Nightmare Academy #2: Monster Madness by Dean Lorey

My name is Violet, and I think Charlie, Theodore and I passed our test to become Addys. We're not sure since we allowed a level four monster to pass through a portal after rescuing a little girl from her nightmares. We've discovered the Guardian is under attack and all levels of monsters will invade earth if the defenses fall. The last of the Named will join the other two and summon the fifth. No one knows exactly what that means except it will be disastrous. It's strange that we're the ones tasked with finding a way to save the Guardian even though we may still be Noobs. All we need to do is find the last female Hydra, survive collecting some of her milk, and return through a monster-infested world to feed the Guardian. No problem.

You should probably read the first book in order to understand what's going on. It's not necessary, but it'll be very helpful. The most interesting part of the book involves the dynamics of the main characters. Theodore can open portals as a Nethermancer, but he wants to be a Banisher to make his father proud. Violet is the team's Banisher and seems to be hiding something from the others. Charlie is a Double Threat, able to open portals and banish monsters, but he's uncomfortable being the leader. The Director of the Nightmare Academy views Double Threats as a problem and has been working against Charlie and two others, and it comes to a head in this book. The plot contains many action scenes and describes an adventure through different worlds of dangerous monsters, arising from humans' nightmares. The series has had a "funnish" twist to fighting monsters, but the end of this book takes a serious turn. There are a couple of unexpected surprises that will hugely affect the book's sequel, Monster War. Overall, the series doesn't present anything dramatically different, but it's still very entertaining. Give it a shot.

League of Beastly Dreadfuls #2: The Dastardly Deed by Holly Grant

My name is Anastasia, and my Aunt Penny just told me I'm a morfo. Maybe I'll be able to change into a guinea pig like my dad, but my aunt says most morflings can become bats. I'll need to wait until I change for the first time to find out. I discovered my grandmother is queen of the morflings and lives in a secret village hidden from CRUD. Unfortunately, being related to a queen means I'm required to live and behave like a princess, whether I want to or not. I must find a way to find my missing father, and my grandfather is probably the only one who can do it. However, he hasn't been seen since the infamous Dastardly Deed, and everyone around here, except me, learned about it in school textbooks. So, my first job is to find my grandfather, the king, even though no one else has been able to do it in the past 250 years. Luckily, the Beastly Dreadfuls are back together to help me.

The narrator's voice speaks directly to readers and presents an amusing angle to the descriptions. Anastasia's aunt teaches her proper princess behavior by having her walk on banana peels while balancing books on her head and then teaches her the proper etiquette for eating pastries. Her cousin is a proper princess and uses her position to be a thorn in Anastasia's life. She's a brat. The Dastardly Deed and the resulting disappearance of the king becomes Anastasia's focus and offers a mystery to be solved. The fact that no one else has been able to find him only increases the drama. My main concern with the book is how the story meanders around and doesn't move along as much as I'd like. Not much really happens in the first three-fourths of the plot with most of the attention being on Anastasia's adjustment to the palace and school. The last part describes the actual efforts to find the king and leads the story toward the sequel. However, I don't feel like the plot line moved much from page one to the end. I'm hoping the sequel will allow more progress to be made. 

Elementals #3: Battle Born by Amie Kaufman

There must be a way for dragons, wolves, and humans to live together in peace. However, that's become more difficult following the battle in Holbard. The wolves don't trust us, because they think we're working with the dragons. The dragons don't trust us, because my twin brother Anders is a wolf. Our mixed group of survivors must find a safe place to hide, but we can't figure out how to get Cloudhaven to allow anyone besides Anders and I to enter. The war escalated when our mother was accused of murdering our father, but we know that can't be true. Someone has been pitting the dragons against the wolves, and there is evidence the destruction in the harbor wasn't caused by dragon fire, as it appeared. We haven't seen our mother since we were two, but it feels like she's the key to ending the conflict.

You should read the first two books before reading this conclusion to the series. I hadn't read the second one in over a year, and I wish I could've better remembered the previous events. I was still able to enjoy the story, and the series came to a satisfying conclusion. The war between the dragons and wolves was like a feud, as it had become a way of life. They had forgotten that things used to be different, as they did everything they could to stay separated. Humans were seen as lesser creatures and ended up caught in the middle. The positive message displayed by the main characters was that communication was more effective than fighting. The leaders of the dragons and wolves were dead set against it, and the reaction of the human leader was unexpected. The overall message was about appreciating diversity and differences and learning to live together. Being different didn't make one group better than another. While it's hard to believe a book with dragons, wolves, and titled Battle Born didn't contain much action, this book was still entertaining, and the plot moved along nicely. I recommend you give the whole series a shot.

Ranger's Apprentice: The Royal Ranger #4: The Missing Prince by John Flanagan

I love being a Royal Ranger and hope I'll never be asked to become queen, like my mother. I love having Will Treaty as my mentor, and I'm looking forward to our upcoming mission. My mother thinks it's too dangerous, but King Duncan, my grandfather, thinks we must do something to rescue the Gallican prince in a neighboring kingdom. It might create trouble if Will and I are discovered as Rangers, so we'll be traveling as jongleurs. Apparently, my singing isn't as good as I thought, so I'll be performing as a juggler and knife thrower. Will doesn't trust the King of Gallica, the man we're helping, so we'll need to be very cautious. Rescuing his son from the powerful Baron Joubert de Lassigny is risky, but returning home to Araluen may be just as dangerous.

I recommend this book, but I suggest you wait until the sequel is written before reading it. It offers adventure and humor in a setting of castles and kingdoms. The Rangers are almost mystical to the citizens due to their special training and stealth, and they specialize in secret missions. Maddie's character is unique, since she has no desire to live as royalty and loves the life of a Ranger. A bigger factor is the fact she's a girl, since many people can't believe a girl can have her abilities. She needs to control her anger when others mention she's female. It bugs me a little that Maddie plays a sidekick to Will instead of being the star character. She is important, but he controls every part of the mission. That's understandable since she's Will's apprentice, but this is the fourth book in a series featuring her character. She's able to feature her skills at times, but I figure she should display more independence by now. The first half of the book finds the two Rangers traveling through Gallica, entertaining commoners along the way. They share their singing and knife-throwing skills, and try to assist those in need of help. The last third of the book describes the actual rescue mission and contains most of the action. However, the conclusion is not satisfying, as you'll need to read the sequel to finish the story. I would have more criticism for this fact if I didn't appreciate the author's past work. Give the series a shot, and I even recommend you read the original Ranger's Apprentice series where everything started. 

Story Thieves #2: The Stolen Chapters by James Riley

My name is Kiel, and I can't understand why I've lost my magic. It's hard to be a hero without my powers, and I'm still accepting that I came from a book. I'm sure I must have cast a spell taking memories from Owen and myself, but I can't remember why. Doyle Holmes, a distant grandson of Sherlock Holmes, framed Owen and me for arson and told us Bethany will die in two hours. However, Owen's been arrested, and I have no idea how to find Bethany. Doyle always seems to be one step ahead of us, but I still must find some way to get Owen out of jail. Then, we'll need to find Bethany, because I suspect Doyle has a plan for her abilities.

I hadn't read the first book in a while, but I'm not sure how much that mattered. The main characters had their memories blocked, so they weren't sure what was going on. Consequently, I wasn't sure what was going on. Doyle Holmes was the antagonist, and he'd somehow made this whole mess happen. Actually, the main characters had, but that was the gist of things once the memories slowly returned. It was a little confusing that a descendant from the greatest fictional detective of all time would be evil, but that was explained as the book neared its climax. That revelation was a twist the author saved for a critical moment. James Riley included himself in the story, as the fictional characters couldn't understand if the author was real. The lines between fiction and reality became blurred, since some characters were able to move between the two. Bethany revealed this ability in book one, so this isn't a spoiler. The plot read as an adventure-mystery, as the characters tried to figure out what's going on. The two-hour countdown created suspense as the clock wound down. Overall, this is an entertaining series, and I recommend you give it a shot. 

Ember and the Ice Dragons by Heather Fawcett

My name is Ember, and I can't stop myself from catching on fire and destroying things. My only solution is to live with my aunt in Antarctica, since I draw power from the sun like all fire dragons. Other than my aunt, no one here knows what I truly am, and I'm having a hard time pretending to be a student. Why should I do homework if I don't want to? A couple of human children say we're friends, but I'm not sure what that means. I thought it was unfair that Moss was being picked on, so I helped. So what? I have bigger worries on my mind since finding out about the Winterglass Hunt. I must find a way to help the ice dragons without revealing my identity. It never crossed my mind before, but maybe I need the help of others. 

I wasn't overly excited about the first half of the book, but the second half was more engaging. I didn't clearly understand where the story was headed until Ember became more focused on one problem, saving the ice dragons. Lord Norfell seemed to be the main antagonist, as he sensed there was something different about Ember. He had a shady past, was intent on discovering Ember's secret, and was motivated by the money he could make by killing dragons. I was bothered a little by Ember's ability to mask her identity despite having invisible wings. There were a number of situations where other characters must have touched her back, yet they couldn't figure out her secret. Ember's friends, Nisha and Moss, offered her support, although she was reluctant to accept it. Nisha was the intelligent character who could think through situations and come up with plans. Moss was more mysterious, as no one, including himself, knew where he came from. It was clear he'd present surprises later in the book, although the author provided hints along the way. Overall, I enjoyed the book in its entirety and recommend you give it a shot. I could envision a sequel, but I haven't seen any reports that one is in the works. 

The Nightmare Thief #1 by Nicole Lesperance

My name is Maren, and I miss my sister so much. It's hard seeing her in a coma every day, so I decided to break the rules and give her a dream. It was a nice dream, so how could it hurt? Well, sharing dreams is against the rules, and someone saw me do it. The lady wants me to steal nightmares and will report me if I don't do as she says. I don't know what she plans to do with them, but I can't risk getting banned from my sister and my grandmother's store. I feel so helpless to stop this evil woman, but what else can I do? What is she doing with these terrible dreams?

As you can probably tell, this was one of those stories where the main character knew she did something wrong and then spent the rest of the book trying to hide it. Things would have gone much easier if she'd told the truth or asked for help, but that wouldn't have been any fun. The story had a fresh twist, as the whole book was realistic fiction except that some of the town's residents had magical abilities. For example, Maren's grandmother sold and serviced old typewriters and sold homemade dreams on the side. Maren carried a few dreams and nightmares in her pocket while riding the local bus to the hospital. A subplot involved Maren's relationship with her former best friend Amos that had soured due to a lack of communication. He started hanging with another boy who made fun of others, but Maren was unaware of Amos's positive reason. It took Maren awhile to sort through her feelings and decide if she was willing to forgive him. Overall, this was a nice story of friendship and family. The antagonist created a dark vibe to everything, but it wasn't enough to overcome the support for Maren. Give it a shot. 

Creeptown #2: The Bone Taker by Scott Charles

My name is Arlo, and my uncle's museum has lost a dinosaur skeleton. How does anyone do that? Luckily, my class is taking a field trip to the museum even though it's a crime scene. However, my best friend Darius is obsessed with movies and wants to film an adventure film starring me. It's kind of cool, and he convinces me to do things I'd never do on my own. Like jumping into a river of creepy, snapping bones or running at a pair of glowing, red eyes. That may sound brave, but I can't get up the nerve to ask Haley to co-star in the movie. She's pretty, awesome, and I've known her since we were little kids. Still, she's been acting different toward me recently, and she's hanging around with the class bully. Darius and I are still determined to solve the mystery of the missing bones and finish our movie if only we can survive the Creeposaurus rex that's terrorizing the museum.

This book is part of a Creeptown series, but it looks like each one can stand alone. I'm not sure how to describe the story in The Bone Taker. The conflict boils down to Arlo finding the Sorcerer's Tomb while surviving attacking bones and skeletons. The twist is that Arlo is missing 30% to 40% of his own bones. He's normally able to move like anyone else, but he sometimes collapses to the floor as a blob. Other times he's able to squeeze himself through small openings, which comes in handy at times. The weird thing is his classmates think his lack of bones is gross, but it doesn't really freak them out. It's almost normal. The story is a nice mixture of adventure, humor, silliness, and drama. The most entertaining part is Darius, as he won't let anything keep him from finishing his movie. Actually, most of Arlo's bravest moments don't come from his bravery but are a result of Darius's prompting as the movie director. Despite the funniness, the plot has a "serious" side to it, and the author saves some surprises for the climax. Overall, the book is very entertaining, and I recommend you give it a shot. 

Ultraball #2: Deathstrike by Jeff Chen

My name is Strike, and I can't let anyone discover my secret, not even my teammates. It's affecting my play as quarterback, so it may be a matter of time. My bigger worry is Zuna, as he'll do anything to get more power and money. He's blaming the Dark Siders for stealing his nuclear materials, and he's promoting fear and anger against them. Wraith told me Boom needs my help in a rebellion, but I don't know what she means. There must be something to it, because Zuna has threatened me into revealing Boom's location. He's even hiring thugs to attack my teammates and me. As if there isn't enough pressure on me to win this year's Ultraball championship, our top running back was seriously hurt in the first game of the season. Luckily, Nitro has amazing talent as his replacement, but she reveals more surprises every day. 

Read Lunar Blitz first. While Ultraball is the focus of Deathstrike, the main conflict focuses on Zuna and his desire to rule the moon. Connections can be made to some current politicians, as he promotes fear against a group of people, uses threats and money against others, and creates his own version of the truth by controlling reporters and the news. Strike is told early in the plot that he's the key part of a rebellion, but he has no idea what that means. This mystery and the threat of Deathstrike create anticipation and suspense and continue throughout the book. Strike's team, the Miners, form the main cast of characters, and several of them have their own mini-dramas. TNT is Strike's best friend and is determined to atone for a past breach of trust. Nitro is more reserved but wants to redeem her family name. Ultraball suits only come in one size, and book one described how Strike was getting too big. The problem comes to a head in this book, as he tries to fight the inevitable. This builds more anticipation, tension, and suspense. The plot builds to the Ultraball Championship game, where the good guys and bad guys predictably face off. However, the author saves another twist for the climax and forms the conflict for the book's sequel. Overall, I'm enjoying the overall plot as the underdogs combat the powerful capitalist, and I recommend you give it a shot. Sports is the thread holding everything together, as the characters fight social injustice. 

Keeper of the Lost Cities #8.5: Unlocked by Shannon Messenger

So, I finally woke up after my evil mother experimented me. No one really knows exactly what she expected to happen, but I've definitely changed. My empath powers are stronger, I'm apparently a Polyglot too, and I have a new ability that terrifies me. My words now have power, so I'm afraid to say anything else. Sophie's enhancing ability might make it worse, so I can't be near her. That means I also can't tell her how I really feel, which amuses my bodyguard. I can't let my mother manipulate me to use my powers against my friends. I'm not sure I have the strength to stop my power with words from hurting everyone. I'm sure Sophie will do something reckless to fight the Neverseen and my mother, and there's no way she can make things worse. Or is there?

Most of this book was comprised of information the author wanted to share. There were backstories and files for the characters, pictures from Keefe's memories, and a handbook for understanding the series and the Lost Cities. I admit I didn't read much of this part of the book, because there was a novella included near the end that picked up where the last book left off. The author included a message saying she expected many readers to skip the first half, and that's exactly what I did. Funny! Unlike previous books, this one was told through the alternating stories of Sophie and Keefe. Sophie and the gang were still trying to figure out what to do about the Neverseen, but the evil group has always been one step ahead. Sophie decided to act impulsively and may have made things worse. Keefe was terrified to speak, and much of his plot focused on trying to control his new abilities. Everyone had ideas, but Keefe became very introverted and depressed. That's very much out of character. The bodyguards continue to inject humor in the story, especially Ro, Keefe's bodyguard. She enjoys teasing him about his feelings and threatening him when he tries escape her protection. However, Keefe's dramatic changes will affect future events. I really enjoy the concept of the whole series, but it will require a lot of reading if you start. There's an abundance of description which makes the overall plot move very slowly.

Valkyrie #3: War of the Realms by Kate O'Hearn

Is the day of Ragnorok finally here? Will all of the realms be destroyed when the frost and fire giants unite with the Dark Elves, dwarfs, and trolls to attack Asgard? I feel helpless here in Midgard where the humans live, since Odin closed the bridge leading to home. The giants will surely win the war due to their superior size and strength, but I have an idea that might work. The giants are not known for getting along, so maybe there's a way to fracture their unity. Loki agrees with my idea and says we need to get assistance from the people of Vanaheim. They've hated Odin and Asgard for centuries, but Loki thinks their powerful magic can sway the balance of power in our favor. However, Loki is called a trickster for good reason, so can he be trusted? What if he's leading me into a trap?

You should read the previous two books in the trilogy first. Freya is the main character and youngest of all the Valkyries. She's not a character who follows the rules, so her actions are sometimes unpredictable, but always entertaining. It's okay to question Loki's actions due to his past antics that got Freya into trouble, but Freya still sees something good in him. The majority of the plot deals with the war against Dirian and his Dark Searchers and his Fire and Frost Giant allies. Dirian and Freya have a combative history that began back in the first book, so it's predictable that they'll face off in the series climax. The cast of characters is full of people exhibiting honor and a willingness to sacrifice themselves. This includes humans who have been portrayed as relatively weak characters throughout the series. The author includes plenty of twists and surprises that keep the plot exciting and entertaining. Even Freya and her sister Maya discover they possess hidden powers they didn't know existed. The Vanir add magic to the story, and their feud with Odin and Asgard creates another potential conflict. Overall, I enjoyed the series and highly recommend it for your reading pleasure, especially if you enjoy Norse mythology.

Legend #3: Champion by Marie Lu

My name is Day, and I'll do anything to protect my little brother Eden. The Republic experimented on him and left him almost totally blind, and I won't let that happen again. I don't care if the new Elector thinks my brother can stop a war with the Colonies. I don't trust either country. June is helping in her role as an Elector confidante, but I still don't know how long I'll be able to keep Eden safe. My headaches are getting worse, and the medicines don't help as much as they used to. I may die before I'm well enough to have surgery. It's difficult to admit after the Republic has been responsible for killing my mother and older brother, but I must do all I can to help the new Elector stay in power. I'm realizing the Republic isn't the superpower it's always purported, and the Elector will have trouble quelling unrest in the Senate and holding off the Colonies. I may need to take drastic actions.

You should read all three books in order to fully understand relationships and events. The story is told from the viewpoints of the two main characters, June and Day. June is the Elector's closest and most trusted ally, although she's resented by most of the other leaders. This dynamic creates tension and shows the fragility of the government's power. The most compelling story surrounds Day, as he struggles with serious health problems. He wants to keep the truth secret, but he realizes his own importance to the public's trust in the government. He's stuck supporting people he distrusts, but it beats the alternative of a takeover by the Colonies. The books are most appropriate for young teens, as June and Day explore their physical attraction to each other. The first two books include some heavy kissing, and this book has a moment of sexual experience that is not explicitly described. I wasn't sure how the series would play out, but I appreciate how the author makes it work. I can't say everyone lives happily ever after, but it's satisfying. Give the series a shot if you're looking for a dystopian story with a little romance included.