Nobody's Princess by Esther Friesner

Friesner, Esther (2007). Nobody’s Princess. New York: Random House.

Helen of Troy was the heir to the throne of Sparta before her adventures that everyone has read about. Nobody’s Princess are her adventures during her young adolescent years.

“‘But what good does it do to know your destiny?’ I argued. ‘You can’t escape it. The three Fates spin, measure, and cut the life thread of every human being. Their decisions are final. Even Zeus can’t change them’” (Friesner, pg. 209). Helen’s world is turned upside down when she learns that she, the daughter of King Tyndareus of Sparta, will become Queen of Sparta one day. But she has other dreams. She wants to learn how to run and fight with a sword and spear. Will her older twin brothers teach her how to fight? Or will she be stuck doing the “women’s work” inside the palace with her mother and twin sister?

She knows she is destined for more, but she is starting to realize she gets what she wants because she is “pretty.” She decides to take her life into her own hands. She wants to make her own decisions every day and not be controlled by a fate or destiny.

I enjoyed this book, because it told a part of the story that is never told. Esther Friesner decided to tell what happened before in the life of the famous Helen of Troy. Though many think Helen of Troy was pure myth, there are some who believe the woman actually lived long ago. It was interesting to get inside the head of a Spartan princess and learn about the various gods and goddesses that she and her family worshipped. Though much of what is discussed is mythology, some of it is based on historical places and people.

The Smile by Donna Jo Napoli

Napoli, Donna Jo (2008). The Smile. New York: Dutton Children’s Books.

Elisabetta is a young girl of the country nobility living in Florence at the time of the fall of the Medici family. Find out how Florence goes from flourishing art center to a dangerous city with no protection.

Elisabetta is a young girl of the country nobility living in 15th Century Florence. This was a time when the arts flourished and men like da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, and many other great artists. Elisabetta’s father was friends with the great Leonardo da Vinci, and because of this Elisabetta was able to meet “the good” Medici brother - Guiliano. Elisabetta’s life changed forever when she met Guiliano who was able to make her smile when he called her Monna Lisa.

With the death of Guiliano’s father and the rise of his brother, Piero, to power, Florence will forever be changed. Florence must choose between allying with Naples or France. Will the wrong choice lead to the end of Florence as Elisabetta knows it? Read this book to find more about a girl who just wants to live and love in the Florence she grew up with and who becomes the girl behind The Smile.

This book has so much information about Florentine history during the late 15th Century. Although it is unclear of the true identity of the model for Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Mona Lisa (or La Gioconda in Italy). The author consulted many sources about the Mona Lisa in writing the background of her book (see the Postscript) and took her own path to tell the story of the girl behind The Smile. This was an interesting look into what Florence would have been like as an artistic haven and the downfall of the art world.


Learn more about the famous, yet mysterious painting that was the inspiration for The Smile.

Video taken from YouTube

The Musician's Daughter by Susanne Dunlap

Dunlap, Susanne (2009). The Musician’s Daughter. New York: Bloomsbury.

All Theresa ever wanted to do was make music with her father. However, after he is murdered, she sets out to figure out who killed her father and why.

Gold Award Winner on Teen Reads
Bank Street Children’s Books of the Year
Beehive Book Award Nominee
Gateway Readers Award Nominee

Texas Tayshas Reading List

Theresa Maria only dreamed of the time when her father would bring home a violin for her to play. She loved her viola, but longed to play the instrument her father cared so deeply about. However, her dreams came crashing down the night Heinrich, Jakob, and Zoltán bring the body of her murdered father to her home. What would she do? How could they live without her father’s income from Kapellmeister Haydn? Would she have to give up her study of music in order to find a way to provide for her family? Will she turn her back on her father’s world and embrace her mother’s family? Or will she stay true to her roots as The Musician’s Daughter?

I really enjoyed this book. It is amazing how the author was able to create the story of a girl in 18th Century Vienna, Austria and intertwine it with the musical world of the time. Theresa Maria was not well off, but was able to participate in the world of the upper society because of the love of music at the time. This book does a good job of hinting at what the lower classes had to deal with at this time at the hands of the upper class and blood did not mean as much as money and title. It is an intriguing adventure that explains some of the obstacles a middle class girl in Austria must face as well as the upper class and that unique group that no one could figure out - the Gypsies.

Teen Talk

Maddie, age 15 loves Jane Austen books. However, when asked if she ever read historical fiction, she said “We read one for school and I didn’t really like it. It was kind of boring. I really like Jane Austen’s books though!” Perhaps the book she read was just not in her range of the type of book she likes. Perhaps if she was pointed in the direction of historical fiction books that had the regency feel of Jane Austen, she would be pleasantly surprised with historical fiction. There are many historical fiction books set in the regency era, one of which could be The Musician’s Daughter by Susanne Dunlap.

Revolution is Not a Dinner Party by Ying Change Compestine

Compestine, Ying Chang (2007). Revolution is Not a Dinner Party. New York: Henry Holt and Company.

The Cultural Revolution of China was a devastating time for many bourgeois families. Ling is the daughter of two doctors whose world is turned upside down in the early 1970s.

77th Annual California Book Award for Young Adult Literature
2008 ALA Best Books For Young Adults
2008 ALA Notable Children's Books
2007 Publishers Weekly Best Children's Fiction Book List
2007 San Francisco Chronicle Best Children's Fiction Book List
2008 Chinese American Librarian Association Best Book
2007 New York Public Library 100 Best Titles for Reading and Sharing
2007 Fall Book Sense Children's Picks
2007 Parent's Choice Silver Honor
2007 Cybils Award Nomination for Young Adult Fiction
2008 Tayshas Reading List (Texas)
2007 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best
2007 Cleveland Public Library Celebrate With Books
2007 Cuyahoga County Public Library Great Books for Kids
2008 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People — CBC and the National Council for Social Studies
2008 IRA Notable Books for a Global Society
2008 NCTE Award
2008 Capitol Choices — Best Books of the Year, Washington, D.C.
2008 New York Public Library's Teen Age List
2008 Cooperative Children's Book Center — Best of the Year
2008 Bank Street College of Education — Best Children's Book
2008Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts
2008 Book of the Year Award — Northern California Independent Booksellers Association
2008 Women's National Book Association's Judy Lopez Memorial Awards Honor
2008-09 Maine Student Book Award
2008 Notable Children's Books in the English Language Arts
2009 ATPE Book of the Month
2009 Sakura Medal Book
2008-2009 Nominated for the Maine Student Book Award
2008 Among 15 books Ranked Best by Publisher's Weekly
2009 Nominated for the Nene Award of Hawaii

“Father held my hand tighter and walked faster without answering. Once in our apartment, he ran to the fireplace, lit a fire, and threw in his letters and books. Wisps of burned paper bumped around inside the fireplace like frightened black butterflies. He even threw in his red tie and the English book we had made together” (Compestine, pg. 81-82).

Such was the fate of any western or non-Chinese things in Communist China under Chairman Mao. Ling was only 10 years old and did not understand why her father would burn the things he cared for most. But that is what had to be done. Read this touching story based loosely on events the author experienced and people she knew in a country where freedom was not freely given.

I loved this book! It was sad at times, but it was an eye-opener of what some of the Chinese had to endure not too long ago. It amazes me how awful people can be to their fellow man, sending them to labor camps because they refuse to cut their hair. It made me think “what would I do in that situation? I would never betray family or friends!” But reading this book made me realize that no one truly knows how they would react in the situations some of these people were forced into.

Teen Talk

Jackson, age 15, only likes to read “books about sports. Especially ones that are about basketball coaches because that is what I want to do.” Jackson likes books that are completely true, about a coaches life and what he did to become a success.

The thing about historical fiction books is that they can cover a wide range of topics. There are options in the historical fiction genre that would appeal to Jackson, especially those that may discuss a famous athlete or coach.

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

Bridges, Robin (2012). The Gathering Storm. New York: Delacorte Press (Random House, Inc.)

Katiya is the daughter of a wealth Russian Duke in 1888 who learns that the history she was taught is school is not necessarily what really happened. Follow Katiya as she learns of her curse / gift and the true history of her beloved Russia.

Russia in 1888 was full of wonder and elegance. To be the daughter of a Duke was to be blessed and meant you were able to attend school to learn the important subjects (such as dance, history, language, math, and dance). Balls and dancing were important to Russian high society as well as going to the Opera or Ballet. Katiya is one such lucky girl. But she has other dreams. She has dreams of becoming a doctor and discovering the cures to life-threatening diseases. A dream she cannot pursue in Russia because women are not allowed to apply for medical school.

Katiya’s dreams are crushed when she learns of her curse and is enchanted by the handsome Crown Prince of Montenegro, Danilo. Now she must decide if she can give up her dreams and marry Danilo, or if there is a darker power at work in her life. Follow Katiya as she discovers her “curse” and must decide if she can marry Danilo, even after she figures out who his ancestors were.

I liked this book because it gave a good taste of Tsarist Russia and the elegant way of life the aristocracy lived. However, it has a unique spin that I was not expecting, but if you know a little bit about the history of Russia and the surrounding countries (especially the myths of Romania) you will understand the twist that Robin Bridges puts on the history of Russia in this book. It is the first book of The Katerina Trilogy, and I look forward to finding out what path Katiya will choose for her future.



Taken from YouTube

Teen Talk

Rachael, age 15, claimed that she doesn’t “like to read at all. But lately, I have been reading Nicholas Sparks books and I really like those! If I had more books like Nicholas Sparks, I would probably read more.” Nicholas Sparks writes romantic fiction, and there could be plenty of overlap in historical fiction and romantic fiction. There are many historical fiction books for young adults that would have a romance element in it that would appeal to Rachael.

Young Samurai: Way of the Warrior by Chris Bradford

Bradford, Chris (2008). Young Samurai: Way of the Warrior. New York: Disney Hyperion Books.

Jack Fletcher is a 12 year old boy sailing around the world with his father on the Alexandria in 1611. When wakou attack the ship, Jack struggles to fight and survive and ends up stranded in a strange land - the Japans.

“Bushido is not just about courage and honor. Nor is its purpose fighting and warfare. Though they may be necessary stops on your journey, they are not your destination. The true essence of Bushido is rectitude, benevolence, and loyalty” (Bradford, pg. 326).

Jack Fletcher just wants to go home to his sister and England. But now he is stuck in “the Japans” and has been adopted by a mighty Samurai - Masamoto. Now he has to decide if he will return to England or embrace Bushido and become a Young Samurai.

I really liked this book and there are many other books in the Young Samurai series to read on after. It was a good action / adventure, with a little bit of romance for those who only want to read books that have a good love story in it. It is an interesting book about a culture that is so different from what we in America have grown up learning about. Many have compared Samurai to the Knights of Europe, but the differences become evident in this book. If you like a book about warriors, you will like this book!

Teen Talk

Ryan, age 14, said "I really like historical fiction because I like to learn about history in a not boring way." Ryan understood that historical fiction is not just "boring" history, but can be an entertaining story based in an historical time or place.

One of Ryan's favorite historical fiction books is A Boy at War about Pearl Harbor and WWII. It was refreshing to have a teen who did like historical fiction when so many misunderstood the genre.

Also, when asked if he has ever used a blog to find a book to read, Ryan said, "I wouldn't know where to look for a blog, so I usually ask my sister for what book to read for the different book reports I have to do for class." This is unfortunate, because blogs are a great way to get an idea of what to read, because you can start to identify with the author of blog and figure out if you would have a similar taste in books.

1609: Winter of the Dead by Elizabeth Massie

Massie, Elizabeth (2000). 1609: Winter of the Dead. New York: A Tom Doherty Associates Book.

Many gentlemen thought going to Jamestown would bring them wealth with all of the gold they found there. They weren’t expecting trouble from the natives, little food, and absolutely no gold to be found.

This was an interesting book. I loved Pocahontas growing up and the story of John Smith. This puts a different light on John Smith’s story. Smith is not the main character, but he is discussed at length from the eyes of the main character: a teenage boy, Nat, who has traveled to the new world in hopes of becoming a wealthy man. This story is not about the great relationship established by the English and the Indians, but about what the Englishmen had to endure and what they were willing to do in order to stay safe from the wrath of the Indians whose kindness could change in an instant because of misunderstood cultures. This is a good simple read that tells the harsh story of what life was like for the colonists who traveled to and settled in Jamestown.

Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve

Reeve, Philip (2007). Here Lies Arthur. New York: Scholastic, Inc.

Gwyna's home is burned by Arthur and his war-band. Now she must disguise herself and join the very war-band she hates in order to save her life.

Carnegie Medal 2008
Nestlé Children’s Book Prize Bronze Award 2007
Shortlisted for the Booktrust Teenage Prize 2007
Longlisted for the Manchester Book Award 2008

“HIC IACET ARTHURUS,
REX QUONDAM REXQUE FUTURUS
Here lies Arthur –
King that was, King that will be again.”

King Arthur. Legendary hero. Man of myth. But what if he was not everything he seemed to be. What if the great legend of King Arthur was a series of stories told by one of Arthur’s men to make him look good and attract followers. Gwyna saw the real Arthur. He burned her home and ordered her master and his household to be driven out for not paying tribute. Gwyna was just a lowly servant, and did not think anyone would notice if she ran off. She sneaks away, but is encountered by one of Arthur’s knights - Medrawt. Her only escape is the dark, cold river. How is she going to survive on her own? Will Myrddin help her? or use her and then leave her alone again?

I really liked this book although it was not what I expected. The King Arthur of legend and myth is a great warrior, but also a great leader. In this book that is not the Arthur that we see. This is told through the eyes of a girl who lost everything because of Arthur, and gives a somewhat darker portrayal of the man that many people revere.

Teen Talk

When asked about what he likes to read, Jeffrey said he did not care to read unless it was a good book. Many teens would answer the same way, which adults may not understand. When asked what a good book, this 16 year old said he liked action / adventure books as well as books about Greek Mythology.

When asked if he liked to read Historical Fiction, he said he did not history books because they were boring. What he did not realize was that those books about Greek Mythology can be considered Historical Fiction and many historical fiction books are also action adventure.

A book in the genre of Historical Fiction that I would recommend to Jeffrey to try out would be Here Lies Arthur, because it has a little bit of Greek mythology, a lot of British mythology, and is an action adventure.

The King's Rose by Alisa M. Libby

Libby, Alisa M. (2009). The King’s Rose. New York: Dutton Books (Penguin Group Inc.)

Catherine Howard is 15 years old, and is to marry King Henry VIII of England. Can she burn her past and her love and live the life her family expects her to live?

“I smile and nod at the girl, and she steps aside. This is the smile I imagine Katherine of Aragon pasted upon her face when met with the king’s lingering gaze over Mistress Anne Boleyn; or Anne of Cleves’s smile when her new husband first took a fancy to me. I take a sip of my wine, my throat suddenly dry” (Libby, pg. 129).

All I wanted growing up was to fall in love, but my family had other plans for me. Now I don’t know if I will ever see my true love again, and how can I, a young girl, become Queen of England? I cannot disappoint my family as Anne did, or who knows what my fate will be. I must learn to live with the life that has been designed for me and learn to be The King’s Rose.

This was an interesting book about Henry VIII's fifth wife. She is seldom heard of because she did not have any children, yet she was very important to the Howard family who had attempted to put a young girl on the throne before and failed (with Anne Boleyn). Now Henry VIII is an old man with poor health. This book tells of Catherine's struggles to do what her family asks of her and give up the life she wanted to live.

Historical Fiction

What is historical fiction? Generally it is a book that takes place in a historical setting and may involve some historical figures, but also can have fictional characters that were invented by the author to help fill in gaps missing in history. Sometimes the fictional character is someone who explains what they see during an important event in history.

Click on the link below for a pdf document that gives an overview of Historical Fiction.

Historical Fiction

This website

Historical Novels

lists many different historical fiction books that can be broken down by time period and location of the book. There is also a section for YA's as well that is similarly broken down. I have not had a whole lot of time to explore it, but look forward to picking a few books off the lists to add to my ever lengthening To Read list.

For my class (the purpose of this blog is a class assignment), we had to pick a specific genre that we wanted to focus on. I chose Historical Fiction, because I love history, and I know it is a genre that not many Young Adults are highly interested in reading. I am hoping that with the booktalks on this blog, YAs may see that Historical Fiction books can be action, adventure, mystery, horror, etc. and are not just names as dates (what most people associate with History).

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

Doctorow, Cory (2008). Little Brother. New York: A Tom Doherty Associates Book

Marcus is an expert hacker at only 17. But can all of his knowledge prevail against what he views as a corrupt government that has taken away his freedom?

New York Times Bestseller List May 2008

White Pine Award 2009

Prometheus Award 2009

John W. Campbell Memorial Award 2009

Big Brother is always watching. They even have “gait recognition” at our school. Can you believe that? Supposedly this camera can tell who is walking down the hall just by the way you walk. What they don’t know is that putting a small handful of gravel in your shoes (though slightly uncomfortable) can change your gait enough to fool the recognition software. They think they are so clever with all of this technology, but I can still get us out. We have a clue to follow for Harajuku Fun Madness, and there is no way I am missing out on getting the upper hand by sitting through study hall.

Little did I know that skipping school that day would change my life (and the world as I knew it) forever. Someone blew up the Bay Bridge and my team and I were taking in for questioning. They really thought I was a terrorist? Why would I blow up the bridge? Why won’t they let me go? It is time to fight back. It is time for Little Brother to spy on them.

This book was an intriguing look into the world of security

Below is a video of Bruce Schneier discussing Cyber War and Cyber Security, which is a critical component of Little Brother. Marcus is a cyber hacker and essentially launches a cyber attack on the DHS which has occupied San Francisco, Marcus' home town. Bruce Schneier is a security technologist and maintains a blog about technology and security which can be accessed at www.schneier.com

Taken from YouTube

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Haddon, Mark (2004). The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. New York: Vintage Contemporaries (Random House, Inc.).

Christopher is a 15-year-old who loves Sherlock Holmes and is determined to solve the murder mystery of Wellington. He is determined that his Autism will not prevent him from solving his mystery.

Whitbread Book of the Year (2003)

Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book (2004)

Joint winner of the Boeke Prize (2004)

“These are some of my Behavioral Problems

1. Not talking to people for a long time
2. Not eating or drinking anything for a long time
3. Not liking being touched
4. Screaming when I am angry or confused
5. Not liking being in really small places with other people
6. Smashing things when I am angry or confused
7. Groaning
8. Not liking yellow things or brown things and refusing to touch yellow things and brown things
9. Refusing to use my toothbrush if anyone else has touched it
10. Not eating food if different sorts of food are touching each other
11. Not noticing that people are angry with me
12. Not smiling
13. Saying things that other people think are rude
14. Doing stupid things
15. Hitting other people
16. Hating France
17. Driving Mother’s car
18. Getting cross when someone has moved the furniture” (Haddon, pg. 46-47)

But I am still determined to solve the mystery of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

This was such an interesting book. Even though it went of on tangents every once in a while, those tangents did fit in with the flow of the book. It is told from the perspective of Christopher, a 15-year old boy with high-functioning Autism. It was a neat glimpse into his life and how he deals with all of the people that surround him. It was thought provoking and revealed a lot about how an Autistic child / teenager views the world and his interactions with those who wonder why he sits in a corner with his ears covered or freaks out when someone touches him.

Rapunzel's Revenge by Dean and Shannon Hale and Nathan Hale (artist)

Hale, Shannon, Hale, Dean, and Hale, Nathan (2008). Rapunzel’s Revenge. New York: Bloomsbury.

This version of Rapunzel's story is like nothing you have ever heard before!

ALA 2009 Notable Children's Book

YALSA 2009 Great Graphic Novel for Teens

Al's Book Club for Kids selection

Eisner Award nominee

Kid's Indie Next for Fall 2008

2011 Young Readers Choice Award

Junior Library Guild Premiere Selection

Nominee for the Texas Lone Star reading list

Best Book of the year from kidsread.com and teenreads.com

Cybil Award winner

Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Master List (Vermont)

Nominated for 2010 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults

2009-2010 Maine Student Book Award Reading List

TriState YA Review Group Books of Note for 2009 (PA, DE, and NJ)

Winner of the Utah Book Award for Children's Literature

Winner of 2009 Leah Adezio Award for Best Kid-Friendly work from the Friends of Lulu

ALA 2009 Popular Paperback

Part of the 2010 ALA Amelia Bloomer Project Bibliography

Texas Maverick Graphic Novel

Oregon Battle of the Books selection

Young Hoosiers Book Award Nominee

A damsel in distress. A charming prince. A brave and courageous rescue. A happily ever after.

Those are all great, but my story is different. My name is Rapunzel. I was locked in a tree tower by a woman who I thought to be my mother. Now, I have read all of the stories about damsels in distress (I practically have the book Girls Who Get Saved and the Princes Who Save Them memorized!) Some would say that I was a damsel in distress, being trapped in my tower, that a charming prince rescued me and swept me off my feet, but my story, my real story is very, very different...

First of all, I don’t need anyone to save me. I got myself out of that tree because I wanted to save my mother. My real mother. As for my prince charming, well I got stuck with Jack. He’s not that charming, and definitely not a prince! As for bravery and courage, I think I’ve got that covered, but you can make up your own mind when you read about my adventures (with Jack tagging along) in Rapunzel’s Revenge.

I have to admit, part of the reason I chose this book is because I love the Disney movie Tangled. I thought it was going to be a classic retelling of Rapunzel's story in Graphic Novel format, but I was wrong! It had a unique twist to Rapunzel's story that was intriguing and I loved it! Being in Graphic Novel format, it was a quick read that you could breeze through, but the writing and artistry of this Graphic Novel was amazing! I think it is a good introduction into the world of Graphic Novels for those who are not familiar with Graphic Novels!

When Lightning Strikes by Meg Cabot

Cabot, Meg (2010). When Lightning Strikes. New York: Simon Pulse.

Jess is a normal teenage girl, that is until she is hit by lightning. Follow her adventures as she discovers she has a sense about where missing children are located.

When Lightning Strikes, something strange always seems to happen. This time it happened to me. Before that thunderstorm, I was just a normal girl (apart from always getting detention for hitting the football stars). I thought my “problem” was Ruth’s fault, but can I really blame her for everything that has happened to me since that day at the bleachers? Now I have to deal with putting my family and new friends in danger because of what that lightning did to me. How was I to know how much my life was going to change When Lightning Strikes?

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than what I thought it would be. Although it is a Chick Lit book, it did have a little bit of everything. It is part of a 5 book series that revolves around Jess and her new special power.

Rooftop by Paul Volponi

Volponi, Paul (2006). Rooftop. New York: Speak (Penguin Group).

Clay is a teenage boy trying to work through his problems with drugs. Just when he is coming along, his world is turned upside down on a Rooftop.

ALA Best Book Young Adult

ALA Quick Pick

New York City Library Book for the Teen Age

Tayshas List (Texas Library Association)

“I looked out the window in my room, thinking that rooftop would be dark. But there must have been a hundred candles burning. And that roof looked like it was on fire” (Volponi, pg. 96).

What would it take to stop using drugs? What would it take to convince your cousin not to be a dealer? What would it take to cope with the death of a loved one? What would it take to make you change? Clay finds out what it would take on a Rooftop.

This book is different than anything I would pick up to read on my home, but it really hit home with how easy it can be for some people to fall into the trap of drugs. Clay's cousin thought he would have a better life by dealing drugs, but he did not see what happened to his brother because of drugs. Reading what Clay went through and how his life changed throughout the book was inspiring. Drugs are a difficult thing to overcome, but always remember that you have family and friends who are willing to help you and want what is best for you. I am grateful that I did not have to grow up in a community overrun with drugs, but would encourage those who are surrounded by that environment to do everything you can to stay away from that life-destroying environment!

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Paolini, Christopher (2002). Eragon. New York: Laurel-Leaf (Random House Inc.)

Eragon's life is turned upside down when he finds a mysterious stone in the Spine. Now he is on a journey to save his family and protect his new friend Saphira.

Third Best-Selling Hardback Book of 2003

Second Best-Selling Paperback of 2005

New York Times Children's Books Best Seller List

Nene Award (2006)

Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award

Young Reader's Choice Award

“Their connection grew stronger until there was no distinction between their identities. They clasped their wings together and dived straight down, like a spear thrown from on high. No terror of falling touched Eragon, engulfed as he was in Saphira’s exhilaration. The air rushed past their face. Their tail whipped in the air, and their joined minds reveled in the experience” (Paolini, pg. 237).

Join Eragon on the first of his many adventures with his new friend Saphira... the dragon!

I really liked this book. It has been recommended to me for years, but I never took the time to read it, and I am glad I have now! It does look a little daunting (it is a rather large book...) but it is a quick and interesting read. It is the first book in a series that currently has four books published (the fourth just recently being published). It has also been made into a movie. The reviews I have heard about the movie were that it was AWFUL! But, I always want to form my own opinion, so I watched the movie. I liked it! I understand why faithful readers did not like it, because it is pretty different from the book (which is why I always like the book better) because the movie would have been 10 hours long if they tried to fit in everything that the book describes. I really liked this book and would recommend it to people of all ages!

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Armstrong, Kelley (2008). The Summoning. New York: HarperCollinsPublishers.

Lyle House. The House for Crazy Kids. But I'm not crazy... am I?

“Am I crazy?” Chloe asks herself after waking up from her nightmare. She just keeps reminding her that there is no such thing as ghosts. It was just a dream, well, a nightmare! School that day just doesn’t feel right, so Chloe ducks into the restroom to dye her hair. She hears mysterious noises and then is followed by a janitor with a deformed face who will not stop asking her questions. When some teachers track her down, she tries to fight them off to get away form the janitor, but no one else seems to be able to see the janitor with the melted face. She is hauled out of school on a stretcher and eventually taken to Lyle House, which she finds out is a place for “crazy” kids. Now she is starting to really wonder: “Am I crazy?”

I really liked this book. It was different from what I expected. When I think of Horror, I think of something that is devilish and creepy (which I'm not a fan of...), but this was a horror that I really liked! It is the first book of a trilogy, and I am already ready to finish the trilogy! I want to find out what happens to Chloe and the other friends she met at Lyle House.