mature choices, just what is to be expected from someone who is nearly an adult. The supporting characters are also fully developed and individualized. Even though I believed Arden and supported her actions, I could also see how these actions looked to those around her who were trying to care for her.

The novel is a fast-paced action story and I couldn’t put it down until I finished it. The mystery was very well conceived and it was easy to believe that Scott was really dead on one page and that he must still be alive on another. The author had me hooked from the opening chapter and I didn’t figure it all out until the very end.

The setting is extremely well done. The winter scenes were so real that I had shivers. I really felt as if I were right in the middle of the action, trying to use snowshoes, avoiding the ice, and so forth.

Mystery lovers of all ages are in for a real treat and a most exciting adventure if they pick up Thin Ice. I guarantee that once started, you won’t stop until the end.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Rhoe’s Request BY Viola Grace

January 20, 2014 By Leave a Comment

RHOE
Rhoe’s Request by Viola Grace
Publisher: Devine Destinies
Genre: Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Young Adult
Length: Short Story (54 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

A half-breed swan chases a dream of flight and finds love in the arms of a dark swan shifter of her very own.

Rhoe wants to fly but being born a half-breed dark swan; feathers are not something she can ever achieve. She asks her father for permission to join the flight academy of the planetary defense corps and to her surprise, he agrees.

Her father gives her more than his agreement, he tells her about her mother and warns her that she may run into the legendary pilot herself.
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Rhoe runs into more than her mother, she meets a captain who sends her heart fluttering, and it is that first flutter that will carry her into the sky.

Shape changing swans, what a novel idea!

Rhoe is half human, half swan who cannot change her shape. Desperate to fly, she asks for permission to join the flight academy of the planetary defense corps. Her father agrees and warns her she might run into her mother, who she has never met.

Her natural abilities see her through the trial and also make her more advanced than the other cadets. Her mother is Colonel Whisk, her ultimate superior, but on a daily basis she answers to Captain Hiiron. When their world is attacked Rhoe and Hiiron help fight off the assailants.

I enjoyed reading this book. It may be short but it’s packed with a wealth of information written in such a way it’s impossible not to keep on reading. Cheerful Rhoe makes the best of the fact she will probably never mate as who wants a half breed who can’t shape change? Her mother’s open armed welcome fills the need to know about the other half of her parentage and she is content with this. Her mother and father have other ideas about her future, but will her growing feelings for Hiiron interfere with her parents plans?

Short but with a great impact.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

George Knows by Mindy Mymudes

January 16, 2014 By Leave a Comment

KNOWS
George Knows by Mindy Mymudes
Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Full Length (183 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

An egotistical magical basset hound named George believes it’s his duty to train and protect his 12-year-old Girlpup, a greenwitch named Karly. He and his Girlpup, must solve a murder as well as save their park from being developed. George is the perfectly designed familiar for the job.

This novel is written from the perspective of George, a magical basset hound, and he does a very good job of telling the story. He is the familiar of a young twelve-year-old witch named Karly, and he takes his job of teaching and protecting her very seriously, most of the time. He needs to help solve a murder and save the park from being turned into condos.
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George’s character is well-developed and consistent throughout the novel. In addition, Karly and her Aunt Heather are portrayed with good depth and believability. Point of view can be tricky in any novel, but in one where the main character is a dog, the task is much more complex. The author is more than up to the challenge as George never falters while he follows the scent and solves the mysteries.

I did find the constant use of “Peeps” for people tiring, as well as “Girlpup,” Boypup” “Packmom,” “Packdad,” and the like, but I honestly don’t know what dogs call humans, so I can hardly fault George’s language. The author has obviously studied basset hounds as George’s actions are consistent with his breed. And he is definitely loveable, even with his egotistical personality.

The pace of the novel starts out gently and then really speeds up as the action demands. George is able to do a lot of teaching, and Karly catches on quickly, although not as quickly as George wants. We don’t learn a lot about the developers, but then that is consistent with the point of view, as George really doesn’t care about them at all. He just wants to protect the park and solve the mystery of the bones he dug up.

It is very interesting to read a book told entirely from George’s perspective. It definitely limits the information that is disclosed, unless that information is about food. But George is a very clever dog and in the end he does manage to bring his “Peeps” together and solve the case. Lovers of animal stories are sure to enjoy following George as he saves the day.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Geek Games by Margaret Fieland

January 15, 2014 By Leave a Comment

GEEK
Geek Games by Margaret Fieland
Novels of Aleyne
Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (201 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

To learn more about how to reverse these blocks as cialis generika well. Study shows that taking exercise regularly can help to protect your baby’s entire life. cialis brand To help the victim and to make the other person feel generic levitra cheap try this heard and understood. One of the difficulties that every person 5mg cialis generic encounters who lives abroad is how to make new friends. When fourteen-year-old Martin lets Tom, a charismatic bully, persuade him to bring down the spaceport computer network, he never considers someone will place a bomb resulting in the death of his friend’s father. Nothing will bring Captain Frey back, but if Martin can help locate the terrorists’ drug lab, perhaps he’ll be able to forgive himself?

Martin, a fourteen-year-old computer geek who lives with his overbearing father, learns some very hard lessons when he allows the school bully to talk him into bringing down the spaceport computer network. Geek Games is an exciting as well as poignant coming of age story. I liked Martin a lot and he is very well defined. He has a hard life even before the novel begins, but in spite of all the hardships, or maybe because of them, Martin develops a strength that enables him to stand up for what is right. He has to learn to live with the consequences of his actions, but he works very hard to stop terrorists and help the enslaved miners.

The setting of the novel is a space station and its surrounding asteroids and while I obviously have never lived in such an environment, I felt as if I were a part of this world. I was especially taken with the descriptions of the Aleyni, the race which is native to the planet on which the space station is situated. Many of the space station personnel feel that they are superior to the Aleyni and refuse to have anything to do with them. But the Aleyni have a very rich culture and they also can offer many goods and benefits to the space station inhabitants. I thought the author really handled the mixing of the cultures with sensitivity and grace.

The plot is fast moving and exciting, chasing terrorists through the asteroids, searching for a drug lab, and mining ore in deep caverns. There is enough adventure to satisfy any reader and the plot twists and turns, providing many surprises. The ending is satisfactory, but it also could be the beginning to another adventure and I really hope that Martin’s story will be continued in future novels.

Science Fiction lovers are sure to enjoy getting to know Martin and the rich world of the Aleyni.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Insects in the Infield by Nancy Oswald

January 14, 2014 By 1 Comment

INFIELD
Insects in the Infield by Nancy Oswald
 Publisher: Burro Books
Genre: Historical, Middle Grade
Length: Full Length (182 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 9+
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

Ants, bees, dragonflies, limping millipedes… Buster would rather ignore his brainy sister Maggie’s insect zoo, but he needs her help with the carnival fundraiser for his baseball team, the Cougars. Unfortunately, Buster needs more than fundraising help from his sister. His failing math grade is at a full count—one more strike and he won’t be able to play in the game against the three Pirate bullies: Chewy, Ace, and Rip. The town of Ashville may never be the same after these rival teams clash. Bugs and baseball don’t mix.

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As an adult reader, Insects in the Infield is an inspiring read for younger readers. It’s a story that children can relate to being if they are failing in a school subject, dealing with a smart younger sibling, balancing sports and school learning and also handling bullies. Its an interesting story line with lovable characters and full of humor. Insects in the Infield is Animal Planet mets ESPN; the author gives educational scientific names for the insects and also she does a good job on the baseball game play descriptions. It is also a simple, laid back novel when children didn’t have much technology and they looked forward to outside play.

I enjoyed the relationship between Buster and his younger sister Maggie. My favorite character Maggie is very smart and isn’t ashamed of it. Maggie has book smarts and is happy to help her brother with his math and it is so cute how she is so organized with teaching and is so happy to teach. She also makes the lessons interesting for Buster by showing him the relation between math and baseball. Also, I enjoyed how Buster’s friends also chipped in to help Buster pull his math grade up. This really is important and showed true friendship.

It seems it took the parents quite awhile before they realized how badly Buster was doing in math, but when the teacher brought it to their attention the parents put rules into play. As with life there are bullies, and the author didn’t shy away from building tough bullies in this novel, but the fingerprints in blood on the notes were a bit much for me.

Insects in the Infield is a book where insects have talent, and the neighborhood baseball team rivalry is a big community event. Pick up a copy of Insects in the Infield to find out if Buster is able to pull up his failing math grade and find out if the Cougar’s be able to win a victory against the Pirates.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Angel Heart by Cornelia Funke, Narrated by Jeremy Irons

January 9, 2014 By Leave a Comment

HEART
Angel Heart by Cornelia Funke
a music storybook
narrated by Jeremy Irons
music by Luna Pearl Woolf
Publisher: Mirada Studios
Genre: Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: n/a – audio
Age recommendation: Any
Rated: 5 stars
Reviewed by Rose

Accordingly, blood vessels in the penis extend, increasing blood flow, which buy sildenafil online aids maintain an erection. It is one of the best herbal pills to sildenafil online improve vitality and vigor. Caustic managers sarcastically tell team members to provide more respectful customer service. levitra 60 mg http://respitecaresa.org/kawhi-pays-it-forward-to-the-children-of-respite-care/ A reliable store is necessary to get the genuine and branded cheap buy viagra without any prescription. Drawing on the tradition of great music-and-story works like Peter and the Wolf, Angel Heart is a music storybook in deluxe CD packaging, featuring best-selling young-adult author Cornelia Funke (Inkheart), and composer Luna Pearl Woolf (Après moi, le déluge) with an A-list cast of performers such as Jeremy Irons, Matt Haimovitz& Uccello, Frederica von Stade and more, with artwork by the award-winning Mirada.

The story: A girl whose heart has broken into a thousand pieces meets an angel. During their travels in the night, the angel enlists the help of spirits of the East, North, West, and South on his quest to mend her heart.

In addition to Angel Heart, (story by Cornelia Funke, music by Luna Pearl Woolf, narrated by Jeremy Irons); the work combines well known songs from The Beatles, classical music and folk music. The visual storytelling design is by Mirada, a multi-platform company that was founded by Mathew Cullen and Pan s Labyrinth director Guillermo del Toro.

This is a charming audio book suitable for all ages… but it’s even more. In alternating tracks, Jeremy Irons shares the story of an angel and a girl whose heart is broken into thousand pieces. Between each segment of the story is a track of beautiful music to go along with the storyline.

I love the way each track is clearly defined as it allows this gem to be played in multiple ways. You can just hear the story, just the music, or you can listen to the entire piece. I admit, the first time I listened to it, I skipped the musical interludes because I wanted to know what happened in the storyline. With subsequent listenings, however, I’ve let the CD play on through and have thoroughly enjoyed the blending of the two art forms.

The story is beautifully told (and equally beautifully read by the talented Jeremy Irons—he can read the telephone book to me any time!!). Ms. Funke’s other works are a lot of fun to read–this one is hauntingly evocative of tenderness and pain-healed. It’s a story I have listened to more than once (and as I’m not normally a re-reader, that’s saying something).

Kudos to everyone involved. 5 stars.  Thanks to the producers for trying something new!

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Starstruck by Brenda Hiatt

January 9, 2014 By Leave a Comment

STARSTRUCK
Starstruck by Brenda Hiatt
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Full Length (204 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

Nerdy astronomy geek Marsha, M to her few friends, has never been anybody special. Orphaned as an infant and reluctantly raised by an overly-strict “aunt,” she’s not even sure who she is. M’s dream of someday escaping tiny Jewel, Indiana and making her mark in the world seems impossibly distant until hot new quarterback Rigel inexplicably befriends her. As Rigel turns his back on fawning cheerleaders to spend time with M, strange things start to happen: her acne clears up, her eyesight improves to the point she can ditch her thick glasses, and when they touch, sparks fly—literally! When M digs for a reason, she discovers deep secrets that will change her formerly humdrum life forever . . . and expose her to perils she never dreamed of. Yes, the middle of nowhere just got a lot more interesting!

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Marsha is a kind-hearted astronomy geek who has two good friends but otherwise, she is shunned. She suffers from bad acne, wears thick glasses, and is very bright. This combination of characteristics would doom her chances for popularity in nearly any high school. The opening of this novel had me hooked immediately, and I was expecting a heart-warming coming of age story. I was not disappointed, but I also got so much more.

The school’s new quarterback, also a sophomore, is immediately attracted to Marsha, to the disgust and dismay of the cheerleaders. But again this isn’t a love story, although Rigel and Marsha are attracted to each other. This story has a great deal more depth and a real mystery to be solved. Rigel and Marsha need to work together against formidable odds to save not only the small town of Jewel, Indiana, but possibly the entire earth.

This is a fast-paced exciting story, but it is also one with a great deal of heart and the characters are very real. I felt as if I were walking into any small high school filled with teen angst, but what separates this novel from others are the deep secrets within Marsha’s past. She comes across knowledge that would cause most people, even those a good deal older, to panic, and she does have her fear-driven moments, but she also is able to handle difficult situations with amazing courage.

Readers who enjoy suspenseful fantasy and coming-of-age stories are sure to enjoy Starstruck. The author indicates that this is the first in a new series, and I, for one, hope that there are many more novels to come.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Aversion: Book One of The Mentalist Series by Kenechi Udogu

January 8, 2014 By Leave a Comment

AVERSION
Aversion: Book One of The Mentalist Series by Kenechi Udogu
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Short Story (131 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

For Gemma Green’s first time, things should have been straightforward. Find your subject, hold their gaze and push a thought into their head to save them from future disaster – Aversion complete. A pretty simple process given that the subject was to have no recollection of the experience. But Russ Tanner doesn’t seem to want to forget. In fact the more she tries to avoid him, the more he pushes to get to know her. Gemma knows she has a problem but is she facing the side effects of a failed Aversion or has the school’s tennis champ really fallen for her?

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I really liked the premise of this novel. The thought that there are averters out in the world stopping people from taking actions which would destroy the path that they are meant to follow is a most intriguing idea. Obviously the averters have to remain secret or else people would engage in all sorts of reckless behavior without worrying about the consequences. Gemma has been trained her whole life to deal with the fact that she is an averter. But when her first Aversion seems to have failed because Russ Tanner doesn’t want to forget, Gemma’s life suddenly becomes much more complicated and dangerous.

I like Gemma a lot and her character seems very real and well-developed. She works hard to stay as invisible as she can at her high school, never drawing attention to herself, living the life of a loner. But she has her father and together they have a good life even if they do move every four years. Nevertheless, Gemma is also a normal teenage girl and the life she is forced to lead isn’t at all easy for her.

The plot is riddled with mysteries and just as Gemma solves one mystery, several others pop up in its place. Gemma finds help in very unlikely places and I was totally captivated by this story. It is not only a great fantasy adventure, but it also raises a number of extremely interesting philosophical dilemmas.

Fantasy readers are sure to enjoy this story filled with rich overtones, and I look forward to reading the next in the series.

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