I am Princess X--Cherie Priest

Title: I am Princess X
Author: Cherie Priest
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine, 2015
Pages: 256 p
Source: Library Ebook
Compensation: None
Read: September 2016

May and Libby are best friends who do everything together, including writing and illustrating a comic featuring a sword carrying heroine called Princess X. When Libby dies in a car crash, May is devastated and withdraws from everything. Until she starts noticing stickers around town with the Princess X image. She starts investigating and discovers an underground culture devoted to Princess X and becomes convinced her friend Libby is at the center of it all.

This was a good quick entertaining read. The story was interesting and suspenseful and kept me up reading late at night. I was looking for something to read on my iPad and the cover was intriguing enough to make me read the description. I can't truly remember if there were any formatting issues with the ebook and the illustrations, but I do remember thinking they were a nice touch.

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Dying to Tell Me--Sherryl Clark

Title: Dying to Tell Me
Author: Sherryl Clark
Publisher: Kane Miller, 2011
Pages: 217 p.
Source: Purchased
Compensation: None
Read: June 2016

Sherryl Clark's Dying to Tell Me

Let me start out by saying that I did not get paid anything to write this review. I purchased the book with my own money but I did get a 25% discount for being an Usborne Books & More consultant. I chose to buy the book and review it.

Dying to Tell Me is a quick middle school read. Sasha is a cranky teenager, angry at her mother for leaving the family, angry that she has to move to the secluded country, angry that she has no friends. Her father is the new policeman so when the family moves to Manna Creek, Sasha and her younger brother are left alone to explore the tiny Australian town. Things don't go well right from the very first day-- Sasha slips running near a creek and winds up with a concussion. Someone is not happy to have a new policeman in town and tries to scare the family away. Sasha's father adopts a retired police dog to help watch over the kids while he investigates a series of art burglaries. Just when Sasha thinks things can't get weirder, she starts hearing and seeing things that no one else can. Their dog, King, winds up being more comforting than Sasha could have ever imagined.

This was a really quick read--granted I was on a bus for multiple hours--with the right amount of adventure, suspense, and mystery, with a bit of supernatural thrown in. If you're a regular reader of this blog you know how I love my Australian authors (Garth Nix, Melina Marchetta) so I had a feeling I would respond to this one. Sasha's voice as a disgruntled teenager torn between her anger at her mom and her desire to make her Dad happy is authentic. In a weird twist of coincidence, Dying to Tell Me was selected for VOYA's Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers List (February 2011)-- a list that I chaired many moons ago. This was a good entertaining read that will keep middle school readers engaged.

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Alliance--Mark Frost

Title: Alliance
Author: Mark Frost
Publisher: Random House, 2014.
Pages: 352 p.
Source: Library e-book
Compensation: None
Read: August 2015

Mark Frost's Alliance

This second book in the Paladin Prophecy series picks up where the last left off. Will has exposed the school's secret society, the Knights of Charlemagne. He decides to stay at the Center for the summer working with his new mentor in developing his new magical talents. Will learns more about his father, his new friends, and the sinister history of the school. Just as thrilling as the first book, this one will leave you desperately wanting more.

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Prep School Confidential--Kara Taylor

Title: Prep School Confidential
Author: Kara Taylor
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books, 2013.
Pages: 322 p.
Source: Library
Compensation: None

Anne Dowling is a privileged spoiled rich kid who is used to talking her way out of any problem she encounters. Then she accidentally sets her school on fire and discovers there are some things you can't talk your way out of. The native New Yorker is sent to a boarding school outside Boston to finish out her school year. She's not quite sure how she's going to survive the boredom of prep central but things get less boring when her quiet unpopular roommate is found murdered in the woods outside the school. Anne decides she owes it to her roommate to uncover the truth of her murder and winds up uncovering a whole lot more.

Anne is a sassy, smart, fun character and Prep School Confidential is a quick action-packed read. Suspenseful and entertaining, teens who are fans of Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl and the all the other prep school TV shows will gravitate towards this series.

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Borrowing Abby Grace Episode 2: Girl Steals Guy--Kelly Green

Title: Borrowing Abby Grace Episode 2: Girl Steals Guy
Author: Kelly Green
Publisher: Backlit
Pages:
Source: Kindle eBook from the author
Compensation: None

Fans of Borrowing Abby Grace are in luck... As of December 2011 Amazon has both of the first episodes in the series on sale for just $0.99. Don't miss your chance to get these books at a bargain price. 

We first met Abby Grace when she woke up in the back of a van during a kidnapping attempt and discovered she was a shadow--a soul sent into other bodies to solve a crisis. In this second episode, Abby thinks her mission is pretty cut and dry. Her best friend is inconsolable over her breakup with the star quarterback, so clearly she needs to reunite them. It turns out to not be quite as clear-cut as she thought. Abby's (host's) best friend has a pretty big secret and the fact that she's *not* pining for the quarterback is only a small part of it. Abby also helps her host body with an overly aggressive boyfriend.

Girl Steals Guy is just as enjoyable as The Shadow, although the romance aspects might turn off some boy readers. The more we read of Abby--the real Abby underneath her host body--the more we like her and hope that she is able to find her way back to her true self. Kelly Green's writing is sharp and witty. There's just enough information to help Abby (and the reader) solve the mystery without a bunch of boring backstory. The stories truly are episodes--quick reads that we hungrily devour and eagerly look for the next one.
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Borrowing Abby Grace Episode 1: The Shadow--Kelly Green

Title: Borrowing Abby Grace Episode 1: The Shadow
Author: Kelly Green
Publisher: Backlit, 2011
Pages:
Source: Kindle eBook from the author
Compensation: none

Borrowing Abby Grace had me hooked from the very first line:
"The first thing I realized when I woke up in the back of the van was that I had no idea at all how I'd arrived in the back of the van."

A young girl wakes up (in the back of the van) not knowing who she is or why she is there. She quickly feels the danger of her situation and jumps out of the back of the moving van. She is brought to her home--that she doesn't remember--and the image she sees in her bedroom mirror does not match the image she sees when she looks down at herself.

This exciting new episodic series is reminiscent of Quantum Leap, but not a blatant copycat. In this first episode we learn that Abby is a shadow: people in trouble "borrow" her soul, her essence, her being, so that she can solve their problems. In The Shadow, Abby must help find "her" missing brother and reunite her dysfunctional family. Once she does, she leaves that body and goes on to the next, always hoping the next will be her own body. She's helped by a mysterious boy Will who is only visible to her and can only tell her certain things. She guesses that she (and Will) are dead and ghosts, but Will never confirms this. Okay, so it's pretty close to Quantum Leap for teenagers (without the time travel), but as a big fan of Quantum Leap I didn't feel offended.

The Shadow is an excellent introduction to the series. Kelly Green has written a suspenseful page-turner (or whatever one calls the quick swiping of digital pages). Each episode is short and packed full of action with a strong snarky, yet vulnerable, female lead character. We're interested in the mystery Abby has to solve, but also in *her* mystery. This series is perfect for reluctant readers, particularly those who may not be interested in picking up a hardcover printed book, but will check out anything with technology. Although the main character is a girl, this isn't an overly girlie series, and boys shouldn't be ashamed to read it.

Readers will be eager to continue Abby's adventures and see if she ever makes the final leap home (I couldn't resist).
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The Virtual Life of Lexie Diamond--Victoria Foyt

Title: The Virtual Life of Lexie Diamond
Author: Victoria Foyt
Publisher: HarperTempest
Pages: 310 p.
Source: The publisher
Compensation: None

14 year old Lexie Diamond has a strange worldview. She's sure that she's just a virtual pet trapped in a meaningless existence while the real masters of the universe watch life on Earth and laugh at all the clueless humans. She doesn't have any friends and spends all her time on the internet--the only place where she feels at home. She's mostly okay with this until a horrible tragedy happens and her mother is killed in a car accident. Her estranged father moves in to take care of Lexie, bringing along his new girlfriend, Jane. Lexie is still in shock and denial about her mom's accident, resentful of her father's new relationship, when she sees and hears her mom--through the internet.

Victoria Foyt has written a really interesting novel. Lexie's worldview is so messed up that we wonder if she is a reliable narrator until the very end of the novel (no, I won't tell you if she is or not. You'll have to read for yourself.) Is she really seeing her mom alive on the internet? Are her fears and suspicions of Jane--that she is responsible for her mom's death--accurate? Or is Lexie just a grieving lonely girl looking for someone to blame? Foyt does a good job of keeping us guessing, while keeping Lexie a sympathetic character. In Lexie's quest for the truth she's forced to accept help from unlikely people and make connections in the real world and not just online. She grows as a person.

Science fiction fans and computer geeks will be attracted to the cover of this book, but mystery fans will also like its suspenseful plot. Although the main character is a girl, boys shouldn't have a problem reading this. There's nothing inappropriate for middle school readers.
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The Haunting of Charles Dickens--Lewis Buzbee

Title: The Haunting of Charles Dickens
Author: Lewis Buzbee
Publisher: Fiewel & Friends, 2010
Pages: 309
Source: ARC through VOYA

This review was written in November 2010 and published to coincide with the February edition of VOYA. 

Yet another reason why I love reviewing for VOYA and am so glad I am doing it again. I would never have picked this book up. I'm more of a fantasy girl (as you can see from the blog) and not so interested in mysteries or period pieces or books like this. I would have missed out on a seriously good book had VOYA not sent this to me to review.

The story opens with a young girl, Meg, lamenting the absence of her older brother. For 6 months she wondered what had happened to him, until finally she can't take it anymore and she decides to go find him. She climbs to the roof and jumps to other roofs and notices an eerie light coming from an abandoned building. While peering in a skylight she can see a séance taking place, but she's not the only one out walking the roofs and spying on the building. The famous author Charles Dickens, who happens to be a family friend, crouches next to Meg and witnesses the séance as well. She tells him of her brother's disappearance and is certain that he is participating in the séance below. Dickens and Meg decide to investigate as a team and search for both brother Orion and inspiration for Dickens' next novel.

Buzbee draws a realistic vivid picture of 19th century London and manages to capture the "feel" of a Dickens book. He has made the fictional Dickens into an interesting and likable character. The importance of the written word, the printed word, and the authors behind them shines through in this novel. In 19th century London the printed word has power and Dickens is treated like a celebrity and recognized as a Great Man. He uses that celebrity to help the plight of children (a trait based in fact as explained in an addendum to the novel called "Children and Charles Dickens"). Although the book starts with a séance, this is not a supernatural read. The haunting in the title refers to Dickens' writer's block and not being able to connect with the people of London to create a new novel. It also refers to Dickens' concern for the children of London and the harsh conditions they lived in.

I am not a big Dickens fan and have only read the novels of his I needed to read in high school. And I LOVED this book. It piqued my curiosity and I wound up researching Dickens (a little). I discovered that sure enough Buzbee had done HIS homework and events he created in his book as inspiration for Dickens appeared in Dickens' novel Our Mutual Friend. In another nod to Dickens, names of secondary characters in the book were taken from Our Mutual Friend as well.

The main story, the disappearance of Orion, is a good one, the writing is engaging and the characters are well-written. Although Dickens fans will get the most enjoyment from this book (recognizing names and places) I highly recommend The Haunting of Charles Dickens to all readers, young and old.

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Stormbreaker--Anthony Horowitz

I am not a 6th grade boy. And I liked this book. My middle school book group (made up of 6th grade boys. ALL boys. ALL 6th grade. Feel my pain. ;-) ) chose this book because they wanted to read a boy book that wasn't fantasy. And because the ringleader had already read it.

I think I'm probably the last person to have read this, so I'll skip the summary. Everyone knows all about the Alex Rider books now. He's a teen James Bond, a reluctant spy-hero, fighting the evil forces that killed his spy-Uncle. It's very easy to read--the language and plot are perfect for those reluctant reader boys. It's action-packed and reads like a movie (no surprise a movie will be made). Alex is a likeable boy, he's capable of taking care of himself, but makes mistakes along the way. He's not cocky or arrogant (at least not in this first book, I can't speak for the rest of the series). It's a very quick read, particularly because it's so action-packed it's hard to put down. You want to keep reading to see if Alex can get out of the mess he's in.

Overall thumbs-up; PERFECT for boys, especially middle school.

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Reading: Girl , 15, Charming But Insane--Sue Limb
On My Nightstand: waiting for Sir Thursday!!

Quid Pro Quo--Vicki Grant

In the interest of full disclosure--I've read this book because the author sent me a free copy (and signed it too!) after finding this blog.

Cyril MacIntyre is not your average teenager. He accompanied his mother to law school from 10 years old until he was 13. He attended her classes and helped her cram for exams. When she gets a job with an attorney, he even helps out in the law office. All of this legal experience comes to good use when his mother winds up missing and he suspects foul play.

The style and tone are very reminiscent of the author's other work--The Puppet Wrangler. It's funny. Cyril's a good kid but not perfect. He remembers certain things from law school, but not everything. He's not some super-smart kid who automatically saves the day.

I particularly enjoyed this book since I married a lawyer... I threw out the term "estoppel" the other day and my husband was very surprised. And he thinks I learn nothing from reading fiction.

There are some Canadian references that may be lost on American readers, but nothing sticks out in my head right now, so there couldn't have been that many.

Quid Pro Quo is a good, quick read and will interest boys looking for a little hero adventure and anyone interested in the law. And I'm not just saying that.

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Reading: Stravaganza: City of Flowers--Mary Hoffman
On My Nightstand: Lots

In Darkness, Death--Dorothy & Thomas Hoobler

I started Behind You--Jacqueline Woodson yesterday, but didn't finish it. If I didn't have a million other books to read I would have finished it. It's definitely well-written and a good book, but I think it's better suited for high school than middle school and since this is crunch time for top shelf, I don't have time to read anything that's not a possibility (I also returned all those pregnancy books). Top Shelf is my only reading now.

Anyway, here's my notes for this book:

Fourteen-year-old samurai-in-training Seikei assists his foster father Judge Ooka investigate the murder of Lord Inaba in eighteenth century Japan and learns not only the way of the samurai, but also of the ninja in this exciting tale of murder and honor.

Well-written, descriptive and engaging. Will appeal to boys and girls. Mystery. Adventure. Multicultural. Judge Ooka was a real person, and although this story and Seikei are made, this would be a good useful curriculum tie. There are two previous books with these characters, but I hadn't read them and I didn't feel lost at all.

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Reading: Oh gosh, I don't know now.
On My Nightstand: More more more