How to Train Your Dragon: How to Fight a Dragon's Fury - Book 12

 

 (Hiccup and Toothless from the movies decided to fill in for Squirmy)

Bookworm's Ranking - 4.5 Worms

Storyline - The end is near. Doomsday of Yule is approaching and Hiccup is in trouble and Alvin is about to be crowned king. And the dragon Fury is preparing his army for battle. As the Vikings prepare for a king and war, Hiccup will have to not only get to Hero's End without getting killed, prove he is the king without any of the Lost Things, and be crowned king without getting killed by Alvin and his mother, but also figure out how to overcome Fury without destroying the dragons once and for all. And if that wasn't enough, there are a few more surprises waiting in this conclusion to the How to Train Your Dragon series.

Author - Cressida Cowell

Publisher - Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
 
Age Group - 13 and up
 
Content - *May Contain Spoilers* Several death and battle scenes, not really graphic but the deaths are sad. Hiccup is faithful and true to his quest and responsibilities. He tries to defend and help those he can and forgives those who ask for it.

Personal Opinion - Wow, what a great ending. It almost makes me want to go out and look for dragons. I don't think I will ever be the same after reading this series, and isn't that what great books do? They change you? Take you on a journey, or go on your journey with you in life, and change how you see and think of the world? That is what the end of How to Train Your Dragon is for me. Considering anew, just what I love about books, how I see my world and want to react to it. The end is sad yet hopeful, wanting to make the reader cry yet smile at times. Sometimes at the same time. It also leaves the reader with hope. While dragons aren't real, there is a message at the very end, one I wont share for spoilers, that makes you consider things differently and what you are doing and seeing in this world. If I have one issue with the story, it is the repetition of the same message or very close sentences several times throughout the book which make it longer than it needed to be and was a bit overkill. Yet, I almost hope to read the story again, keep it with me over the years, and hope it has changed me for the better.

Buy - Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Publisher,

Other Reviews for this Author - How to Train Your Dragon - Books 1-7
                                                    How to Train Your Dragon - Book 8
                                                    How to Train Your Dragon - Books 9-11

To read or comment on this and other reviews, stop by Bookworm

 

Chew on a good book today!

Breadcrumbs

"Once Upon a Time"
 

 

Bookworm's Ranking - 3 Worms

 

Storyline - Through her imagination and her best friend Jack who she has lived next door to most her life, Hazel survives the demands of school, the dislike of her peers, and her mother's pleas to grow up. But when Jack is suddenly no longer her friend, ignoring and insulting her, her world begins to fall apart. When Jack disappears, should she believe the reasonable answers given to her and remain in the real world or believe in a magical winter witch who took him to an enchanted world that is more dangerous than what she has read in her books?

Author - Anne Ursu

Publisher - Waldon Pond Press; an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers

Age Group - 13 and up

Content - *May Contain Spoilers* A creepy woman cuts Hazel's cheek. Hazel throws a pencil case at someone. Parental figures have no idea what is going on. Hazel makes sacrifices to help others even when it might hurt her. She loves her mom and wants to please her. She stands by her best friend even when he has turned his back on her. Hazel doesn't give up even when the journey becomes difficult.

Personal Opinion - Breadcrumbs retells the fairy tale The Snow Queen while mixing real life with fantasy and the struggles of growing up. Being let into Hazel's life, her family struggles, the loss of a friend, and being expected to grow up, was done perfectly and beautifully to reveal the change that overcomes someone when it seems they are leaving a part of themselves behind. Mixing the fairy tale elements to mirror this struggle, made it that much more insightful. The determination of standing by her friend when he was in trouble and facing the difficult journey is a positive one for others to learn to keep going and learn and discover what they should do even when things go wrong. While Hazel wasn't perfect, she tried to do the right thing and do what she thought was she should, even if it meant stop being herself. One thing that was interesting was, in the real world, she turned to fantasy to thrive; but, in the enchanted world, she turned to the real world to strengthen herself.

The ending was a bit confusing. I couldn't tell if she found a boundary between being her imaginative self and living in reality or if one won out over the other. Besides that, there were a few things I personally felt uncomfortable with. Some of the people Hazel meets on her journey are just creepy and she wasn't always respectful of authority figures but it is hard to be respectful when someone wants you to fit into a mold. While this novel is mostly based off The Snow Queen fairy tale, a couple other Hans Christian Anderson tales where also mixed in. This was interesting but almost had too much happening, especially when so much already happens in the main fairy tale. The last thing that made me uncomfortable, and this is purely personal, was the reference to The Golden Compass only because I have an issue with that book.

All and all, this story beautifully wove reality and fantasy together to reveal the struggles of growing up and being yourself as well as helping your friends and making sacrifices.

Buy - Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Publisher,

Awards - Publishers Weekly Best Book
               School Library Journal Best Book
              Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book
              Chicago Public Library Best of the Best
              NPR Backseat Book Club Selection
             

To read or comment on this and other reviews, stop by Bookworm

 

Chew on a good book today!

The Ice Dragon

Bookworm's Ranking - 3.5 Worms

 

Storyline - Adara was born during the coldest winter her village has seen in over a hundred years, and is just as cold. She loves the winter and the ice dragon that visits, bring an icy chill. Yet, because of her frosty behavior, her family can't get close to her. As war advances to her village and winter comes sooner every year, her family struggles with what to do, stay or leave. When it seems like her whole world is about to fall apart when she is seven, one choice from here will affect the outcome of her whole family.

Author - George R. R. Martin

Illustrator - Yvonne Gilbert

Publisher - Starscape Book; Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

Age Group - 15 and up

Content - *May Contain Spoilers* Detailed description of mother's womb and was born with a cold affecting her. After a brief temptation to runaway and abandon her family, she returns to face a terrible enemy. Unconditional love, even when it is not returned, shared.

Personal Opinion - Beautifully told. The story was very symbolic of love and family and sacrifice and change. I am actually surprised how well it was told with so little dialogue which is really popular for stories. I wish it had been longer and went deeper into the characters and events, especially since it is for an older age group despite how short it is, but I think it had a good message about cold and warmth and how people change.

Video -

Buy - Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Author,

Awards - New York Times bestselling author

Note - The book has recently been republished with a new cover.

To read or comment on this and other reviews, stop by Bookworm

 

Chew on a good book today!

Frames: 20 and Something

"27% of Young Adults 

Have Clear Goals

for the Next 5 Years"

Bookworm's Ranking - 4 Worms
 

About - Today, 20+ year olds are coming of age in a world different from their parents. As they complete their education and find their way in the world, their thoughts and feeling of the world abound. In 20 and Something, research is gathered to give insight into this group of people; how they see the world, value their education, and feel about their faith. This ever changing world will have to be ready for these different humans who are entering, and planning to change, everything around them. Watch out for their hope, determination, and dreams.

Author - David H. Kim

Publisher - Barna Group: Zondervan

Age Group - 18 and up

Personal Opinion - I found this book interesting because I am 20 and something. The research and numbers sometimes surprised me while others it was what I expected. I especially liked the interpretation of the results like we are dreamers who want to make the world a better place and have hope despite the mistrust of organizations. It was written almost like a textbook (but more interesting) and the colorful diagrams helped illustrate the results of the research on this demographic. I could also see, from experience, that these results hit close to the mark and gave me hope for the future of this group. Honestly, though, it was the conclusion that I was disappointed in. I also believe that Jesus and the Church is important for your life but the rest of the book had been objective and the argument for needing God was personal experience and reasoning with no numbers. It almost seemed preachy with no research to back up what it was saying unlike the rest of the book's reasoning. Still, I believe God is important to someone's life and He gives meaning and this world needs it, but the book didn't build well to that and almost seemed like a slap in the face with no real suggestions on how to bring God in our lives. Besides the ending needing to be stronger, the thinking and believes of 20+ are something I have seen within my generation.

Buy - Amazon, Barnes and Noble, ChristianBook, Publisher

Disclaimer - In exchange for an honest review, I received this book for free from the publisher through BookLook.

To read or comment on this and other reviews, stop by Bookworm

Limitless

"Devotions for a Ridiculously Good Life" 

Bookworm's Ranking - 5 Worms

About - Nick was born without arms or legs, was bullied while growing up, yet knows the love of God and that he was made with a purpose. He had felt the highest hope and deepest despair and travels around the world sharing his story and encouraging others to not give up and to find a purpose in their life. Now, Nick shares this same massage in 50 daily devotions to encourage readers to over come their obstacles, find hope and love in God, and to find their purpose in life.

Author - Nick Vujicic

Publisher - WaterBrook Press

Age Group - 15 and up

Personal Opinion - This book was so wonderful. I loved Nick's story and message before from watching his youtube videos. And this book incorporated everything he talks about and I found it so encouraging. Using his own experiences and journey and other's stories, he gives advice for overcoming your difficulties, for finding your purpose and living your dreams, and to remember that God loves you. Nick truly found his calling in what he does because he delivers those messages perfectly and it speaks to the heart. I wish there had been a spot to write my own thoughts but perhaps that is normal for devotionals. Will be reading this again and giving it as a gift. Perfect for encouragement and inspiration.

Video -

Buy - Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Publisher,

Disclaimer - In exchange for an honest review, I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Rank this Review - 
 This ranking system is provided by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. I never see or have access to the emails and they will be kept private. After you confirm your email (you only have to do that once), you will not receive anything more unless you leave the check mark for receiving updates from the publisher. I would very much appreciate you ranking my review.

To read or comment on this and other reviews, stop by Bookworm

The Wizard Test

"The Last Thing He Wants

is to Pass This Test"

Bookworm's Ranking - 4 Worms

Storyline - The Wizard Test is one test Dayven does not want to pass. His grandmother was a wizard and a traitor to Tharn so he is determined to bring honor to his name. But to his horror, he passes. No Dayven is called upon the Lordowner to discover what the wizards do and find some honest answers to these people and their knowledge of Tharn's enemies, the Cenzar. As Dayven discovers more about magic and the Cenzar, he begins to see that things are not always what they seem, that there is more to the story than he thought, and is faced with a choice to complete his duty or choose a new side.

Author - Hilari Bell

Publisher - Eos, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

Age Group - 13 and up

Content - *May Contain Spoilers* Dayven just wants to keep his word and do the honorable thing and is willing to sacrifice what he wants to help another. The wizards are dishonest sometimes which they try to rationalize.

Personal Opinion - For being a small book (under 200 pages), the characters and storyline were well developed. This book could have been made much longer and would have still been just as interesting but would have gone deeper into the main conflict. It was very creative in the names of people and places and yet still pronounceable. It did a very good job on teaching that just because someone is different from you doesn't mean you can walk all over them or that they are less of a person or a "barbarian." Magic was used in the book to mostly to heal others, it was a power inside each individual, not something that was called upon. There was one thing that bothered me but it would give away the ending if I tried to explain. There was just one decision a wizard made to help other that purposefully hindered others (sorry I can't give more detail). But it was a pretty good story and I would read other books by this author.

Buy - Amazon, Barnes and Noble,
(Looks like paperback copies are out of print so these are ebook links. Could probably find paperbacks used somewhere) 

To read or comment on this and other reviews, stop by Bookworm

Chasing Jupiter

"When the World Around You Falls Apart,

Dreams are all You Have."

Bookworm's Ranking - 4 Worms

Storyline - It is the 1960s, man has launched into space and walked on the moon and Scarlett is having trouble fitting in with her strange brother, Cliff, and awkward grandfather which causes people to stair and whisper. A loner at school and stressed from her parents fights and her sister lies, Scarlett does what she can to take care of the house and her brother. But when he brother requests her help in building a rocket to Jupiter, she can't disappoint him. Making her specialty, peach pies, and with the help of the perch farmer's son, Frank, Scarlett and Cliff sell the pies to earn money for their rocket. As the summer progresses, Scarlett's family is falling more and more apart. And then a tragedy shakes her world. Seeing no hope, Scarlett will have to make the decide if she will trust the God she has ignored and find peace.

Author - Rachel Coker

Publisher - Zondervan

Age Group - 15 and up

Content - *May Contain Spoilers* Scarlett's sister goes out all night with a hippie boy friend and is clear that she is not making good decisions but the book doesn't go into detail on what she is doing. Scarlett is taught about God and His love and faithfulness. Scarlett tries to do the best by her family and on occasion stumbles.  

Personal Opinion - Chasing Jupiter is one of the most moving books I have ever read. I might not be completely fond of the ending but it speaks on a level of trusting in God's love and His purpose, even when you can't see it. It also speaks on loving others, not judging someone just because they are different, and helping your family. I think a lot of people can identify with the broken family aspect even if the novel is placed in the 1960s. There were several points where this book had me bawling but it ends with hope and trusting in God. Even though I felt that the novel could have gone deeper with some of the side characters by spending more time with them and the ending isn't my favorite, I will be looking into more books by this author who is incredibly talented in story telling and character creation.

Video -

Blog Tour -

ADD Librarian

Becoming More Like You

Book Nook 4 You

Blooming with Books

Christian Book Review Blog

CTF Devourer

Gillian Adams

Jessica Laurie

Jill Williamson

Labor Not in Vain

Rachelle Rea

The Ramblings of a Young Author

A Slightly Nerdy Bookworm

Shadow Writer World

Surrendering All of Me

Worthy2Read

Team Novel Teen is a group of bloggers dedicated to spreading the word about clean teen fiction. Check out other posts about Chasing Jupiter by Rachel Coker by clicking on the links above, and check out www.NovelTeen.com for more information about Team Novel Teen.

Buy - Amazon, Barnes and Noble, ChristianBook, Publisher,

Links - Rachel's Website
            Talking about Chasing Jupiter

Disclaimer - In exchange for an honest review, I received this book for free from the publisher/author through Team Novel Teen.

To read or comment on this and other reviews, stop by Bookworm

Lesson of the White Eagle

"Being a Friend Should Never

Mean Having to Hate Another"

Bookworm's Ranking - 4 Worms

Storyline - Dusty is a typical teen, concerned with school, finding time away from his dad's shop, and hanging with his friends. But when one of those friends attacks an Indian and turns on him, Dusty is visited by the spirit of the Ponca Indian Chief White Eagle, learning lessons of the past and the trials the his people have suffered. As the lessons get tougher and Dusty has to face what has happened, he will have to decide if he will betray his friend or let an innocent person be punished for crimes he didn't commit.

Author - Barbara Hay

Publisher - The Road Runner Press

Age Group - 13 and up

Content - *May Contain Spoilers* One swear word and the boys do some irresponsible and dangerous things. Dusty stands for the rights of Native Americans. Forgiving others after a great wrong is also a theme in the book.

Personal Opinion - Wow. I almost cried at the end of this book. It was a beautiful depiction of overcoming racism and being a true friend. Dusty's struggle and the conflicts he faces were realistic and believable. He doesn't know what to do at first but finds a way to do what is right and stand for what he believes in. Loved how some Native American spirituality came into play. The beginning was a bit long but, as soon as it got to the main conflict of the story, it picked right up and held me to the end, which was just lovely. Will be holding onto and sharing this book for a long time.

Buy - Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Publisher,

Special Notes - This is the debut novel of Barbara Hay

Disclaimer - In exchange for an honest review, I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads Giveaway program.

To read or comment on this and other reviews, stop by Bookworm

Wild Orchid

"Once Upon a Time" is Timeless

Bookworm's Ranking - 4 Worms

Storyline - Mulan has only ever wanted to please the father she never knew, the mother so doesn't even know the name of, and to be free to fallow her heart. When one of her wishes come true and finally meets her father, her world forever changes. But just when she is finally getting the chance to know him, the Huns have returned to China and her crippled father is called by the Emperor to fight. Mulan cannot risk loosing him, her only family, again, so she does the only thing she can do to save him. She goes in his place.

Author - Cameron Dokey

Publisher - Simon Pulse

Age Group - 14 and up
Content - *May Contain Spoilers* Mulan and her friends want to be themselves and do what they wish, but are willing to lay that aside to honor their families. Lies to get into the army. Loves her family and friends and wants to help them and take care of them. Prays once or twice to the gods of China.
Personal Opinion - Wild Orchid, a retelling of the Ballad of Mulan, had me hooked every page and couldn't wait to see what happened next. There was a poetic feel to the writing of the story, especially when Mulan was giving some wisdom she learned. It was a light read but the traditions of China were brought in nicely where I got to see the what was appropriate for girls and boys of the time and Mulan's struggle with what she wanted and honoring her family with doing what was expected of her. It did take a while for the story to get to Mulan pretending to be a boy in the emperor's army but the events leading up to it brought me into her struggles of her life. The bad thing about how long it took her going into the army was that the battle and romance happened a little fast. Some author's spend a long time in battle scenes which I don't always like, but this one felt too short because the emphasis of the story of Mulan is that she pretended to be a boy and saved China. Also, she fell in love quickly with her guy but I only got a short time to get to know him. Never read the Ballad of Mulan so I don't know if this is accurate to the original poem or not. The only other thing I had wanted was a pronunciation guide for the Chinese names because I'm sure I slaughtered many of them. But the romance, intrigue, characters, and emotions of the story were wonderful and I will be reading more books by this author.  

Buy - Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Publisher,

Links - Learn more about the books and authors here.
Special Notes - The Storyteller's Daughter by Cameron Dokey Review

To read, comment, and rate this and other reviews, stop by Bookworm.

Winning Balance

Releasing Today!

"The Inspiring Story of a

Pint-Size American Gymnast

With a Big Smile and an Even Bigger Heart"

Bookworm's Ranking - 4 Worms

About - We have seen her compete in the 2008 Olympics. We saw her dance in Dancing with the Stars. Now, read Shawn Johnson's story behind all that. In her book, she will take you on the journey from her childhood to when she began Gymnastics to when she dreamed of winning a gold meddle in the Olympics to her dream coming true to the dancing competition to wondering what will be in her future, with all the triumphs, heart aches, and life lessons in between.
Author - Shawn Johnson with Nancy French
Publisher - Tyndale Momentum; An Imprint of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc
Age Group - 15 and up
Personal Opinion - Shawn Johnson's story is one to read. It gave insight into what it was like to be an athlete, a teen, and trying to be a normal person. It also gave me a chance to see things I didn't consider, such as what she was feeling and thinking during the Olympics and on Dancing with the Stars. She went though many trials and triumphs. The insights she makes in the book were moving and inspiring, such as the quotes at the beginning and "Lessons I've Learned" at the end of each chapter (I was even highlighting a bunch of them). The poetry she wrote and shared with the pages were beautiful and will be ones I go back to read from time to time.

A moving read and I think this is a book worth the time and money. Can't wait to share it with my mom, who might enjoy it a bit more because she has a special place for gymnastics in her heart, and others who want to hear Shawn's incredible journey.

Video -

Thought it would be fun to add Shawn's Beam routine

where she won a gold meddle in the 2008 Olympics.

Buy - Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Tyndale,

Links - Learn more about Shawn Johnson here.

Special Notes - The book releases June 5, 2012
Disclaimer - In exchange for an honest review, I received this book for free from the Tyndale Blogger Network.

To read, comment, and rate this and other reviews, stop by Bookworm.

The Upper Zoo

"There are Many Kinds of 'Smart'

And Many Kinds of 'Wise'."

Bookworm's Ranking - 4 Worms

Storyline - For Jonathan, a Jewish boy living in 1964, the 8th Grade doesn't look promising. For not "living up to his potential", he is placed in a special class for low achieves, referred to as the Upper Zoo and a dummy class by peers. At least it is better than the Lower Zoo, the class for retards. But when a classmate, Robey, from the Upper Zoo starts picking on Clarence from the Lower Zoo to show who is smart, Jonathan's world begins to tip upside down. Faced with many changes and situations he never considered possible, Jonathan will learn to stand for what he believes, what a real friend is, and what it truly means to be smart.
Author - Michael Robert Wolf

Publisher - Messianic: A division of Destiny Image

Age Group - 17 and up (about a boy in 9th grade but deals with some intense issues)
Content - *May Contain Spoilers* A few swear words, Jesus's name, and some other tough language was used in vain but it was also made a point that this was wrong. Behavior towards some students was cruel. Jonathan tries to think how others do at first but than starts seeing things differently and wants to do the right thing by others. Some serious issues were brought up such as a girl being abused by her step-father.

Personal Opinion - This book was so moving. The characters were believable, understanding their feelings and pains, wants and struggles, his growth throughout the story, and I felt for Jonathan for everything he went through. He changed so much and wouldn't let the crowd define him. I really liked the "there are different kinds of smart" message in the book because I am going to school to become a teacher and have heard about Multiple Intelligences and supporting students in their strengths, something I believe is important and want to promote and remember as I teach. I think this book can open the eyes of people to see what kind of things kids have to deal with in school and with peers back in the era it was set, 1964, and today because they deal with so many of the same issues. The only complaints I may have is it seemed a little slow in the beginning and I wish there had been more to the ending, it just seemed to end quickly. But, beautiful book and something I will be recommending to others.

Video -

Buy - Amazon

To read, comment, and rate this and other reviews, stop by Bookworm.

Helium-3 Novel: Crater

"A Mining Colony on the Moon.

A Teen Sent on a Deadly Mission.

And a Secret Bigger that Two Worlds."

Bookworm's Ranking - 4 Worms

Storyline - Crater Trueblood is happy in life. He has a good job mining for Helium-3 for the world, good friends, and a loving guardian whose son, Petro, is like a brother to him. But when he attracts the attention of the Colonel who runs Moontown, he is sent on a deadly mission to retrieve a mysterious package. Along the way, his mission is put in jeopardy by obstacles along the trail consisting of accidents, mutated humans, and assassins to name a few. As Crater deals with danger to his friends and himself, he tries to understand what is going on, what he should do, and if this package is really worth all this danger of death.

Author - Homer Hickam

Publisher - Thomas Nelson

Age Group - 14 and up

Content - *May Contain Spoilers* Crater is sweet, kind, and caring. He gives of himself without any thought of being repayed, even to a mutant race that once tried to kidnap him. Not having any interest in killing, even when someone is trying to kill him, shows his innocence but gets others to tell him to toughen up. Petro is a tough guy but can be something of a jerk. He cares deeply for Crater and is something of a woman chaser and gambler. The villains are violent and some characters die but it isn't graphic (one death might have been a little creepy but I'm sure I have read worse).

Personal Opinion - This was a good story and an interesting idea of living on the moon. I was pretty sure the author's knowledge of mining went into this story when I was reading it (and if any of you know who Homer Hickam is, you are probably saying, "Duh"). As I read the note at the end, I found out that was correct (you repeat yourself), but, something interesting I learned was that Helium-3 does exist and there had once been plans to live on the moon. That was an interesting piece of information that broadened my interest in the book.

The characters were developed well and varied in personality which made it more realistic. Their struggles, thoughts, and action seemed appropriate and their reactions believable. Crater could have gotten a little tougher but one of his charms is how sweet and kind he is and I feel he is still growing. Even though I liked the story, I felt it was a little long in places and quick in others. There were times I also felt that I got too much info on this for the story and not enough on another so I was left scratching me head. A glossary would have been nice to look up some of the info if I forgot it because there were a bunch of new terms. Because this was published by a Christian company, I assumed there would be more about God but it did show that the Crater and others believed and put their faith in Him. It was more that it was a given that the characters believe in God and it was an everyday thing for them. Don't get me wrong, I found spots that were very exciting and myslef wanting to go back to the story when I put it down. The world was also very creative and well developed. If someone was thinking about getting, or reading, the book, I would tell them to read it because I thought the story was good and feel that the adventure is just getting started, promising to be even more exciting as the trilogy goes on.

Video -

 
Buy - Amazon

Links - Learn more about the book and author here.

Special Notes - Book 1 in a trilogy. Book 2 out in 2013

Disclaimer - In exchange for an honest review, I received this book for free from the publisher through Booksneeze.

To read, comment, and rate this and other reviews, stop by Bookworm.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

 Bookworm's Ranking - 2 Worms

Storyline - After getting in trouble at his school on the Spokane Reservation, Junior decided that he wants to go to school in Reardan, a white school in the town 22 miles away, to try to make a better life for himself. During his freshman year, he deals with racism, crushes, the hate of his tribe, and loses as he tries to find his way and a place to belong and acceptance.

Author - Sherman Alexie

Publisher - Little, Brown and Company

Age Group - 15 and up

Content - Had some good lessons about fighting for yourself, getting out of bad situations, and forgiveness. He also came to see what revenge really was and showed that you have to work hard to make a better life for yourself but it is what is best in the end. There was also examples about what racisim looked like and how cruel and wrong it can be. But the book also had lots of sexual coments, an insolting comment about Christianity and other Christian religion negatives, and bad language. He blamed God for bad things that were happening, made fun of God, and the only time he thanked God was for something gross. I'm not asking for the character to become Christian but some respect would have been nice. Said he could kill himself and some others but was very depressed at the time from some precious people dying in his life.

Personal Opinion - Even though there were parts I liked, I would hesitate recommending this book because of some of the content within. I would have liked the book more if there had been less sexual content and the negative comments about Christianity hadn't been there but I really enjoyed the snappy comebacks that Junior came up with and the book leaving you with hope that he will make a better life for himself unlike some of the others in his tribe. At times, there was a lot of telling instead of showing in the book but it is in diary format so that works. The way it portrayed how bad drunkenness is and what it can do to you which had a sobering affect. If this is what it is truly like in school systems and for Native Americans, oh boy, it is sad.

Video -

Awards - 2007 National Book Award, 2008 Boston-Globe Horn Book Award, 2009 International Book on Books for Young People Sweden - Peter Pan Prize, 2010 California Young Reader Medal, and Finalis for the 2007 Los Angeles Times Book Prize. It has also been on the New York Times Best Seller List.

Links - Learn more about the book and author at: http://www.fallsapart.com/the_absolutely_true_diary_of_a_part_time_indian (P.S. This is the only book by this author that is for young adults)

To read, comment, and rate this and other reviews, stop by http://bookwormreading.blogspot.com/

TJ and the Time Stublers: OOPS!

"Any Second TJ Finkelstein Hopes Her Life Will Return to Normal. And it could, Except For... "

Bookworm's Ranking - 4 Worms

Storyline - Book 3 - TJ is swamped with two future boys, Tuna and Herby, hanging around that no one else can see, surviving school, and not embarrassing herself (but the future boys make that difficult for her). But as a gadget goes wrong and the famous TV star at her school comes after her, it will take everything she's got to think kindly of others.

Author - Bill Myers

Publisher - Tyndale Publishers

Age Group - 10 and up

Content - TJ thinks badly of others but learns to think about them as God does. Lots of bullies being... Well... Bullies.

Personal Opinion - This book was very funny and kept me laughing at the antics and the silliness throughout. Using LARGE letting at times to show the emotions and the funny jokes such as when you could hear peoples' thoughts for the geeks or jocks, you would think that those would be the thoughts of those characters but at the same time they were funny and made you laugh. Just the craziness happening to the main character was enough to make me giggle. The story was simple but this book is meant for a younger age group than I am used to reading so I have to keep that in mind. It was clean, fun, and had good message of God, about not only not saying mean things about others but even not thinking them. This book would be even better with a discussion guide to go deeper into the lesson that was emphasized in it and going a tad deeper into the characters. Enjoyable book and I am interested in reading the others.

Video -

Disclaimer - In exchange for an honest review, I received this book for free from Tyndale Blogger Network.

Links - Learn more about the series and author at: http://www.billmyers.com/BillMyersKids/index.html

Special Notes - This is the third book in the series but I have not read books 1 and 2 so I do not have a review for them.

To read, comment, and rate this and other reviews, stop by http://bookwormreading.blogspot.com/

Stained Glass Hearts

"Seeing Life From a Broken Perspective"

Bookworm's Ranking - 3 Worms

About - Life is tough, leaving you broken and wanting. But, if you shine some light through the broken pieces of your heart, they are like stained glass. You can find light in many things, be it books, art, poetry, or nature, you just have to find it and accept yourself for who you are, even broken. And God can make it beautiful.

Author - Patsy Clairmont

Publisher - Thomas Nelson

Age Group - 16 and up (but would be appreciated by an older age group)

Content - There were stories to show the beauty all in the world and a section at the end of every chapter called the Art Gallery that had picture, poetry, scripture, and/or music suggestions to further the point.

Personal Opinion - Good but could have been better. There were good stories throughout that were interesting but not much advise on how to incorporate this stuff and view it in your own life. It was mostly telling you to see the beauty in everything and even things broken, like stained glass, can be beautiful when put together and looked at and have light shinning through it but very little advise on how to go about doing that. Certain chapters might mean more to some people than others because they have an interest in that particular thing. I liked the "book" chapter because I like books but some might like the chapters about "nature" (I like this one too) or the "poetry" or one of the others more. The last few chapters did seem a bit more helpful in a way and brought the books concept together better than the other chapters. I wish, though, that there had been an epilogue to bring all the information together. It was good but didn't speak to me as much as others have. Perhaps fans of Patsy Clairmont might like it more.

Disclaimer - In exchange for an honest review, I received this book for free from the publisher through Booksneeze.com.

Links - Learn more about the book and author at: http://www.patsyclairmont.com/

To read, comment, and rate this and other reviews, stop by http://bookwormreading.blogspot.com/

Destruction Series: Imperial Hostage

Bookworm's Ranking - 1Worms

Storyline -Book 1 - "From the moment 12-year-old Prince Erechtheus docks in Poseidia, capital of the Empire, to be a hostage for 13 years, nothing in his life is easy - or safe. An unexpected and foreboding prophecy, uttered by a blind seer, puts the prince immediately in the crosshairs of Al-Jinn, the powerful and paranoid High Priest from the Temple of Bel. Only last minute intervention from Kul-Kan, High Priest of the rival Temple of One, saves the prince from a gruesome fate. Erech gains exceptional fighting skills and an understanding of the natural world as he matures, but he suffers a series of crippling, heart-breaking losses - most as a result of the many attempts on his life. At the twilight of his captivity as a hostage, the 25-year-old prince encounters one last trial, a trial that could very well lead to war between his native land and the Empire."
(Took this from the back of the book)

Author - Phil Cantril

Publisher - Journalstone

Age Group - 17 and up

Content - The good characters help Erech out a lot and looked out for him as attempts on his life was made. One even helped him learn to fight to protect himself. Unfortunately, this book had a lot of stuff that contradicted what I believe such as saying there is no God and we are all connected. Once when the prince proclaimed something as a miracle, someone said there are no miracles and it was just science.  And this is from the good guys. The bad guys believed in a god and were very creepy. There was also some sexual content that made me uncomfortable but it was mostly from the bad guys but about two things from the good guys. I don't believe that it is natural for two men to be together and yet two from the good guys were. It was strange how the the good guys said we are all connected and yet they had priests and ceremonies and had spirits.

Personal Opinion - Creeped me out in first chapter and didn't go away. It didn't help I miss read the back and thought it was something other than what it was (also for some reason I thought this was a young adult book, probably because the main characters are like 12 when the book starts). The book taught stuff I don't believe are true such as the good  temple that saved the main character didn't believe in a god, they actually say there is no God and we are all united as one, and the guys who did believe in a god were evil and gross. The bad guys also used words and phrases that I am familiar with my own religion so that made it uncomfortable. There was some good behaving characters who did good things, knew right from wrong, and protected and cared for someone who couldn't protect themselves but it wasn't enough. They also kept harping on the bad thing that happened at the temple to the main character and it was made clear what happened with this word they used in a later chapter (I like to think of this blog as PG-13 if not PG so I wont repeat it). This book upset me so much that, even though at first, because I won the book through a giveaway, I tried to force myself to read it, but couldn't do it any more. Didn't even make it to 100 pages before decided to just stop reading it. There are too many books I want to read that I know I will like more than this one to spend time on it since I wasn't enjoying it. Did learn one thing though; be careful of the giveaways you enter.
Disclaimer - I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads.

Links - Learn more about the book and author at the publisher's website at: http://journal-store.com/fiction/imperial-hostage-book-1-of-the-destruction-series/

To read, comment, and rate this and other reviews, stop by http://bookwormreading.blogspot.com/

How Huge the Night

"When Had God Ever Stopped a War Because a Teenager Asked Him To?"

                                                         Bookworm's Ranking - 4 Worms

Storyline - Julien doesn't want to live in his dad's old, small home town. And he doesn't want to board the Jewish boy, Benjamin, that his parents took in. All he wants it to play soccer, be excepted at his new school, and go home to Paris. What is the big deal? The war wasn't going to come to France with their great army protecting them. But, as the war moves closer to his new home and two young refugees from Austria show up, Julien has to make some big decisions and, as his world changes, he has to see what God wants him to do and his will not only for himself but others.

Author - Heather Munn and Lydia Munn

Publisher - Kregel Publishing

Age Group - 14 or 15 and up

Content - Julien learned a lot about God, forgiveness, and love. He also wanted to protect others against opposition against them because of race or religion. I really liked the parts when he saw the truth about himself and want to change and then does. Some people are not willing to change or have excuses about not changing. This was refreshing and a wonderful example for others.

Personal Opinion - Good book. I really liked it. The only things that bothered me were technical aspects within the book, such as when the word "he" is used to start every sentence in a paragraph. I also wish there had been more on Nina and mentioned the sister more because there were several times that I forgot Julien had a sister because she didn't show up where I would expect her to be at least mentioned. Lists were also given to show what the character was doing from a day to day bases. This should how things changed from before the war affected them to how it changed everything but I don't think it was the best way to relay the information. The only other thing I wish there had been was a guide in the back of the book on the French words. Sometimes they would use a word and I would forget what it meant from when they said it earlier in the book. I like how the main character was portrayed and developed in this book. Main characters are sometimes seen as bigger or better than the other character, somehow more right or better. But, in this book, the main character is the one who has lots to learn and is even shown the error of his ways by those who might surprise you. It was a refreshing take, more human like or real is perhaps a better word. It was such a moving story about WWII and the people who lived through it. It shows persecution and how the war affected different people. I will definitely read next book by the authors. I will also recommend it to friends and family but I see why some people might not be able to read it because of how much they heard, or experienced, during the time it was happening. It could bring back memories of those who lived it (there really wasn't anything graphically described but there was enough to give an idea of what happened and could bring back memories). The book had a sobering affect on me and what happened in WWII.

Video -

Links - Learn more about the book and authors at:

Special Notes - Apparently there will be another book. Don't know if there will be any characters from this book to that one but it will take place during WWII.

To read, comment, and rate this and other reviews, stop by http://bookwormreading.blogspot.com/

On the Runway: CIAO

"The Sweet Life Might Just Turn Sour."

Bookworm's Ranking - 4 Worms

Storyline - Book 6 - Sisters Page and Erin are struggling with their personal lives as they continue to shoot their reality TV show, On the Runway. As they try to figure out if Page's fiance is cheating and Erin wonders about her own relationship with Blake, they have to go to Milan for their fashion week while trying to keep their hearts intact.

Author - Melody Carlson

Publisher - Zondervan

Age Group - 13 or 14 and up

Content- The sisters look out for each other, in there personal lives and fashion. When things got tough, they stood by one another or whoever it was who needed support. Unfortunately, there were a couple of things that bothered me. They didn't handle some sensitive situations very well in my opinion. One seemed like blackmail and the other didn't seem like the right place or time and was humiliating to the people involved. Okay, they might have deserved it but it just didn't seem right. I also wished it had gone more into the Christian aspect of things and explained more why it is inappropriate to be with someone before marriage.

 Personal Opinion - I hadn't read the other books in the series when I read this one so some things that I wanted more info on might be more fleshed out in the other books but I still think it is good and I got the story pretty quickly. I'm kinda like Erin when it comes to fashion; lost. But, I think someone who is interested in fashion and/or reality TV would find this book cool in getting the behind the scenes glimpse on how it works and what it is like. Also, a fashion enthusiast would be very happy with the clothes descriptions. The thing that bugged me the most, though, was how the girls handled the serious situations they were in where the truth had to come out but the other characters made it seem that it was handled fine. I also wish it had gone into more detail about themselves (but, like I said, this might have been covered in previous books). This book was good but discussing different options the girls could have done in those situations I mentioned might be beneficial.

Disclaimer - In exchange for an honest review, I received this book for free from the publisher, Zondervan, through the Z Street Team.

Links - Learn more about the books and author at: http://melodycarlson.com/teens.shtml .

Video - Watch a trailer about the series below. It was with this trailer that I was able to understand, generally, what was going on in the series. That was helpful for me.

Special Notes - This is book 6 in the series On the Runway. The release of this book is in August 2011.

To read, comment, and rate this and other reviews, stop by http://bookwormreading.blogspot.com/

Knightley Academy

(Sorry about the picture but it was difficult getting a picture without glare)
Bookworm's Ranking - 3 Worms

Storyline - Book 1 - Henry Grimm, on orphan and servant, thought life wouldn't get any better than the work he was doing and the secret lessons with a teacher at the school where he worked. But, when he is allowed to take the Knightley Academy exam, an elite school, and is the only one to pass, his world, along with the social order, is turned upside down. Now he will train to be a knight and have a better chance at a future. But when someone starts sabotaging his and his other common friends' chance at staying at Knightley, it will take everything they got to stop the attacks and stay in school.

Author - Violet Haberdasher

Age Group -  maybe 12, 13, or 14 and up

Positive - Several good things so will name the best of the best. The main character didn't want to do friend's homework (but changed a little towards the end but he was under a lot of stress too at that point), helped each other with work, regretted vengeance on bully and even saw him a little differently, they finally talked to someone about problems they were having, and, when one of their bad behaviors was discovered, admited it was their own fault for their downfall. Even though these things are all good and such, the characters were still misbehaved a ton.

Negative - Way too much bad stuff to list it all so here is the worst of the worst. Besides the bad language and making fun of teachers behind there backs, both of which only happened sporadically, there was braking of rules, the school's and one boy's disobedience to his parents, threatening a bully who was going to reveal their bad behavior, and took revenge on someone they thought was coming after them. The teachers were not always the best examples either, one hiding something the characters did that was wrong and the head teacher not giving the proscribed punishment once but you could counter with the fact a meeting was held instead to determine punishment. I also wasn't too fond of the main girl character. I can kinda see where she was coming from in wanting to be accepted and to learn what boys learn but her actions were excessive and was quite extreme in her threats to her friends' bully. She wasn't all the respectful either of her elders.

Writing - Sentence structure, story development, and character development all were good but, for some reason, seemed really slow to me. I could close book at any place and not be in mad rush to get back to it. If this hadn't been a library book, I probably could have drug this book out for months. I just couldn't get into it.

Personal Opinion - I found this book to be okay. It took too long to get to the exciting parts (about half way through) and then the reasons for why someone was ambushing them you didn't know until right before they found it or were not able to piece together before hand because you didn't get to know half the information until bad guy told them. I found it to be slow but can't piece together exactly why because it seemed to have all the stuff that would make it a good story. A lot of subtle negative things that I didn't like and can't go into too much about it because it would require a lot of info on things that happened in the book which would create a lot of spoilers and retell too much of the story. It did leave you, though, with some hope that the main characters will be better in the future so I might read book two but I will get it from library if I decide to read it.
Links - Learn more about the book and author at: http://knightleyacademy.com/

Special Notes - Book 2, The Secret Prince, out in June. A new cover has come out for this book.

To read, comment, and rate this and other reviews, stop by http://bookwormreading.blogspot.com/

The Star Trilogy

Bookworm's Ranking - 3-4 Worms

Storyline - Book 1 - The Dragon Boy -A boy with no name and no place to go is finally about to make his dream come true to work next to the kingdom's dragon, Star. The boy gets a name and begins to make friends and enemies. Soon the boy is given a great task to wash the dragon and learns many secrets, and starts to get a few of his own. But when one of these secrets get out, there's trouble. What will happen to him now?
Book 2 - The Dragon of Two Hearts - Michael, the boy now a man, has heard about a dragon terrorizing the kingdom of Gladur Nock. As he heads that way to face it, he learns about the desperate plight of the people and a cruel king. He is taken to train with other warriors to face the dragon but, when he meets the beautiful princess, he's not too sure if he wants to go to his death. Can he defeat the evil Scorch? And, if he does, how will he concur the evil king?
 
Author - Donald Samson

Age Group - 11 or 12 and up

Positive - Interesting books. Star and the boy have a great love for each other. The boy stands by Star no matter what. When Michael goes after the evil dragon in book 2, he is willing to give up his life in order to save others. He learns great lessons though about who he is and how even he is not as good as he claims to be. He learns other lessons along with that but I will leave some of those for the reader to find.

Negative -I wish the boy hadn't given in to his angry so easily or at least learned that sometimes it isn't right to return the favor in the first book and, in the second, he planed to get even with a bully. I think you are suppose to get that the main character changes in several aspects of himself but it didn't mention this feeling of revenge specifically. Also, I wasn't too big on the idea of a dragon going back and forth of being good, then, after a time, returning to being wild. It just didn't seem right to make it sound that it was okay to go back and forth of being good and evil. They kind of made a point with this but I still wasn't too found of it. Two bad guys also talk about women in terms of what land and status they can get by marring them.

Writing - The books are written with simple wording and easy vocabulary. But the pace do differ between them. The first one was good. It moved at an alright pace and the characters were nicely created (I did find it strange how the boy kept saying "my love" to the dragon because that doesn't seem like something a boy would say but I don't know). Book two, though, seemed like it was a little slow in getting to the main story but their was a lot of information to go through to understand certain things latter on. But it didn't capture my attention very well. When it came to the time after the man fought the dragon, I got more interested and the story picked up pace.

Personal Opinion - I liked book 1 more than book two, mostly because I thought it was slower and it didn't capture my interest as much until much later on in the book. The books are clean and simply told. I kind of wish the main character didn't grow up by book two because I think kids like to read books about kids (at least that is what I assume because of how many book I've read that are for young adults that have young adults as the main character). Even though book two was much slower and less liked than book one, I am curious to see what happens in book 3 so I think I might read it but I am not so excited for it that I will go right out and get it as soon as I can.

Links - Learn more about the books and author at: http://www.thedragonboy.com/ .

Awards - For book 1 - Winner of the Moonbeam Awards gold medal for Best First Book in 2009. For the Mom's Choice Award, silver medal for Fantasy, Myth, and Legends. A finalist for the Eric Hoffer Book Awards in Young Adult Fiction in 2010.
For book 2 - The silver medal in Young Adult Fantasy in the Moonbeam Awards in 2010. For the Mom's Choice Awards, silver medal in Fantasy, Myth, and Legends. In the Austin Waldorf School Children's Choice Award, Silver Medal in the 5th-6th Grades category.