Prosper Redding does not fit in. Not only does he have a ridiculous, Puritan name, but he isn't as popular or smart as his twin Prudence. Then things get worse when his grandmother tries to kill him and he finds himself in the middle of an ancient curse and the host of a malefactor named Alaster.
Fortunately he is rescued by his long lost uncle and his cousin who are working on a spell to release him from the control of the malefactor before it's too late.
But of course, things are not what they seem.
So I loved the tie in to Salem and Alaster was a cool character. I also liked the twist at the end but as I got to the last 50 pages and realized the book wasn't going to really end I did get a bit annoyed. There will be a sequel and overall I did enjoy the book... It will be interesting to see where this goes.
First, let me say, I like this cover much better than the one showing up in Edelweiss.
Livy's best friend has died from leukemia and Livy is having a hard time accepting it and moving on. When her father gets a new job as a librarian at a prestigious school, Livy is accepted on scholarship. She dreads going and making new friends but is intrigued by the history and statues. She feels drawn to the rooftop and feels so light and free up there. Maybe it is because the blood of the school's founder runs in her veins. But something strange is going on - there is a mystery of a lost boy, alchemy, and the study of gravity. Can Livy keep herself and her brother safe from the strange goings on?
I was intrigued pretty early on. There was some good creep factor and Livy's struggles were tangible. But it got lost along the way for me and it seemed like for all its length there was no real development of character. The person who the reader believes is the villain is not and there is a quick shift that I didn't feel had enough to support it. I ended up being a bit disappointed because it started so well.
Ever since the death of her brother Robert, Henrietta's (Henry) mom has been ill. They moved to the country to try and help but she isn't getting any better. Then her dad needs to go overseas for work and Henry is left with her nanny, her baby sister, and her distraught mom. Unfortunately, a local doctor seems more intent on getting her mom admitted to a nearby "hospital" for new treatments (and getting some personal recognition in the process) than in really helping. Not only that but he suspects that Henry is also psychotic. Can Henry figure out a way to help her mother and restore her family?
I really enjoyed this historical fiction. It brought to light the history of mental illness and misguided efforts in that area.
When Odo discovers a sword in a dried up river near his home he embarks on an unexpected quest. The enchanted sword knights him on the spot and he and his friend Eleanor, now his squire, set off to find the source of the drying river. Both meet with unexpected challenges along the way and even find that the dragon they seek is not actually the cause of the river problems.
The book had a lot of action and was a lot of fun. My gripe came at the end. There was a lot of build up and then all of a sudden there was a quick battle, a confrontation with the dragon, and done. It just seemed to end quicker than it should have.
I recently read Frogkisser as well, another book by Garth Nix and I liked that one better.
Oh, when I heard there was a Mark Twain short story that had been found and finished I was intrigued and excited. I so wanted to like this book. But it just didn't work for me at all - it was definitely quirky but so much so that it ended up not really making sense to me and I was more confused than amused.
Princess Anya - second in line to the throne, has a step mother, and a wicked sorcerer step step father. When her sister's prince beau is turned into a frog Anya promises to try and find a way to turn him back. This leads to a much longer quest than she anticipated filled with twists, turns, surprises, battles, and adventure.
This was a fun twist on the frog prince story and for students who love fairy tale type stories this will be a hit.
It's been a month since Pearl Harbor. The country is on edge and Colton's older brother Danny is about to ship out for the Navy. But before that can happen Danny is seriously injured in an encounter with a U boat off the coast. Colton is upset, worried about his family's financial situation, and eager to get back at the Germans. So at age 12, he uses his brother's enlistment papers and uses them to join the Navy. While some initially question his age, the Navy is so desperate that no one really questions it and he just leaves a message to his mom saying he went to find a job. The book then follows Colton's training and adventures on a PC boat along the eastern coast and then on a trip across the Atlantic.
There was a lot of action, and as a book about war some violence and death. I liked the book and think that my students who are interested in books about World War II will enjoy it.
