Excellent Reads

GODS AND WARRIORS By Michelle Paver 304 pp. Puffin. £12.99. (Ages 11 and up) ISBN 9780141343082 Rating: ? Stars     Because I was going to be a young reporter at Michelle Paver's book talk, I thought it would be a good idea to read this book before going. This is a book written for older children, about nine all the way up to thirteen or fourteen years old. Even though this book was specifically written for children, adults can still read it because it has some quite grown up parts.     This book is about a boy called Hylas whose sister and dog get attacked by black warriors. He and his sister escaped but his dog was killed. Even though his sister escaped he still did not know if she lived or not because he went the opposite direction to her. After the black warriors lost him, he immediately set off in search for his sister. While looking for her, he met a dying Keftian who told him that his answers were at the sea. When he arrived at the ...

A HERO FOR WONDLA By Tony DiTerlizzi 464 pp. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. £12.99. (Ages 10 and up) ISBN 9780857073013 Rating: ? Stars   A while ago, I read a brilliant book called A Search for Wondla, written and illustrated by the same person who created and illustrated The Spiderwick Chronicles. Then about a week ago I found this book in the library while looking for a book to read. I immediately checked it out. I have actually met the writer of this book and had the first book signed. The writer is quite interesting and if I ever become a writer I will probably write books like him as I like drawing and writing. I shall not give away too much about the book, but what I shall say is that it is definitely not the end of the series. I think children aged eight to twelve should read this book. However you should read the first book in the series before you read this book.   This book was about a twelve year old girl called Eva Nine, who was found by ...

INSIDE THE GAME... Jennet Carter escaped the dark faeries of Feyland once. Now, fey magic is seeping out of the prototype game, beguiling the unwary and threatening everyone she cares about. MAGIC... Tam Linn may be a hero in-game, but his real life is severely complicated. Still, he'll do whatever it takes to stop the creatures of Feyland, even if it means pushing Jennet toward the new guy in school--the one with an inside connection to sim-gaming... and the uncanny ability to charm everyone he meets. ALWAYS WINS... Despite the danger, Jennet and Tam must return to Feyland to face the magic of the Bright Court--and a powerful new enemy who won't stop until the human world is at the mercy of the Realm of Faerie. Feyland: The Bright Court by Anthea Sharp picks up right where The Dark Realm left off. Tam is finally going back to school, but both he and Jennet are still dealing with what happened with the Dark Queen. Enter Roy Lassiter. A new guy at school who has a mysterious p...

Every year I got to the Baltimore Book Festival on Friday. The festival lasts all weekend, but Friday night at the Children’s Book Store stage is the greatest panel of the festival. Every. Time. This year: “Five authors and editor Ellen Datlow offer their thoughts on the recreation and retelling of fairy tales for a modern audience. Panelists include: Adam Gidwitz , Jessica Day George , Shannon Hale , Sarah Beth Durst , Ellen Datlow , and Michael Buckley .” Oh. My. Goddess! I practically jumped out of my seat and shouted in delight when I read this. It’s like they planned this panel just for me. And because it was requested, here’s some of what was discussed. If it’s in quotes, it’s a direct quote. If it’s not, I’m paraphrasing what they said. Authors, if you see this, and I got something wrong, sorry. I was taking notes as best as I could. Moderator: What was your introduction to fairy tales? Ellen Datlow: I don’t remember which story, but Oscar Wilde. Sarah Beth Durst: I don’t rememb...

When news reports start appearing of a zombie outbreak in Ireland, B's racist father thinks it's a joke-- but even if it isn't, he figures, it's ok to lose a few Irish. B doesn't fully buy into Dad's racism, but figures it's easier to go along with it than to risk the fights and abuse that will surely follow sticking up for Muslims, blacks, or immigrants. And when dodging his fists doesn't work, B doesn't hesitate to take the piss out of kids at school with a few slaps or cruel remarks. That is, until zombies attack the school. B is forced on a mad dash through the serpentine corridors of high school, making allegiances with anyone with enough gall to fight off their pursuers. Rules: 1. You must be 13 or older. 2. You must follow my blog. 3. You must have a US address I can ship it to. a Rafflecopter giveaway If you're the winner, please email me your US mailing address. If I don't receive an email by Sunday November 4 11:59pm, I'll choo...

"She was born Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree,  and she did not open her eyes for three days." Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, spends the first years of her life under her aunt's guidance learning to communicate with animals. As she grows up Ani develops the skills of animal speech, but is never comfortable speaking with people, so when her silver-tongued lady-in-waiting leads a mutiny during Ani's journey to be married in a foreign land, Ani is helpless and cannot persuade anyone to assist her. Becoming a goose girl for the king, Ani eventually uses her own special, nearly magical powers to find her way to her true destiny. Shannon Hale has woven an incredible, original and magical tale of a girl who must find her own unusual talents before she can become queen of the people she has made her own. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale was added to my list of books I need to read this year because it's simply bee...

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face. But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him. Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone. I was really excited to read The Duff by Kody Keplinger. It's one of those books that I read a line or two of the premise and that's all I needed before I put it on my "to read" list....

Too many years of killer vamps have triggered the curse of the Blood Kissed. They’ve awakened the bloodline that can alter their world, because her blood has the power to control them all—even make them destroy each other. Jocelyn thought her troubles with vampires were over when she drove a stake through her boyfriend Max’s heart two years ago. Even though she’s engaged to Chad, she’s never really forgotten him. Now Max is back, and Chad is taking her into the heart of the vamp community—and they’re the ones trying to keep her alive. The ones who love her and each seek to claim her for their own. Because once the elders know who she is, they’re all going to want her…or want her dead. I was so excited when Seleste deLaney announced that there was going to be a full length novel in her Blood Kissed series. I really enjoyed "Of Course I Try" and "The Ghost of Vampire Present" so I was thrilled that we'd get more. Jocelyn thinks that Max is dead. Because she killed...

GHOST KNIGHT By Cornelia Funk 352 pp. Orion Books. £6.99. (Ages 8 and up) ISBN 9781444008494 Rating: ? Stars   As I am a child magic books normally appeal to me the most, so of course I thought this was a brilliant book. I get excited by a book not because of the social emotions you feel but because I like to feel like I am on an adventure.   It wasn't just the magic that caught my eye though. Cornelia Funk doesn't just copy some boring old writer, but she really thinks of her own ideas and entertains you with a new story every time. This was a brilliant book and I recommend it to everyone.   This book is about a boy called Jon Hartgill, who is sent to a boarding school in Salisbury. On his second night sleeping there he is woken up by the sound of trotting hooves and out of his window see's three hideous ghosts on horses. For a few nights he is haunted by them until he makes friends with a girl called Ella who tells him about a ghost called William Lo...