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The Dark Planet
By Patrick Carman
Pub. Date: May 2009
3.5 out of 5 stars
PG - Violence
Recommended
Synopsis from BarnesandNoble.com:
“After journeying to an unfamiliar land where air is nearly unbreathable and light stings like shards of glass, Edgar must navigate the deadly forests--full of creatures far more frightening than anything he has seen on Atherton--and join the child workforce of Silo #7, the site where Dr. Harding (the mad maker of Atherton) was raised. In the final thrilling chapter of this epic triology, we meet an engaging new cast of characters and Dr. Harding's ultimate plan comes together in an incredibly satisfying conclusion.”
The Dark Planet had a pretty basic plot, but the world this book inhabited was cleverly built. The description of the Futuristic world in which Edgar and the other characters lived was very focused and precise. Every character, creature, storm, rock, atmosphere, food source, etc had their limitations. Like reality, people can’t do everything and anything. Even with his special abilities, Edgar was still grounded by the same natural laws as everyone else and both the futuristic government and food source were viable and oddly logical. Nothing was too crazy or out there, but had just enough oddities to validate it’s sci-fi feel.
There were several mentions of past characters and events that were in the prior books in the trilogy, but were not part of this last book. It really had me wanting to read the first two books, but I didn’t have to. The Dark Planet was so well explained that it could be fully comprehended without reading the others.
While I really enjoyed this book and zoomed through it, it’s really more for a reading level of middle schoolers. The author provided descriptions for everything, and the characters, while interesting and entertaining, weren’t filled out enough to become people I felt like I could meet. I do suggest The Dark Planet to any and all middle schoolers/ tweens out there.
Date Reviewed: August 7th, 2009
For more book reviews and book information check out my blog at www.inthecurrent.blogspot.com
The Sorceress
By Michael Scott
Pub. Date: May 2009
5 out of 5 stars
PG-13 - Violence
Recommended
Nicholas Flamel was able to get the twins, Josh and Sophie, out of Paris, France, but it seems only to bring them to an even more dangerous place, London. In a city that Dee and the Dark Elders completely control, every corner hides a person that may finally be able to capture them, or worse… kill them. They are not helpless though, with Sophie already trained in two elemental magics, Nick’s knowledge, and Josh’s sword, but any presence of their auras will alert everyone in the city to their location. Even if the twins survive the streets of London, they may not survive the encounter with the Water magic teacher. For Nicholas has been hiding the fact from them that this man is completely and utterly insane…
The Sorceress isn’t only an action-adventure fantasy for teen boys, but also a thrilling, mysterious ride for all ages and genders.
Not only is The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series exciting, but also great books to use in the classroom. Many characters are based on historical figures. You could easily use these books as interest builders for history class. Even Science, Math, and Physics classes could be aided in teaching students by these books. The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series uses Intelligent Fighting tactics. The characters aren’t just bashing the bad guys on the head with hammers, but using physics, gravity, common sense, distance estimation, probabilities, erosion, and more to take out the bad guys. These are all things that are taught in school, but not always met with interest from students. These books could turn that around!
A fourth of all the sentences started with either he, she, or they. Though that is not a very sophisticated writing technic, it doesn’t impinge my love of the books at all
The Sorceress kept me on my tiptoes the whole time. Each chapter had a different cliffhanger, so it was impossible to stop reading! Someone should really add an advertisement page after each chapter, because seriously, I was waiting for the commercials to begin. Also, every character, be them minor, major, hero, or villian, had to face their different dilemmas in their own narrated chapters. I never knew who would be in the next chapter, or when we would get back to a different one. Warning, you will not be able to put this book down!
Date Reviewed: May 20th, 2009
For more book reviews and book information check out my blog at www.inthecurrent.blogspot.com
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(2 of 5 readers found this comment helpful)
Silver Shoes
By Paul Miles Schneider
Pub. Date: February 2009
3.5 out of 5 stars
PG - Violence
Recommended
Synopsis from BarnesandNoble.com:
“When Donald Gardner's parents tell him they'll be taking an exciting road trip through Kansas, he openly cringes. He is sure it will be a boring summer vacation.
But at one of their final roadside stops, they are approached by a poor woman offering to sell a strange item-a silver shoe. While Donald's mother is initially reluctant, she is smitten with the shoe and buys it.
Wanting to impress his classmates, Donald brings it in for show-and-tell when the new school year starts. His friends liken the shoe to something out of The Wizard of Oz, and his teacher agrees the idea is not farfetched considering author L. Frank Baum wrote about "silver shoes," not ruby slippers, which were strictly in the movie.
Donald is skeptical that the shoe is anything more than a relic, but when he accepts a dare from his two best buddies to try it on, frightening and incredible things begin to happen. And when he meets George Clarke, a reclusive man who has been in hiding for many years, Donald finds out there is a lot more to Baum's story than he thinks.
Join Donald as he unravels Baum's earth-shattering secret in Silver Shoes.”
Silver Shoes was a modern and clever twist of a much-loved classic. Throughout the book, I naturally predicted what would happen next, and I was rarely correct.
The twists and turns varied in their necessity to the plot. Some were big surprises altering the course of the plot, while others were smaller and only altered a present situation. This made every event much more surprising and interesting.
This book’s audience is hard to pinpoint. Originally, I figured this book was just for children (8-12), but words and situations were more intellectually advanced than an average 10 year old could comprehend. Also, the references to the Wizard of Oz series and the hidden significance to certain objects would be missed by readers who have not read the Wizard of Oz series. So in that aspect, adult readers will be able to read in-between the lines better than children. Either way, if you have or haven’t read the Wizard of Oz series, you will definitely want to after reading Silver Shoes.
Silver Shoes would be a fantastic resource for initiating discussions and project ideas in middle school Reading classes.
Date Reviewed: May 20th, 2009
For more book reviews or book information check out my blog at www.inthecurrent.blogspot.com
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
Me, Just Different
By Stephanie Morril
Pub. Date: July 2009
5 out of 5 stars
PG - Sexual References, Alcohol Abuse, and Attempted Rape. These things were not graphic, just mentioned in the book (that is why I didn‘t rate it PG-13). But, because of the abundance of these mentions, I would suggest this book to ages 14 and up.
Recommended
Synopsis from BarnesandNoble.com: “Welcome to the world of Skylar Hoyt, a high school senior whose exotic Hawaiian looks have propelled her to the height of the "in" crowd, but who's no longer sure that's where she really fits. New friends, old friends, a reluctant romance, and a family crisis swirl around Skylar as she tries to keep it together and figure out who she really wants to be.”
Revell continues to surprise me with respectable, well-written fiction for girl teens that include great role models and realistic teen scenarios.
Skylar was like a layered cake. The outside icing seems sweet, happy, and carefree. But the inside layers are full of guilt, sadness, and stress. By looking at the cake, you couldn’t tell what’s hidden underneath. Not until you cut into it. And that is what Connor did. He opened up Skylar’s heart and saw the scared, raw emotions inside. And he wanted more than anything to help her heart heal.
There was only a vague view into Skylar’s conscience, in the beginning, allowing only a slight visibility as to why she held so much guilt. As her life grew more confusing and messed up, snippets of information about her past slowly, but steadily, revealed. These tidbits of info lent a door into her past, allowing me, the reader, to better understand her reasoning and heart. Skylar was complex, both in heart and mind, making her an increasingly interesting character.
The underlining message of growth and renewal was very well cultivated. It unfolded gradually and completely.
Me, Just Different was more than just a quick, fun read. It was a young adult book with substance and responsibility, which is sadly becoming a rare thing in young adult books.
Date Reviewed: August 10th, 2009
For more book reviews and book information check out my blog at www.inthecurrent.blogspot.com
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
Intertwined
By Gena Showalter
Pub. Date: September 2009
4.5 out of 5 stars
PG-13 Violence
Recommended
“Both attracted and repelled, he thought… Were they like magnets? And if so, did that mean she was like him? Or his opposite?“
Aden has always been the outcast, but never alone. Four drastically different chatty souls reside in his head. They don’t know how they got there or why, all they know is that none of them can get out. Left unable to do anything else, the spirits resign themselves to a life were all they do is narrate and criticize everything Aden does. There is never a moments silence in his head, until Mary Ann crosses his path. Whenever she is near, the voices disappear. He doesn’t understand how it works, but he does know that if he wants more quiet he needs to spend as much time with Mary Ann as he can. Unbeknownst of them, their meeting caused a power surge that hurt every supernatural creature across the world. None of them are happy about the aching tug Aden created and they are about to let him know that…
Intertwined immediately drew me in. Not only did I never want to put it down, I also completely lost track of time.
Every fight was intense, horrible, and quick, taking me faster and faster along. The best of logic was torn apart by unanswerable questions. Romance budded within their midst and blossomed into passionate, loyal love. Intertwined ran from the beaten path of common love triangles and replaced it with unexpected romances, mutual untrusting tolerance, sibling-like caring, and ultimately… friendship. It was very refreshing to have characters who knew what they wanted and weren’t afraid to chase after it… even when everything went downhill. The characters’ supernatural abilities and nonhuman divisions, were amazingly well-developed. They were authentic and palpable.
Awkward moments of misunderstanding and touching intimate conversations were perfectly executed in present tense, allowing me, the reader, to feel them first hand. The ending was unexpected, gruesome, and left me wanting more.
I cannot wait until the next book comes out, and not just because of the cliffhanger last page. I hope it turns out just as intense, unputdownable, and unpredictable as Intertwined was.
Date Reviewed: June 14th, 2009
For more book reviews and book information check out my blog at www.inthecurrent.blogspot.com
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
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Atherton #03: The Dark Planet
inthecurrent, September 16, 2009
Very Focused And PreciseThe Dark Planet
By Patrick Carman
Pub. Date: May 2009
3.5 out of 5 stars
PG - Violence
Recommended
Synopsis from BarnesandNoble.com:
“After journeying to an unfamiliar land where air is nearly unbreathable and light stings like shards of glass, Edgar must navigate the deadly forests--full of creatures far more frightening than anything he has seen on Atherton--and join the child workforce of Silo #7, the site where Dr. Harding (the mad maker of Atherton) was raised. In the final thrilling chapter of this epic triology, we meet an engaging new cast of characters and Dr. Harding's ultimate plan comes together in an incredibly satisfying conclusion.”
The Dark Planet had a pretty basic plot, but the world this book inhabited was cleverly built. The description of the Futuristic world in which Edgar and the other characters lived was very focused and precise. Every character, creature, storm, rock, atmosphere, food source, etc had their limitations. Like reality, people can’t do everything and anything. Even with his special abilities, Edgar was still grounded by the same natural laws as everyone else and both the futuristic government and food source were viable and oddly logical. Nothing was too crazy or out there, but had just enough oddities to validate it’s sci-fi feel.
There were several mentions of past characters and events that were in the prior books in the trilogy, but were not part of this last book. It really had me wanting to read the first two books, but I didn’t have to. The Dark Planet was so well explained that it could be fully comprehended without reading the others.
While I really enjoyed this book and zoomed through it, it’s really more for a reading level of middle schoolers. The author provided descriptions for everything, and the characters, while interesting and entertaining, weren’t filled out enough to become people I felt like I could meet. I do suggest The Dark Planet to any and all middle schoolers/ tweens out there.
Date Reviewed: August 7th, 2009
For more book reviews and book information check out my blog at www.inthecurrent.blogspot.com
The Sorceress (Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel) by Michael Scott
inthecurrent, August 27, 2009
Impossible To Stop Reading!The Sorceress
By Michael Scott
Pub. Date: May 2009
5 out of 5 stars
PG-13 - Violence
Recommended
Nicholas Flamel was able to get the twins, Josh and Sophie, out of Paris, France, but it seems only to bring them to an even more dangerous place, London. In a city that Dee and the Dark Elders completely control, every corner hides a person that may finally be able to capture them, or worse… kill them. They are not helpless though, with Sophie already trained in two elemental magics, Nick’s knowledge, and Josh’s sword, but any presence of their auras will alert everyone in the city to their location. Even if the twins survive the streets of London, they may not survive the encounter with the Water magic teacher. For Nicholas has been hiding the fact from them that this man is completely and utterly insane…
The Sorceress isn’t only an action-adventure fantasy for teen boys, but also a thrilling, mysterious ride for all ages and genders.
Not only is The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series exciting, but also great books to use in the classroom. Many characters are based on historical figures. You could easily use these books as interest builders for history class. Even Science, Math, and Physics classes could be aided in teaching students by these books. The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series uses Intelligent Fighting tactics. The characters aren’t just bashing the bad guys on the head with hammers, but using physics, gravity, common sense, distance estimation, probabilities, erosion, and more to take out the bad guys. These are all things that are taught in school, but not always met with interest from students. These books could turn that around!
A fourth of all the sentences started with either he, she, or they. Though that is not a very sophisticated writing technic, it doesn’t impinge my love of the books at all
The Sorceress kept me on my tiptoes the whole time. Each chapter had a different cliffhanger, so it was impossible to stop reading! Someone should really add an advertisement page after each chapter, because seriously, I was waiting for the commercials to begin. Also, every character, be them minor, major, hero, or villian, had to face their different dilemmas in their own narrated chapters. I never knew who would be in the next chapter, or when we would get back to a different one. Warning, you will not be able to put this book down!
Date Reviewed: May 20th, 2009
For more book reviews and book information check out my blog at www.inthecurrent.blogspot.com
(2 of 5 readers found this comment helpful)
Silver Shoes by Paul Miles Schneider
inthecurrent, August 27, 2009
Every Event SurprisingSilver Shoes
By Paul Miles Schneider
Pub. Date: February 2009
3.5 out of 5 stars
PG - Violence
Recommended
Synopsis from BarnesandNoble.com:
“When Donald Gardner's parents tell him they'll be taking an exciting road trip through Kansas, he openly cringes. He is sure it will be a boring summer vacation.
But at one of their final roadside stops, they are approached by a poor woman offering to sell a strange item-a silver shoe. While Donald's mother is initially reluctant, she is smitten with the shoe and buys it.
Wanting to impress his classmates, Donald brings it in for show-and-tell when the new school year starts. His friends liken the shoe to something out of The Wizard of Oz, and his teacher agrees the idea is not farfetched considering author L. Frank Baum wrote about "silver shoes," not ruby slippers, which were strictly in the movie.
Donald is skeptical that the shoe is anything more than a relic, but when he accepts a dare from his two best buddies to try it on, frightening and incredible things begin to happen. And when he meets George Clarke, a reclusive man who has been in hiding for many years, Donald finds out there is a lot more to Baum's story than he thinks.
Join Donald as he unravels Baum's earth-shattering secret in Silver Shoes.”
Silver Shoes was a modern and clever twist of a much-loved classic. Throughout the book, I naturally predicted what would happen next, and I was rarely correct.
The twists and turns varied in their necessity to the plot. Some were big surprises altering the course of the plot, while others were smaller and only altered a present situation. This made every event much more surprising and interesting.
This book’s audience is hard to pinpoint. Originally, I figured this book was just for children (8-12), but words and situations were more intellectually advanced than an average 10 year old could comprehend. Also, the references to the Wizard of Oz series and the hidden significance to certain objects would be missed by readers who have not read the Wizard of Oz series. So in that aspect, adult readers will be able to read in-between the lines better than children. Either way, if you have or haven’t read the Wizard of Oz series, you will definitely want to after reading Silver Shoes.
Silver Shoes would be a fantastic resource for initiating discussions and project ideas in middle school Reading classes.
Date Reviewed: May 20th, 2009
For more book reviews or book information check out my blog at www.inthecurrent.blogspot.com
(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
Me, Just Different (Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt) by Stephanie Morrill
inthecurrent, August 26, 2009
Respectable, Well-written FictionMe, Just Different
By Stephanie Morril
Pub. Date: July 2009
5 out of 5 stars
PG - Sexual References, Alcohol Abuse, and Attempted Rape. These things were not graphic, just mentioned in the book (that is why I didn‘t rate it PG-13). But, because of the abundance of these mentions, I would suggest this book to ages 14 and up.
Recommended
Synopsis from BarnesandNoble.com: “Welcome to the world of Skylar Hoyt, a high school senior whose exotic Hawaiian looks have propelled her to the height of the "in" crowd, but who's no longer sure that's where she really fits. New friends, old friends, a reluctant romance, and a family crisis swirl around Skylar as she tries to keep it together and figure out who she really wants to be.”
Revell continues to surprise me with respectable, well-written fiction for girl teens that include great role models and realistic teen scenarios.
Skylar was like a layered cake. The outside icing seems sweet, happy, and carefree. But the inside layers are full of guilt, sadness, and stress. By looking at the cake, you couldn’t tell what’s hidden underneath. Not until you cut into it. And that is what Connor did. He opened up Skylar’s heart and saw the scared, raw emotions inside. And he wanted more than anything to help her heart heal.
There was only a vague view into Skylar’s conscience, in the beginning, allowing only a slight visibility as to why she held so much guilt. As her life grew more confusing and messed up, snippets of information about her past slowly, but steadily, revealed. These tidbits of info lent a door into her past, allowing me, the reader, to better understand her reasoning and heart. Skylar was complex, both in heart and mind, making her an increasingly interesting character.
The underlining message of growth and renewal was very well cultivated. It unfolded gradually and completely.
Me, Just Different was more than just a quick, fun read. It was a young adult book with substance and responsibility, which is sadly becoming a rare thing in young adult books.
Date Reviewed: August 10th, 2009
For more book reviews and book information check out my blog at www.inthecurrent.blogspot.com
(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
Intertwined (Harlequin Teen) by Gena Showalter
inthecurrent, June 20, 2009
Intense and SurprisingIntertwined
By Gena Showalter
Pub. Date: September 2009
4.5 out of 5 stars
PG-13 Violence
Recommended
“Both attracted and repelled, he thought… Were they like magnets? And if so, did that mean she was like him? Or his opposite?“
Aden has always been the outcast, but never alone. Four drastically different chatty souls reside in his head. They don’t know how they got there or why, all they know is that none of them can get out. Left unable to do anything else, the spirits resign themselves to a life were all they do is narrate and criticize everything Aden does. There is never a moments silence in his head, until Mary Ann crosses his path. Whenever she is near, the voices disappear. He doesn’t understand how it works, but he does know that if he wants more quiet he needs to spend as much time with Mary Ann as he can. Unbeknownst of them, their meeting caused a power surge that hurt every supernatural creature across the world. None of them are happy about the aching tug Aden created and they are about to let him know that…
Intertwined immediately drew me in. Not only did I never want to put it down, I also completely lost track of time.
Every fight was intense, horrible, and quick, taking me faster and faster along. The best of logic was torn apart by unanswerable questions. Romance budded within their midst and blossomed into passionate, loyal love. Intertwined ran from the beaten path of common love triangles and replaced it with unexpected romances, mutual untrusting tolerance, sibling-like caring, and ultimately… friendship. It was very refreshing to have characters who knew what they wanted and weren’t afraid to chase after it… even when everything went downhill. The characters’ supernatural abilities and nonhuman divisions, were amazingly well-developed. They were authentic and palpable.
Awkward moments of misunderstanding and touching intimate conversations were perfectly executed in present tense, allowing me, the reader, to feel them first hand. The ending was unexpected, gruesome, and left me wanting more.
I cannot wait until the next book comes out, and not just because of the cliffhanger last page. I hope it turns out just as intense, unputdownable, and unpredictable as Intertwined was.
Date Reviewed: June 14th, 2009
For more book reviews and book information check out my blog at www.inthecurrent.blogspot.com
(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
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