Book Review: Locked in Stone by Tory Michaels

Locked in Stone is a paranormal romance and the first book in the Hearts of Stone series by Tory Michaels. Rose Johnson's adoptive mother has been murdered, and Rose could be next. She may be the last gargoyle in the world—the last being who stands between this world and the evils of Otherworld. Sentinel Cal Levesque never forgave himself for failing Rose's family years ago. Seeing Rose alive is shock enough, until the stunningly beautiful gargoyle attacks him upon sight. As they strike an uneasy peace, and unexpected and escalating attraction, Cal knows he'll have to tell Rose who really betrayed her family. And with Rose's life in greater danger than ever, Cal has a chance to make up for the past, as long he doesn't fall in love.

Locked in Stone laid the ground work for an interesting new series. Rose is an interesting character. Her combination of suspicion and blind trust in her adoptive mother got a smidgen repetitive in the end, but was consistent with what she had been through. Cal was riddled with guilt and attended to honor and duty a bit obsessively. However, again that was in line with his history. I found the story as a whole a good read, but I was immediately a little frustrated with the main characters on occasion. I will say that I did greatly enjoy the world building and and very interested to see where the story goes from here. I will be giving the second book a look.

Gargoyles are rarely featured characters in paranormal romance, I can thing of few other series that have them as romantic leads, and do it well. It was good to see another gargoyle series that seems to offer a new take on the species and enter new ground. 

I would recommend Locked in Stone to readers that enjoy urban fantasy and paranormal romance that is a little different. The world building and ground work for the rest of the series is very well done. There is a lot of promise in this book for the new series. 

Terrific Picks for Reluctant Middle Grade Readers

It is hard to engage middle grade readers if they are not already somewhat interested in reading. Finding something that is high interest and challenging enough to help them grow as readers, but not frustrating for readers that are reluctant or easily discouraged is incredibly hard. But, thankfully parents, librarians, and teachers have been trying to create book lists for this group, and authors seem to be publishing more and more for them in recent years. Here are some of the books that I have seen hold the attention and keep some of these readers going. This is far, far from an extensive list never mind comprehensive. I am trying to stick to books that are not on every list you might have already read. Do you have more titles to add? Please comment with them to share with other searching folks.

Chapterbook Options:

The Curse of the Bologna Sandwich: Melvin Beederman Superhero by Greg Trine

Meet Melvin Beederman. He's a pretty good superhero, even though it always takes him five or six tries to get launched and flying. His weakness (every superhero has one) is bologna, which makes it hard to go into a deli. Still, Melvin manages to keep the city of Los Angeles free of nasty villains--once he's airborne.

Ghosthunters and the Incredibly Revolting Ghost! by Cornelia Funke

Nine-year-old Tom Tomsky can't catch a break: He's a klutz, his sister Lola pretty much hates his guts, and--this is a big "and"--he just found a ghost camping out in his cellar. Lucky for Tom his grandma's best friend just happens to be the world's foremost ghosthunter. Under her expert tutelage, Tom learns the tools of the trade--which just happen to include buckets of graveyard dirt--and soon finds he has to face down not just the ASG (Averagely Spooky Ghost) in the basement but the IRG (Incredibly Revolting Ghost) in town. All while keeping the nettlesome Lola off his trail....

Middle School Is Worse Than Meatloaf: A Year Told Through Stuff by Jennifer L. Holm

Ginny has ten items on her big to-do list for seventh grade. None of them, however, include accidentally turning her hair pink. Or getting sent to detention for throwing frogs in class. Or losing the lead role in the ballet recital to her ex-best friend. Or the thousand other things that can go wrong between September and June. But it looks like it's shaping up to be that kind of a year! Here's the story of one girl's worst school year ever -- told completely through her stuff.

My Haunted House by Angie Sage

Araminta Spookie lives in a wonderful old haunted house, but her crabby aunt Tabby wants to move. Aunt Tabby is determined to sell their house—Araminta "has" to stop her! With the help of a haunted suit of armor named Sir Horace, a ghost named Edmund, and a lot of imagination, Araminta hatches a plot for an Awful Ambush that is so ghoulish, it just might work!

Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac

Ever since the morning Molly woke up to find that her parents had vanished, her life has become filled with terrible questions. Where have her parents gone? Who is this spooky old man who's taken her to live with him, claiming to be her great-uncle? Why does he never eat, and why does he lock her in her room at night? What are her dreams of the Skeleton Man trying to tell her? There's one thing Molly does know. She needs to find some answers before it's too late.

Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka
How did Jon Scieszka get so funny, anyway? Growing up as one of six brothers was a good start, but that was just the beginning. Throw in Catholic school, lots of comic books, lazy summers at the lake with time to kill, babysitting misadventures, TV shows, jokes told at family dinner, and the result is Knucklehead. Part memoir, part scrapbook, this hilarious trip down memory lane provides a unique glimpse into the formation of a creative mind and a free spirit.

Timmy Failure series by Stephan Pastis

Timmy Failure, CEO of the greatest detective agency in town, perhaps the nation, is about to crack the biggest case of his generation. Told in text and illustrations, this story is great for Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans.

Ungifted by Gordon Korman
When Donovan, the class clown and infamous underachiever, pulls a prank that inadvertently results in him being sent to a school for gifted kids, hilarity ensues.




Graphic Novel Options:
The Lunch Lady series by Jarrett Krosoczka
This graphic novel series about the superhero-like antics of the school lunch lady is a surefire hit.

Star Wars Jedi Academy series by Jeff Brown
In a galaxy far, far away, young Roan is sent to the Jedi Academy where he studies under Yoda. This graphic chapter book will be a sure-fire hit with Star Wars fans.

To Dance: A Ballerina’s Graphic Novel by Siena Cherson Siegel
To Dance tells and shows the fullness of her dreams and her rhapsodic life they led to. Part family history, part backstage drama, here is an original, firsthand book about a young dancer's beginnings -- and beyond.

Bone by Jeff Smith

After being run out of Boneville, the three Bone cousins, Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone, are separated and lost in a vast uncharted desert.

Nonfiction Options:

Aliens are Coming: The True Account of the 1938 War of the Worlds Broadcast by Meghan McCarthy

It was an ordinary night in October of 1938 until a news bulletin interrupted the dance music on "CBS" radio-aliens were invading the United States!  Aliens Are Coming!" tells the true story of the Halloween radio prank that duped much of the country into believing that Martians had invaded. The book uses excerpts from the actual "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast and includes information about the importance of radios in the 1930s (before the time of televisions and computers) as well as facts about Orson Welles and H. G. Wells, author of the novel on which the broadcast was based on.

The Lego Ideas Book by Daniel Lipkowitz
Featuring all-new LEGO® building projects, tips to supplement and enhance your LEGO creations, inspirational builds, and expert advice from LEGO Master Builders, The LEGO Ideas Book will keep kids of all ages creating for hours.

Weird But True series by National Geographic Kids
These uniquely sized books contain weird but true facts that take up a page or less and they are accompanied by great colorful photographs and writing that is catchy, making this a great hi-lo series.

The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episodes IV, V, & VI: The Ultimate Guide to Star Wars Characters and Creatures by David West Reynolds and Alexander Ivanov

Any of the Visual Dictionary books will capture the attention of the readers interested in the subject matter. there are books on just about everything with a multitude of pictures and great detail.

Book Review: The Aesir Kids by James Grant Goldin and Charlotte Goldin

The Aesir Kids by is a middle grade novel co-authored by James Grant Goldin and his daughter Charlotte Goldin. The story takes some recognizable and well known bits of Norse mythology and expands on the stories to create something new and exciting. this books follows the adventures of  children of the Norse gods. they have incredible strength, magical weapons, and monsters for pets. They also have problems with school, bullies, family issues, and attacks by giants. When Asgard, the home of the gods, is threatened with utter destruction it is up to the children of Thor, Sif, Loki, Freya, Balder; and some very special friends, to save it.

The Aesir Kids features some high adventure and multifaceted characters that will create interest and excitement. Thrud (the teenage daughter of Thor) has to balance fighting trolls and giants with her after-school job waiting tables at Valhalla. Fire (son of the three mysterious Norns) is out in the world for the first time and has to learn a lot more than school can teach him. Magni and Modi (Thrud's younger brothers) whose strength is matched only by their impulsiveness. Ull is the greatest skier of the gods, that is except for maybe Skade, the four-year-old goddess of skiing. Together with Tjalfi, his sister Roskva, Forsetti, Noss, and Hela (who each have gifts of their own) this special group of godlings need to save thier home, and all the none worlds. It is only by mastering their gifts and trusting in each other that they can defeat Loki and save the universe.     This is a fantasy novel based on many actual characters from Norse mythology, and it feels a little like reading some of my favorite classic tales. It's the first published collaboration between author James Grant Goldin and his ten-year-old daughter, Charlotte Goldin.

I greatly enjoyed The Aesir Kids. I have always loved reading ancient Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology, and this story felt very true to the tradition. the characters all had their virtues and their faults, and in the end there is an idea of right and wrong that is vindicated. the fact that the author and his daughter worked together to create this story made it even better for me. I am eager to see what this team can do next.

Book Review: I Love You Just Like This! by Lillian Jaine and Ernie Kwiat

I Love You Just Like This! is a Sesame Street picturebook by Lillian Jaine and Ernie Kwiat. This sweet book features Elmo and other favorite characters as the go through a variety of ways people can love you. 

I Love You Just Like This! is a sweet picturebook about love that also deals with the concepts of counting, colors, depth, and more. Combining some basic concept knowledge with the fun message of how much a mother lovers her child, or how much anyone can love those dear to them, is nice on several levels. The familiar characters and bright colors will capture the attention of Sesame street fans and keep it. 

I Love You Just Like This! is a well done picturebook. The concept and execution are well done, even if it is not a new concept or extremely original. It would make a good bedtime or snuggle time read with your favorite little monster. 

Book Review: Lovers at Heart by Melissa Foster

Lovers at Heart is the forth book in the Love in Bloom series and the first of The Bradens,  by Melissa Foster.  Resort owner Treat Braden is used to getting what he wants. Max Armstrong  sparked an unfamiliar desire in him for more than a one-night stand, leaving his heart reeling and his blood boiling. But one mistake caused her to turn away, and now, after six months of longing for the one woman he cannot have, he's going home to try to forget her all together. Max Armstrong has a successful career, a comfortable lifestyle, and she's never needed a man to help her find her way, at least until Treat Braden caught her attention at a wedding in Nassau. Max will do anything to avoid reliving that pain; including trying to ignore her attraction to Treat.

Lovers at Heart follows the pattern of most Foster books. wounded but still strong, intelligent characters try to fight the attraction for each other and then give in. Treat is an alpha male with loads of money, a solid work ethic, and a close family. Max is a strong woman that has gone through a horrible relationship in the past and feels both fear and guilt because of it. They come together, fall apart, and in the end find their happy ending with plenty of foreshadowing of how other Bradens will find and struggle with love in the future. It sounds simple, and repetitive. However, the characters are fairly complex even if consistently damaged in similar ways.

Lovers at Heart, like most Foster books, are like your favorite snack food. You start one, and crave more and more. However, when you look back you wonder why you enjoyed it so much but still cannot stop yourself for starting the next one and still craving more. Addictive romance, so if you have already read some you will likely keep going even without reading a review.

Book Review: Soulless by Gail Carriger

Soulless is the first book in the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger.  Alexia Tarabotti is not your average girl. She has no soul, she is also a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. When she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette, she triggers an investigation with the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf). With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart? 

Soulless  is a fun blend of paranormal romance with mystery and steampunk. The character development of Alexia and the world building done are both perfectly paced. Alexia is practical and smart, with little fear and much curiosity. While she does lack some important desire for self preservation, her willingness to investigate is what gets the reader so personally invested in the adventure. Lord Maccon and the rest of the other characters made me laugh and had me grinding my teeth in turn. I liked that even the most seemingly stereotypical character was anything but. While I did expect one of the little twists, the execution and following drama was oh so worth it.  It was just such an engaging, fun read that I already have the next book ready to go and waiting for my attention.

Okay, I am officially now a fan girl for Gail Carriger. I adored the world of the Finishing School series, and just had to go back and read this series, which started it all. I have to say, that the Parasol Protectorate series promises to be even better. Go, read, now.

Early Book Review: Princess in Disguise by E.D. Baker

Princess in Disguise is the forth book in the Wide-Awake Princess series by E.D. Baker.  It is currently scheduled for release on March 31 2015. Annie and Liam's wedding day looks as if it's going to be perfect. Then everything starts to go wrong. Liam's father doesn't show up, members of the wedding party come down with strange afflictions, Annie's gown is ruined, a storm floods the castle grounds, and an unknown king lays siege to the castle.  Only Annie and Liam can get past a magical fog to find Moonbeam, but even after they find her, it’s up to them to discover who cast the spells that ruined the wedding, and why the unknown king wants to conquer Treecrest.

Princess in Disguise holds up to the action and adventure of the previous installments of this series. I will admit to feeling like I missed a book or some details from the series when I first started reading, and it is because I did somehow miss reading The Bravest Princess, which was recently released. Even with the gaps in my knowledge, I caught up quickly and really enjoyed the read. Anne and Liam face troubles and step up to solve the problems. Each conflict they face is defeated with wit, grace, and courage rather than brute strength or violence. I find that rare in adventure stories and really like that about this series. Anne's unique power of magic immunity again plays a big role, and I liked that we finally saw what Liam's magical talent was as well. Another great story from Baker to capture the imagination and entertain.

Princess in Disguise is a wonderful middle grade fantasy adventure for fans of E.D. Baker. Anyone that is current with this series will find this another must read. If you have missed previous books in the series I do recommend reading the backlog first, not only so you understand all the players, but also because they are simply good reads.

Authors of Young Adult Fantasy You Need to Read; And Have Your Teens Read, Too

Novels intended for the young adult market are increasing in quantity, subject matters and in some cases quality. Many of the authors writing fantasy in this market are simply a pleasure to read, while still challenging the reader to think and grow. Here are some of the authors that everyone, teens and adults alike, can enjoy.

Tamora Pierce is a prolific young adult fantasy writer that has released a number of related series and is still going. Her first novel was Alana; The First Adventure which was the first book in the Song of the Lioness quartet. This first series was geared towards slightly younger group, nine to twelve year olds. Then came the Immortals quartet, Circle of Magic quartet, Protector of the Small quartet, Circle Opens quartet, the Trickster series (only two books), Will of the Empress, Melting Stones, and finally the Beka Cooper series. All of these books happen in the same universe, the same counties with intersecting storylines, but still each book or series can be enjoyed without having read all of the books.

Pierce's main characters tend to be young women, though there are male main characters in the two Circle quartets. All of her characters are realistic, with doubts and questions about the world, and really come to life as you read. The reader really does care what happens, not just to the main characters, but all the smaller characters and the worlds of the books as a whole. Additionally, most of her books can me found in Full Cast audio format, which is a simply amazing way to get a reluctant reader, or long distance commuter to enjoy her writing. If you read and enjoy her work then I suggest also trying Maria V Snyder, Shannon Hale, and Robin McKinley.

Neil Gaiman is another contemporary writer that is great for both young adults and adults to read. Some of his best works, in my opinion, include Coraline (made into a major motion picture), Graveyard Book (winner of the 2009 Newbury Award), American Gods, Neverwhere (made into a miniseries on BBC), and Mirror Mask (made into a motion picture). He is also know for

the Sandman graphic novels and Stardust (made into a major motion picture). He also collaborated with Terry Pratchett on Good Omens. Gaiman has an imagination that I am both envious of and glad that I don't have on dark, spooky nights. He always makes me very concerned for his characters, and I like that many of the characters are flawed, like real people, even when faced with things well out of the ordinary. For those of the audiobook set, Gaiman narrates his own audio books and he does a phenomenal job with inflections and pauses just where they should be. Authors I'd recommend are Terry Pratchett and Garth Nix.

My third recommendation is Madeleine L'Engle. Most of us have heard about the Newbury Award winning A Wrinkle In Time series, but have you read it? It is a fantastic set of books, and was just a small portion of her work. She wrote at least sixty books before passing away in 2007. Many of her works combine fantasy with some science. Her work was consistently entertainment while touching and easy to connect to for ever person that has ever just not fit in, and isn't that everyone? Other authors you might enjoy include Margaret Mahy, Lois Lowry and Kate DiCamillo.

There are still several authors of this genre that are just amazing, but to list them all, and tell you anything about them, would take up too much space. However, I can't seem to leave this topic without also recommending Lloyd Alexander, Holly Black, Charles de Lint, Rick Riordan, and Michael Buckley.

Early Book Review: Me, Too! by Annika Dunklee and Lori Joy Smith

Me, Too! by Annika Dunklee and Lori Joy Smith is a picturebook about two friends which is currently schedule for publication on April 1 2015. There are many reasons why Annie is best friends with Lillemor, who is from Sweden. They have so many things in common that they spend as much time together as possible. But then Lilianne, a new girl from France, arrives. Annie can't stand that Lillemor has become friends with Lilianne, and that Lilianne seems to have more things in common with Lillemor than Annie does; like their names, which both begin with "Lil", and speaking a real foreign language! Has Annie lost her best friend forever?

Me, Too! is an honest and funny picturebook that children can easily relate to. when new friends, siblings, or anyone really comes into their lives they can feel threatened. This book captures the rhythms of children's relationships and emotions, while reminding them that there's always room for new people in their lives. The artwork is playful and makes good use of dialogue bubbles to enhance the text. The use of Swedish and French, complete with translation, makes it good for introducing foreign languages to the younger set and help them recognized that even if we cannot understand another persons language we are really not all that different from each other.

I think that Me, Too is a fun and funny story about friendship that will speak to readers of all ages. who hasn't been in a relationship that suddenly felt fragile of challenged when another person was added to the equation? This book can help that feel a little less scary, and help them include others in their friendships a little easier. The story can be used to help ease the transition of a new student into class, and to help children be more accepting of those that are different.

Early Book Review: Cursed by Ice by Jacquelyn Frank

Cursed by Ice is the second book in the Immortal Brothers series by Jacquelyn Frank. It is currently scheduled for release on March 31 2015. while each story can stand on its own, I think it works better if the books are read in order. As punishment for plotting with his brothers to steal immortality, Garreth is suffering a freezing torment. Every night he is frozen into a chiseled ice sculpture only to thaw and resume the chilling torture. Until, like his older brother Dethan, he is offered a reprieve from a goddess in exchange for his allegiance in a celestial civil war. While laying siege to an embattled city he meets a beautiful warrior woman named Sarielle, who commands a mythic beast through a mysterious and powerful bond. Can Gareth earn her trust, and should he, when he will have to leave again to do battle in service to a goddess?

Cursed by Ice is a good follow up to Cursed by Fire, it had the same drive and pace as the first book, and the same level of emotional depth. I liked that Garreth and Sarielle each had their own problems and complications through out the story, and that for the most part they did actually talk about them. One of me biggest issues with romance novels is when a very simple conversation could have avoided the story in its entirety. I could feel for each of the characters, even the secondary characters, and understand why they made they choices they made even when I did not agree with them. Frank held true to my expectations and gave readers strong, intelligent characters facing huge obstacles and finding their way through. Garreth has more honor and emotion through out this story than characters in some other stories display through an entire series, which makes him awesome. Sarielle is generally strong, with a few exceptions, but her heart and honor are her most enduring attributes throughout the story. I am eager to see how the third brother overcomes the odds in the next book.

Cursed by Ice is a good follow up to Cursed by Fire, and I think fans of Frank will enjoy it and be as eager for the third book as I am. I am hoping that I can get my hands on the ARC of the next installment soon, like tonight, but I do not even see a title yet on Goodreads so I suppose I will have to wait.