My name is Peregrine Harker, and I hope my current news story doesn't get me fired... or killed. I was assigned to investigate the rise in tea prices, but my focus has shifted to the seedy world of smuggling. I've noticed a pattern where every lead I uncover leads to a dead body, bullets or bombs. I can't understand how somebody always knows where I'm headed even before I know myself. I'm thankful to have met Louisa, the daughter of Sir Magnus, but I'm afraid the danger surrounding me may befall her. I'm thankful to have my dear friend Archie Dearlove back in my life, although he's usually away doing his job with the Royal Navy. Something doesn't smell right about this tea smuggling business, but I'm not really sure what to do next.
Peregrine was fifteen years old, and the plot's subject matter was more adultish. Not necessarily mature, but smuggling and murder are more adult subjects. Peregrine was an orphaned reporter, and he followed leads to get the scoop on a big story. He came across like a detective solving a mystery, although he didn't seem very good at it. As mentioned earlier, he often found himself scrambling to stay alive after being told, often by Sir Magnus, which leads to follow. The story moved along very quickly and contained a good amount of tension as Peregrine faced the many perils in his investigation. He was slow to notice obvious clues, so the resolution to the mystery was only a surprise to him, not to me. It shouldn't be a shock to most observant readers. The setting is in early 20th-century England and includes British vocabulary and spellings. Overall, the mystery, the action, and the subtle humor should keep readers entertained. Give it a shot.
My name is Owen, and something unboring finally happened in my life. Bethany disappeared outside the school cafeteria, and I picked up a copy of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory she dropped. Later, I was returning it to the library shelves when Bethany stepped right out of the pages with chocolate-covered fingers! Her father is a fictional character, and she's been jumping in and out of different titles trying to find him. I knew a story containing a finding spell, so I offered to help. However, I didn't tell Bethany about my secret motive for entering this book. She said I shouldn't talk to characters or change the story, but I was determined to save the Magister. How could I have known how quickly things would get out of hand? Bethany would probably say it was easily predictable.
The majority of the plot evolved from Owen's secret reason for choosing that specific book. He had grandiose ideas of what would happen, but his plans went totally wrong. The plots alternated their focuses between Owen and Bethany. The Magister felt characters in books were enslaved and wanted to rectify the misdeed. This was the focus of Bethany's "real-world" plot. Owen was stuck within the pages of a book and found himself at the center of a fictional conflict between magic and science. He was looking for an adventure but ignored Bethany's call for caution. Once again, why can't characters heed the warnings they are given? Answer, because then we wouldn't have interesting conflicts for books. It was curious how Bethany was forced to deal with the seriousness of Owen's mistake, while Owen was having the time of his life. Some people are so self-centered they can't see how their decisions adversely affect others. Kiel was an apprentice to the Magister and supplied levity to the events. He was a fun-loving, confident mage who managed to "annoy" Bethany and a human/robot girl named Charm. Overall, this was an entertaining book that mixed adventure and action with zany twists. The sequel will continue Bethany's search for her father, but who knows which books will form the setting? Give it a shot.
My name is Ash, and the government thinks people like me are a threat to the Balance. Illegals have specific abilities like speed, flying, firestarting, and altering memories. My ability is Sleepwalking, but I can’t use it unless I’m asleep. Chief Administrator Neville Rose at Detention Center 3 wants to learn about other Illegals in my Tribe, so he’s hooked me up to his interrogation machine. All Illegals have heard terrible stories about it, and I'm afraid of what Neville will do. The machine probes my mind for memories, and I’ve been trying to fight back as best I can. During the questioning, my thoughts drift to important moments in my past, and I’m struggling to keep them secret. I fear I’ve revealed the Serpent’s identity or his imminent attack. Have I doomed all the Illegals I call friends?
The title threw me, because I couldn't figure out how an entire book could be about an interrogation. However, much of the plot described past events in Ash's life in order to explain the current situation. The early "reality" was significanlty altered once she regained some memories, so much of my time was spent reassessing my thoughts. This literary strategy was intriguing, but I kept wanting the present conflict to move along. It was my own personal taste, and other readers might not have any concerns. I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about it. Most of the characters were in their upper teens, but there was nothing overly mature in the plot. Yet. Two characters had feelings for each other, and I won't be surprised if their relationship develops some intensity in subsequent books. The underlying conflict of government versus society is common, and a rogue government official amps up the problem. Selecting a social group for persecution is not uncommon either, unfortunately. Overall, the book was interesting and had creative elements, and I think you might want to give it a shot.
The king of Arden had my father and sister murdered four years ago, and I've vowed vengeance against him. My name is Ash, and I've inherited my father's magical ability. My healing power's have gotten stronger, but I've also learned the darker uses of herbs and magic. Although I've mostly worked with animals, I've discovered an extraordinary talent for helping humans. It's attracted the attention of the king, and I'm closer to getting my revenge. However, he's ordered me to save a prisoner named Jenna who stabbed herself in the stomach to avoid capture. No one is sure what makes her so special, and that includes Jenna herself. There are powerful undercurrents growing across the realms, and I seem to have found myself right in the middle of them.
The plot follows two storylines that alternate between the main character Ash and Jenna, a mineworker with a magemark hidden on the back of her neck. The pair share a hatred for the king of Arden, and they develop a close bond. I try to find books for middle grade readers, but this one is more appropriate for teens. It doesn't have any sex, but it comes about as close as possible and gets fairly intense at times. The mystery of Jenna continues throughout most of the book. Even though she wears the magemark, she's not a mage. She has some abilities that include rapid healing and foretelling futures, but there's something else hidden within her. Some clues are presented along the way, but I'm still not 100% sure about her powers. Ash's motivation in the whole book is to kill the king. That's a bothersome goal in a book for young readers. Despite that focus, Ash's character is basically a good person. He's willing to treat anyone in distress, and he's especially sensitive to the treatment of animals. Overall, I enjoyed the story and recommend it for a teenage audience. However, I probably won't read the sequel, since it doesn't fit the middle grade theme of my blog.
My name is Bud, and my best friend Tom is the most brilliant eighteen-year-old scientist in the world. He was in charge of a Jupiter rocket responsible for collecting valuable information about the largest planet, but a missile diverted its landing and crashed it into the ocean. We're certain the Brungarians are behind it, and we now find ourselves in a race to recover the spaceship first. While searching for remains, we were forced to dodge torpedos from an unseen submarine. The enemy is able to hide their ships from detection, so they can attack or evade us at any time. Tom has taken on the challenge, and I have no doubt he'll think of something. But the dangers of the hunt are only getting worse, and time may be running out.
I absolutely loved this series back when I was young. Despite the "ancient" copyright, the story's concept withstands the test of time. The main characters being a little older is a non-issue, since life was much simpler back then. The boys have girlfriends, but they go on simple dates, including a squard dance! The plot moves along "swiftly", which makes the book a quick-read. Events sometimes progress without detail, and it's very noticeable when compared to today's novels. It probably would become a four-hundred page book if it was published now. The time span of the story isn't clear, but the quality and quantity of Tom's inventions is remarkable. The turnaround time between an idea for the hydrolung to its production is a matter of days. Most of Tom's inventions this time concern safely navigaing underwater and detecting other ships. Overall, it was fun to read a story from my youth, but it will probably appeal to a select audience of today's readers. Finding a hardback copy may be impossible. I downloaded my copy free from the Project Gutenberg's Ebooks, a source I'd never used before. Give it a shot if you're in the mood for a quick, entertaining, science-fiction novel.
My name is Rhia, and I must guide Merlin as he wields the Flowering Harp to revive the lands across Fincayra. I lost track of him along the way but discovered he summoned his mother and delayed his vital quest. He doesn't fully appreciate that the survival of all living things in Fincayra is riding on his time-sensitive mission. Rhita Gawr will return looking for vengeance. Now, Merlin’s mother is dying, and he is determined to venture into the Otherworld Well to save her. He read the runes within Arbassa's trunk, and they told the story of The Seven Songs. He must retrace his grandfather's footsteps, but the cryptic song lyrics leave us guessing about the journey’s path. There is a likely chance we won't survive the quest, but I agree that we must do everything we can to find a cure for his mother.
Once again, Merlin doesn't perform the powerful magic you might expect. He's only recently discovered his abilities and doubts he possesses much of it. Rhia tells him as much when he tries to boast about his power to heal nature. Merlin was fairly modest in the first book, but this sequel presents a much more arrogant character. He gets frustrated when others downplay his importance and ignores the repeated pleas and warnings to resurrect Fincayra as quickly as possible. He discounts Rhia's intuition and gets the group into further danger. The word hubris was used to describe Merlin more than once, although he recovers some humility once the problem escalates. The plot settles into a pattern of trying to solve seven situations where Merlin must find the soul of seven songs. These discoveries result in seven lessons in life, and they must unfold in the order they are presented. No avoiding or skipping! A jester is added to the cast of characters, and he provides "humor" to the story. Actually, the character is the opposite of funny, but that's where the playfulness comes in. Overall, the series is slowly presenting Merlin's evolution as a wizard, and I assume he'll become a little more powerful in the sequel. Prophecies share hints of the future, but the uncertainty creates the tension and suspense.
