Reading

Reading....

Read.....

Waiting to read.....

Snakes

I cannot believe that I am enjoying a story where the main character is a snake! There is so much humour in "We Can't all be Rattlesnakes" by Patrick Jennings that I am chortling, that means laughing, along the journey of - not a rattlesnake but a gopher snake, a harmless relative, who is captured by.. well listen to his description of his captor;

"I was familiar with humans at this point only from afar, but even from there I found them a pitiable species: scaleless, fangless, clawless, nearly furless, wingless, venomless, witless. I honestly didn't understand how they had thrived so."

He ends up in a cage in Gunnar's room and immediately goes on a hunger strike. Dead mouse - no temptation there. Live mouse - a little temptation as he is getting really hungry but he did not catch it therefore it is beneath him to eat it. Breakfast, as he now calls his friend the mouse, indeed becomes his companion and the two forge an unusual and inspiring friendship.

Snake's plan of course is to escape but as he gets to know Gunnar a little bit more and is involved in his life a little bit more each day his feelings are ...gulp... changing...

But at the end of the day a snake has to do what a snake has to do.... however I think you may be surprised, or maybe not, on who he takes and more importantly, how he takes, with him.

Lots of fun!

One Down

Once upon a time there was a magical... castle. Yes, right here in "Tuesdays at the Castle" by Jessica Day George.

What can a magical castle do? Well for some reason it is on Tuesdays that the castle adds new rooms or a tower or two or changes doorways or decor just to liven things up. If it likes you it will add to your comfort and if it doesn't like you it can make life quite challenging!

King Glower the 79th is the ruler and the castle is instrumental in choosing the heirs to it and the kingdom. Rolf is the next chosen heir. He, with his sisters Lilah and Celie, leads a lovely and happy life here until King Glower and his Queen head off to meet their son Bran at Wizard School.

Disaster happens and it seems the family has been attacked and killed on their way home. Rolf, who is only 14, will be king. Except there is a group of council members along with an evil prince from a neighbouring kingdom who want to become regents and have the evil prince made the next heir.

Rolf, Lilah and especially wonderful Celie, who has a special relationship with the castle, resist and plot how to overcome these plans. First they know Rolf would soon be killed and second they feel, no, they know their father is not yet dead as his rooms in the castle have not changed.

The castle is helping them to the best of its ability until a spell seems to kill it and the children are on their own.

Lots of fun and adventure here and 3 wonderful and gutsy characters that will appeal to you.

Divergent

A couple of months ago Carmen posted about this book she had just read - "Divergent" by Veronica Roth. When I was at a bookstore recently the salesclerk was mentioning this book for those who liked "The Hunger Games" - "Divergent". Hmm - two comments from two different sources. I was intrigued.

When I was at Vancouver Kidsbooks it was on their wall of bestsellers for young adults and I picked it up. I have just finished it and it was.... very good... even great and had me so hooked as the story progressed. What an exciting ending. But for the very mature readers. (sorry Gwen!)

In a dystopian society set in Chicago the population is divided into five separate and distinct factions that are dedicated to different virtues; Candor are honest, Abnegation are selfless, Dauntless are brave, Amity are peaceful and Erudite are intelligent. When a teen turns 16 they take an aptitude test to guide them into a faction but they are also allowed to choose which faction they will dedicate the rest of their lives to.

Triss comes from Abnegation but chooses Dauntless where she is challenged by extreme tasks she must compete and succeed at or be banished into the factionless, those homeless souls dependent on the generosity of the Abnegation for survival. For her, that is not an option.

In her new surroundings she discovers a side of herself she never knew existed, she discovers the value of friendship and she discovers first love. She also discovers a plot to shake the whole system up, a deadly plot for those she loves.

This is such a gripping tale you cannot help but be caught up in it. It starts slow but builds and builds and the ending is once again only the beginning.

On My Bedside Table

Here are a few that are sitting beside my bed waiting for me to read them!


Tuesdays at the Castle - Jessica Day George


Princess of Glass - Jessica Day George


Darth Paper Strikes Back - Tom Angleberger


Conspiracy 365 - Gabrielle Lord

Trouble Twisters - Garth Nix and Sean Williams

Another Humphrey

"School Days According to Humphrey" by Betty G. Birney is just so good and a real favourite of so many students. Humphrey is such an engaging hamster... er character and it really is all about real life.

As he heads back to school and Room 26 he can hardly wait to see all his old friends..... except he thinks something is very wrong as there is a whole bunch of kids there that he doesn't recognize. As much as he tries to tell them they are in the wrong place nothing happens.

Poor Humphrey finally realizes life has moved on. But in his dauntless style he soon realizes there is a whole new bunch of kids with a whole new bunch of problems that he can help with!

Fantasies

I do like a good fantasy and have read a few new series these past few weeks. While I am anxiously awaiting the final book in The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini and the third book of The Beka Cooper series called Mastiff this fall, I have found one or two good ones that I think you will like.

The Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima begins with "The Demon King". A good choice for the mature readers this book introduces you to characters you immediately connect to and are intrigued by who they really are and what will happen to them.

For instance Han is a reformed street thief but wears silver cuffs that cannot come off and even magically seem to grow as he grows. He travels between the mountains, where the clans live and where he feels free and accepted, and the town of Fellcastle where he is targeted by bullies and guardsmen alike. Thrown into this mix are wizards, the Princess heir named Raisa who is turning 16, her childhood friend Amon who is now a part of her Guard and Han's very good friend named Fire Dancer who has a secret of his own.

It is on a hunting trip that Han and his friend Fire Dancer come upon 3 young wizards who are up to mischief on the mountain where they are forbidden. Han takes a prized and magical amulet from one not knowing this is a dangerous artifact and will bring danger to not only Han and his family but to many of the street gangs that carve out an existence in the city. Princess Raisa also is at risk as her mother the Queen seems to be under the spell of The High Wizard and has plans for Raisa that she cannot accept.

This is a page turner, full of exciting adventures that lead right into the next installment.


The Relic Master series by Catherine Fisher, who wrote "Incarceron", begins with "The Dark City" followed by "The Lost Heiress" and "The Hidden Coronet" and finishes with"The Margrave". These books draw you in to a world where ancient relics emit a modern technology, where Keepers of these once cherished relics are now hunted by The Watch and the relics destroyed.

Galen is one of the few remaining Keepers of The Order and he and his 16 year old apprentice Raffi head to a dangerous city full of a million streets and crumbling skyscrapers where it is rumored to have a most powerful relic hidden.

These books will appeal to those students who love fantasy. It had all the elements that I look for and love; characters who exhibit bravery in the face of danger and loyalty to what they believe in and to their companions. The relationship between master and apprentice is reminiscent of Halt and Will.