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This week I read Secrets of Deltora by Emily Rodda and The 39 Clues #6: In Too Deep by Jude Watson.

As series companion books go, Secrets of Deltora is a great one. The book is basically a guide to the land that Emily Rodda has created in her Deltora Quest series. It’s nice bonus to have in case you’ve taken too long to read the series and can’t remember certain details about the story. You learn about each of the gemstone-named territories and the native dragons. And you get an inside look at all the cities and creatures that are unique to each region. Not only is the book informative, it’s also very visually appealing. It’s a large, hardcover book with a funky hologram on the cover. The pages, which are made to look old and weathered, contain lots of colorful images and illustrations. This companion book is a great addition to the Deltora Quest series.

The 39 Clues has be one of my favorite YA series since book 1. But I must say, books 6 knocks its predecessors out of the water. The strong character emotions in this book will attract more female readers. And it takes place in a great setting too–Australia, home of koalas, kangaroos and dingos! But aside from these warm and fuzzy animals, Australia is also home to some of the worlds deadliest creatures. And as you’d expect, Amy and Dan encounter perhaps the most frightening of them all. In Too Deep is sure to keep you hooked on the series.

This week I read two young adult sequels: Song of the Wanderer by Bruce Coville (book two in The Unicorn Chronicles) and Timothy and the Dragon’s Gate by Adrienne Kress (sequel to Alex and the Ironic Gentleman).

While both books contain fantastical adventures and dangerous journeys, they appeal to different audiences. Song of the Wanderer would primarily appeal to girls, while Timothy and the Dragon’s Gate is a great adventure for both genders, specifically boys.

In Song of the Wanderer, Cara travels through the land of Luster, home of the unicorns, in order to find the portal that will take her home. Following the Queen’s orders, she must return to Earth, retrieve her grandmother (known as the Wanderer) and bring her back to Luster. But there are unfriendly forces at work that add a strain to Cara’s adventures. This story is magical and heart-warming. Fantasy lovers will definitely enjoy this book.

In Timothy and the Dragon’s Gate, Timothy meets a mysterious man name Mr. Shen, who is actually a dragon trapped in a human’s body. Mr. Shen needs Timothy’s help to break the curse so that he can live in his true form. Timothy and Mr. Shen travel to China, pursued by ninjas and relentless black taxicabs. This book is okay, but chances are you won’t be craving the next installment.

This week I had the pleasure of reading two books in the same series: Tunnels and Deeper by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams.

They have the kind of covers that make you judge a book: they’re bold and striking, they’re thick and juicy. Well then, they must be good! But more and more lately, I’ve learned that you really shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Not that Tunnels and Deeper were bad books, but Tunnels in particularly felt a little too long. (Even though Deeper was about the size of Tunnels and a half). It just dragged a some areas and could have been shorter.

The books follow Will, a budding archeologist, who follows an underground tunnel looking for his missing father. He and his friend Chester happen upon a dangerous underground world ruled by the Styx who immediately capture them. Will is released soon after, and discovers a shocking secret about his family. Chester, however, is held captive with the threat of being sent deeper into the earth, where the chance of survival is slim to none.

I definitely recommend these books to kids, especially boys, who aren’t afraid of a long read. The stories have wonderful characters, so as long as you can skim through the unnecessary description, you’ll definitely enjoy them.

Both books I read this week looked unbelievably magical. But that’s why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. The Giant Slayer by Iain Lawrence depicted a massive giant and a tiny boy — a fablelike cover that conjures so many magical possibilities. And while the book was decent, it didn’t reflect the same feel as the cover. Fairy Godmother Academy #1: Birdie’s Book by Jan Bozarth looked and sounded magical. I mean, its about a school for Fairy Godmothers right? Well, it fell a little short for me. The structure for a truly magical story was there, but I felt like the author didn’t deliver. It was too cookie-cutter, too typical, despite the fact that a fairy godmother academy is a new spin on magical stories (as far as I’m aware).

I would recommend The Giant Slayer to those who like sad stories with symbolism. But if you’re just looking for a light, escape read, the book isn’t for you. It takes place in the 1950′s, and illustrates the horrors of the Polio epidemic. The “giant slayer” part is merely a story told by the main character.

As for the Fairy Godmother Academy, I wish I had something better to say. It’s definitely for the younger half of the YA audience, and would likely only appeal to girls who’ve slightly outgrown the Rainbow Magic series. The dialogue is unrealistic in some parts, and at times I found the plot hard to follow. Maybe Jan Bozarth will deliver a winner in book two, Fairy Godmother Academy #2: Kerka’s Book.

This week I read Ranger’s Apprentice #6: The Siege of Macindaw by John Flanagan and Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars #3: In Search of Watson by Tracy Mack and Michael Citrin. Both books are very engaging and will leave you craving the other books in the series.

Having never read the first five books in the series, Ranger’s Apprentice #6: The Siege of Macindaw was a little bit hard to follow at first. But the characters soon showed their quirky personalities, and the story took shape. It’s hilarious and action-packed–the perfect combination.

Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars #3: In Search of Watson is an excellent mystery. It follows a team of kid detectives who aid Sherlock Holmes in his investigations. What’s great about this series is that the books are short, to the point and really easy to follow. They’re great fpr kids aged 9 to 12 who love a good mystery/adventure.

This week, I read Isis: A Tale of the Supernatural by Douglas Clegg, and The Blue Shoe by Roderick Townley. Both these books were entertaining reads, but neither is so memorable that you’d rank them in your list of favorite books.

I had a hard time deciding whether Isis: A Tale of the Supernatural was a story for kids or adults. It follows a young girl struggling with a disfunctional family. The book begs the question: what would you sacrifice to bring the dead back to life. There are deeper meanings behind the surface story that appeals to a more mature audience. But the book itself is short and the main character is a young girl. Perhaps this was the author’s intention: to target all ages.

The Blue Shoe by Robert Townley was a magical story about a quaint little village, a humble shoemaker and a young thief with good intentions. After stealing a small stone from the beloved Blue Shoe to rescue a girl in trouble, Hap is exiled to Mount Xexnax. But that’s not so bad, especially since his father is somewhere on the mountain too. Now is Hap’s chance to rescue his father. But under the ruthless rule of Mr. Slag, a rescue mission may be a little harder than he anticipated.

This week, I read two adventure novels: Tentacles by Roland Smith and Charlie Bone and the Red Knight by Jenny Nimmo. Both books delivered on their promising plotlines.

Tentacles, the sequel to Cryptid Hunters, went above and beyond my expectations. It was rich with sneaky, slimy villains (not to mention creatures!), quirky characters and of course action. Tentacles followed Marty and Grace, two kids who recently learned that they’re cousins, not twins! They and the crew of their big ship embark on a high-seas adventure in search of the legendary giant squid. But Grace’s grandfather has snuck on informant on the ship, hoping to ruin their expedition while making himself out to be the hero.

Charlie Bone and the Red Knight is the eighth and final book in the Charlie Bone series. Without reading the previous seven novels, you’d definitely be confused. There are so many characters and loose ends left over from the previous book, that an unfamilar reader would be lost. But if you have followed the series, you’ll absolutely love it! In this fantastic conclusion Charlie and his friends must put a stop to the evil Bloor family once and for all, especially now that a will, hidden by Charlie’s father, states that Billy Raven is to inherit Bloor’s Academy. Way to go, Jenny Nimmo! You ended strong.

This week was all about the fantasy books. Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke and The Wizard of Rondo by Emily Rodda each offer a great assortment of fantastical creatures–everything from dragons, brownies and humunculus’s to dots, talking pigs and terlamaines.

Dragon Rider is a fantastic adventure novel by one of today’s most popular young adult authors–Cornelia Funke, author of the Inkheart Trilogy. Dragon Rider follows a dragon named Firedrake, a brownie named Sorrell and a human boy named Ben on their quest to find a legendary Himalayan mountain range known as the Rim of Heaven. But trouble is hot on their trail. An evil, manmade dragon named Nettlebrand wants nothing more than to locate the Rim of Heaven and eat all the dragons who reside there. Somehow Firedrake must find the legendary mountain range without leading Nettlebrand to the world’s only dragon sancturary.

The Wizard of Rondo is the sequel to The Key to Rondo by Emily Rodda. The first novel in the series was a little easier to follow and had a more magical feel. The Wizard of Rondo is more like a murder mystery. When cousins Leo and Mimi return to the world of Rondo, they find their friends have deemed themselves a Quest Team. They recieve a letter from a distraught resident in the Hobnob and set out on their first investigation. Wizard Bing has disappeared, and his apprentice, who has been transformed into a giant mushroom, is now in custody of Officer Begood. Someone his behind these mysterious events and it’s up to the Quest Team, along with Leo and Mimi, to uncover the culprit.

There’s nothing better than a good series. And this week I reviewed installments in two different wonderful series’: The Key to Rondo by Emily Rodda and Catching Fire (book two of The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins.

The Key to Rondo has that perfect blend of magic and reality. It was exciting and fast-paced with a wide variety of magical and relatable characters. The story follows Leo Langlander and his impulsive cousin Mimi as they discover the secret about a family heirloom–a music box depicting magic land. They soon discover that there’s a whole lot more to the music box than just nice paintings and a pretty tune. It’s actually a gateway into the world of Rondo. After an evil blue queen steals Mimi’s dog, Leo and Mimi follow her into the music box and discover the life and strife inside of Rondo.

What can I say about Catching Fire? Amazing. Intense. Gripping. I didn’t think Suzanne Collins could outdo her first novel, The Hunger Games, but she certainly did. After surviving the Hunger Games–a brutal televised fight-to-the-death–Katniss is just trying to live a normal life. But the stunt she pulled in the arena that kept both her and her District 12 partner Peeta alive is coming back to haunt her. Her survival instinct may have unintentionally sparked a rebellion against the Capital, and President Snow is furious. He’ll do anything to prove that he is in control, even if it means threatening the lives of Katniss and all her family and friends.

Both of these books are fantastic reads. The Key to Rondo appeals to a younger audience (9-12 year olds) and Catching Fire will suit a teenage audience. Happy reading!

The Hole in the Sky is the debut novel by Barbara A. Mahler. This young-adult fantasy story is the first in trilogy.

The novel follows Kaela and her cousin Shawn as they travel to a magical world by way of “the hole in the sky.” In Muratenland, Kaela learns about the royal family’s strife: their baby has been kidnapped by Gulig, an evil man who seeks control of the land. Kaela must break the family curse and rescue the baby before Gulig causes him any harm.