Ranger's Apprentice, the Early Years #1: The Tournament at Gorlan by John A. Flanagan

Halt is not an official Ranger yet, and Crowley has been kicked out of the corp by Morgarath. Morgarath plans to take over the kingdom by controlling King Oswald. Rumor has it the king's son is looting towns and creating terror, so he may be disowned by his father. Halt and Crowley intercept one of Morgarath's messengers and discover twelve Rangers have been fired, and the king's son is actually being held hostage. They recruit these Rangers to rescue the prince and protect the king. However, Morgarath has forced the king to make him the heir to the throne, and the Rangers have no proof of his evil doings. Morgarath plans to make his move during the Tournament at Gorlan, so time is running out.

Halt is a main character from The Ranger's Apprentice series, and many of the other characters were in that series too. I'm not sure how Flanagan does it, but all of his books capture my interest. There's a mystique surrounding the Rangers, and the plots include a good amount of adventure. As in other books, the Rangers are greatly out-manned but still figure out ways to win. This plot is unusual, because the Rangers are trying to save the day, but some citizens see them as criminals. All of the characters are adults in this book, while the main characters are kids in Flanagan's other books. This book has characters acting as bullies, and I like how the Rangers face them with quiet confidence. I know it's just a matter of time before the bullies go too far and get their butts kicked. This plot doesn't completely get rid of Morgarath, so it leads right into a sequel. I highly recommend this book, The Rangers Apprentice series, and The Brotherband Chronicles series. They're some of the most entertaining books I've ever read.

Bad Luck by Pseudonymous Bosch

Clay is spending the summer on Prince Island at Earth Camp, a secret camp for students with magical talents. He doesn't show any special abilities, so he's not sure why his brother worked so hard to get him admitted. Clay discovers a cave with ancient graffiti drawings, and he starts to have visions through the eyes of a dragon. He finds a boy washed up on shore, and the boy's father shows up soon after. The father actually threw his son off a cruise ship and is on the island searching for a mythical creature. However, the Midnight Sun is behind the whole thing, and they have much bigger plans in store.

This book is the second one in the series, and I have not read the first book yet. I received an advanced, on-line version that did not include the final illustrations. The plot is easy to follow and should appeal to middle-grade readers. It does not include a great deal of magic even though that is the focus of Earth Camp. One student can create fire, one can see the future, and another child has an acting ability that can baffle people. In one scene, she posed as a bawling ten-year-old then a young adult within moments. I'm not sure what other abilities are at the camp. The story is mostly told in third person, but there are times when the narrator speaks directly to the reader and moments where he "slips up" and talks in first person. This style leads to a casual retelling and creates a light-hearted tone to the story. The book is a wonderful blend of adventure, magic, and suspense. It's a fantastic appetizer to the writing style of Pseudonymous Bosch.

The Last Bogler by Catherine Jinks

Bogles are snatching young children from basements and sewers all over London, so Alfred's kept very busy getting rid of them. Something's different about these bogles, as they're more difficult to lure from their hiding places and don't burst and disappear after being killed. Ned becomes Alfred's sole helper and apprentice, but Salty Jack Gammon and his cronies are lurking about. Salty Jack is trying to eliminate witnesses to his crimes, so any bogle jobs in his territory are extra dangerous for Ned and Alfred. Alfred later finds out how to make new bogle-killing spears, and there may be a way to trap bogles without using children for bait. This will make the job safer for Ned, but it could also put Alfred out of business. They're going to need to do something big to save kids from disappearing across London.

You'll like the other two books in the series, but this book can be read by itself. The first two books will help you understand the characters and the whole idea of bogle-hunting. The action begins in the first chapter, as Mr. Bunce, Jem, and Ned battle a large bogle in a stinking sewer. Much of the book is non-stop bogle hunting, and the author presents an overwhelming number and variety of bogles. The issue of using kids as bait for bogles is debated throughout the plot. All of the characters know it's dangerous, but it's the only way to lure the monsters. Overall, this book is entertaining and brings the series to an exciting end.

The Sorcerer Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

Several people are killed during a party, including Madison Moss's little sister. Blame is directed at the savant students of the Anchorage, specifically Jonah, a Nightshade assassin. Savant weir stones were experimented on, and their powers were mutated. Wizards want to get rid of the school and all the savant survivors of the Thorn Hill massacre. Jonah has been protecting the wizards from attacks by shades, kind of like zombies, but he's being secretly framed as a wizard-killer. Pressure is building from the wizard guild, and its members want action. Emma was a witness at two murder scenes, and she's determined to uncover the truth about Thorn Hill, the murders, and Jonah. She's not happy with what she discovers, and the truth is devastating to her. The weir world is ready to explode, and it may be too late for anyone to stop it.

You must read the other books in the Heir Chronicles series, as this book picks up exactly where the previous book stopped and brings the series to a conclusion. This book is the first one to have all the main characters from the series involved in the plot from the very beginning, although it mainly focuses on Jonah and Emma. This plot has more mystery, as answers to previous questions are revealed. Who killed the thousands of children at Thorn Hill? Who's been attacking wizards and anaweir? Is it possible for Jonah to overcome his poisonous touch and find love? Jonah's character can be a ruthless killer, but he also feels empathy for others. He questions the killing of shades, the spirits of dead savants, and wonders if he's being used. Previous books had more action/fighting scenes, although this climax makes up for it. 

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley

Micah's grandfather visited the magical circus when he was a young boy, and he impressed the Man Who Bends Light. The Lightbender agreed to grant him a miracle sometime in the future, and Grandfather is now ready to make the wish. The grandfather is dying, and he's not sure if the Lightbender will come through. Micah and a classmate search for the invisible circus, and it reluctantly agrees to let them enter. Micah's friend doesn't really believe in magic. They see amazing, magical things and finally manage to speak with the Lightbender. However, he may not grant the grandfather's miracle. This is not acceptable to Micah, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to save his grandfather.

This book tells a wonderfully magical story. Micah faces many obstacles with his grouchy aunt, his doubting friend, and the Lightbender's issues with granting the miracle. All of Micah's efforts are based on love for his grandfather which makes this a very emotional story. It gives the plot a feel of desperation which affected me too. The message of faith and love comes through loud and clear. It reminds me a bit of The Polar Express, as non-believers aren't able to see the magic. There's a need to spread the faith, so the magic won't die. The magic of Micah's knot-tying is a unique twist and reminds me of the magic in each person's special talents. Although not a finalist, this book was nominated for a 2015 Cybils book award.

The Enchanter Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

Jonah is an enchanter but spends much of his time hunting down and killing shades; they're kind of like zombies. He was experimented on as a child at Thorn Hill and managed to survive a poison that spread throughout the facility, killing thousands. A woman named Lilith is now organizing shade attacks, something never done before, and young wizards are being targeted. Wizard parents are directing blame toward survivors of Thorn Hill, now attending school at the Anchorage, and Jonah will do anything he can to protect the children. Jonah's poisonous touch is fatal to others, and his emotions are confused by a new savant with unknown powers. Jonah is at the center of a growing conflict, but he is holding a secret that could cause events to explode.

First off, I didn't like how the book ended. There were too many unanswered questions that I assume will be resolved in the next book. As in previous books, this one introduced new characters and then blended them with characters we already knew. I expected the familiar characters to have bigger roles in the plot, so that was disappointing. The relationship between Jonah and Emma was sensitive, since Jonah's attraction could kill her. Emma's character was fiery from living on the streets, but she was lost among all the magical characters. She didn't know who to trust, so her decisions and thoughts were unpredictable. Despite any of my concerns, I'm still enjoying the series and plan on starting Sorcerer Heir soon.

The Grisha #1: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Alina is sent to an orphanage along with her best friend, Mal. An examination shows they have no magical abilities, but that decision is proven wrong years later. They are heading to the Shadow Fold with the Darkling, the most powerful being in Ravka, and the king's army, when they're all attacked from the sky by hundreds of deadly volcra. Alina feels talons dig into her back but passes out in a huge blast of white light. When she awakens, she discovers she is actually a Grisha, specifically a rare Sun Summoner, and may be able to destroy the Shadow Fold. She has no idea how to use her powers, so she's sent to the king's castle for training. There, she learns to control her power to control light, but she also learns how it may be used to bring about the destruction of Ravka.

The idea of a character struggling to accept her new ability is not uncommon, but Alina has a real battle with her power. She fails to master the most basic ability for days, weeks, and months, and she becomes very frustrated. The plot focuses on her conflict with this problem, but it becomes a love story too. Alina has feelings for Mal but doesn't hear from him for months. The Darkling expresses a passion for her, but it can't be called love. His dark power is obviously the opposite of Alina's white light, and it always seems like his character is guarding a secret. There is some mature content in the book, nothing terrible, and I recommend it to middle school readers.