The Storm Runner #3: The Shadow Crosser by J.C. Cervantes

My name is Ren, and Zane just finished rounding up all of the godborns in the world. They should have been safe at SHIHOM where they'd learn to use their new powers, but then we received word that all of the Mayan gods had disappeared. This might have allowed enemies to break through the defense magic and even access the roots of the World Tree. How was that even possible, since the gods were the most powerful beings in the world? Then, we learned that Zotz and Blood Moon were behind it, but we still couldn't figure out their plans. We knew Blood Moon and her twin sons wanted revenge against Zane, and that might have included killing all of the godborns, but why couldn't we find the gods? We later discovered that my powers with time and shadows were crucial to stopping Zotz and Blood Moon.

You should probably read the previous books in the series first. Zane is the main character, and he's finally learning to master his powers with fire. However, he's unaware of another power he possesses, and it becomes extremely important as the plot nears its climax. Also, Zane and Brooks slowly admit the truth of their relationship which eases one of the underlying issues found in the previous books. A fun twist is that Zane has been forced to write true stories about his adventures which then become the books we're reading in the series. The books describe his feelings about Brooks and give background knowledge to any new characters. The author creates a conflict that seems to have no possible solution. The characters learn the location of the gods, but there's no apparent way to get there. The book mixes adventure, action, and humor to create an entertaining story. Zane makes funny comments to the readers, and the character interactions are often amusing. Imagine gods appearing and behaving as teenagers, and everyone teasing Zane about his feelings for Brooks. As I've said before in other posts, you'll enjoy this series if you like Rick Riordan and his Percy Jackson books. I recommend you give it a shot.

The Unwanteds Quests #4: Dragon Curse by Lisa McMann

My name is Thisbe, and I can't believe my twin sister Fifer actually wants to have a costume party. After escaping the Revinir, I now have scales from being forced to drink dragon-bone broth, and our brother Alex has died. What is there to celebrate? The Revinir has taken control of all the dragons except for Drock, and I also feel the oppressive pull of her summoning. The others don't understand time is running out. The Revinir doesn't appear to have any weaknesses, and I suspect it will take a new kind of magic to stop her. I know my brother Aaron is distracted by the unrest in Artime, as many dissenters don't like him replacing Alex as the new leader. They also fear Fifer and me due to our unpredictable powers. I know I'm the only one who can stop the Revinir, and I can only think of one way that might work. If not, we're all doomed.

This series is a spin-off of The Unwanteds series, and continues the blend of magic and dragons. You must read the previous books in The Unwanteds Quests first, especially since Dragon Curse picks up right where the third book left off. There aren't too many details reminding you about previous events. The battle against the Revinir is the main focus of the plot, but the unrest in Artime and the conflict between Fifer and Thisbe are equally important. The Revinir now controls almost all of the dragons, and she's determined to recapture Thisbe and attack Artime and Quill. She presents a physical threat, while the other problems are more mental. The problem between the twins is worsened due to assumptions and lack of communication. Each twin might say, "She doesn't understand what I'm going through, and she doesn't care." The lead dissenter in Artime is able to create unrest by twisting the truth and outright lying to the citizens. This conflict only worsens as the story moves along, and reminds me of the negative campaigns of some politicians. My main difficulty with the book and series is the quantity of characters. It's difficult to remember who is who with the cast consisting of dozens of different creatures from several different lands. Their backstories are hard to remember. Overall, the conflicts with the Revinir and the dissenters are very intriguing, so I recommend you give the book a shot, after you read the first three books in the series. 

The Storm Runner #2: The Fire Keeper by J.C. Cervantes

My name is Zane, and I must find a way to rescue my father from his prison. As a Mayan god, he wasn't supposed to have children with a human woman, but here I am. Having a child shouldn't condemn him to prison forever, or sentence him to death. However, I've accidentally endangered other godborns, and it's my responsibility to save them. They'll surely be killed if the gods ever discover their existence. But how can I rescue them when my father's life is in danger? I can feel his energy weakening. Someone is clearly control

ing events to amass great power, but who and why? It would help if I could master my abilities with fire, but I have no idea what I'm doing. And to top things off, how do I keep Brooks from reading the book and discovering my true feelings about her?

I'm not sure you need to read the previous books, but it wouldn't hurt. The author's writing style was reminiscent of Rick Riordan. I most enjoyed the interaction of the characters, as the author mixed some unique personalities. Zane's relationship with Brooks was entertaining, since he was afraid to say he had a crush on her. She didn't appear to be very affectionate, so her reaction to the news was unpredictable. Ren was introduced to the series, and her past was a mystery. She had the ability to create dangerous, fighting shadows, but like Zane, she had trouble controlling them. The antagonists in the plot were unknown, but let's just say some characters from the first book weren't gone forever. As a matter of fact, Zane was forced to team up with the least-likely partner you could imagine. Events got more interesting with Zane's hellhound named Rosie appeared. Imagine a grizzly bear-size, fire-breathing, untrained, loyal beast that attacked whenever she heard the word dead. The narrator shared her apparent thoughts, so Rosie was treated as another character. You could never predict how she'd behave, but the characters always felt safer with her around. Overall, the series is entertaining and should appeal to most middle grade readers. If you liked the different Rick Riordan series about Percy Jackson, Jason, and a young Apollo, you'll enjoy this series too.

Spartan Warrior #3: Legacy of Blood by Michael Ford

My name is Lysander, and not much has changed since I saved Sparta by killing the Persian leader. I'm forced to keep the truth a secret, and I'm still treated as a Helot slave by many of the people I saved. My cousin and I have even lost control of our grandfather's estate, and I'm worried the slaves will be mistreated and tortured. Now, word has arrived that a Spartan outpost was overtaken, and Sparta can't afford to send any soldiers from its armies. However, the Council of Elders has ordered the trainees from my barracks to retake the outpost. Most of the boys have never been on a ship before, and the enemy will surely have fortified the town before we arrive. However, we Spartan warriors will return victorious unless we heroically and honorably die. 

You should read the series from the beginning to fully appreciate Lysander's journey and transformation. The prejudice against non-Spartans was a common thread throughout all of the books. The Spartans were wary of a Helot uprising, but they refused to treat the slaves and free men as equal human beings. They'd use any amount of force to maintain their dominance. However, Lysander and some others knew this governing style was wrong and couldn't last in the long run. You should be aware that this book was full of fighting, blood, and gore, so it's not for the squeamish. These descriptions were appropriate for the series, as the Spartan culture strongly promoted fighting. Another thread in all the books was the Fire of Ares, also the title of the first book. This amulet was normally worn by Lysander, as it had been in his family for generations. Lysander often thought it gave him power, but in reality, it offered him confidence. This book revealed the potentially culture-changing history behind the amulet, but it felt anti-climactic. The truth was interesting, but its suppression made its effect on the characters minimal. Overall, I enjoyed the series and recommend you give it a shot, especially if you like ancient cultures.

May Bird #1: May Bird and the Ever After by Jodi Lynn Anderson

My name is May, and I wish it was easier to make friends. Most people find me odd, and my mom doesn't believe in the ghostly monsters I've seen. I was starting to think things were getting very strange when I found a letter addressed to May Bird that was mailed fifty years before I was born! It said I was needed somewhere and that I should go to the lake in the woods to get there. I didn't know a lake existed, but everything changed when I discovered it. I now find myself in a world of ghosts, specters, and spirits, and Live Ones like me are rarely seen. As a matter of fact, I'll probably be killed if anyone sees me. I've been told no Live One has ever returned home, but I've met a very timid, nervous ghost named Pumpkin who's willing to help me. However, I have no idea who sent me the letter, and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do now.

I try to read a variety of speculative fiction books, and this one fit at the lower end of middle grade novels. May was ten years old, and the plot found her on an adventure to somewhere. Her uncertainty about where to go or what to do created confusion for me. She wanted to find a way home, but it seemed inevitable she'd end up with the spirits in the North. The question was would this happen in the first book of the series or in a sequel. The characters didn't have much depth, so it was more difficult to connect with them. Pumpkin said little about himself until later in the book, and even May's motivations were unknown. She just wanted to go home, while she was surrounded by fear and injustice in this new world. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to find the person who sent the letter in the first place. Strangely, the parts I most looked forward to were the occasional chapters about May's cat. Unbeknownst to her, Somber Kitty had also traveled to this world and was doing his best to find May. He took a much different path from her, and he was unaware that animals were forbidden and he'd most likely be killed if caught. Overall, the book's conflict didn't come to a satisfying conclusion, as the resolution simply led into the sequel. The book still has a certain appeal, and I'm sure it will connect with many readers. I recommend you give it a shot to see if it connects with you. 

Spartan Warrior #2: Birth of a Warrior by Michael Ford

My name is Lysander, and I should have been honored when I was one of the first two Spartan trainees chosen to complete the Ordeal. However, I couldn't get excited about the prospect of surviving for five days in the mountains with Demaratos, my worst enemy, and an ephehos whose main purpose was to make sure things weren't too easy. We couldn't carry weapons, food, or blankets, but we could bring a canteen of water. The only way we could survive was by working together. However, the ephehos ordered us to complete life-threatening challenges, and he seemed to be especially hard on me. During the quiet times, I couldn't forget the memory of being forced to whip my best friend, Timeon, but I couldn't imagine how much worse things in Sparta would get.

The essence of this story was Lysander's difficult position of being a former Spartan slave learning to become a Spartan warrior. He managed to survive and made a couple of friends in the first book, but he antagonized others. This created conflict with Diokles, the Spartan in charge of his training, and the bully Demaratos. Demaratos was an intriguing character, as he held animosity toward Lysander but realized he needed to work with his rival. The injustice shown toward Timeon lingered throughout the book, as Lysander continued to keep his friend in his thoughts. Timeon's demise represented the epitome of the relationship between arrogant, entitled Spartans and all non-Spartans in the world. This series was full of fighting, complete with blood and gore, so you should be forewarned. The prejudice and violence seemed to represent the culture of ancient Sparta, as they felt superior to everyone else. Their attitude was to force others into submission and resolve conflicts by fighting. The plot of this book was much different from The Fire of Ares, as most of the events occurred outside of Sparta. The first half described the Ordeal, while the second half dealt with an imminent threat to the city. Lots of fighting and death. Overall, I'm enjoying the series but realize it won't appeal to everyone. Give it a shot?

The Prince Warriors #3 and the Swords of Rhema by Priscilla Shirer with Gina Ditwiler

My name is Levi, and we've finally received our swords from the mountain of Rhema. It was a treacherous climb, especially when the black dragons attacked us on the skinny ledge, but our weapons will now allow us to attack the agents of evil. The enemy is tricky and finds unexpected ways to spread chaos and confusion. Ruwach has always said we have everything we need to defeat them, but bad decisions have allowed the enemy to pass through portals to earth. Skypods have been popping up around the city, and Ents will attack if anyone finds a way to open them. Manuel's father is determined to do that very thing! I feel like the enemy has something extra devious planned, but I can't figure out what it might be. And, I don't trust that new kid Viktor; he's just too perfect at everything. 

This book concluded the trilogy. The whole plot line was based on a religious theme with the characters constantly being told that they needed to have faith and they had everything they needed. The enemy became stronger when it was able to get characters to question or distrust their faith. It was Levi's turn in this book to have the strongest faith which allowed him to see things the other characters could not. It was interesting how all of the characters had their moments to display the strength needed to help the team succeed. The adult characters were a compelling cast. Levi's father and Brianna's grandfather were warriors, but they were minor characters. Manuel's father entered the story in this book, and he seemed disillusioned with faith due to his wife's death years earlier. This book was the first to fully engage the "normal" humans on earth. The war in Ahoratos finally spilled over into the earth dimension, and the series plot concluded in an exciting battle between the Warriors and the enemy. Once again, it all came down to the characters having faith in the Source and following the guidance from The Book. Sadly, a mainish character was lost. Overall, I've enjoyed the whole series and recommend you give it a shot.