Bridge of Souls (Cassidy Blake #3) by Victoria Schwab (MG Paranormal Book Review)

 

Bridge of Souls
(Cassidy Blake #3)
by Victoria Schwab
Published by Scholastic Press
on March 2, 2021
Genre: Middle Grade, Paranormal, Ghost Story
Length: 304 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years

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Synopsis:
Where there are ghosts, Cassidy Blake follows... unless it's the other way around?

Cass thinks she might have this ghost-hunting thing down. After all, she and her ghost best friend, Jacob, have survived two haunted cities while traveling for her parents' TV show. 

But nothing can prepare Cass for New Orleans, which wears all of its hauntings on its sleeve. In a city of ghost tours and tombs, raucous music and all kinds of magic, Cass could get lost in all the colorful, grisly local legends. And the city's biggest surprise is a foe Cass never expected to face; a servant of Death itself. 

Cass takes on her most dangerous challenge yet...


My Thoughts:

I waited sooooo long for this! 
It was meant to come out in Oct of 2020 but was postponed til March 2021 and since it was my birthday present, I had to wait half a year for it to arrive. I didn't get a chance to read it that October so a lot of my enthusiasm waned. 
Bummer, yes, but it was still worth the read two years later. 

Cassidy Blake's best friend is a ghost named Jacob and her parents host a ghost-hunting television show that takes them all over the world to visit famously haunted locations. They've been to Edinburgh, Scotland and the catacombs of Paris, France and are set to film in New Orleans, Louisiana where hauntings and dark magic are abundant. 


I love the settings and history in this spooky middle-grade trilogy. New Orleans was a great finale choice, especially with the heinous history of Madame LaLaurie (though it is mostly just touched upon) and the added celebrations and hints of voodoo. It makes me want to visit even more! 

I won't give any more away but I really enjoyed this trilogy overall! This finale didn't have as much bang as the first two, but it had some suspense and spook and I liked how it ended!

City of Ghosts
Tunnel of Bones

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Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston (Middle Grade Fantasy Book Review)

Amari and the Night Brothers
(Supernatural Investigations #1)
by B.B. Alston
Published by Balzer & Bray
on January 19, 2022
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Length: 416 pages
Ages: 9+ years

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Synopsis:
Quinton Peters was the golden boy of the Rosewood low-income housing projects, receiving full scholarship offers to two different Ivy League schools. When he mysteriously goes missing, his little sister, thirteen-year-old Amari Peters, can't understand why it's not a bigger deal. Why isn't his story all over the news? And why do the police automatically assume he was into something illegal?

Then Amari discovers a ticking briefcase in her brother's old closet. Meant for her eyes only. He's left her a nomination for a summer tryout at the secretive Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Amari is certain the answer to finding her missing brother lies somewhere inside, if only she can get her head around the idea of mermaids, dwarves, and magicians all being real things, something she has to instantly confront when she is given a weredragon as a roommate. 

Amari must compete against some of the nation's wealthiest kids who've known about the supernatural world their whole lives and with an evil magician threatening the whole supernatural world, and her own classmates thinking she is an enemy, Amari has never felt more alone. But if she doesn't pass the three tryouts, she may never find out what happened to Quinton. 


My Thoughts:

Amari Peters desperately misses her brilliant older brother, Quinton, who had gone off to pursue a confidential career and mysteriously disappeared in the process. Things at her school aren't going so well thanks to bullies so when she gets an acceptance letter to a special summer camp that her brother had preemptively nominated her for, she jumps at the chance, knowing that it's her best chance at finding out what happened to her brother. 

Thanks to her brother's nomination, Amari becomes an initiate at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs and is introduced to the secret world of the supernatural. Determined to become a Junior Agent like her brother before her, Amari prepares and competes for a career at the Bureau while also trying to solve the mystery of her missing brother. 

This is a really fun read filled with magic, mystery, supernatural beings and creatures such as were-dragons, trolls, phoenixes, and more. 
There's an underlying mystery that motivates the main character throughout the book. Great character development.

I can't wait for the sequel! 

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Fright Watch: The Stitchers by Lorien Lawrence (Middle Grade Horror Book Review)

 

The Stitchers
(Fright Watch #1)
by Lorien Lawrence
Published by Harry N. Abrams
on August 18, 2020
Genre: Middle Grade, Horror, Mystery
Length: 272 pages
Ages: 10 - 14 years

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Synopsis:
The start of a spine-chilling new horror series about the eerie happenings in a small town. 

Something strange is happening on Goodie Lane...

Thirteen-year-old Quinn Parker knows that there's something off about her neighbors. She calls them "the Oldies" because they've lived on Goodie Lane for as anyone can remember, but they never seem to age. 
Are they vampires? Or aliens? Or getting secret experimental surgeries? Or is Quinn's imagination just running wild again?

If her dad were still around, he'd believe her. When he was alive, they'd come up with all sorts of theories about the Oldies. Now, Quinn's determined to keep the investigation going with the help of Mike, her neighbor and maybe-crush. They'll have to search for clues and follow the mystery wherever it leads--even if it's to the eerie pond at the end of the street that's said to have its own sinister secrets. But the Oldies are on to them. And the closer Quinn and Mike get to uncovering the answers, the more they realize just how terrifying the truth may be. 


My Thoughts:

Quinn Parker and Mike Warren are positive that there's something odd (like really, really odd) about the group of ancient neighbors that inhabit their street. Perfectly smooth skin and clockwork-like habits are just the tip of the iceberg. Quinn and Mike keep an eye on the "Oldies" regularly and notice every little oddity, so when the funeral home director, Mr. Brown, starts joining them on their morning runs (and beating them!) they kick up their investigation and land themselves in the middle of a mystery that may prove to be more deadly than they imagined! 

Something's up with the neighbors. Everyone knows but no one will really talk about it. The "Oldies" are all productive and respected members of society that donate a lot of money and time to the community, after all. But Quinn and Mike are determined to figure out exactly what the mystery is, landing themselves in some frightening situations.  

This was a fun read with lots of mystery and a spooky twist ending that is perfect for this time of year! 

I enjoyed all the misleading theories that the characters shared. It really helped keep the ending a mystery that ended up being a little more horrific than I was expecting.
 I didn't love the focus on 'young romance' in the story, which isn't too heavy considering this is middle-grade. It may be perfect for the age group considering this is the age of 'crushes' but the MC, Quinn, seemed to have no personality thanks to it.

Readers of RL Stine, Christopher Pike, and Katherine Arden's "Small Spaces" series will enjoy this frightening new series!

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Dark Waters (Small Spaces #3) by Katherine Arden (MG Horror Book Review)

Dark Waters
(Small Spaces #3)
by Katherine Arden
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
on August 10, 2021
Genre: Middle Grade, Horror
Length: 198 pages
Ages: 10 - 12 years

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Synopsis:
New York Times bestselling author Katherine Arden returns with another creepy, spine-tingling adventure in this follow-up to the critically acclaimed Small Spaces and Dead Voices. 

Having met and outsmarted the smiling man in Dead Voices but fearful of when he'll come again, Ollie, Brian, and Coco are anxiously searching for a way to defeat him once and for all. By staying together and avoiding remote places, they've steered clear of him so far but their constant worry and stress is taking a toll on their lives and friendship. So when Ollie's dad and Coco's mom plan a "fun" boat trip on Lake Champlain, the three are apprehensive to say the least. They haven't had the best of luck on their recent trips and even worse their frenemy Phil is on the boat as well. But when a lake monster destroys their boat, they end up shipwrecked on a deserted island. This isn't just any island though. It's hidden from the outside world in a fog and unless everyone works together to find a way to escape, they won't survive long. 


My Thoughts:

Ollie, Brian, and Coco are on edge at every little sound, anxiously awaiting the smiling man's next attack, so when Coco's journalist mother offers for them all to join her on a boat trip to Lake Champlain to interview a boat captain about a rumored lake monster, they jump at the chance. They see it as a vacation from their woes and are eager to join. But once out on the open water, odd things start happening and they find themselves shipwrecked on an uncharted island! 

The three friends (and their frenemy, Phil) are back in this third installment to the spooky Small Spaces series! 

Ollie, Brian, and Coco escaped the smiling man on a field trip to a small town farm in Small Spaces, and again at a haunted orphanage turned winter resort in Dead Voices. This time around, the smiling man finds another way to execute the sinister plans he has in store for the three friends; a vicious lake monster that is very, very hungry!

This middle grade series has been a lot of fun to read but also some of the absolute spookiest books in the age group that I've read in a long time! 

My only issue with this new sequel is that it ended with a pretty sudden and unexpected cliffhanger and there is no update on the fourth book at all so far!

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Willa of Dark Hollow (#2) by Robert Beatty (Middle Grade Fantasy Book Review)

Willa of Dark Hollow
(Willa of the Wood #2)
by Robert Beatty
Published by Disney Hyperion
on May 4, 2021
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Length: 384 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years

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Synopsis:
Plunge into an exciting story of history, mystery, and magic from best-selling author of the Serafina series. 

The Great Smoky Mountains, 1901. Willa and her clan are the last of the Faeran, an ancient race of forest people who have lived in the mountains for as long as the trees have grown there. But as crews of newly arrived humans start cutting down great swaths of the forest she loves, Willa is helpless to stop them. How can she fight the destroyers of the forest and their powerful machines? When Willa discovers a mysterious dark hollow filled with strange and beautiful creatures, she comes to realize that it contains a terrifying force. Is unleashing these dangerous spirits the key to stopping the loggers? Willa must find a way to save the people and animals she loves and take a stand against an all-consuming darkness that threatens to destroy her world. 


My Thoughts:

Willa and her faeran ancestors have always lived on the smoky mountain but after the events of the first book, Willa of the Wood, her home that once a beautiful den home for her people is now a burnt away husk of what it was and something sinister has grown there in her short absence. 

Willa has become one of my new favorite characters. She is truly 'one with the forest', a woodwitch that speaks to all living things in an ancient language, and must save her people, her new family, and her world from destruction.

This sequel is said to be a stand alone companion novel but I will mention that it does continue where Willa of the Wood left off and I would personally recommend reading them together as a duology.
Also, this sequel is a bit darker than the first, with darker themes and creatures and even has a bit of a paranormal twist to it! 

These middle grade fantasy novels are beautifully written with lovable characters and nature-based magic. Beatty's atmospheric writing will make you feel like you are right there in the forest with Willa. 

Keep an eye out for the film/tv series adaptation, coming soon!

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Mary Pope Osborne's Magic Treehouse: The Graphic Novel: Dinosaurs Before Dawn by Jenny Laird (Children's Graphic Novel Review)

Mary Pope Osborne's
Magic Tree House
The Graphic Novel:
Dinosaurs Before Dawn
Adapted by Jenny Laird
Illustrated by Kelly & Nichole Matthews
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers
on May 4, 2021
Genre: Children's, Graphic Novels, Chapter Books, Fantasy
Length: 176 pages
Ages: 6 - 9 years

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Synopsis:
The #1 bestselling chapter book is now a graphic novel!
Magic. Mystery. Time-travel. 
Get whisked back in time in the magic tree house with Jack and Annie! 


Our Thoughts:

Join Jack and Annie as they discover a mysterious (and magical!) tree house in the woods not far from their house. The tree house is filled from top to bottom with books and when Jack and Annie make a wish, they find themselves thrust back into the time of the dinosaurs! 

My daughter and I started reading this chapter book series last year and really enjoyed all the time travel adventures that Jack and Annie find themselves on. They are quick and easy reads that are perfect for beginner readers and are filled with facts about the time period that they end up traveling to so they are both fun and educational. 

This new graphic novel adaptation was even more fun to read, especially because my daughter picked this one up and read it out loud to me instead of the usual vice versa. The 'he said' and 'she said's were left out (thank the bookgods) and there's a lot of onomatopoeia that makes this even more beginner-reader friendly. 

This series is perfect for fans of history and magic and this first adaptation is perfect for dinosaur lovers! 

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Home Again (Heartwood Hotel #4) by Kallie George (Children's Chapter Book Review)

 

Home Again
(Heartwood Hotel #4)
Written by Kallie George
Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin 
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 
on July 3, 2018
Genre: Children's, Chapter Book
Length: 176 pages
Ages: 7 - 10 years

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Synopsis:
In the final installment of this sweet illustrated chapter book series, summer has come to Fernwood Forest, and the staff of the Heartwood Hotel must trust each other as they contend with their biggest challenge yet. 


My Thoughts:

Summer is in full swing and the Heartwood is all abustle over a wedding when news travels by way of hummingbird that a fire has started in the forest. Meanwhile, a mysterious mouse named Strawberry from a nearby inn has a secret to share with Mona, and Mona hopes to gain the family she always wanted, but the fire rages on, threatening all that she holds dear. 

This is a fantastic ending to what has become one of our top favorite children's book series! 

The Heartwood Hotel series is full of lovable anthropomorphic characters that work in the grand Heartwood Hotel, a safe haven in an old oak that is run by a badger named Mr. Heartwood and tucked into the relative safety of Fernwood Forest. Mona the mouse is orphaned in a storm and finds herself washed downstream where she is taken in by Mr. Heartwood and given a job as a maid, makes great friends, and becomes a brave little hero of a mouse. 

This series is a quartet with each book taking place in one of the four seasons, starting in Autumn and ending in Summer. All four books kept us engaged and rooting for Mona in all her endeavors to fit in and save the hotel from various dangers. There's just enough plot to keep readers engaged but these books are also quite gentle reads and perfect for little listeners that love animals. 

We have loved each of these four stories and wish there were more!

A True Home (#1)

The Greatest Gift (#2)

Better Together (#3)

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The Whispering Dead by Darcy Coates (Adult Paranormal Book Review)

  

The Whispering Dead
(Gravekeeper #1)
by Darcy Coates
Published by Poisoned Pen Press
on May 4, 2021
Genre: Adult, Paranormal, Ghost Stories
Length: 256 pages

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Synopsis:
Homeless, hunted, and desperate to escape a bitter storm, Keira takes refuge in an abandoned groundskeeper's cottage. Her new home is tucked away at the edge of a cemetery, surrounded on all sides by gravestones: some recent, some hundreds of years old, all suffering from neglect. 

And in the darkness, she can hear the unquiet dead whispering. 

My Thoughts:

Keira finds in the woods running from men she is certain are hunting her, and stumbles upon an unkempt cemetery where a helpful pastor helps to hide her and then offers for her to stay once he learns about her current amnesia, but Keira soon realizes that she can both see and hear the ghosts in the graveyard, and there is something they want. 

I read my first Darcy Coates novel, Craven Manor, last year after prompting from a sibling and friends that know I love ghost stories and was not disappointed. I've been eager to read more of her many books since then so I snatched this up when it hit my library's shelves. 

This is the first in a duology and I didn't know that at first so I was a little disappointed to not get all the answers even though I really enjoyed the mystery of Keira and 'the whispering dead' as well as the fun banter and interactions between Keira and the new friends she makes. So far I can tell that Coates has a knack for atmospheric settings and style, which honestly makes me want to read all of her books but I can't wait to finish Keira's story!

XXX

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Have you read any Darcy Coates?
Do you have a favorite?


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Better Together (Heartwood Hotel #3) by Kallie George (Children's Chapter Book Review)

Better Together
Written by Kallie George
Illustrations by Alexandra Boiger
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
on February 6, 2018
Genre: Children's, Chapter Books
Length: 176 pages
Ages: 7 - 10 years

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Synopsis:
Spring has come to Fernwood Forest and the Heartwood is all a-bustle. With Mr. Heartwood off on vacation, it's up to Mona and the rest of the staff to keep everything running smoothly. When rumors buzz of a rival hotel, Gilles is determined to prove that the Heartwood is the very best with the splashiest Spring Splash the forest has ever seen. 

Readers will cheer for these kind, brave, beloved characters as they embark on their next adventure in the third book of the charmingly illustrated Heartwood Hotel series. 


Our Thoughts:

Mr. Heartwood is off on a much-needed vacation when word gets around that a new hotel has opened up in Fernwood Forest, claiming to be the 'splashiest', so the staff of Heartwood Hotel decides to put on a splendid Splash of their own. With everyone as busy as can be with the festivities, only Mona seems to notice the small changes around the hotel, from a secretive guest to disagreements between worker bees and entertainer fireflies to an even larger threat that is waiting in the shadows! 

Mona continues to be an absolute lifesaver for the Heartwood and its inhabitants, despite being a mouse, and tensions build when friendships are diverted, but all come together to save the hotel and in the end, all is well. 

We have adored this seasonal series featuring adorably kind and courageous animal characters so far and this was just as good as the first two! The characters are the sweetest, with innocent trials and tribulations and many lessons learned, and the endings are always exactly how you would hope them to be in a children's story. I absolutely recommend it for young readers and listeners that want a story with gentle drama and great friendships. 

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The Enchanted Egg (M.A.A.A. #2) by Kallie George (Children's Fantasy Book Review)

The Enchanted Egg
The Magical Animal Adoption Agency #2
Written by Kallie George
Illustrated by Alexandra Bolger
Published by Disney-Hyperion
on November 3, 2015
Genre: Children's, Fantasy
Length: 144 pages
Ages: 7 - 10 years

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Synopsis:
There's a new resident at the Magical Animal Adoption Agency- but this one hasn't hatched yet! 

In the second book in Kallie George's delightful illustrated chapter book series, Clover meets a jovial pair of giants, a cupcake-baking ghost, a colorful young leprechaun, and a very special magical animal; one that must be seen to be believed! 


My Thoughts:

We return to the Magical Animal Adoption Agency, this time as Mr. Jams includes a mysterious magical egg to their magical menagerie. Clover is left to care for the egg as Mr. Jams goes off in search of an egg expert and while he is away, the egg hatches! But Clover can't seem to find the creature that has hatched from it! What could the creature be? And can Clover find it before it's too late? 

We have been really enjoying Kallie George's stories!

This is a whimsical little chapter book series for young readers that includes an MC who finally seems to find her luck when she stumbles upon the Magical Animal Adoption Agency within the woods her pet bird flew off into. She volunteers, thinking that if she can't keep a pet, she might as well work with them instead!
 
Our favorite part of these books are the magical creatures that Clover and Mr. Jams take care of and find homes for but also sweet Clover who is always trying her best, despite her perceived bad luck. 

This is a super cute, illustrated series that is easy to follow and perfect for chapter book readers or little listeners! 

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Clover's Luck (M.A.A.A. #1) by Kallie George (Children's Fantasy Book Review)

Clover's Luck
The Magical Animal Adoption Agency #1
Written by Kallie George
Illustrations by Alexandra Bolger
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
on February 3, 2015
Genre: Children's, Fantasy
Length: 144 pages
Ages: 7 - 10 years

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Synopsis:
Despite her name, Clover has always felt decidedly unlucky. So when she stumbles upon a mysterious cottage in the Woods, she can hardly believe her good fortune. It's the Magical Animal Adoption Agency, and it houses creatures of all kinds. Fairy horses, unicorns, and a fiery young dragon are just the beginning! 


My Thoughts:

 When a baseball flies through the very unlucky Clovers' window and her new pet bird, Penny, flies off, she knows she won't find her bird again but she tries anyway and ends up in the dark woods where she comes across an advertisement for the Magical Animal Adoption Agency. Clover decides that helping animals might be better than losing another pet so she volunteers and is hired, but soon after, the owner, Mr. Jams, disappears and Clover is left to take care of the creatures and choose who is or isn't right for adoption, all by herself! Can she make it through her first few days of work? 

This is a wonderful start to a magical children's series about a little girl with little luck but a huge heart and a love of animals... and mythical creatures! You really feel for unlucky Clover but root for her as she learns her way about the adoption agency and stops a wicked plot while also finding the perfect home for some of the magical creatures. 

The illustrations are gorgeous with a very soft and calming quality that really fits the whimsical theme of the story!

I definitely recommend this to any young readers that love fantasy, animals, or mythical creatures such as unicorns, fairies, gnomes, dragons, and more! 

I read this aloud to my 6 year old and she adored it!

More by Kallie George:

The Heartwood Hotel Series
A True Home
The Greatest Gift

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The Boy Who Cried Werewolf (Monsterstreet #1) by J.H. Reynolds (MG Book Review)

 

 

The Boy Who Cried Werewolf

 

[Monsterstreet #1]

by J.H. Reynolds

The Boy Who Cried Werewolf
[Monsterstreet #1]
by J.H. Reynolds
Published by Kathering Tegan Books

on July 2, 2019
Genre: Children's / MG, Horror
Length: 176 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years

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Synopsis:

The Monsterstreet series kicks off with this chilling tale about a boy who discovers his father was killed by a legendary werewolf. 

My Thoughts:

Max's mom takes him to stay with the grandparents he hasn't seen since his father died when he was a baby. They promise they have a surprise for him on his last day there, but in the meantime, they warn him to stay out of the forest and to avoid all of the neighbors. But after a daring dog rescue that leads him into the forest, he soon learns that there is more to the story about his father's death than he was told! 

This is a really fun first book to the Monsterstreet series! 
We get a clear idea of what we are going into thanks to the cover art by Chris Finoglio but are met with a mystery that only starts to unravel once Max sets foot in the forbidden forest. 

I was absolutely expecting something similar to Goosebumps when I went into this but was pleasantly surprised by the new twist on a classic horror trope. It's a quick read but a lot of fun with a very mysterious setting and plot. 

I really enjoyed reading this during the 'Spooky Season' before Halloween! I absolutely recommend this to young readers that enjoy monsters, mystery, and / or spooky reads! 

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The Falcon's Feather (Explorer Academy #2) by Trudi Trueitt (MG Adventure Book Review)

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Falcon's Feather
(Explorer Academy #2)
by Trudi Trueitt
Published by Under the Stars
on March 19, 2019
Genre: Middle Grade, Adventure
Length: 208 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years

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Synopsis:
Cruz, Sailor, and Emmett, along with their new ally Bryndis, embark on their first globe-trotting mission aboard the ship Orion. Cruz jumps right back into school and starts using the latest technology in submersible underwater dives, but is soon reminded of the dangers of exploration when his equipment fails and he almost drowns. Determined to keep his eye on the prize, Cruz sneaks away to try to find answers but unknowingly lures his friends into bigger trouble. When a friend of Cruz's mom meets an untimely end, Cruz's luck really seems about to run out and the questions multiply. What does the message mean? Where will it lead? Who is following him? And why?

My Thoughts:

We return to 'Explorer Academy' aboard the Orion, the 'flagship of the Academy's fleet' in this excellent sequel to The Nebula Secret.
Split into teams, Cruz Coronado and his classmates continue their unique education while traveling across the globe. Cruz is determined to continue looking for the secrets his deceased mother has left for him and in the meantime, he and his team, Team Cousteau, stay busy learning, inventing things, cracking codes, and more, for grades! But the secret organization that Cruz is hiding his mother's secrets from will stop at nothing to get what they want. 

This is such an amazing series and I would expect nothing less of a National Geographic imprint! If you've ever enjoyed pouring over National Geographic magazines, educational books, or watched their documentaries, you sure to enjoy this fast-paced and adventurous middle-grade series. 

Explorer Academy accepts only the brightest and best for their unique boarding school. Kids in this school learn all about science, technology, conservation, and more, all while being physically immersed in hands-on activities and adventures that will prepare them for real-world situations. In The Falcon's Feather, Cruz gets some first-hand experience steering submersibles and diving to save the whales! 

These books are filled with fun content, learning opportunities, and lots of illustrations imposed over quality photography. There's also 'Truth Behind the Fiction' section included that explains some of the science, technology, and other advancements mentioned within this sequel!


Be sure to check out all of the books in the Explorer Academy series!

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The Nebula Secret (Explorer Academy #1) by Trudi Truett (MG Book Review)

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Nebula Secret
Explorer Academy #1
by Trudi Truett
Published by Under the Stars
on September 4, 2018
Genre: Middle Grade, Adventure
Length: 208 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years


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Synopsis:
Adventure, danger, and a thrilling global mission await 12-year-old Cruz Coronado as he joins an elite school for explorers. 

Cruz leaves his tranquil home in Hawaii to join 23 talented kids from around the globe to train at the Explorer Academy with the world's leading scientists to become the next generation of great explorers. But for Cruz, there's more at stake. No sooner has he arrived at the Academy than he discovers that his family has a mysterious past with the organization that could jeopardize his future. In the midst of codebreaking and cool classes, new friends and augmented reality expeditions, Cruz must tackle the biggest question of all: Who is out to get him, and why?

My Thoughts:

Cruz Coronado is thrilled to be admitted into the elite Explorer Academy boarding school where he and his classmates will be trained and tested on matters of science, exploration, conservation, and more. He's been hoping for it for as long as he can remember but someone doesn't seem to want him there at all and he must use his wits and the help of his friends and classmates to discover who and why.

The Nebula Effect is an action-packed middle-grade adventure filled with high-tech gadgets, simulators, and more, and includes a diverse group of characters from around the world. Cruz Coronado is from Hawaii but has classmates from Iceland, Scotland, and New Zealand, among others. We get to learn a little about their homelands, languages, and cultures, which really adds to the story experience.

This fun series will appeal to those who love adventure and learning, but also to tech lovers, coders, and anyone who loves a good fast-paced mystery! The mixture of a high-tech adventure school and a secret organization out to get Cruz for reasons he doesn't understand will keep you entertained and ready for the sequel!

The hardcover copy of this book is absolutely gorgeous, with a full-color naked cover, beautiful world map end pages, fun chapter headings that include closeups of setting locations and topography, as well as plenty of illustrations mixed in!

There's also a fun addition at the end of the book that shares the 'truth behind the fiction', with explanations of some of the technical terms mentioned in this book such as 4-D printing and augmented reality, as well as several real-life adventurers who live lives that the soon-to-be-explorers in this story --and perhaps even you-- dream to become. 

More from this series!

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The Conference of the Birds (Miss Peregrine's #5) by Ransom Riggs (YA Fantasy Book Review)

The Conference of the Birds
(Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series #5)

by Ransom Riggs
Published by Dutton Books for Young Readers
on January 14, 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Length: 400 pages
Ages: 12 - 17 years

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Synopsis:
"Do you trust me?"

An instant bestseller, A Map of Days launched readers into the previously unexplored world of American peculiars, one bursting with new questions, new allies, and new adversaries.

Now, with enemies behind him and the unknown ahead, Jacob Portman's story continues as he takes a brave leap forward into The Conference of the Birds, the next installment of the beloved, bestselling Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed the Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children trilogy for its mixture of historical fiction, fantasy, and horror and for its unique addition of peculiar photographs. I loved the story and the peculiar characters and was so excited when I heard about a second trilogy in the works. I loved the new direction that A Map of Days took Jacob in, taking us the Americas where Jacob saves a highly sought-after peculiar named Noor. His actions change the direction of the original trilogy to something new altogether and I'm eager to see how it's going to finish up!

I remember starting A Map of Days and thinking that it was like coming back to an old friend; or a group of friends, really. I hadn't realized how much I had missed these peculiar characters.

In The Conference of the Birds, the fate of all peculiars seems to hang in the balance. Jacob must gather his old friends to keep Miss Peregrine and the other embrynes safe. And Noor as well.

I especially like the direction the author has taken with this new trilogy. I feel like he had a total change of heart about the story and Jacob reflects that. His attachments and friendships change and Jacob starts making his own choices, even though they go against what Miss Peregrine and his friends want. I also appreciate that this book points out the problematic eras of American history.

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In An Absent Dream (Wayward Children #4) by Seanan McGuire (YA Fantasy Book Review)

In An Absent Dream
(Wayward Children series #4)
by Seanan McGuire
Published by Tor
on January 8, 2019
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Length: 203 pages

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Synopsis:
This fourth entry and prequel tells the story of Lundy, a very serious young girl who would rather study and dream than become a respectable housewife and live up to the expectations of the world around her. As well she should.

When she finds a doorway to a world founded on logic and reason, riddles and lies, she thinks she's found her paradise. Alas, everything costs at the goblin market, and when her time there is drawing to a close, she makes the kind of bargain that never plays out well.

My Thoughts:
This may be my favorite in the Wayward Children series so far even though I've only seen less favorable reviews for it. I will say that it's one of those books that has grown on me more after reading it. At first, I didn't like that it had sidestepped the bit of plot that seemed to be present in books 2 & 3 but I ended up enjoying and appreciating Lundy's story separately.

We are introduced to Lundy as a sort of teacher figure at Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children, though she is slight like a child. We learn her entire story in In An Absent Dream, from her life as a child leading up to the fateful day she found her door to the Goblin Market, to her return, and every visit after that.

Lundy's world has unique but strict rules with consequences and Lundy must use her wit, as well as the help and advice of a new friend, to maneuver her new world. Her loyalty to her own world and family gives her the chance to travel between worlds but can she make up for lost time?

I'm so ready to read Come Tumbling Down! I've fallen in love and can't get enough of these characters and worlds!


Every Heart A Doorway (#1)
Down Among the Sticks and Bones (#2)
Beneath the Sugar Sky (#3)

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