By Super Kitty
 
“The Combination,” he muttered, “is a criminal organization. It’s a multi-headed serpent—a hydra, if you will—with an almost preternatural ability to remain invisible. Some might call it supernatural. You may see signs—the effects of their operations—but never the organization itself… And those who manage to unravel the mystery and get to the truth, well, they’re called mad. But when you know the truth, and everyone else believes the lie, who’s crazy then? Huh?”
 
Madman. Genius. Fool. Thirteen-year-old Darkus Knightly has heard all sorts of opinions about his father, the mysterious private eye Alan Knightly, but he has yet to form his own, after his father went into a coma four years ago. Instead, he’s stuck with his mom (who divorced and re-married shortly before Alan went unconscious), his stepfather (who cares about cars and not much else), and his stepsister Tilly (who’s just…weird. Very weird.) He’d give anything to get his father back—but when he does, it’s not exactly the way he planned. Instead, Darkus is pulled into a complex web of clever deceptions, following a set of cryptic evidence which seem to bear no connection to each other, yet may be the key to unlocking an ancient mystery which some might consider supernatural, some might consider a hoax, and a few—a very few—might consider a perfect first case.
 
I always enjoy a well-done mystery, so when I found Knightly and Son, I couldn’t resist getting it—and I wasn’t disappointed. The plot was full of twists and escapes, the characters were vivid and very original, and I particularly liked the writing style, which had a classic ‘private eye feel’ while still creating a cast which feels perfectly believable. I would recommend it for ages ten and up (although it isn’t a murder mystery, there are a few elements of the story that are more in that vein)—while that age range of readers would be fine, it is somewhat darker than most of the other mysteries we’ve reviewed here (including Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls and Book Scavenger). However, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would highly recommend it to readers who enjoy puzzles, action, and brilliant detectives. 

P.S. This is the first in a series, which I have been thoroughly enjoying. You can find out more about them at www.knightleyandson.com. 

By Piranha T.

In the kingdom of Kildenree, magic exists. Ordinary people can be born with words on their tongues with allow them to speak with animals or have a gift with people so that any word they speak sounds like the truth. And in the old tales it is rumored there is a third gift: the ability to speak with one of the elements. Yet most consider that only a story.

Princess Anidori of Kildenree was born with one such word on her tongue, but she has grown up without knowing what it is. Although she has all she could ever want, Anidori (Ani for short) has never felt comfortable with who she is—a princess. Her beloved aunt teaches her the tongues of the swans on the pond when she is young, but even that does not last; Ani’s mother, the queen of Kildenree, doesn’t approve of such things and her aunt leaves her before long.

Meanwhile, the Queen has a different fate in store for Ani. She has an arranged marriage with the prince of Bayern to prevent a war, someone she has never met. But before Ani reaches Bayern, she is betrayed; with everything taken from her, she tries to find a way to reclaim her crown and prevent a war that is brewing within the city’s walls.
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The Goose Girl was a fun, well-written fantasy. Ani was a well-developed character who developed further over the course of the book, and Shannon Hale’s supporting cast was amusing, entertaining and excellent. I’d recommend The Goose Girl to kids and adults ages ten and up.

By Super Kitty

Lyra Belacqua has grown up at Oxford Collage, raised by various scholars but spending most of her time running wild with her daemon Pantalimon at her side. She and her best friend Roger explore every inch of the collage together, playing games (and occasional tricks) to their heart’s content. She is perfectly happy and never wants to leave, but her world is changing. Children disappearing, a mysterious new substance, and rumors of disturbing experiments are all part of something that could bring the earth to a very dark place, and as Lyra discovers, only she can stop it. With the help of an armored bear, her faithful daemon, and a mystical tool that she only half understands, she sets out on a journey which will take her to the edge of the world—and beyond.

The Golden Compass is one of my favorite stories for several reasons. First of all, Lyra is a brilliant heroine, the sort you just can’t help but fall in love with. Second, the writing and plotting are excellent. And third, unexpected twists, clever villains, and daring escapes made it remarkably hard to put down. It’s the first book in the His Dark Materials trilogy, which I have been enjoying, although each book is very different. It has some darker parts, so I would recommend it to readers ages ten and up, particularly fans of Angie Sage’s Septimus Heap series (reviewed May 2017) and Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising sequence (reviewed February 2017).

Note: This book is awesome on audio, so if you like audiobooks, this is for you!    

By Super Kitty
Aramanth is a perfect city. There is no crime, no favoritism of certain races or people. Each citizen is tested in mathematics, history, and the like in a fair and unbiased way, and it is by their test ratings that they are categorized—determining where they live, what their jobs are, and the class in which they are ranked—and nothing else matters. If someone works hard, they can rise in position; if they are lazy, they are demoted. Everyone has a job, and all jobs are considered equally important. Aramanth is, in all, perfection.

At least, that’s what its leaders say.

Twins Kestrel and Bowman Hath have lived in Aramanth their entire lives and have heard of its superiority more times than they can count. But it’s not a fair system, not a true story, and certainly not a perfect place—as Kestrel learns all to well when she revolts against the harsh laws governing her family’s lives, finding out just how flawed their world is. Without any other choices, and determined to make a difference, she, Bowman, and an unexpected (and somewhat unwelcome) ally flee the city and set off on a desperate quest to find the voice of the wind singer, a legendary object that may be the only thing capable of returning light and happiness to Aramanth. But as they journey deeper, they realize that they have taken on far more than they realized, becoming involved in an ancient conflict and drawing the attention of the Morah, an ancient keeper of powers that control Aramanth—powers that could just as easily destroy it.  

​This was one of those wonderful books which I saw at the library, flipped open, and couldn’t stop reading. Clever and entertaining, it also managed to be a thought-provoking read. Exciting, engrossing, and liberally sprinkled with clever twists, The Wind Singer is an excellent book that I would recommend to readers ages ten and up.  

By Piranha T.

Twelve-year-old Oona Crate has no great love of magic. Although she possesses the rare gift of Natural Magic, Oona has a different passion—solving mysteries. And it looks like she might just get her chance. But when the Wizard of Dark Street is stabbed with an otherworldly dagger, Oona must combine magic and logic to solve the mystery before the world falls into disaster.

​The Wizard of Dark Street was a fun, amusing, quick read. A brilliant mystery, pot and world, with funny characters and varied suspects. Although not a ‘solve-it-yourself’ mystery, Shawn Thomas Odyssey gives the reader plenty of chances to uncover the clues right along with Oona. I would highly recommend The Wizard of Dark Street to readers ages eight and up looking for an entertaining, engrossing mystery.

By Piranha T.

Sixteen-year-old Seraphina Dombegh is hardly like others in the land of Goredd, and not just because of her extraordinary musical talent. Her mother was a saarantras—a dragon in human form—and although the Goreddi-dragon treaty signed forty years ago frames the two species as allies, intolerance remains rampant between them. Seraphina only keeps this secret by remaining out of the spotlight, but when she is apprenticed to the court musician, Viridius, this becomes much more difficult. Especially as, with the anniversary of the treaty approaching, tensions rise between dragons and humans.

Crown Prince Rufus is killed in a mysteriously draconian fashion. The leader of the dragons comes to Goredd, but perhaps is therefore placed in terrible danger. Sightings of strange shapes in the night come from exiled knights. As more and more pieces of the puzzle begin to be uncovered, Seraphina must join forces with Prince Lucian Kiggs, the perceptive captain of the guard, on a quest not just to save Goredd, but to accept herself.

Seraphina is a multilayered, engrossing fantasy novel full of well-defined characters and intricate worldbuilding. Seraphina is one of my favorite main characters, equal parts sympathetic and flawed, many-layered and understandable. Her emotional and internal journey is what makes this book so beautiful and strong: it’s about more than dragons and court intrigue, it’s about a girl who is, despite her mixed ancestry, deeply and beautifully human. Her choices and decisions make this story much more than it might have been otherwise.

That said, Seraphina is one of my favorite books for other reasons, too. Goredd and the surrounding lands (though fleshed out more fully in the sequel, Shadow Scale) feel very real; the same can be said for all the supporting characters, who are unique and interesting. The plot, similar to a mystery, is full of twists, court intrigue, and unexpected realizations; it reminds me a little of books such as Shadow and Bone and The Candle and the Flame. Overall, I highly recommend Seraphina to readers ages twelve and up looking for a strong heroine, a complex plot, and an engrossing story which you won’t want to leave. 

By Super Kitty
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Makenna has grown up in a small village, learning to become a hedgewitch like her mother, running wild with the village children. One tragic day, however, her mother is betrayed by those she thought were friends, and she is killed. Narrowly avoiding death, Makenna becomes bitter with all humankind, and instead befriends a small group of goblins, where she finds that her mother’s death is just a small part of a larger and darker plan, one she swears to stop at all costs.
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When Tobin, a young knight, gets tangled in a dangerous misunderstanding, he loses everything. His only hope of earning it back lies in a dangerous quest to destroy the allegedly evil sorceress that is said to live in the Goblin Wood, along with her army of goblins. Tobin has been raised to see right and wrong, good and bad, but as his mission gets more complex, he begins to realize that the world is more complicated than he always thought.

As the Tobin and Makenna struggle in the growing conflict, it becomes clear that the battles being fought are not what either of them thought they were, and that loyalties cannot be divided—decisions must be made, and they could change the tide of war…

I liked this book for several reasons. First of all, the goblins were very well done. Hilari Bell has created a species that are not in essence just small, powerful humans, as too many fantastic creatures seem to be, but beings which see the world in a unique way and act accordingly, something which I always appreciate. The characters and their relationships very well done, and I particularly liked Makenna—she’s like the best combination of Keladry of Mindalin (the Protector of the Small Quartet) and Lyra Belaqua (The Golden Compass) that I can imagine! The story is told alternating between Makenna’s and Tobin’s perspectives, and while I usually prefer one main character, the two perspectives made it even better. Also, I liked that there were good and bad people on both sides of the conflict—one species or race is never purely one or the other, and the story felt much more believable that way. I would recommend The Goblin Wood to those ages ten and up looking for a satisfying, absorbing, and sometimes amusing read.

By Piranha T. and Super Kitty

“In the land of Ingary, where such things as seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, it is quite a misfortune to be the eldest of three.” So starts Howl’s Moving Castle, an amusing, clever, and fast-paced favorite among Piranha T. and Super Kitty.

Sophie Hatter is one such burdened individual, staying hidden away in her stepmother’s hat shop. She knows that nothing exciting will ever happen to her, but her life takes a turn for the worse—and the more exciting—when the nefarious Witch of the Waste notices her and transforms her into an old lady. Knowing that she can’t stay where she is, Sophie goes from her home and out into the world.

Her life gets very complicated all at once when she makes a bargain with a fire demon, tangles with the greatly feared Wizard Howl and his apprentice, and at the same time tries to free herself from the Witch of the Waste’s curse. For she’s about to discover that not only Howl, but herself as well, are much more interesting than first meets the eye.

We have read several things by Diana Wynne Jones, and have enjoyed all of them, but none have come close to Howl’s Moving Castle. It is one of those books that we have been recommending to everyone we know, kids and adults alike. Weaving in elements of classic fairytales (and sometimes making fun of them), Diana Wynne Jones creates an all-time favorite with Howl’s Moving Castle. We’d recommend it to ages nine and up, to kids, teenagers and adults as well! And if you're into audiobooks, we'd recommend the narration by Jenny Sterlin. It's great!

Note: Howl’s Moving Castle was made into an animated film by Hayao Miyazaki. The book is very, very different—so whether you loved the movie or despised it, READ THE BOOK! This is one of those cases where the movie is not just different from the book, they are almost separate stories. 

By Super Kitty

When eleven-year-old Gregor and his little sister Boots fall through a grate in their apartment’s laundry room, all Gregor can think about is getting him and his two-year-old sister back home as soon as possible. However, he swiftly discovers that that might not be as easy as it sounds—he has fallen into the Underland, a world miles beneath New York City and populated by giant cockroaches, spiders, bats, rats, and a race of people with translucent skin and violet eyes. Taken in by these people, who are called Regalians, Gregor soon learns that his only hope of getting home resides in a quest—to save the Underland, and perhaps to solve the biggest mystery of his life.

As the series progresses, Regalia teeters on the edge of a great war, the greatest, perhaps, that ​they have ever faced, and Gregor may be the only one who can ensure their victory. With the help of the young Queen Luxa, several valiant bats, a loyal cockroach, and many more besides, Gregor must, among other things, battle sea-serpents, survive an avalanche, and face the largest and most lethal rat of all as the stakes rise from getting back home to saving all that he holds dear.

​First of all, I would just like to say that you should not be put off by the giant spiders, rats, cockroaches, etc. While I don’t mind some of those creatures, I’m not entirely sure that my reaction to seeing a six-foot-rat would be terribly chivalrous. However, the series is brilliantly written, and despite my lack of enthusiasm for giant (or normal sized) cockroaches, I couldn’t put the books down. The characters felt real, and Gregor in particular was very relatable to. I’m about Gregor’s age, and I can say that his thoughts, mistakes, and general reaction to the Underland was very believable.

The Underland Chronicles do get dark in places, and there is some violence, so I would probably recommend them to ages ten and up. One thing that made a big difference to me, though, was that although there is some violence and battle scenes, Gregor really doesn’t believe in war, and sees it not as an unfortunate necessity, but as something that must be stopped. Also, none of the characters were evil death machines—they all had stories, and as a reader you could understand what made them what they were, even if you didn’t like them. I would recommend the Underland Chronicles to anyone looking for an engrossing, exiting, and impossible-to-put-down series.
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​​Note: In September 2016, I reviewed ​Gregor the Overlander, ​the first book in the Underland Chronicles. However, as our book reviews became more sophisticated , and I decided to update the review on what is still one of our favorite books!

By Piranha T.

Thirteen-year-old Elissa has lived in the peaceful and remote town of High Crossing her whole life, knowing no life but the peaceful village and the mountains around her town. Her caretaker, whom she calls Nana, tells her only that her mother is dead and never speaks of her father. And though Nana keeps the secrets of Elissa’s family to herself, the two share another: Elissa has a magical Gift that enables her to speak to animals.

Elissa assumes she will spend her whole life in High Crossing, but one day, a man called Lord Falk comes, telling Elissa that he is her father and has come to take her with him. Elissa leaves, and soon learns that she is to be sent to the Khan, a nefarious ruler with dark intent, to ensure the success of a battle for her father’s kingdom. And after that, it doesn’t take long for her to discover a mysterious prophesy—one she seems to have a roll in, which everyone seems to know about, and that could change her life forever.

Elissa’s Quest is a good story with an interesting plotline and some character development. Although it is the first book in the Phoenix Rising Trilogy, Elissa’s Quest does not have a bad ending—and all three books are out, which is nice. There were strong—and interesting—both main and supporting characters, and there is a slight bit of mystery—near the beginning about Elissa’s parents and later around the prophesy. Even though Elissa is a couple of years older than I am, it was not a large part of the story. However, by the third book, she is 15—and although it’s not very pronounced that she’s older, I would highly recommend Elissa’s Quest and the other two books in the Phoenix Rising Trilogy to readers ages 10 and up, since although there is several evil characters, they are not very scary.  

By Super Kitty

Abigail Hunter is an ordinary kid. Well, all right, not ordinary; she and her mom, Jennifer, have traveled around the globe together. Still, she feels abandoned when her mom suddenly ships her off to boarding school, saying she can’t spend the next year getting Abigail out of trouble (Abigail isn’t always quite as well behaved as she perhaps could be). But when she gets caught attempting and escape from her new school, Abigail finds there might be more to it than meets the eye. Before she knows it, she’s on a mission to save her mom—because it turns out that Jennifer Hunter isn’t all that ordinary either. And she might be in trouble. Determined to prove that she is a spy worthy of her mother, Abigail swiftly gets pulled into a conflict that gets more dangerous by the day, especially when the Ghost, a supervillain and her mom’s arch nemesis (yeah, it turns out her mother has an arch nemesis), takes notice of what Abigail is doing—and decides to stop it. In this brand-new, action-packed novel, Abigail must face her fears as she battles the criminals that are stronger—and closer—than anyone expected.

One thing I like about Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls is the characters. Abigail is realistic, and responds to various (less realistic, but still quite thrilling) situations accordingly. She, and the other characters too, have distinct personalities and emotions, and bond and clash accordingly. The plot is engaging, and several twists will keep you on the edge of your seat. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fast-paced, funny, and generally fabulous read!
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Note: I would recommend Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls to fans of the Devlin Quick and TOAST mysteries, for although they were about kid detectives in a more realistic setting, and this is about, well, a secret spy center saving the world, they are reminiscent of each other in great characters, reading levels and interests, and generally entertaining writing styles.

By Radical Reader, 10, MA
Guest Contributor

This book is about a house cat named Rusty. One day Rusty goes into the forest and stumbles upon cats living there. He learns to be a warrior and faces many trials on the way. Another interesting aspect of the story is the fact that it is the cat telling the story; seeing the world through his eyes is interesting to me.

I love this book and the rest of the Warriors series because the books always keep me on the edge of my seat. I recommend this book (and series) to kids and adults 11 and up only because they often include death and violence.

​By Piranha T.
 
Twelve-year-old Emily Crane is irritated to be moving yet again. Ever since she was born, the Cranes had been moved to a new state every year—attempting to fulfill their dream of living in all fifty. However, she is excited to learn that they are moving to San Francisco, California, the home of Garrison Griswold, creator of her all-time favorite game, Book Scavenger. Book Scavenger sends players all over the country to find hidden books using cyphers, codes, and other puzzles. A new puzzle is about to be released—unknown to everyone but Mr. Griswold. But on the way to announce the game, he is attacked in a train station, and the next hour brings him to a hospital.
 
Emily and all the other members of Book Scavenger are worried about the game’s future. But when Emily discovers a book--The Gold-Bug by Eager Allen Poe—in the train station in which Mr. Griswold was attacked, she realizes it is the beginning of his new game. Soon she and her new friend, James, are running all over San Francisco, solving clues, cracking codes, and slowly but surely coming closer to the prize. But even though they have the only copy of The Gold-Bug, someone else is trying to reach the final prize—racing against their unknown competitors, as well as the enigmas they are solving, Emily and James try to find the end of the puzzle before someone else finds it first…
 
I liked Book Scavenger because it was a fun mystery/adventure story set in a real life setting with realistic characters but a fun plotline. The game ‘Book Scavenger’ reminds me of a cross between letterboxing and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. There are a lot of fun puzzles and cyphers, but there is also an evil character to make it harder for Emily and James to reach their final goal. It also had a well-wrapped up ending. There is one sequel out, and there will likely—hopefully!—be several more. I would highly recommend Book Scavenger to readers 10 and up, because there are no scary scenes, but a lot of puzzles, adventures, and—most of all—fun!

By Super Kitty

One midwinter’s day, Silas Heap finds a violet-eyed newborn baby in the snow. Although he already has seven sons (the youngest being only hours old), he takes her home with him. But when he arrives, the midwife has proclaimed his newborn son Septimus, the seventh son of a seventh son, dead, and has swept him away.

The Heaps bring up Jenna (as they name the baby) as their own, and though they have their suspicions about her true family, they are only confirmed on Jenna’s tenth birthday, when ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand appears and tells them the truth about Jenna, the day she was born, and the evil forces that now threaten the castle and all inside. They escape to the Marram Marshes, but they can only evade the rising sinister forces for so long.
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I thoroughly enjoyed all seven books in the Septimus Heap series, having, in fact, read them all multiple times. Although they are quite lengthy (Fyre, the final book in the series, is 702 pages) they are quick-paced, engrossing, and amusing.  Another thing I liked was that despite the main characters aging from ten to fourteen during the series, they stayed true to themselves. I would not, however, recommend it to anyone below nine, as there are some nefarious characters and malicious schemes. I would highly recommend the Septimus Heap series (and companion trilogy, TodHunter Moon) to any reader who likes fantasy, adventure, and (eventual) happy endings.

- By Super Kitty

Sophie Foster knew she was different. After all, how many 12-year-olds are not only high school seniors, but can hear people’s thoughts? But she had no idea how different she was until she meets Fitz, a telepath like herself, who tells her the truth: she is an elf, and she must leave her human family—her world—as soon as possible. Now Sophie must learn the ways of the Lost Cities, making friends, enemies, and discoveries. But even among her own people, Sophie is special... And as she battles the rising sinister forces of the elven world, she begins to discover that her past—and her future—are intertwined with more secrets then she ever could have imagined.

I really enjoyed this book—an adventure story (or in this case, series) that I can lose myself in is always welcome. There are seven* books in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, getting progressively longer, but only six have come out. Sophie ages fairly quickly (in Lodestar, book five, she is fourteen), so I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone under the age of eight, especially since some of the evil characters can be quite intimidating. Also, although the first two have good endings, starting with book three the cliffhanger endings get progressively more suspenseful, and in book five it was so much so that the author started the afterward with “Yay! You’re still talking to me!” and went on to apologize about the ending and extreme cliffhanger. It works, though—Piranha T. and I are desperate to know what happens next! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys exciting, fast paced books filled with friendship, adventure, and magic.                            

​*There are now going to be nine books in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series. Book seven came out in November 2018.