BLOOD OF OLYMPUS by Rick Riordan

The end is here - the final days leading up to the Feast of Hope and the showdown with the giants as they endeavor to raise Gaea. Reyna and Nico get to share some of the storytelling as they travel with Coach Hedge back to Camp Half Blood with the Athena Parthenos while the other demigods head to Greece.

This is definitely a series to read in order! If you haven't read the other books, start with The Lightning Thief (or The Lost Hero if you read the first five Percy Jackson books). If you've hung with the series this long, dive into this final book with confidence - I think it lives up to expectations. Some characters from other books make an appearance in this one, which I thoroughly enjoyed. There is some continuation of the story of a character wrestling with his sexual orientation. The ending is satisfying, but there is still room for Riordan to return to these characters if he chooses to. There's also a bit of a teaser to Riordan's new Norse mythology series, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard (I blew right by this in my reading, but my husband caught it).

As an aside, we listened to the audio book for the first 75% of the story, and then each of us went to our own corners with our copies of the book to finish it on our own. The audio is well done (although we prefer the reader from The Lost Hero over the one for House of Hades and Blood of Olympus) and worth a listen if you have a long trip coming up or if you enjoy listening to your reading material.

5 out of 5 stars

AT YOUR SERVICE by Jen Malone

Chloe's goal in life is to be a top notch concierge, just like her dad. Her motto is "Go big or go home." But her dream is at stake when she loses one of her charges on a tour of NYC - a young princess. A lot can happen to a young girl, alone, in a strange city, so Chloe, her best friend Paisley, and the older prince and princess will have to be very clever to track her down asap - especially before their parents find out!

I loved the concierge angle of this story. It was unique and helps the book stand out from the crowd. There is lots of potential stories that could come out of this premise, especially in a New York City setting. This has a great core group of characters and a light romance. There's also a good lesson here about self-sufficiency and seeking help when you really need it.

5 out of 5 stars
No AR reading level at the time of this writing.

LOOT by Jude Watson

March and his dad live a free-wheeling, chaotic life as thieves, but when his dad dies on a job, March is on his own and on the run. He makes some friends, find a long lost sister he never knew, and embarks on a series of heists that could lead to his death.

This was a great con/heist story with plenty of tension and adventure. For the four main characters, life has made it hard to trust anyone, even each other, which  adds a great layer to the tension of the story. Plenty of set up here for sequel.

4 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 4.2

THE IRON TRIAL by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Callum Hunt is an unpopular, angry boy with a damaged leg and mysterious past. Those things define him until he is admitted to the Magisterium to study magic. Call is the worst student in the trials because his father has warned him all his life that he needed to fail the trials. But he is accepted anyway, and once there, Call starts to get a sense of who he is - but things aren't necessarily what they appear in a world filled with magic. 

Wow. This was engaging and intriguing right from the beginning.Mysteries are probed, secrets are revealed and plenty of questions are left for the next book in the series. The characters are typical teen/pre-teens dealing with issues of friends, popularity and identity as they try to decide the kind of people they want to be. Plenty of questions left to draw readers forward in search of answers. I would recommend this to fans of the Harry Potter books. This has a different tone, but a similar premise with the magical training school.

4.5 out of 5

AR Reading level of 5.6

* I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher for free in the hope that I would review it honestly on my blog. Regardless, I only review books I enjoyed. I don’t believe in passing on negative reviews. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

ALL FOUR STARS by Tara Dairman

When Gladys sets her kitchen on fire trying to make creme brulee, her parents discover her secret - when Gladys is home by herself, she cooks! This is unacceptable behavior for a sixth grader in their opinion so they ban her from the kitchen and from reading cookbooks. Instead, they insist she do normal things like play video games or go to the mall.  But a writing assignment for school snags a freelance restaurant critic job for Gladys - if she can just figure out how to pull it off without anyone finding out she's just a kid.

Gladys' passion is obvious and inspiring. Her parents are clueless, but Gladys' friends are supportive and encouraging. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and kept finding passages I wanted to read out loud to students. I think the kids at my school would enjoy Gladys's story!

5 out of 5 stars
No AR reading level at the time of this writing.

A MILLION WAYS HOME by Dianna Dorisi Winget

Poppy's been living in shelter care since her grandmother had a stroke and went to the hospital. But when she witnesses a crime, she's taken into protective custody with a local police officer and his mother. Poppy just wants life to go back to normal and to go back home with her grandmother, but she might never get back to that life again.

This was lovely! A touching story of family and friendship. Great animal story. Terrific realistic fiction, emotionally moving. I would recommend this to fans of books like Love, Aubrey; Eight Keys; or Counting by Sevens.

5 out of 5 stars
No AR reading level at the time of this writing.

* I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher for free in the hope that I would review it honestly on my blog. Regardless, I only review books I enjoyed. I don’t believe in passing on negative reviews. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

FINDING RUBY STARLING by Karen Rivers

Ruth Quayle is playing around with pictures of herself online when she finds pictures of her face - but she knows she is not the girl in the pictures. That girl is Ruby Starling, and she lives in England. But why does she look exactly like Ruth?

I really enjoyed this story told through emails between these two girls and their families and friends. Emotions are expressed honestly about a confusing situation, although maybe more poetically and maturely expressed than you might expect from such young characters. Themes include identity, family, and truth. There is also a Buddhist aspect to the story.

4.5 out of 5 stars
No AR reading level at the time of this writing.

* I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher for free in the hope that I would review it honestly on my blog. Regardless, I only review books I enjoyed. I don’t believe in passing on negative reviews. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

IF YOU'RE READING THIS by Trent Reedy

Mike Wilson's dad was killed in the war in Afghanistan when Mike was a boy. Now he's almost 16, and he has a lot of questions. His life has been difficult and platitudes about how his dad was a "hero" are empty when Mike doesn't know how his dad died. Then the letters start coming - letters Mike's dad wrote to him from Afghanistan in anticipation of Mike's 16th birthday and offering advice and challenges in case his dad never made it home.

This was lovely. Mike is a great character - hard working, responsibly, with deep questions. He's trying to figure out life without his dad around and with his mom facing her own struggles. I've never been part of a family walking through deployment or losing a loved one to war, but the description seemed reasonable and realistic. The story is intense and emotional but not so detailed as to be too much for teen readers. Themes include racial tension, a budding romance, bullying, team, identity, family and responsibility.

4.5 out of 5 stars
AR Reading level of 4.6
AR Interest level of Middle Grade + (Middle school and up)

* I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher for free in the hope that I would review it honestly on my blog. Regardless, I only review books I enjoyed. I don’t believe in passing on negative reviews. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

THE FOURTEENTH GOLDFISH by Jennifer L. Holm

Ellie is entering middle school when a teenage family member moves into her house - her grandfather. A scientist, Melvin has figured out how to turn himself from a 77-year-old man to a 13-year-old boy. And living with him introduces Ellie to her passion - science.

This book is lovely. It's about family. It's about aging, the cycle of life, the beauty and consequences of science. It's about identity and finding your passion. Ellie is a wonderful, insightful character. She shows great observation of her experiences and the things happening around her.

5 out of 5 stars
No AR reading level at the time of this writing.

* I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher for free in the hope that I would review it honestly on my blog. Regardless, I only review books I enjoyed. I don’t believe in passing on negative reviews. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

THE FAIRY-TALE MATCHMAKER by E. D. Baker

Cory Feathering discovers that being a tooth fairy is just not her calling. She knows she wants to be a help to others but she doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. While she tries a variety of odd jobs in search of her calling, the tooth fairy guild gets nastier and nastier in their efforts to force her back into their employ.

For a long time as I read this, I wondered where the "matchmaker" part was going to come in, but that didn't materialize until close to the end. The rest of the story was a great introduction, though, to Cory and her friends, family and community. I liked Cory's desire to help others and her perseverance with the guild business and with her efforts to fix difficult situations. There is a love story as a minor part of the plot. I have enjoyed other books by this author, and I would read more from this series.

4 out of 5 stars
This book releases on October 7, 2014.

* I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher for free in the hope that I would review it honestly on my blog. Regardless, I only review books I enjoyed. I don’t believe in passing on negative reviews. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

THE NERDY DOZEN by Jeff Miller

Twelve video game-whiz kids are taken by the government to a secret location because an experimental plane has gone missing. The video game these kids love is actually a simulation of flying this secret aircraft. They're going to have to put their game skills to a real life test.

If you will suspend disbelief (the government trusting twelve kids with billion-dollar experimental tech, etc.), and just enjoy the ride, you will find a cute story with an emphasis on action over characters, although the main character, Neil, is likable and eager to do the right thing. Book two will release in Spring of 2015.

3 out of 5 stars
No AR reading level at the time of this writing.

Book 2

MANHUNT by Kate Messner

Anna, Henry and Jose are back in this third book in the Silver Jaguar Society series (following Capture the Flag and Hide and Seek). After a coordinated series of art thefts take place all over the world, the kids and their families in the Secret Jaguar Society head to Paris to try to get some leads on the stolen goods and save the Mona Lisa. But when the adult members of the SJS don't check in, the kids head out into Paris to try to solve the mystery on their own.

I loved book one in this series but had a harder time connecting with book two. But I was back in rhythm for book three! Henry is the focus character this time, and I really connected with his story outside the core story of the mystery. He has some mixed feelings about things happening with his family back in the States, and while the kids try to solve the mystery, Henry is really trying to sort out his feelings. He really gets to shine in this book. It makes me want to go back and read book one! This is a series best enjoyed in order. I think Capture the Flag would make a great classroom read-aloud.

4 out of 5 stars
No AR reading level at the time of this writing.

ABSOLUTELY ALMOST by Lisa Graff

Albie is a sweet boy who is just trying to figure things out. He's at a new school without his best friend, so he has to figure out how things work on his own - and he doesn't always get them right.

This is a hard book for me to describe. It would really be better to just experience it yourself. It's a character study. Albie tells his own story. The reader gets to see how Albie tries to figure things out, see his triumphs and his hurts in beautiful honesty. This is a lovely story. So many times I wanted to reach into the pages and hug Albie! Lots of educators have proclaimed themselves "Team Albie" after reading Absolutely Almost.

I think this would make an excellent classroom read-aloud. It would lead to excellent class discussions about friendship, name calling, what makes something "cool," doing wrong things for the right reasons, and creating of a culture of kindness, etc. This was absolutely lovely. My only caution is a reference to a minor character's "dads" that might raise questions for naive readers.

4 out of 5 stars
No AR level at this time

THE CASE OF THE TIME-CAPSULE BANDIT by Octavia Spencer

Randi's dad has moved them out of New York and to the middle of nowhere. He had no idea that Randi had become something of a neighborhood detective in New York, tracking down flower thieves and other area nuisances. Randi is ready to apply her detective skills to her new town's missing time capsule. If it's not found, the whole town could go bankrupt. Randi will have to work with two other sleuths to get to the bottom of the mystery and save her new community.

This was a good mystery. The ensemble of kids was likable. Yes, the "mean girl" character is a stereotype. But the main character is fantastic - fiesty, a black belt in tae kwon do, a martial arts aficionado, and daughter of a popular mystery writer. So far I have not seen any indication of a sequel.

4 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 4.6

THE GREAT GREENE HEIST by Varian Johnson

Jackson Greene has gotten into a lot of trouble in the past for pulling cons. And he really should keep out of this whole school elections situation. But it's Keith Sinclair, who uses his dad's status and money to get whatever he wants. And it's Principal Kelsey who may be fixing the election to get a Sinclair "donation." And it's Gaby.... Jackson would do almost anything for Gaby, especially if it would get her to talk to him again.

I really enjoyed this book! The pop culture references (especially the Star Trek ones) were a lot of fun to me. I like the twists and turns of a con/heist story, and this one did not disappoint. I looked at some of the negative reviews on Goodreads - there were complaints about trying to keep all the characters straight (I did have to keep notes early on - the names come fast at the beginning but the character evolution comes over time), about plausibility (this is an adult issue/complaint. My students who like this sort of story won't care about plausibility), and about feeling like you were reading a sequel with hints at backstory either slowly doled out over time or hinted at only. I have to agree with this last complaint, but I didn't let it distract me. In some cases I thought it was well done because it came in bits throughout the story and didn't bog down the action. In other spots, it drew me to the next chapter hoping for more information.

4 out of 5 stars
This would be great for upper elementary/middle school. The book is getting a lot of attention for the diversity of the characters. The heist/con bits reminded me of Riley Mack and Other Known Troublemakers, although that book would skew a little younger for me than this one.
No AR reading level at the time of this writing.

JACK THE CASTAWAY by Lisa Doan

Jack has been raise by his Aunt Julia and Uncle Bill while his parents travel the world on half-baked get-rich schemes. When Aunt Julia dies, Jack's parents show up and whisk him off to an obscure part of the Caribbean for another crazy plan likely to get Jack killed.

Early on in the book, Jack's parents made me crazy. They are like three-year-olds with no forethought or impulse control or boundaries. They were so frustrating, it was hard to enjoy that part of the book. I did enjoy watching Jack grow up and build some confidence during his adventures. That redeemed the story for me!

3.5 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 4.5

BENJI FRANKLIN, KID ZILLIONAIRE by Raymond Bean

Benji invents an app that takes the world by storm and nets him more money than he can imagine. His mom encourages him to find ways to use his money and his intelligence and creativity to help others. When cloned dinosaurs and a meteorite threaten Earth, Benji does just what his mom suggests - save the world!

This was a fun, straighforward story that was enjoyable to read. They never completely solve the integrity/honesty questions raised about Benji's app (essentially, it helps people lie), and the story ended abruptly in my opinion. Benji is a likable character and I think readers will like thinking about what they would do in Benji's circumstances.

4 out of 5 stars
It looks like the two incidents in this book were at one time separate stories. One was rated at a 4.4 reading level and the other at a 4.5 for Accelerated Reader. I'm not sure how AR will choose to treat the new book, or what changes were made from the original stories to this one.

FROM TEXAS WITH LOVE by Dan Gutman

Coke and Pepsi watched the family RV explode with Evil Elvis inside at the end of book three, You Only Die Twice. They still need to get home to California. The family buys new supplies, Dad gets them a car, and they pick up their trip across the south from Tennessee to New Mexico.  With Evil Elvis dead, could it be that Coke and Pepsi are finally free?

Of course not! There's no story without people trying to kill the twins! This picks up the same pace as previous stories, full of danger and wacky-yet-real places around the country. Cliff-hanger ending sets up the fifth and final book, License to Thrill which will probably release in 2015. You can read a chapter of it here.

4 out of 5 stars
This does not have an AR reading level yet.

SIDEKICKED by John David Anderson

Drew is a sidekick without a Super. He's The Sensationalist. His five senses are amped up to the extreme. He can smell what you had for breakfast, or find a friend by the sound of her footsteps, no matter where she is in the school building. And technically, he does have a Super - The Titan. But Titan retired ages ago and no one knows where he is. He's supposed to come to the aid of his sidekick if Drew is ever in trouble, but apparently hanging over a swimming pool of acid does not count because The Titan never showed up. Drew had to be rescued by someone else's Super.

When a presumed-dead super villain returns to the city and Supers get kidnapped and all the side kicks in Drew's training group are attacked, things look pretty dire. Can the last Super - The Fox - save them? Will The Titan finally come out of retirement when the city truly needs him?

This was a great superhero story - I love stories about superheroes!! Drew has a great heart and he's a good friend and he wants to make a difference. But his friends have some cool powers, and Drew wonders where he really fits in. The story really wrestles with the idea of good and evil, intentions, choices and revenge. There's lots to talk about with this book in a class setting or a book club. There's going to be a "companion" novel called Minion releasing June 24th that is already on my wishlist - there's a picture posted below. I can't wait to read it!

4 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 5.4

THE SHADOW THRONE by Jennifer A. Nielsen

War is coming - there is nothing Jaron can do to stop that. Vargan, king of Avenia, is unwavering in his desire to see Jaron dead and Carthya under his control. But this is Jaron; he will not go out without a fight. There will be twists and turns - and some events will threaten to rip out Jaron's heart - but will they be enough to save his kingdom?

This was fantastic! The energy never flags - there are only brief breaks for the reader to get a moment to catch his/her breath before barreling on again. Thrilling, emotional and satisfying. There were several times I pumped my fist and said, "Yes!" (Thankfully I was reading at home.) Terrific ending to a terrific series. I am so pleased with this book, but also a little sad it's over. I have great hope for something spectacular like this from Jennifer Nielsen in the future!

5 out of 5 stars
No AR reading level at this time.

You can read about the other books in this series here and here.