City of the Plague God by Sarwat Chadda

My name is Sik, and I can't believe all those tales and myths I grew up hearing are actually true. It started when I checked out a noise in the alley and was soon introduced to Nergal, god of disease and plague. Now, my parents are in the hospital with an unknown illness, and I'm staying with Ishtar, Mesopotamian goddess of love and war, and her goddaughter Belet. Belet used her ninja skills to rescue me from an attack at school, but Ishtar seems to think I can be a great warrior. The legendary sword Kasusu disagrees and won't even try to help with training me. I miss my brother Mo, and I can't help speaking to him in my mind. It helps me think about my problems. I don't understand why I've been thrown into the middle of this godly war, but I will do everything I can to save my parents.

This book had a Percy Jackson feel to it, but the backdrop was based on the Iraqi culture. There was a great deal of vocabulary and culture that was unknown to me, so it took a little while to connect with the story. The gods, myths, traditions, and foods were unfamiliar, although most of them could be understood using the story's context. The plot included some mystery, since Sik had no idea what Nergal wanted from him. This allowed me to wonder and search for clues about what was driving the conflict. Belet's character had a common personality found in middle grade books, since she was rather unfriendly and enjoyed fighting. She was similar to Annabeth from Percy Jackson books, although Belet was more insecure. The story touched on immortality and the moral, social issues of living forever. It also presented an interesting take on how a character's immortality might not be permanent. What? Overall, this book shared an introduction to a unique culture and its mythology. While it took me a few chapters to get fully into the story, I'm now very interested in reading a sequel. I recommend you give it a shot. 

A Tale of Magic #1 by Chris Colfer

My name is Brystal, and I never understood why girls were forbidden to read and were raised to become subservient wives and mothers. I knew it was dangerous to privately read the books my brother gave me, since my father was one of the most powerful Justices in the Southern Kingdom. I could serve life in prison or even be executed if I'd been discovered. Luckily, I was able to secretly get a job at the library where I read everything I could get my hands on. Unfortunately, my curiosity got the better of me. I knew I shouldn't read the books in the hidden room, but wouldn't you want to learn what was in the banned texts? I never imagined I'd discover my magical ability or that I'd be moments from my death. I'm thankful Madame Weatherberry rescued me, but I suspect it will be a bigger adventure than I could ever dream.

I've enjoyed other Chris Colfer books and quickly added this one to my must-read list. The major no-nos in the plot focus on banning magic and discouraging women thinking. The author shares an interesting view of magic. Magic is not inherently bad, and fairies use it to help others. However, witches use it for bad reasons, so that's considered witchcraft, not magic. This distinction is the key to Madame Weatherberry's efforts to make magic acceptable to humans. The whole story has a positive air to it, as acceptance and kindness are promoted to combat anger and prejudice. The students are taught that they must see value in themselves before they can ask others to appreciate them. We all have internal battles of right and wrong, and we must constantly remember the positive goals that motivate us. The misfit cast of characters is engaging, and Brystal's specialty is unknown for most of the plot, unlike the others. The one thing that bugs my brain a little is how easily the students learn magic, although Brystal discovers she has a learning disability. They learn by practice and are celebrated for succeeding in their own ways. Overall, this book is very entertaining and inspiring, and I recommend you give it a shot. 

Dragon Keeper's Chronicles #4: Dragonfire by Donita K. Paul

My name is Kale, and I wish Bardon was with me on this quest. We have a special connection that would be very helpful, as I try to convince the dragons to help us in the war. My father is a powerful wizard, like me, but I really don't know him very well. He's only recently awakened from Risto's sleep spell, but I still don't understand why he won't help me with some of the spells. I must trust that it's all part of Wulder's plans and that He knows everything I do not. However, how is losing my talent part of his plan? How can it help us battle Pretender, his evil wizards, and all the vicious, abominable monsters he's released into the world? I hope my husband is faring better with his own quest, although I sense he's having problems too. Wulder, please watch over Bardon and keep him safe until we're together again.

The third and fourth books could probably be read separately from the first two, since there were major changes at the beginning of both. I wouldn't recommend this, since you'd miss the characters' backstories. The series began with Kale learning to handle her role as a Dragon Keeper, but the start of book three skipped three years and presented her as a trained wizard. Book four skipped more time and revealed Bardon and Kale were now husband and wife. I didn't like how the author skipped these huge changes to the characters in the plots. These momentous events just happened and should have made exciting stories themselves. The book was still enjoyable and included the six brave and amusing minor dragons. Their different abilities (healing, light, morale) meshed effectively, and Kale added several more unhatched eggs to her cape. The battles resulted in deaths, including several that were especially devastating to Kale. Overall, I've enjoyed the series and recommend you give it a shot. It has a strong religious focus, as most of the characters pray to Wulder. 

The Problim Children #2: Carnival Catastrophe by Natalie Lloyd

My name is Mona, and some people  say I'm cruel. I only say what I think and don't care how they feel about it, but is that cruel? My father tells me to look for the good in everyone, but I can't find anything good about Carly-Rue. The Problims have been feuding with her family for years, and her mom is trying to break up my family. I've got to find my mom as quickly as possible. She hasn't returned from searching for the treasure, and my visions tell me she's in danger. We will have a way to find her if we can locate the last of the seven twigs. Meanwhile, I'm thinking of another way to annoy Carly-Rue. I know she's the defending carnival queen, but how would she feel about some unexpected competition?

This book was nominated for a 2020 Cybils Award, but I didn't read the first book. I felt like I was missing something early in the plot, but I was able to enjoy things as the story moved along. Each of the seven Problim children had a connection to a day of the week and something in nature, as Mona associated with Monday and the moon gave her some abilities. She was the main character, and much of the story found her learning to deal with others. She loved to play pranks and speak her mind, but she didn't understand why her behavior hurt other characters. The town carnival's pageant provided the best opportunity for her transformation, and many things about her character and the Problim family changed. Imagine a mischievous girl participating in a competition with dress-up, Q&A, and a talent show. I didn't fully understand why the community seemed leery of the Problims but then cheered and supported them. Maybe the first book shed some light on that. The overall plot was driven by the search for a fountain of youth, and that brought up some philosophical ideas about living forever. A long-term conflict was resolved in the end, but a new conflict emerged that will be the focus of the book's sequel. I must mention the youngest Problim child, because it could offend some readers. He communicated through farts, and the author included footnotes to explain the different meanings. I assume it was done for humor, but it didn't bother me. Overall, give the book a shot. 

Kevin Martinez and the Crimson Knights #1: A Game of Mirrors by M. A. Torres

My name is Kevin, and I was transported through a mirror to a medieval world of Derathiel along with our school bully. Zander was anxious to go home, but I was willing to stay and help Ser Jey defend the queen against Raven and his growing army. Jey said Raven has already sent lieutenants through the mirror, so our world is also in danger. I'm clearly a nerd, but people from our world might actually have special abilities here. Jey has a flaming sword; I wonder what weapon might choose me. After returning home, I'm now going back to Derathiel with two of my best friends, Matthew and Jake. It's hard to believe we'll make a difference in the war, but we're determined to try.

I chose this book from a Net Galley email based on the book's description. Much of the plot was fairly predictable which made the events easy to follow. A prophecy spoke of a warrior from another world coming to save everyone, and this character's identity wasn't revealed until the end. It wasn't a surprise. Kevin's quick willingness to join a battle, in a world he never knew existed, was unexpected, since the alternative was to return to the safety of his own world. I also didn't anticipate characters coming and going through the portal so frequently. Kevin needed to balance saving Derathiel with spending more time with his own family; mom's orders. The plot included the bully, but I was trying to figure out how he fit into future events. He had no interest in returning to Derathiel, so I wasn't sure why the author had him make the trip in the first place. Kevin tried being nice to him, so it's unclear if the kindness will have any effect. We'll see if the sequel sheds more light on this character. Overall, I recommend you give this book a shot, as I await the arrival of book two.

Dragon Keeper's Chronicles #3: Dragonknight by Donita K. Paul

My name is Bardon, and I've decided to help three women free a father, a son, once captured by Risto. Even though the evil wizard is gone, the man and other knights are still under Risto's spell. His death means the spell can't be renewed this year which could lead to their deaths. I wonder if Kale's father could be one of them. I've had to put my sabbatical on hold, and Greer makes fun of my ragtag team. The dragon is my loyal companion, and he's saved my life on many occasions. I don't understand why Wulder thinks I should lead this quest, but I trust that He knows best. I don't know if He could have predicted where our adventure would go. Did He know that we'd face the Pretender or that so many lives would be changed?

This book differs from the previous two books mostly with its cast of characters. Bardon is accompanied by three females; a mother, her daughter, and a protector. The tiny protector is a rare creature and is the most interesting character. She spends much of her time inside a basket carried by the young girl. References are made to Kale, her dragons, and the wizards previously seen in the series, but they aren't directly involved in this book until the last third of the plot. Three years have passed since the previous book, so even familiar characters have changed. Bardon is the focus of the plot, and he's an uncomfortable leader. He was supposed to take a year off to decide if he wanted to devote his life to Paladin but finds himself thrust into this adventure. All of the books in the series have a religious focus to them, as the characters follow the guidance of their god, Wulder. There are doubters, just like in real life, and this book is preachier than the others. It's not a problem for me, but it has bothered some other readers in the previous books. Overall, I'm still enjoying the series and foresee a showdown with the Pretender fast approaching.

In the Red by Christopher Swiedler

My name is Lilith, and I was only trying to help Michael get over his suit anxiety. I didn't expect us to go racing across the surface of Mars with a giant solar flare threatening the planet. I mean, Michael just wanted to show his dad that he's not helpless, but now we find ourselves stranded with no help in sight. No one even knows we left the city. Michael is the smartest kid I know, so I'm thankful that I'm stuck out here with him. However, being lost on Mars is very dangerous. We could run out of air, die from the cold, or slowly lose our lives from radiation poisoning. The solar flares make travel during the day impossible, and the icy glaciers make the land unpredictable. I hope Michael can find a way to save us, even if he can't figure out that I have a crush on him.

Having anxiety and panic attacks as major factors in the plot are pretty unusual in books. Michael's efforts to control his attacks create the conflict and tension that drive the story. Lilith only wants to help, but her suggestions unintentionally make things worse. Michael is oblivious to Lilith's feelings toward him, and it's fun to see how she teases him about normal middle grade emotions. The author uses science and math as foundations to explain life on Mars, how humans are able to survive, and how Michael can quickly come up with solutions to problems. You won't like this book if you don't like those two school subjects. I enjoy how the plot moves steadily and how the author constantly tosses in new twists to complicate matters. Just when the characters feel like they may be out of danger, a quake, radiation, or damaged materials reminds that death may be imminent. Overall, lovers of space travel and adventure should enjoy this book. I recommend you give this nominee for a 2020 Cybils Award a shot. 

Scritch Scratch by Lindsay Currie

My name is Claire, and my father quit his job to start a ghost tour business. I hate graveyards and the paranormal, and my dad's job can be very embarrassing for a middle grade girl. Then everything changed when I had to help with one of his tours. I saw a little boy dressed in white, felt chilly and wet, and the number 396 was on a little piece of paper. After unexplainable things happened at home, I'm forced to admit that I'm being haunted. I don't know what I'm supposed to do about the ghost, but I've been hiding in my closet to sleep at night. I can't tell my dad about it, because I bet he'll just add our house to his ghost tour. I've got to do something, since I'm starting to see the ghost at school too. I wish I could talk to my best friend, but I'm not sure if she still likes me. What can I do?

This book is a historical ghost story, as it's based on an actual, tragic event in Chicago. I've heard of it, so that made the story even more interesting for me. Claire is a typical middle grade character, complete with the relationship drama. Her problem is that she assumes she knows what other characters are thinking, so she makes decisions based on flawed logic. She also has an ironic fear of things related to death, since her father's business is associated with the dead. She has the common middle grade character issue of believing she can't ask adults to help with her problems. Adults don't understand kid problems, even though all adults were once kids. The plot isn't overly scary, although it has its moments of tension. It includes a redeeming message about friendship and not evaluating people based on your own prejudices. Overall, this was an eerie and entertaining book, and I recommend you give it a shot. 

The Misewa Saga #1: The Barren Grounds by David Robertson

My name is Morgan, and I was feeling protective of the other foster kid named Eli. He was having trouble adjusting to the new school, just like me, and he had weird explanations of his drawings. I mean, he had awesome pictures of strange creatures, but he said they were from his home. I showed him my thinking place up in the attic, and he liked practicing his artwork there. However, I put one of his pictures on the wall, and snow and wind started blowing into the room. The next thing I knew, I was following him into a portal where we discovered we were not the first people to make this journey. Now, Eli and I find ourselves in the middle of a quest to save the animals living in Misewa. We must find the Man who traveled before us in order to return Green Time to these lands.

This book was nominated for a 2020 Cybils Award, and it tells a creative story based on the Misewa culture of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Morgan is a dynamic character, as she transforms her self-centered ways. The feelings of self-preservation and remaining isolated aren't unique for a foster child from unpleasant prior homes. She just wants to belong and be part of a family, but it's hard to care for others when you might soon be leaving. She takes Eli under her wing, but he has clear memories and feelings about the native culture. Language, food, and other aspects of the Misewa culture are included in the story, as Morgan slowly learns about her heritage. The underlying conflict is Man vs. Nature. All of the animal characters view humans as bad, since a human left them in perpetual winter. Humans are gluttonous and always take more than they need, and nature pays the price. The whole plot reads like a folktale with a bit of reality mixed in. Overall, I can recommend this book if you're interested in learning about a Canadian native tribe. The relationship between Morgan and Eli is heart-warming.

DragonKeeper Chronicles #2: Dragonquest by Donita Paul

My name is Toopka, and I'm thankful that Kale has agreed to be my guardian. It's exciting to leave my life on the streets to go on a real adventure. Kale is the Dragon Keeper, and she's become the Wizard Fenworth's "princess", or is it apprentice? We've traveled to The Bog, so Kale can tame Regidor, the new meech dragon. We narrowly escaped an attack by giant spiders, and Fenworth wants us to go on a quest to understand the evil Wizard Risto's plans. We've been joined by two of Paladin's other followers, and they say we need to rescue one of Risto's prisoners first. Can it really be Kale's mother? Although I've loved being part of Kale's quest, none of us imagined we'd find ourselves in the middle of an all-out war. And how can our little force stand up to an army of dragons?

You can probably read this book without reading book one, but you'll miss the back stories. The meech dragon was different from dragons found in other books. Regidor was five weeks old with a tail and scaly skin, but he walked, talked, and dressed like a regular character. He provided unexpected surprises as the book moved along, and the conflict focused on finding a second meech dragon. Religion was at the core of the book, as the characters put their trust in Wulder, their god. Kale often doubted her own abilities and worth, but she was reminded that Wulder had put his faith in her. Her misgivings conflicted with Wulder's judgement and plan. Kale's interactions with Bardon were the most entertaining, as they hadn't gotten along well back at The Hall. He was not accepted into knight training, so he was more bitter from the start. However, he began to display new abilities and developed a close connection to Kale. Kale didn't understand it either and felt uncomfortable. This led to awkward and funny situations. Toopka was another wonderful character, as her enthusiasm to help created mixed emotions from Kale. Overall, some readers find the religious focus of the plot hard to accept, but I haven't found it to be a problem. The adventure includes some fighting and killing, but it's not overly described. There's no goriness. I recommend you give the book a shot.