Booked up
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews and Lists
  • Quotes
  • Beyond Reading
  • Project: Adapted
  • About
  • Contact

Book Reviews

The Bug Boys vs. Professor Blake Blackhart by Stewart Hoffman

10/29/2017

Comments

 
Thank you to @kidlitexchange for providing the free copy of The Bug Boys vs. Professor Blake Blackhart by @shoffman3572 in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.
Picture
In this second installment from author Stewart Hoffman, The Bug Boys vs. Professor Blake Blackhart continues the adventure of Alex and Ian, two boys who gain special abilities of every bug they ingest.  This time around, they face Blake Blackhart, a disgraced Oxford professor who has discovered the boys’ secret and is using it to commit dastardly deeds all over the village!  Before his plan to take over the galaxy using the alien technology, Alex and Ian must find a way to use their abilities and their tiny alien friends to stop their first real villain.  Another laugh-out-loud novel from @shoffman3572, I really enjoyed reading more about Alex and Ian’s story.  Hoffman takes the best parts of his first novel and amps them up in the second, leaving me wanting even more from these unlikely heroes.  (Yes, I even enjoyed the footnotes in this one!)  I said it once and I’ll say it again, The Bug Boys novels are great for all kiddos that enjoy superheroes, robots, bugs, and aliens!  There’s even humor for the adults reading along too.  I’m giving it 4 out of this world stars out of 5!
Comments

Castle of Water by Dane Huckelbridge

10/27/2017

Comments

 
Picture
It might sound like your typical “stuck on a desert island” story, but I assure you, Castle of Water is anything but.  Yes, it has two castaways with a bit of a language barrier and no hope of survival.  Yes, our two castaways learn to set aside their differences in the name of survival.  But, folks, this one is so much more than another version of the movie Castaway.  It has humor, romance, heartbreak, and an ending that left me literally hugging the book to my chest.  Billed as a “modern day castaway story with a French twist,” Castle of Water is easily my favorite book of the year.  I loved the characters.  I loved the plot.  I loved all of the twists and turns along the way.  Most of all, I loved the writing.  It’s a story about the triumph of the human spirit, and I hope you check out the blog to read more about why this book is getting five stars very high stars from me.

Read More
Comments

The Wish Granter by C. J. Redwine

10/19/2017

Comments

 
Thank you to Kid Lit Exchange for the free copy of The Wish Granter by C. J. Redwine in exchange for an unbiased review.  
All opinions are my own.
Picture
Inspired by the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale, The Wish Granter is an adventure like I’ve never experienced before.  Teague is the infamous and titular Wish Granter, a fae who grants people their greatest desires in exchange for something quite valuable: their souls.  The exchange leads to nothing but misery for now King Thad and his sister, Ari.  Their mother was murdered, the former king and his family were killed, all in exchange for Ari’s safety.  When Ari learns about the magical contract between her brother and Teague, she’ll stop at nothing to save her brother and her community from the reign of the Wish Granter.  She gains a friend, Sebastian, along the way, who may not be exactly who he says he is.  Everything is on the line for both Ari and Teague, and if Ari can’t outwit him she’ll lose everything, including her soul. I loved this one so much that I’m giving it a full review on the blog! Read more to see my rating and full review. 

Read More
Comments

29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life by Cami Walker

10/15/2017

Comments

 
Picture
You are completely healthy.  Not a care in the world.  Then your life comes crashing down around you as it becomes difficult for you to walk, work, or enjoy anything.  Crippling pain is your constant reminder that things aren’t what they used to be.  Life sounds pretty miserable, right?

For Cami Walker, a thirty-something with multiple sclerosis, this was her reality.  Lost in the fog of chronic illness, she felt that there was no hope.  That is, until she received a life-changing prescription from her friend, an African medicine woman.  Walker was challenged to give 29 gifts, one gift a day, for 29 days.  What follows was a lesson in giving and receiving in order to change one’s outlook on life.  29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life was one of the first books I picked up when I first developed my chronic illness.  I was only given one chapter a day, which helped me keep my mind off of my physical limitations at the time and on what I could do to participate in my own 29 days of giving.  
​
I have a special place in my heart for this book, and I think everyone can stand to benefit from Walker’s candid story.  Read more to find out the full story of how this book entered my life and why I think you should pick it up!

Read More
Comments

Tiger Kingdom and the Book of Destiny by Stacie Eirich

10/10/2017

Comments

 
Thank you to Kid Lit Exchange for providing me with a free advanced copy of Tiger Kingdom and the Book of Destiny by Stacie Eirich in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.
Picture
Reminiscent of The Chronicles of Narnia, Tiger Kingdom and The Book of Destiny is a middle grade read for kiddos who want to be transported into another land. Twins Suzie and Jack find themselves in Tiger Kingdom’s enchanted forest filled with talking animals and creatures. As they continue exploring they learn that they aren’t the only humans in the land and that they have been called to help find Queen Mohini and her cubs. The Tiger King, Sampson, sends them on a quest to find the Book of Destiny to help restore the Queen to her home. 
This was a short read, but it was engaging. I found myself wanting to know more and more as each chapter progressed. I was disappointed to find that the story ends right as the plot begins to thicken! However, I did find that the short poems included at the beginning of each chapter was a great way to introduce free-verse poetry to younger readers. I could see many teachers using this in their classrooms as an example of poetry used to tell a story and as a “finish the story” writing prompt. 

Stacie Eirich has a great start to the story-and I’m anxious to know if there will be more! 

Rating: 3 out of 5  (mostly because of the abrupt ending)
Comments

The Metropolitans by Carol Goodman

10/9/2017

Comments

 
Thank you to Kid Lit Exchange for providing me with a free advanced copy of The Metropolitans in exchange for an honest review.
​All opinions are my own.
Picture


The Metropolitans
is a fast-paced adventure that would make any history-buff kiddo fall in love with the story. Join the four thirteen-year-old heroes (or villains) as they attempt to save the world following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Taking place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (hence the title), history jumps off the page in the strangest ways! This fantasy allows the characters, and readers alike, to experience Arthurian tales that come to life as the teens attempt to stop more attacks on the US by the Nazis. It's a healthy mix of Arthurian tales, spies, and World War II, with diverse characters that will appeal to many middle-grade readers. It was reminiscent of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson adventures and some fun timey-wimey Doctor Who fun. My only qualm is that there is so much history packed into this novel, that it felt a bit overwhelming. However, if you can't get enough historical fiction with a fantastical twist, you'll think this book is the bee's knees.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Comments

    Author

    The way to Alexandra's heart is through a great book recommendation.

    Archives

    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    August 2016
    July 2016

    Categories

    All
    2018
    2020
    Adventure
    ARC
    Audiobook
    Autobiography
    Biography
    Chick Lit
    Comedy
    Contemporary
    Crime
    Culture
    Fantasy
    Fiction
    Five Star Reads
    Four Star Reads
    Giftable
    Graphic Novel
    Guest Review
    Historical Fiction
    History
    Humor
    January
    Kid Lit Exchange
    Libro.fm
    Memior
    Middle Grade
    Mystery
    Nature
    NetGalley ARC
    Nonfiction
    Novella
    Novels
    Page Turner Club
    Page-Turner Club
    Penguin Teen
    Personality
    Picture Books
    Poetry
    Realistic Fiction
    Romance
    Science
    Science Fiction
    Short Stories
    Summer Reads
    Suspense
    Teen
    Three Star Reads
    Thriller
    Two Star Reads
    Unpopular Opinions
    Young Adult

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews and Lists
  • Quotes
  • Beyond Reading
  • Project: Adapted
  • About
  • Contact