Zom-B Baby

Zom-B Baby by Darren Shan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So, this is the creepiest of the Zom-B books to date. I haven't finished the series, so there may be something creepier than this, but that baby? Seriously, Darren Shan, babies are normally not that creepy. Actually, babies are normally not creepy at all.

I don't even know what else to say about this book, except creepy baby. Creepy, creepy baby. Way to go Darren Shan, the baby is stuck in my head.

Author: Darren Shan
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
Publication Date: 2013

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Eric a Discworld Novel

Eric by Terry Pratchett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am reading the Discworld series all out of order, but I still love them. Maybe, at some point in the future, I will read them all in order and love every minute of it. As it is, I've been getting them from the library when I can. I think it says a lot for a series that even when you don't read it in order, there is still a story great enough to keep you going. You don't have to have an in-depth knowledge of the series to enjoy each book.

Eric is a boy who attempt to capture a demon and gets much more than he ever bargained. His adventures take him throughout a history that looks similar to the one taught to children in schools around the world. It was interesting to see events like the Trojan war and the odyssey through the eyes of a fantasy writer.

There is a nod to many classical authors throughout the novel, turning their serious works on their heads and seeing what happens. I would recommend not only reading Eric, but also reading the other books hinted at. I'm not sure you can completely understand the brilliance of Eric without having at least some knowledge of the other writings.

Author: Terry Pratchett
Publisher: Harper
Publication Date: 1990

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Arthur and the Minimoys

Arthur and the Minimoys by Luc Besson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I believe this is one of the books I received for free from an elementary school. It is an interesting concept, but I found it difficult to get through. It didn't capture my attention. I personally feel like there was too much off topic information that slowed the plot down. It is possible that the information that didn't seem to belong is relevant to the second book, but it didn't make sense in this one.

This novel is about the adventures of Arthur as he tries to save his grandmother's property by finding his grandfather that disappeared many years before. He is thrust into the miniature world of the Minimoys and joins in their struggles to defeat the evil M who may know where Arthur's grandfather is.

I like the fact that this novel shows children that they can accomplish great things, even if they feel small. You can do great things if you believe in yourself.

Author: Luc Besson
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: 2002

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Zom-B City

Zom-B City by Darren Shan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Darren Shan, it must be an interesting place in your head. I keep reading this series thinking that there is no where else for it to go, but then he pulls something out of a never-ending bag of tricks.

B is one of those characters that you want to protect and smack on the back of the head, at the same time. The character shows how our upbringings affect us. B is redeemed by trying to be more than the person she was raised to be. I'm wondering what happened to her parents. I'm hoping that at some point in the series, there will be an answer to that.

Author: Darren Shan
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Publication Date: 1 Jan 2013

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Big Little Lies

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I decided to read this book because the movie was coming out. After finishing this book, I don't think I would be able to watch the movie. I feel like there is something special about the story that is going to be missing from the movie. The movie could be great, but the book should also be enjoyed.

The way the story is written helps make the ending unpredictable. So many of the characters are dramatic and have their own secrets, that you wonder whose version of the events you can believe. This book is worth reading over and over.

Author: Liane Moriarty
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: 29 Jul 2014

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Leonardo's Secret: Clean Up Your Act!

Leonardo's Secret: Clean Up Your Act! by Clarence Sheridan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is a cute book for little kids. It introduces kids to the world of Leonardo da Vinci as a child trying to create helpful inventions with his friend Tuttle the turtle. Leonardo shows what great things you can achieve with determination and imagination. Things don't always turn out right, but great things can happen when you don't give up.

This book is best for younger kids.

Author: Clarence Sheridan
Publisher: Clarence M Sheridan
Publication Date: 29 Oct 2011

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Zom-B Underground

Zom-B Underground by Darren Shan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So, this book was kind of intense. What happens when you turn into a zombie but not the mindless kind? In this second book B wakes up to discover that she is a zombie, but can still mentally decide on what is right and wrong. While the world is trying to get rid of the zombies, B struggles to decide what side she is on.

The Zom-B series is full of gore and yet completely captivating. The gore that come from a world over run by zombies is not watered down at all. Having everything depicted in so much detail brings the story to life in a way that would not have been possible otherwise.

Darren Shan knows how to bring a story to life.

Author: Darren Shan
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 2 Jan 2013

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Forget Me Not

Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Forget Me Not is written from the point of view of Calliope June, a girl with Tourette syndrome. It is written in verse, with a side point of view written in short paragraphs. Having two different writing styles, makes it clear who is speaking at any given point.

Calliope shows what it is like to be different than those around you, and the struggles of dealing with people who don't take the time, or even want, to understand why those differences exist. This novel shows how quickly judgments are formed against someone.

The second point of view, shows the struggles of someone who wants to understand, but is also afraid that they will face the same criticism of the person being judged. It is clear that in order to stand up befriend those who are different, sometimes you risk losing other friends that don't want to understand.

This book shows the courage to be someone different, and the courage to befriend them. These seemingly small things, can have a huge impact on children and teenagers.

I read this book for the Beehive Book Awards

Author: Ellie Terry
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: 14 Mar 2017

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Solo

Solo by Kwame Alexander
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Solo is about a teenager named Blade and his struggles growing up as the child of a rock and roll star. The story is told through poetry and song lyrics, making it a quick read, but also one that has a deeper meaning.

There is plenty of character development and emotion in the storyline. The book is written from Blade's point of view, which helps the reader understand the emotions and situations he is dealing with.

I find it hard to give a decent review of this novel without spoilers. There is a lot that happens, including many surprise moments. I recently bought this book, and would recommend.

I read this book for the Beehive Book Awards.

Author: Kwame Alexander
Publisher: Blink
Publication Date: 25 Jul 2017

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A Dangerous Year Gets FIVE Stars

A Dangerous Year by Kes Trester
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wasn't too sure of this book at first, but, by the time I finished, I was ready for the next one.

This book is one of the great ones that pulls you in more as you read. It was an emotional roller coaster, at least for me. I don't even know what to say, my mind is still processing the ending. Kes Trester write quickly please, I need the next one.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Author: Kes Trester
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Publication Date: 26 Sept 2017

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Feet of Clay a Discworld Novel

Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love Discworld, and Feet of Clay did not disappoint. There are so many twists and turns that I could not have predicted how everything was going to turn out. The cast of characters makes the book entertaining on a whole new level, and makes you question everything anyone does.

Terry Pratchett books are always great for the humor, especially since almost nothing is said or done as a joke. The seriousness of the characters heightens the humor.

I have not read the other books in the City Watch portion of the Discworld series, but they are on my list. I want to read more about the city watch and visit these characters again.

Author: Terry Pratchett
Publisher: HarTorch (Note: Publisher is based on the edition I read)
Publication Date: 1996

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Old Misery

Old Misery by James Sage
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Old Misery is a humorous quick read. It tells the story of a little old lady and her apple tree. I found the story to be entertaining and unexpected. That's a large feat for such a short story.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Author: James Sage
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Expected Publication Date: 01 May 2018

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Diary of a Maxed Out Kid

Diary of a Maxed Out Kid by Vic Connor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the first book in the series. Max is a kid growing up in Russia in the 80s. This is just as a warning, since some of the names and situations may be a little difficult to understand if you do not know Russian culture. This isn't a major problem, it just makes it harder to relate to some of the situations in the book.

Overall, I find Max to be a likable character. He's a boy's boy with a heart of gold. I hope his character continues to develop through the other books.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Author: Vic Connor
Publisher: Helvetic House
Publication Date: 13 Dec 2014

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Live Fearless

Live Fearless: A Call to Power, Passion, and Purpose by Sadie Robertson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I think everyone, religious or not, should read this book and at least take some of the lessons into your life. There is good advice in its pages. As I read the book, I constantly thought about some of the stories and messages. They stay with you even after you finish reading. The only thing that really threw me, was the different versions of the Bible used. I only use one version, so it felt odd reading verses with wording I didn't recognize. It is interesting to read the different versions and see things from a different point of view. The message doesn't change, but your connection to it might.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Author: Sadie Robertson
Publisher: Thomas Nelson: CHILDREN'S
Publication Date: 06 Feb 2018

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Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes with TONS of Sass

Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes by Rick Riordan
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I used to like the Percy Jackson books, but by this point, it's just too much. I decided to finish it off with Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes with an open mind. Just because I'm over the series, doesn't mean a one off book can't be amazing. This book fell flat.

The illustrations were awesome, props to John Rocco, but the stories were all over the place. Maybe it's just me, but Percy's voice was way to prevalent. It was all over the place. It felt more contained in Percy Jackson's Greek Gods. This book seemed to be less about the actual heroes stories, and more about the snide side comments. Maybe I just relate to the other book more.

The size of the book was also an issue with me. I know it helped with the images, but the book is heavy and hard to deal with. I used a pillow to prop the book up on my lap.

All of this of course is my own personal opinion. I know there are people out there that really like Percy, so they will not have a problem with the abundance of side comments. Everything depends on what you like.

Author: Rick Riordan
Illustrator: John Rocco
Publisher: Disney - Hyperion Books
Publication Date: 2014

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