A Most Mysterious Monster (Kevin the Vampire) by Matt Brown

What worked:

The author has created a humorous tale about a carnival of friendly monsters. Kevin is the main character, and he’s a good vampire, so regular expectations don’t apply to him. He’s surrounded by many different kinds of creatures with “normal” personalities and behaviors. He has a pet… something that’s not a dog, but he calls it Dog. Dog behaves much like “normal” pets, but one of his jobs is to be the carnival’s garbage disposal. The last page of many chapters displays interesting “facts” about the various monsters. For example, Dog’s page suggested you don’t let him lick your face. Some chapters follow Susie, who lives with her two aunts. The aunts are humorous characters, as their desire to control Susie is over the top. Susie’s daily to-do list begins with “Sleep”, “Wake up, lazy”, “Sweep floors now!”, and “Make us breakfast.”

The author builds anticipation by referring to the monster in the mountain as the You-Know-What. This ambiguous name doesn’t provide any clues regarding what kind of dangers it might bring. The people don’t provide any clues about what it’s done in the past or why it’s so terrible. Readers will assume it must be really frightening, since all of the townspeople are terrified that it might return. It’s also the reason the town won’t welcome any monsters at all. The mayor is happy that the town is quiet and boring, since it kept You-Know-What from attacking for over seventy years. However, there’s no evidence that the town can protect itself from any dangers.

What didn’t work as well:

The book requires a tolerance for silliness. There are “serious” scenes in the story, but then something silly will be added. For example, hiding from a monster and then falling into its toilet. Also, the book doesn’t spend much time on character development.

The final verdict:

The plot has a clear storyline, and it even gives readers things to think about, namely tolerance for those who are different. It’s probably not for upper middle-grade readers, but I suggest you try it for yourself.

The Haunting of Old Splinter by Jack Mackay

What worked:

The author allows the plot to develop slowly, with the mystery of the wishing claw and the family’s issues always on Peter and Adrian's minds. Adrian loves scary stories, even though they frighten him, and Peter does his best to allay his brother’s fears. Peter finds the corpse of a missing magician in Old Splinter, making the town’s folklore more real. This discovery allows readers to anticipate the moment the brothers will find the hand and unleash the magic.

The wishing claw is comparable to a genie’s lamp, since it takes effect only after a wish is made. Adrian even assumes they’ll only get three wishes, because that’s what he’s read in his stories. On the plus side, the characters have no idea what will happen, so they’re responsible enough to choose their wish words very carefully. After two wishes, they understand the hand has unpredictable consequences and decide to stop. Of course, that doesn’t last long. The consequences seem to become more serious with bigger wishes, and the author moves the plot in a very eerie direction. It becomes reminiscent of ghastly, frightening ghost stories with a peaceful resolution difficult to foresee.

Family relationships are a big factor in the story. Peter and Adrian are half-brothers, but that doesn’t stop them from loving each other. George has married Peter’s mother, but he struggles to call him Dad. Peter’s birth father shows up at times, but that usually stirs up confusing thoughts and feelings. The most difficult exchanges are between George and his brother Lawrence. They’re supposed to be fixing up Old Splinter together, but Lawrence is usually overseas for business. When he shows up, he spoils the boys, especially Adrian, and infuriates George with his carefree attitude. Their brotherly love/hate relationship is a constant thread throughout the book.

What didn’t work as well:

Readers will expect Old Splinter to be a focal point of the story, but it takes a backseat to the wishing claw. The characters frequently enter the house early in the book, but the setting moves elsewhere after the magician’s corpse is found. The claw is haunted, not the house. The book’s title seems misleading.

The final verdict:

The author slowly develops the conflict and suspense, but the book’s second half will get readers’ hearts pounding. I recommend you check it out for yourself.

Shadow Wars: Son of Shadows (The Shadow Wars Series 2) by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Hinako Hishinuma, Madaug Hishinuma

What worked:

The story is based on Japanese mythology, as humans, deities, and monsters interact. Ryuichi is the main character, and his father, Ryucage, is a powerful, feared god in the spirit world. His mother once guarded the gate between the worlds, but that job now falls upon Ryuichi. He doesn’t understand how to use his powers, so he’ll never stand a chance against Orochi. His parents weakened and imprisoned the “World Eater”, so Orochi is focused on gaining revenge. Ryuichi’s mother is gone, Ryucage is missing, so Orochi’s fury and growing power are now aimed at Ryuichi. Ryuichi and his friends think their only desperate hope is to seek help from his violent, malevolent father.

Ryuichi’s team is a highlight of the book. The most unusual character is Ryuichi’s shadow, which has separated from his body. Ryuichi-kage has a mind and spirit of his own, and he enjoys fighting and killing. He reveals something later in the book that adds a countdown clock to the importance of reuniting with Ryuichi. Haruki is a goddess, incessantly insulting and antagonizing the others, often reminding them that they’ll probably die soon. Koichi is Ryuichi’s fighting teacher, but he’s constantly trying to get his hands on sake to drink. Masaru has vowed to protect Ryuichi, and he can enter Ryuichi’s body to make him a formidable warrior. He also likes to banter with Haruki and takes verbal jabs at Koichi. Ryuichi is joined by other colorful characters along the way that create additional entertaining exchanges.

What didn’t work as well:

Readers unfamiliar with Japanese culture may struggle with the language, names, and terms. Also, Ryuichi defeated Ryucage in the first book, but many of the characters that are helping Ryuichi are still loyal to his father. It’s puzzling why demons following Ryucage are helping the character who defeated Ryucage.

The final verdict:

I strongly recommend that you read the first book in the series. Without reading it, readers will feel they're lacking the depth of knowledge needed to fully understand the backstory and current conflict. I recommend you give the series a shot, starting with The Secret War.

Secrets at Sparhawk Point by Anna Rose Johnson

What worked:

The story focuses on two pairs of siblings, neighbors in a remote town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The girls are the daughters of the town’s pastor, which adds a layer of moral expectations. The boys know money is tight, so they want to help their mother in any way. The kids make inferences about their parents’ intentions, and readers will sense the desperation about the prospect of moving. The kids are responsible, well-behaved, and respectful of others, and they’re motivated to help their families. Readers will follow their efforts to make a difference, some of them successful while others are not.

The story is connected by the mystery of the lake monster. People speculate about what it might be, and stories about previous sightings arise. Other newspapers build on what’s reported locally, and that’s when complications emerge. Some people wonder if the sightings are related to secret German war efforts. Even though the war is overseas, the author shares its everyday effects on lives in the United States. Metal is used to make army vehicles and supplies, and there are food shortages. The kids help by collecting scraps around town, and many women work at the local factory.

What didn’t work as well:

The plot evolves slowly, as it follows the description found in the synopsis. The main nugget of interest is the fact that the children see an unidentified object in Lake Superior. A UFO, an unidentified floating object? Readers may expect a surprising secret, but it’s nothing earth-shattering.

The final verdict:

This is a wholesome story from a small, laid-back town during the Second World War. The citizens are good people, and readers can relate to their secrets. You should check it out for yourself.

The Band From Another World (Alien Survival Guide 3) by Kevin Garone

What worked:

Each chapter begins with an excerpt from a guidebook that describes what to do in case of an alien invasion. These passages are usually related to events in the book, and Marv follows the information as though it’s the absolute truth. He’s convinced Earth is being invaded, so he interprets most situations as evidence supporting his ideas. The story is told through Marv’s eyes, so readers are aware of every thought of an alien conspiracy. Nora joined his team in the first book, but Marv continues to think her father is an alien. Marv’s given each character a nickname. His best friend, Jace, is called Baller One, Nora is Space Cadet, Kenji is Pyro, and Marv calls himself Gold Leader.

This book introduces a new character named Liv, but Marv immediately starts calling her Alien Lover. As you can guess from her name, Liv thinks visiting aliens will be friendly, and she would like to travel into space with them. Her character contrasts with Marv’s view of aliens, so readers will be entertained by their interactions. On the plus side, they share a strong interest in aliens, so Liv is supportive of Marv’s efforts to find proof. Nora thinks Marv is nuts, and Jace goes along with his friend’s strange ideas. Kenji just loves the adventure and opportunities to play with fire or create pranks.

Considering the possibility of alien lifeforms visiting Earth is an entertaining aspect of the series. Marv is convinced it’s going to happen, or it’s already happened, but the first two books had science-related explanations for what occurred. This book follows that same pattern, so readers start to wonder if aliens will ever show up. Marv and his friends find musical instruments in an old, abandoned house, and they begin to behave strangely. Their behavior is worst while playing the instruments, so readers may suspect they’re possessed by spirits. Marv’s sister, Reformed Skeptic, contacts paranormal experts, and they seem to resolve the problem. However, the handbook warns that a dangerous time period arises when you think everything is fine.

What didn’t work as well:

The story is meant to be humorous, but some readers may think Marv is wackadoodle. The characters' names and nicknames are used interchangeably without a pattern for when they are used. This is unusual since the story is told from Marv’s point of view. He uses nicknames within dialogue, so why don’t his thoughts use those same names?

The final verdict:

This book can be enjoyed on its own, but I suggest you start with the first book in the series, I Know What UFO Did Last Summer. The climax brings back events from previous books, so it will help to be more aware of them. I recommend this book for paranormal/UFO lovers, so give it a chance.

War of the Wings (New Dragon City 2) by Mari Mancusi

What worked:

The story is told from different points of view, as alternating chapters focus on Noah, Maya, and Asha. Noah and Maya are the two main human characters, and they offer contrasting attitudes toward dragons. Noah has been looking forward to the dragons emerging from hibernation, since he’s bonded with Asha, queen of her dragon herd. Maya is fearful of dragons and can’t understand how people have quickly forgotten the destruction they caused. She remembers feeling safe in hiding until dragons killed her grandmother. Noah and Maya are good friends, but readers are well aware that Maya’s negative memories of dragons will be hard to change. Likewise, some dragons can’t understand how Asha and her herd want to be friends with humans. Noah and Asha want their bond to be a beacon of hope for all humans and dragons.

Noah reunites with characters from the series prequel, Dawn of the Dragons, as the plot shifts to their conflict. Lucas bonded with Cinder, princess of her herd, but her brother, Flame, has run off with a few other dragons in the herd. They were told of a settlement in the former city of Boston where humans and dragons live together harmoniously. However, Noah and Asha sense something is off about the City of Scales. Asha is uncomfortable about her initial impressions of the city, and readers should notice clues to reinforce those worries. The dragons here seem to have taken over tasks once done by heavy machines, so the happy alliance between humans and dragons feels shady.

The relationships between the main humans and the dragons are ever-changing. Noah and Asha face rough moments, as Noah sees positives in the City of Scales while Asha continues to worry about how the dragons are treated. Strangely, Noah doesn’t take the time to see things from his bonded dragon’s point of view. Maya’s main emotions toward dragons are still fear and anger, but she has an unexpected encounter below ground. A new character shares some history of the city and how things operate there. This information is invaluable in resolving the conflict and has a profound effect on Maya. 

What didn’t work as well:

Readers should quickly figure out what’s wrong with the dragons in the City of Scales. The clues are evident even as the characters keep saying something feels off. The full extent of the problem still needs to be determined, but the thing that is “off” isn’t a mystery. 

The final verdict:

I haven’t read New Dragon City, but I might recommend you read its prequel, Dawn of the Dragons. The story has a nice blend of close relationships, action, and intrigue, as Noah and his friends try to unite humans and dragons. I recommend you give this book a shot!

The Midnight Guardians by Ross Montgomery

What worked:

Col’s guardians form an entertaining group of characters. Their banter and teasing are incessant and constantly stir up emotions. King of Rogues is a brave, loyal, short knight in full armor, and he suffers from insecurities that cause him to overreact to many comments. Don’t call him Rogue! Mr. Noakes is a talking badger with a keen sense of smell, and he loves to tease the King of Rogues. Pendlebury is a tiger that can transform from the size of a tiny mouse to become as large as a house. She can carry the main characters on her back and constantly acts as the calming influence for the Guardians. They’re later joined by Ruth, a mysterious, angry young girl, although the King of Rogues is leery of her intentions. Spies for the Midwinter King are everywhere.

The Midwinter King presents a formidable character, since he’s gaining strength from the negativity and violence of the war. He controls the Spirit World with an iron fist, and he won’t tolerate any spirits escaping the realm. However, Col’s three guardians have done just that, so the Midwinter King becomes obsessed with recapturing them. Even after discovering the Guardians aren’t actively doing anything to stop his plans of controlling the world, he can’t allow spirits to escape without punishment. The Midwinter King can enter Col’s dreams, and he uses that ability to harass Col with nightmares. Col fears he may give away the Guardians’ location if he falls asleep at night.

Young readers can learn a bit about World War II from the story’s descriptions and occasional pages sharing brief facts from that time. Nighttime is when the Midwinter King becomes stronger, but blackouts were essential during the war with Germany. Throughout the story, characters extinguish lights and cover their windows with dark sheets every night, camouflaging their homes from enemy bombers. It’s difficult to find food and shelter amid the destruction, and families feel safer living farther from the large cities. The people in Europe are overwhelmed by the power of German forces, and they pray that the United States will eventually enter the war and help.

What didn’t work as well:

The passages about World War II aren’t necessary. They’re not always directly related to events in the story, and the information isn’t detailed or specific. The plot would not be affected if these passages weren’t present.

The final verdict:

The story stresses love for family and friends. The book will appeal to readers who enjoy quests, humor, and unusual characters. I recommend you try it for yourself.