ALIEN COLLECTIVE by Gini Koch

Kitty and her crew are still trying to stay a step or two ahead of the bad guys, but this time they may have more trouble than they can manage. After a brief reprieve to mourn their losses and regroup after the events of Alien Research, the attacks are coming fast and furious. Kitty will need the help of her "uncles" the assassins, the K-9 Stooges, and her favorite dog-on-duty, Prince, as well as her usual team to foil the bad guy plans-du-jour, convert enemies to allies, and keep her favorite politician - her husband - alive.

The pace of this installment in the Alien series by Gini Koch was breakneck. I felt like all I could do was hang on through my first read so I could just find out what happened. A second - or maybe a third - read will be required if I want to have any hope of finding hints to figure out who the Mastermind is and what he/she might be planning for the future. I have really enjoyed the evolution of this series. It has developed a mystery angle that I wasn't expecting when I started reading it - and I LOVE mysteries. When I read these books I feel like I did as I was working through the last couple Harry Potter books - trying to find and interpret the clues and guess what was going to be coming in the end. Masterful plotting! This is definitely a series to read in order. Each story builds on events and clues and characters introduced in previous books. The cast has gotten quite large, but Gini does a good job with the recaps if it's been awhile since you read the previous stories. If you are already a fan of this series, don't hesitate to dive into Alien Collective. If these books are new to you and you like science-fiction with a bit of mystery and romance thrown in, check out book one, Touched by an Alien. You can read my other reviews from this series here.

4 out of 5 stars

I've already put in my order for the next book in the series, Universal Alien, which releases on December 2, 2014!

ALIEN RESEARCH by Gini Koch

Kitty receives a warning call from her chief of security that gets cut off mid-sentence. Walter is away at a mandatory security training session - along with most of Kitty's usual butt-kicking team. And no one can reach them. This would be bad enough, but the evil overlords like to run multiple plans at once, so Kitty's also getting threatening phone calls from the new head of Club Fifty-One and surprise visits from the leaders of various corporations doling out the evil plans. ACE is still off the grid, so Kitty's going to have to keep "thinking right" on her own if she hopes to foil the bad guys and save her team.

Wow! This was an emotional roller coaster! I read this after re-reading the entire series. I decided during the re-read that Alien in the House is my new favorite (along with Alien Tango) because it is so funny and sassy - Kitty at her best. And this book starts the same way. I was laughing out loud at some moments. And because so many folks are tied up with the security training that goes awry, Jeff and Christopher leap into action just like the good old days from books 1, 2 and 3. I was really in the groove with this book. And then the evil plots started to coalesce and the good guys started to take some losses and my feel-good, funny story took an emotional turn. These stories are so intricate, you really have to take more than one pass through them to take it all in. I think that's why I love this series so much - there's a lot of depth in the plotting in each one. A fast read through because you want to know what happens means you'll miss some things. I've already taken a second read through and it was just as good the second time.

5 out of 5 stars

Kitty is as sassy as ever in this story and I still love her! Alien Collective releases on May 6th. I've already pre-ordered my copy!

Cautions - as with the other books in the series, there is some language and detailed romantic scenes.

KISS AND SPELL by Shanna Swendson

Katie and Owen are back! Owen has his magic powers back - and Katie now has some, too! This has the potential to change her role at MSI - just what she was looking for - except that they have to keep the magic a secret. If the powers that be in the wizarding world knew that Owen had his magic back, he would probably be arrested as a danger to the world, even though Katie knows Owen could never be evil, no matter who his biological parents were. Before they have too much time to develop a plan for this recent change in both of their statuses, elves start disappearing and Katie and Owen start sleuthing. What they find could destroy their relationship... since they don't even remember they have one.

I was tickled to find there was a new book in this series! You can read about the other books by this author here. It's no secret to folks who read the blog regularly that I enjoy fantasy and science fiction. I have loved this series from the beginning because it contains the magic and fantasy pieces I enjoy without going too dark and creepy, which I don't. The middle was a little frustrating. For a few pages I started to wonder if the e-book folks had made a mistake! Nothing in the book felt right - the setting, the way the main character was acting.... Hang with it, and it will all start to make sense. This was a fun adventure with characters I already love and a great love story. As soon as I finished, I was online looking to see if there was another book on the way. Looks like this could be the last in the series.... I will hold out hope for a new story some day, but until then, I'll just keep reading these and enjoying them time and time again.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Graphic Novel Week: THE SILVER SIX by AJ Lieberman and Darren Rawlings

Phoebe is an orphan who's been living on her own and trying not to be found when she is captured and thrown into an orphanage. The occupants of her barracks - the Silver group - band together and escape to an uninhabited moon where they discover they were all connected long before they met in the orphanage. They also find out what really happened to their parents.

Lots of action and danger in this story, which will appeal to middle and older elementary readers. The Silver Six are a great group of kids who work together to find the truth and take care of one another. This is a story about friendship and family and truth. My students will enjoy this one!

4 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 2.6

WARP: THE RELUCTANT ASSASSIN by Eoin Colfer

In London in 1898, an orphan named Riley is on a "job" with the man who cares for him, a magician - and murderer - named Albert Garrick. The job is supposed to be Riley's first kill - a task Riley wants no part of. But the target is a scientist from the future, and Riley and Garrick are pulled into a wormhole to the future.

In our time, 17-year-old FBI agent Chevron Savarro is working in London. It falls to her to protect Riley as they try to run from Garrick and the powers he acquires in the wormhole.

This was a much darker book than I was expecting. I ordered it online, but if I had bought it at the bookstore I would have seen that it was shelved for teens instead of middle grade readers. Other reviewers have said this is a darker story than the author's other work. Older students looking for a good science fiction/time travel story should check this one out. It is well written, and suspenseful. The villain is truly evil and the story is violent, so readers should be prepared for that. As a parent, I would want my son to wait until middle school - and maybe late in middle school - before reading this one.

4 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 6.1

SCI-FI for ADULTS: Alien in the House by Gini Koch

Jeff and Kitty are back to their regular diplomatic roles after the events of Operation Destruction. But we all know "regular" never lasts. Before long old friends are missing, new friends are dead, bullets are flying and enemies thought permanently gone are back and running circles around the team.

I thoroughly enjoyed this new installment in my favorite series of books for grown-ups. I love watching the growth in the characters as they take on new roles. I'm really impressed that Ms Koch is willing to change things for her characters. In this book, the characters acknowledge the differences and the difficulties the changes have caused - but those difficulties are what keep the story moving and keep the characters interesting. I don't want to give anything away, but there are more changes in store for Kitty and Jeff as they get pulled further into the political side of life in DC. This story was over 500 pages - you'll get your money's worth on this one! And I'm ready to read it again to really notice the hints and humor (I usually blow through a new book in this series on a first read through because I have to know what happens. Then I read through it again to get me through the 6-8 month wait for a new story.) I love the sass and the strength of Kitty and I am looking forward to working my way through the whole series again this summer - this is comfort reading for me!

4 out of 5 stars

Recommended for: fans of the series. I think this might be a frustrating read for someone who starts with this book. If you like funny science fiction, go back to Touched by an Alien and discover this great series for yourself (I'm having my husband read it this summer so we can talk about its awesomeness together).

Cautions: Some language and adult relationships

CHAPTER BOOK: The Menagerie

Logan finds a griffin cub under his bed which leads him to The Menagerie - a zoo for magical creatures. If only Logan can use his griffin-whisperer skills to help his new friends Zoe and Blue track down the other missing cubs, maybe they can keep The Menagerie safe and in operation.

I really enjoyed this book! The mythical creatures were very interesting - each type with its own "voice" and attitude. The five griffin cubs alone were a hoot to read. There's a fun mystery element to the story as Logan has skills and connections to the Menagerie other people seem to know about but he doesn't. The gradual reveal of those connections was nicely done. My students already love Sutherland's dragon series, and I can't wait to recommend this series to them as well!

4 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 4.6

Recommended for: Fans of animal stories, mythology stories, fantasy stories, and other books written by Tui Sutherland (the Pet Trouble series, the Wings of Fire series)

CHAPTER BOOK: The Sasquatch Escape by Suzanne Selfors

Ben is stuck living with his grandfather over the summer while his parents work out "their differences." Ben's grandpa lives in a run down old town where the big excitement is pudding day at the senior center. Ben is sure this summer will be a total waste. But then he finds the dragon.

Buttonville may seem like a boring old town, but someone is using the closed button factory as a hospital for mythical animals. And Ben lets a huge, hairy sasquatch loose in the town. He'll have to track it down with the help of his new friend Pearl before the local busy-bodies catch on to what's really going on. This was a fun story and a great beginning to a new series.

3.5 out of 5 stars
No AR reading level yet.

Recommended for: fans of fantasy stories and fantasy creatures, fans of Suzanne Selfors' other books (like the Smells Like Dog series).

CHAPTER BOOK: The Colossus Rises by Peter Lerangis

[This is a guest post by my husband!]

When we meet Jack McKinley, he is your typical 13 year old waking up and getting ready for school. Only Jack's home alone. His mother has passed away and his farther is in Singapore for work - and Jack's "nanny" has quit in the middle of the night and left only a note. From there, Jack's day only gets more interesting. By the next morning, Jack is on a "secret" island at the Karai Institute with three other teenagers - Aly, Cass and Marco - and Jack finds out that all four of them run the risk of not living past their 14th birthdays.

Professor Radamanthus Bhegad, the head of the Institute, tells Jack that he and the other teens are descendants of a long lost civilization and a genetic trait - which has the ability to give them "super powers" - is also what is killing them. The key to saving Jack and his new friends are seven magic Loculi which were stolen from the lost civilization and hidden around the world.These Loculi must be found before they fall into the wrong hands and the world falls prey to disaster.

Seven Wonders: The Colossus Rises jumped out at me from the shelf when I saw a quote from Rick Riordan on the front cover. I loved the Percy Jackson books and I took this as a sign I might enjoy this series as well. The author, Peter Lerangis, is no stranger to writing a book for a series and does a nice job setting up the basis for this series. I must admit, initially, when I started reading things were moving very quickly in this story, but I didn't find myself fully engaged. However, by the end of the book, I was ready for the next installment to begin and continue the momentum started here. Fortunately, the wait will not be too long, as the next book, Lost in Babylon, is due this fall.

4 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 4.1

Recommended for: readers in 4th or 5th grade and older, fans of fantasy/adventure stories

 

FICTION for ADULTS: No Quest for the Wicked by Shanna Swendson

After solving the main mystery from books one through five, Katie is bored with her job at MSI (Magic, Spells and Illusions, Inc.) But before she can spend too much time thinking about what that means for the future, a new crisis looms. The Eye of the Moon - a magical stone created by Merlin has resurfaced attached to an elf-crafted brooch. The Eye works something like the Ring in Lord of the Rings - drawing people to it who crave power. Owen and Katie need to find it and secure it before it can be used to case mayhem - in the magical world or the regular one.

This book had a fun Lord of the Rings feel to it, with a collection of magical folks working with Owen and Katie (as well as those working against them) to find the brooch and keep it safe. I felt like the middle dragged some, with Owen and Katie running for hours and hours, trying to fight off everyone who wants the brooch. That distracted from some of the awesomeness of the story (like the scenes with the person who ends up with the brooch). No news on when book 7 will be out, but the ending of this book opens up all sorts of fun possibilities for the future.

3 out of 5 stars

Recommended for: fans of the series, fans of science fiction/fantasy/magic/romance stories.

FICTION for ADULTS: Much Ado About Magic by Shanna Swendson

Katie and Owen are back from Texas, and not a moment too soon. The former chair of MSI (Magic, Spells and Illusions, Inc.) is back, too. While everyone treats him like a hero, Katie's not too sure she trusts the guy. And the competition, Spellworks, has amped up the business attack on MSI with loads of magical trouble and some "miracle" amulets that protect the wearers. Something is just not right about the whole thing. But before Katie can work out everything that's going on, the attack against MSI - and specifically against Owen - goes from sneaky to direct. Can Katie get to the bottom of things and protect Owen? Or will she lose everything her life has become since she discovered magic?

This has been the best book of the series, in my opinion. Everything from the first four books comes to a head in this story. The mysteries are well developed and played out, and there's great development of some of the secondary characters like Owen's parents.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Recommended for: fans of the rest of the series, fans of science fiction/fantasy/mystery/romance stories. (This great series doesn't fit neatly into one category!)

FICTION for ADULTS: Alien Vs. Alien by Gini Koch

Summary
Kitty's back! This is a great action-packed story. Kitty is on the outside looking in this time as she doesn't have the security clearances to know what's going on and everyone is too busy to get them updated. But Kitty's mind is as sharp as ever and she's had lots of practice puzzling out the schemes of madmen (and mad-women). Soon enough, she's put all the pieces together and is running to the rescue of her family, friends, and the world. Enemies turn out to be friends, friends start looking like enemies, and the Poofs get some interesting company of the guard-critter variety. Great story, great characters!

Review
This story felt more like the earlier books than Alien Diplomacy did for me (as I said in that review, it felt like a transitional book to me). There are various schemes working at once and plenty of puzzles for Kitty to sort out. As a change of pace, a lot of the major players in the series (Jeff, Chuckie, Reader) are off stage for most of the story, and I liked it (although, I'm ready to have everyone back for Alien in the House), although I missed some of the usual dynamics and the banter.

Alien in the House comes out May 7th, and I am already counting down the days to Kitty's next adventure! You can go here to read my reviews of the rest of the books in the series.

4 out of 5 stars

Recommended for: Fans of the series, readers who enjoy science fiction/romance/mystery stories (although, it helps to read these in order)

Cautions: As always, the romantic scenes are described in detail. If that's not your style, you can skip right on to the next disaster or explosion and pick the story back up there.

FRIDAY: Alien Diplomacy by Gini Koch

Summary
Kitty is adjusting to her new role on the diplomatic corps. Honestly, she would rather be fighting alien superbeings than enduring the diplomacy classes she is failing in a spectacular way. In reality, her whole team is struggling to feel at home in their new roles in the Centurian government. When Kitty and Jeff and the team discover there is an assassination plot in the works, and someone seems to be trying to kidnap or kill Kitty and her team, they will have to set aside their qualms about their new roles and figure out what is really going on in Washington DC.

Review
This book was a bit of a departure from the rest of the series for me - it feels like a transitional book, linking Kitty's "old" life with her new one. I usually have passages that I read over and over because Kitty is just so wonderfully in-your-face. But Kitty and the whole crew are feeling so out of place, there weren't a lot of fun moments like in other books. Also, Kitty has to be diplomatic in her new role. She can't just tear into someone like she usually does - and I so love those moments! But all of these changes are completely necessary for the evolution of the story and the characters. Now that Kitty and Jeff have a baby, their roles needed to change, and this is a great avenue for that change, and it really pushes Kitty in fun new ways. I enjoyed the story, and finished it in one night. I'm already looking forward to reading it again, along with the rest of the series (I bought all of the books in e-book form, too, so I can carry them all together!). Now, I just have to wait until December for Alien vs. Alien.

4 out of 5 stars

Recommended for: fans of the rest of the series, fans of science-fiction/romance

Cautions: language, adult relationships, alternate lifestyles

BOOK FAIR Preview: Sound Bender by Lin Oliver

Summary
Leo's parents are dead, so he and his brother move in with their uncle, a wealthy and secretive business man. In the midst of his grief, Leo receives a birthday package from his father - an unusual disc - along with a story about Leo's birth. A story Leo has never heard before. The letter and the disc unleash a power in Leo; when touching an object, he hears things that took place around or related to the object. At first, it is simple stuff - a girl drops a pen and he hears her dad talking to her about the pen. He picks up a dropped backpack and hears the girl's mom tell her to grab her brother's backpack since she can't find her own. Then Leo touches an artifact in his uncle's warehouse and he hears a horrifying sound that he can't place but knows he has heard before. Leo is determined to track down that sound, no matter what.


Review
I originally read this book because it came in the preview pack for our book fair. I'm not sure I would have picked it up on my own, but I found it to be completely engrossing and delightful. The grief of the brothers is well portrayed without overpowering the rest of the story. Plenty of mystery surrounds the supporting cast, especially the uncle. I can recommend this wholeheartedly to my students who like adventure and fantasy stories.


4 out of 5 stars
AR level of 4.9


Recommended for: school, home and public libraries, fans of adventure and fantasy stories
Cautions: AR bookfinder says there is mild profanity in the book. Maybe I was too caught up in the story, but I did not catch any.

Waiting for WEDNESDAY: Alien Diplomacy

My favorite series for adults is a sci-fi/romance series by Gini Koch. The next book in the series comes out on April 3rd. 


I.
Can't.
Wait.


I tried to win an advance reader's copy but I missed out, so I have to wait with everyone else to get my copy. But I guarantee that I will spend that whole day reading. Good thing it releases during Spring Break!


You can read more about this series here.

FRIDAY: Comfort Books

I had grand plans to read non-stop over the long holiday weekend. I really needed to dig into some adult fiction for new blog material. But then I got sick. I only wanted to lay in bed and watch tv. I didn't have the energy to dig into new books. So I revered to my comfort books - Gini Koch's Alien series.


No new review today - just a link to reviews of these old favorites. They were perfect comfort books for my weekend of feeling puny.

Waiting on WEDNESDAY: Sci Fi

My favorite way to spend my day off from work is wandering, alone, around the bookstore with no agenda. I can take my time, look at sections I don't usually frequent, etc.


On a recent trip, I was in the mood for some new science fiction/fantasy. These are the books I picked up. Looking forward to digging into these, hoping I'll find some new series to enjoy.

FRIDAY: Magic Lost, Trouble Found by Lisa Shearin

Summary
Raine lives in a world of elves and goblins and things that go bump in the night. She's a fair sorceress herself, although ever since that night she's had a few extra powers at her disposal. 


All she wanted was to keep a friend out of trouble. Now all sorts of trouble are on her heels. With the help of family and friends - old and new - maybe she'll come out of this alive.


Review
I had a hard time getting into this book - the world was complicated, and it took me awhile to get the rhythm of it - but once I did, I enjoyed the story. In time, I would probably read more of the books in the series. Raine is a great character - strong, sassy, independent, brave without being stupid.


3.5 out of 5 stars


Recommended for: science fiction/fantasy fans, especially ones who enjoy a detailed world to go with the story line.


Cautions: none