A Mutiny in Time (Infinity Ring #1) by James Dashner

"When best friends Dak Smyth and Sera Froste stumble upon the secret of time travel -- a hand-held device known as the Infinity Ring -- they're swept up in a centuries-long secret war for the fate of mankind. Recruited by the Hystorians, a secret society that dates back to Aristotle, the kids learn that history has gone disastrously off course.Now it's up to Dak, Sera, and teenage Hystorian-in-training Riq to travel back in time to fix the Great Breaks . . . and to save Dak's missing parents while they're at it. First stop: Spain, 1492, where a sailor named Christopher Columbus is about to be thrown overboard in a deadly mutiny!"

Wow! I love Dashner,  he just makes things so universal.  Of course, you never can go wrong with time travel…at least for me. Time travel books can go seriously wrong, and yet, they’ve always been my favorite. This isn’t my absolute favorite time travel story (um, for the older crowd, Tempest by Julie cross, and for a universal adventure, The Missing by Margaret Peterson Haddix) but I still fell into companionship with this story.

I love the characters (I can relate to them on some level, which I rarely do with characters), it’s witty, and it’s one of my favorite events in time! It just really couldn’t go wrong for me. I love the rivalry between Dax and Riq (it’s pretty electric.) Overall, it’s just real; and really well written!  This book will be integrated into a multiplatform story, much like 39 clues series! If you are a fan of 39 Clues, or Patrick Carman’s multimedia platforms, you’ll enjoy this book. (I received this ARC from the Dashner Dude himself at BEA12! Thanks James!

Pillage by Obert Skye

Upon his mother's death, fifteen-year-old Beck Phillips is sent to live with an eccentric uncle he had never met in a remote manor house, where he learns that his family suffers from a curse that allows him to make plants grow on command and dragon eggs hatch.

Ok, I will admit it. At first, I was just attracted to the cool looking, fire breathing dragon on the front cover. Yeah, that was a pretty superficial move for a person whose motto is ‘never judge a book by its cover.’ But hey! The cover was just doing its job: getting my attention.

When I first started reading Pillage I thought it was going to be another one of those ‘so-so’ books, you know, the ones that were ok, but just not Spectacular? Well, when I finished the book, I was dying for the second one. It is very difficult to write about the ending without giving it away, so I suppose here’s one way to put it; ‘Boringsville’ turns into……..well, ‘Notboringsville’. I cannot wait to read and review Choke ( the sequel) It should be fun, uncovering the new adventure and watching the bonds between Beck, Aeron, Kate and Wyatt grow. Total kudos to Obert Skye! He made Beck’s world ordinary, then, like an explosion, just peeled the shells off of everything, to reveal mind-blowing characters and a shocking plot.



   

Griffin's Castle by Jenny Nimmo

Lonely and friendless from constantly moving, Dinah finds herself wishing the animal statues protecting a nearby Welsh castle would keep her company. Suddenly, to Dinah's delight, the stone animals start to magically spring from the walls and follow her home. But when the animals refuse to let Dinah leave her house, she quickly realizes that these mysterious creatures aren't rescuing her, they're imprisoning her. 

I found Griffin’s Castle (by Jenny Nimmo) disappointing. The main character Dinah was just frustrating to read about. I kept waiting for the sentence that would grab my attention. It never came. Chapter after monotonous chapter, all the words were just Dinah’s depressing thoughts. The story lacked structure. The plot was obscure and thin as tissue paper. Dinah exhibits extreme introversion, at first I thought that Berry and Jacob would bring her out of her shell by befriending her. I was wrong; she took their attempts at friendship as a nuisance. At the moment Dinah lived at Griffin’s Castle (which is actually just a large house). She longed to save the dilapidated house, I was severely disappointed when she dropped the dream and walked away from it with ease. Her mother thinks that Dinah just gets in the way of happiness; her stepfather lashes out with physical violence in the bat of an eye, and none of them learned their wrongs. Dinah just ends up moving to a relative’s house. It had so many (too many) loose ends. It was like you had fifty puzzle pieces to put together and there was a flaw, all the pieces were from different puzzles. Yet all those pieces were crammed in a box for you to ‘solve’. In my opinion it was just incomplete.

The book just ended that way. No lesson learned, no enemy overcome, no wrongs are righted, and no friends are gained. The story had potential (a lot of it!) I had high hopes; but one by one they were dashed. It was like an airplane that revved its engines and raced down the tar mac, but it just did not have the strength to fly. The only reason for reading this book is if you are running a review website and want to warn readers. Griffin’s Castle was totally pointless.

Goosebumps by R.L. Stine

Just when you thought it was safe....the 25 top-selling titles in the series that revolutionized horror for kids are back w/ a fresh new look. The updated design will make you scream. The original artwork will give you nightmares. And the classic bone-chilling stories from the master of horror will just kill you. This spine-tingling series sparked a licensing phenomenon & made R.L. the #1 author in the U.S.--and it's STILL the "must have" collection for true horror fans. Now a whole new generation will discover the thrill of reading ...and they'll never be the same again.

When I saw it in the bookstore, I couldn’'t resist. These are classics for this time of year. Ironically, the most traumatic (that’s right, TRAUmatic, not DRAmatic) teacher of my middleschool introduced my class to these books. It was either read one of those books, or do '‘fun'’ math with our free time. What kind of joke is that? Homework, for fun? Entering her class was like a psychological war-zone. In retrospect, it was a total plot (of evil) to get us to read, or do math practice. We were so scared of the books (…a book on her shelf? There is no way it could be a good one!) Not a lot of us touched those shelves….we'’d rather suffer math. It stayed that way until the series was banned from the school (I heard this secondhand, they were banned a year after I left) for some reason while standing in the bookstore, I had a little flashback. You know, one of those really bad days in school, and remember about 30 or so spines staring down as I left the classroom with my class bucket and backpack full of books. All of them were Goosebumps. Now, seven years later, I couldn'’t resist. I hated books back then and now I love them. I was intrigued to say the least. They are just classics. Nothing bad to say about them! I hear he has a teen series now…, I'’ll definitely be looking into those! I think it would creep out the 4th grade to 6th grade the most… although I’'m not entirely sure, depends on the maturity etc. I recommend the series.

Eye of the Moon by Dianne Hofmeyr

      Isikara and her father tend the sacred crocodiles and assist at mummifications of both humans and animals. One day, they are ordered to a tomb. Two bodies are waiting for them--Queen Tiy and her eldest son, Tuthmosis. Tuthmosis has been poisoned but is clinging to life. With no time to spare, Isikara rescues the young prince and runs away with him. The pair find themselves on a journey across Egypt, searching for allies who will help Tuthmosis regain his throne. Their travels lead them along the Nile, across the desert, and through bustling market towns. All the while they must avoid their pursuers, the High Priests who wish to silence them. But there are dangers in the desert and all around. Who can they trust? And where will their adventure lead them?

  Isakara is her father’s temple assistant. She takes care of the sacred crocodiles (the same ones who ate her brother’s arm) and helps embalm bodies. Right as they were to begin the ritual offering to Sobeck, they were summoned for a royal embalming. It was the Queen and the Crown Prince who were dead. Isakara, or Kara as her friends call her, was always a stubborn girl. She was shocked when her father told her to run away. Not only run away, but to flee Egypt. And not just flee, but flee with the Prince. It turned out that the Crown Prince Tuthmosis had survived the poison that was given to him and his mother, and Kara was to smuggle him out. With his younger brother was in charge of the thrown and the high priest of Egypt after his soul, it was unlikely they’d even make it to the Great Nile River.

Eye of the Moon was fantastic! First of all, I would like to say, this is a special book. My dad picked it out on the shelf; he has a way of doing that. He read the back and then handed it to me, he knew I would love it, he has never given me a book that I haven’t liked (ignore the double negatives, you know what I meant.) It was a pretty summer day when I started reading it. I wanted to take advantage, so I sat in the grass. Thirty minutes later I was on chapter 11 and something weird happened. The book melted. It must have been hotter than I thought. Nevertheless I was able to finish the book. I would definitely recommend this book. I may love it because I’m extremely interesting in Egyptian history and Tuthmosis is one of my favorite pharaohs, but it was excellent! It has a nice bit of mythology and history to learn but it isn’t cut and dry. You know, like some of the dusty history books you’re handed at school. Definite recommend. Can’t wait to read Eye of the Sun.  
         

Trail of Fate (The Youngest Templar #2) by Michael P. Spradlin

Picking up right where the breathtaking action left off, Tristan and his friends, the archer Robard Hode and the assassin Maryam, have escaped the Holy Land, but they are still a long way from the end of their perilous journey. And while they may have eluded the villainous Templar Sir Hugh, they know he will never be far behind.
Their only hope is to reach safety in England. But before they do that they run straight into a rebel band of Cathars, a heretical sect fighting off the oppression of France’s king. When Tristan falls for the beautiful leader of the Cathars, though, his loyalties are torn between aiding her in her hour of need or fleeing with his sacred charge—to protect the Holy Grail

 Trail of Fate:
The cliff hanger does not allow me to reveal plot (at all). The ‘Trail of Fate’ is even better than ‘Keeper of the Grail’. It has bigger villains, bigger settings, bigger dynamics, and it even has a bigger ending (it was almost impossible but the last ending was topped!) I cannot describe any of the interesting things to you, it was just too exciting to put down.I can say this- when I finished the book, I screamed so loud that my dad jumped about three feet off his seat (so far, it is the only book that has made me react out loud.) I cannot wait to get my hands on ‘The Orphan of Destiny.’

Keeper of the Grail (The Youngest Templar #1) by Michael P. Spradlin

1191 A.D. The orphan Tristan has joined the Knights Templar as a squire, journeying with Richard the Lionheart on his crusade to free the Holy Land from the Saracens. As defeat looms near, Tristan is entrusted with the most sacred of Christian relics, the Holy Grail. He must return it safely to Britain, but he must also keep it secret, because the Grail’s power will drive men to madness, and even his fellow Knights Templar will kill for it. Tristan teams up with the fiery Robard Hode— returning to his home in Sherwood after serving with the King’s Archers—and Maryam, an equally fierce girl and a member of the dreaded Hashshashin. Together they must escape the Holy Land, dodging bandits, the forces of the Saladin, and unscrupulous knights who will stop at nothing to possess the Grail.

Keeper of the Grail is an amazing story. It definitely deserves its spot on my top five list. The story starts with Tristan. While fifteen year old Tristan was thankful that the monks took him in after he was abandoned, he thirsted for change. When Tristan least expects it, the change arrives in the form of Sir Thomas and his fellow Knights Templar. Through a page turning chapters (that I’m not going to tell you about) Tristan becomes Sir Thomas’ new squire. The knights (plus Tristan) resume their journey to Acre. On the way Tristan learns swordsmanship, war tactics, and the laws of duty.

After they arrive at Acre, they are presented with a problem: Al Hashshashin warriors (they either win or die trying). The Templar regimento of 2,000 didn’t even stand a chance against 6,000 assassins. After the walls of Acre were breached, the Templars decided to take a final stand at the crusader’s palace. Like the sands of a desert being changed by the wind; Tristan’s new life was tossed to chaos. Sir Thomas took Tristan to a secret passageway and told him to escape. However, there was one last order Tristan was to complete for his knight. He was to take the most sacred relic of all time to Scotland; The Holy Grail. As Sir Thomas locked him into the passageway, Tristan realized that it was Sir Thomas' dying wish. Along the journey, Tristan makes two loyal friends who become his traveling companions. But he keeps his burdened mission a secret, and it takes its toll.

At a jaw dropping ending the questions fly past your brain giving you milliseconds to think about them. How much longer can he lie? Or will he even live long enough to tell his tale?

This book is an absolute recommend.

Winner Bakes All by Sheryl & Carrie Berk

Meet Sadie.

When she's not mixing it up on the basketball court, she's mixing the perfect batter with her friends in the cupcake club. Sadie's definitely no stranger to competition, but the oven mitts are off when the club is chosen to appear on Battle of the Bakers, the ultimate cupcake competition on TV.

But the real battle happens off camera when the club's baking business starts losing money.

With the clock ticking and the cameras rolling, will the club and their cupcakes rise to the occasion?

This is such a delightful chapter book! I know my sister and I would have really loved to have had this as kids. A lot happens to Sadie in this book, fears of money troubles and fears over her parent’s arguments (which I think most kids can identify with.) She has two harassing brothers that ultimately always have her back…and she has her friends and PLC (Peace, Love, Cupcakes.) I don’t want to go into too much detail because that would ruin the book, but I really enjoyed how this book expressed that winning isn’t everything. I think that this would make a perfect treat (pun completely intended) for young girls who show an interest in baking!

I don’t want to sound shallow…but I have to say, my favorite part is the section of cupcake recipes in the back. Yeah, I’m kind of a foodie.  (Golden Caramel Cupcakes, yep, sounds like heaven…)
This book was provided to me by the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review.
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The Challenge (Steel Trapp #1) by Ridley Pearson

In this riveting thriller, 14-year-old Steven "Steel" Trapp sets off with his mom and their dog, Cairo, on a 2-day Amtrak journey to compete in the National Science Competition in Washington, DC. Steel is both blessed and cursed with a remarkable photographic memory--just one look and whatever he sees is imprinted for keeps. Trying to be a good Samaritan on the train, he instead becomes embroiled in an ingenious, international plot of kidnapping and bribery that may have links to terrorists. Federal agents (first seen in Pearson's adult thriller, "Cut and Run") track Steel and his new-found science geek accomplice, Kaileigh Augustine, as they attempt to put together the pieces of a complex puzzle. Using Steel's science contest invention--and with the help of Cairo--Steel and Kaileigh lead readers on an action-packed chase adventure as they attempt to prevent the unimaginable, before it's too late.

This is a fantastic book (came really close to my top 5) It is full of cool (yeah, I know, ‘cool’ is not a very good adjective) twists and turns. You discover some secret identities. You even learn something totally unexpected about......nothing *hint hint, wink wink * (that was one of my favorite parts!) This is a very action packed book. In fact, it is kind of like a cross between James Bond and the Hardy Boys.

The Second one was even better than the first! Although, it has a very different layout.

(7/2010)

The White House (I,Q #2) by Roland Smith

"In this follow-up to "Book One: Independence Hall," Q and Angela continue their quest to uncover the truth behind the supposed death of Angela's real mother, a former Secret Service agent, while trying to differentiate the "good guys" from the "bad guys."

 IQ: The White House hooks you with action and then blasts away like a rocket ship. It had more aliases more deception, and more secrets. It was bigger, better and more explosive, literally, stuff really explodes. Absolutely everything was dumped upside down and rearranged. Some pretty cool new characters came in to play. As always, one of the most fascinating things is how Roland Smith seamlessly engages political warfare and dynamics in the series. It appears so real, you feel like you might pick up the phone and ask the white house just what they plan to do with the huge ghost cell right under their noses. I waited over a year for this sequel and I am happy to say I was not disappointed

Independence Hall (I,Q #1) by Roland Smith

Fame has arrived for rockers Blaze and Roger! Just married, leaving Los Angeles, and touring the United States with teenagers Q (Quest) and Angela in tow, the excitement heightens in Philadelphia when Angela realizes she's being followed. Q soon learns the secret about Angela's real mother - a former Secret Service agent.
Readers are thrust into current issues affecting the world in this edge-of- your-seat, modern-day mystery adventure. I, Q readers will be immersed in the work of U.S. Secret Service, the Mossad, and the MI5. But who are the good guys and who are the bad guys? What happens to this newly formed family if Angela's mom is not dead?

IQ is very unique, it has many entertaining aspects. IQ: Independence Hall has high tech gadgets, aliases, danger, death and espionage. This book followed Quest and his new step sister Angela Tucker as their lives turned from fun to frightening. Just as they had adjusted to life on the road with their parent’s band tour; Angela noticed that she was being followed. Their whole way of life unraveled when they discovered that their traveling RV mechanic (Boone) was a retired CIA operative and Angela’s mom, Malak, was alive. The problem with that was, Malak (a secret service agent) was declared dead years ago. Q and Angela were not the only ones who knew though, a huge terrorist cell knew; they weren’t going to rest until she was dead. They barely had enough time to grasp all this new information when an attempt on their lives was taken. Can they save her mom from the terrorists before it is too late? Or will they pay for her freedom with their lives?

Roland Smith has done a fantastic job at this realistic fiction book. Bravo is one word that comes to mind. It did a wonderful job of revealing terrorism in America without getting gory. However, the book is so realistic, that whenever Angela’s mom was mentioned (especially the way she died) I found myself reliving that awful morning, Tuesday September 11, 2001. Maybe it didn’t happen to you; maybe you didn’t see it on the news. For me however, the video was seemingly burned into my mind in slow motion. IQ is an excellent book (and I am looking forward to the sequel), but it is realistic fiction. If you were severely affected by terrorism or 9/11, maybe this isn’t the book for you. Or maybe it would be therapeutic to read about two teens fighting terrorism. This is for you to decide.

Believing in Horses by Valerie Ormond

"First, the move to Maryland. Then Dad's deployment to Afghanistan. Sadie is in trouble. Then she gets Lucky, a new young horse who proves to be a handful. But that's just the beginning. Together they encounter horse thieves, Maryland storms, and unwanted horses destined for auction and uncertain futures.

Sadie makes it her personal mission to save them. Along the way she meets other people who are dedicated to rescuing horses. She also learns that some people in the horse industry are driven by greed.

She's twelve.
Can she save the horses in time...and herself?"

Loved it! Amazing! If you don't like horses, then you probably won't like it that much. BUT, I know about a dozen little girls that would die to read this ASAP. If you have a horse lover in the household, this is a definite recommend for them! I read lots of pony pals and another series (the name escapes me right now...saving ginger or something like that.) Absolute must-read for all horse fans!