Review: The Grimm Collection by Polly Shulman

The Title: The Grimm Collection/The Grimm Legacy*
Author:  Polly Shulman
Genre: YA, Pre-teen, supernatural, romance, mystery
Format: ARC
Release Date: July 2010
Perfect for: those who need a break from angst

Elizabeth's life is far from a fairytale.  She has no friends at her new school, a stepmother who doesn't 'get' her, and no prospective boyfriends in the scene.  That all changes when she is hired at a fantastic library-- a library that doesn't deal in books, but items-- some normal and some magical.  When items from the special collection of Brothers Grimm artifacts go missing, all the library 'pages' must band together to figure out who is stealing, while trying to stay alive.

I enjoyed 'The Grimm Collection'.  It was something I would classify as a 'fun' read-- nothing heavy or over dramatic, just plain old fun.  Elizabeth's POV sucked me in with its friendly tone and touch of humor.  The secondary characters (basketball star Mark,  beautiful Anjali, and awkward Aaron) were easy to figure out, but added to the story nicely.  I like that this is an ensemble book and not one that focuses solely on the main character.

As a side note, I really like the cover on this book.  It really connects well with the story as opposed to other titles where you have to wonder how or why they decided this or that would be appropriate on their cover!

While the romantic entanglements were few and pretty easy to spot, I found them cute and more innocent compared to typical YA titles. This is definitely a book that pre-teens or young readers with higher reading levels can safely pick up with no worries of it becoming too 'mature'.

The charm of this story is the overall concept.  I love the library the four teens work at.  Heck, I'd love to work at that library!  So many stories can stem from just the setting alone.  I mean, just think of all the things that could happen with the other special collections!  That being said, I wonder if this is meant to be a stand alone novel.  Most of the major plot elements were tied up nicely, but some smaller ones were left open.

Personally, I'd like to see more of the library and the characters.  It was a fun romp and I think that Elizabeth, Aaron, Anjali, and Mark still have enough life in them for a sequel.  I recommend 'The Grimm Collection'.  It's perfect reading for a lazy day when you don't want to read anything too heavy, but just want to immerse yourself in a world filled with magic and mayhem.

*Note: My ARC is titled 'The Grimm Collection', Goodreads has this labeled as 'The Grimm Legacy'.

Review: Kristy's Great Idea by Ann M. Martin

Title: Kristy's Great Idea
Author: Ann M. Martin
Release Date: April 2010
Genre: pre-teen, juvi, friendship, self esteem, coming of age
Perfect for: kids 8 and up who like more 'school' or 'general life' titles and less fantasy/sci-fi themes

Set after 'The Summer Before', 'Kristy's Great Idea' follows pre-teens Kristy (tom boy), Claudia (artist), Mary Anne (quiet and studious), and Stacey (fashion/boy expert) as they decide to start a club based around baby-sitting-- The Baby-Sitters Club.

Short description for this title, as I think that one sentence pretty much says all you need to know about the first book in the Baby-Sitters Club series.  Edited for todays generation, 'Kristy's Great Idea' should have no trouble catching the interest of pre-teen girls, as well as those us who just want to 'catch up' with the gang after years of being out of print!

Since the boom of fantasy and sci-fi titles in juvi fiction, it's been hard for me to really find titles for the younger set that have a good story and lots of heart.  'Kristy's Great Idea' has both of those qualities and more.  'Kristy's Great Idea' is a quick read with interesting characters and a great premise.  Girls will find it easy to relate to any one of the four main characters featured in this novel as they are all unique and likable.  The story is equally great as it has a definite girl power theme to it.  Also, in this day and age where most kids get huge allowances (or on the opposite end, no allowance at all), 'Kristy's Great Idea' might just inspire kids to work on something like this in real life.

As mentioned above, this is officially the first book in the Baby-Sitters Club series, not to be confused with the recently released prequel, 'The Summer Before'.  There are pro's and cons to reading one before the other.  'The Summer Before' gives you a nice introduction to the characters, but 'Kristy's Great Idea' has a bit more action.

'Kristy's Great Idea' is a great book for any pre-teen girl interested in a more 'real life' storyline.  Even though it was originally published in the late 80's, it reads (thanks to small edits) like it was written for todays audience.  Highly recommended for those looking for a good girl power, coming of age series!

Review: The Summer Before by Ann M. Martin

Title: The Summer Before- A BSC Prequel
Author: Ann M. Martin
Release: April 1st, 2010
Genre: Juvi, pre-teen, friendship, coming of age
Perfect for: 8 and up, kids looking for fun, friendship reads, and those twenty somethings who loved the series as kids

It's the summer before 7th grade and Kristy, Claudia, and Mary Anne are psyched.  Set before 'Kristy's Great Idea', 'The Summer Before' shows us the trio transitioning into teens, or at least pre-teens.  Kristy is dealing with her moms growing attachment to boyfriend Watson, Claudia feels she is 'growing out' of her friends, and Mary Anne is trying to break out of her shell while dealing with an over protective father.  Meanwhile, Stacey is getting ready for a big move from New York City to Suburban Stoneybrook, CT after recently being diagnosed with Diabetes.

It was fun revisiting the Baby-Sitters Club (BSC) gang-- at least the four featured in this book.  It's been years since I've read this Ann M. Martin series but I am pleased to say it read (felt) like revisiting an old friend.  The style and rhythm felt natural and the story was quick and entertaining.  It's a short, light story, so those who want to read it out of nostalgia should have no problem.

Off all four story lines, Stacey's was the most interesting to me.  I don't remember the original series going much into the reason for her move other than a quick sentence or two (though it's been a while-- I could be wrong). In pure BSC fashion, the message that you shouldn't be scared of friends with health issues came across very clear due to Stacey's story.

While I would have preferred a sequel, a prequel makes more sense when it comes to re-branding this story for this generation.  'The Summer Before' gives us a good look at how the members of the (soon to be formed) BSC stay friends, even though they are all maturing in different ways.  'The Summer Before' is available now online or at your local bookstore!

Review: Morpheus Road: The Light by D.J. MacHale

Title: Morpheus Road: The Light
Author: D.J. MacHale
Format: ARC
Release Date: April 20, 2010
Genre: YA, supernatural, ghost story, action/adventure
Perfect for: fans of ghost stories who love series

Sixteen-year-old Marshall led a pretty normal life-- that is, until two key things happened. First, his best friend Cooper disappeared while at his families lake house. Second, he began being haunted. Worse, he's being haunted by a ghost who looks exactly like the creepy 'Gravedigger' he's been drawing for months. Together with Coopers' sister Sydney, Marsh takes it upon himself to find his friend, while trying to survive 'Gravedigger'.

As a fan of D.J. MacHale's Pendragon series, I was pretty hungry for this book! 'Morpheus Road: The Light' was a quick, action packed read. It definitely has a supernatural, spooky feeling to it that should please those who like to scare themselves with RL Stine or Christopher Pike.

The pro's of this book? I like the characters. I think Marsh and Sydney have good chemistry. Whether or not it will go the romantic chemistry route is still yet to be seen, but the two play off each other well. Coopers character is great because he is so different from Marsh. Where Marsh is still interested in shooting rockets and drawing, Cooper is more into, well, getting in and out of troubling situations. Their friendship brings in an interesting dynamic-- two best friends who are the opposite poles (if you will) of teenage-hood.

It was interesting reading a ghostly tale by DJ. Being so used to his fantasy worlds, I was a bit worried. Thankfully, 'Morpheus Road: The Light' didn't come out cliche, like other ghost stories directed at pre-teens and the ya audience. Worried about how scary it may be? While spooky at times, it never crosses the line into frightening. It seems just right for kids twelve and up.

The cons of this book? Like the first 'Pendragon' book, you can tell this is the 'introduction' book. Its goal? Tell the readers 'who', 'what', and 'where'. It has a story with a beginning middle, and end, but a lot of it is focused on learning about the series environment. Questions are thrown at you and you really don't get many answers to most of them. It took me almost half the book to really get into this supernatural tale, so expect a slow beginning. ('Merchant of Death', the first book in the 'Pendragon' series read similarly for me, but eventually became one of my favorite series.)

Overall, I enjoyed 'Morpheus Road: The Light'. It looks to me like D.J. has a solid series on his hands. While not everything in the book impressed me, I enjoyed it enough that I will definitely keep an eye out for future books.

Forever Favorites: Heirs of the Force by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta

We all have our favorite books, books we can't imagine not reading over and over again.  Here's another one of my 'Forever Favorites’...


Title: Heirs of the Force
Author(s): Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta
Genre: YA, Star Wars, Sci-fi
Perfect for: Star Wars fans young and old

Originally published in 1995, "Heirs of the Force" by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta is another of my 'forever favorites'.  I'm a huge Star Wars fan and of all the expanded universe novels, the Young Jedi Knights series is my favorite.  "Heirs of the Force" is the first in that series.

Fourteen-year-old twins Jaina and Jacen Solo are off to Luke Skywalkers Jedi Academy to be trained by Uncle Luke and other jedi masters in the ways of the Force.  The twins are force sensitive in different ways-- Jaina with mechanics and Jacen with animals. The twins quickly make friends in Lowbacca, Chewie's nephew, and Tenal-Ka, a Hapen warrior.  While practicing in the jungle, the four stumble upon an old Tie Fighter-- and its pilot who's been living in the woods since the crash!  Will the Young Jedi Knights be able to convince the pilot that his ties to the Empire don't matter anymore after all those years of surviving the jungle waiting for his call home?  Read "Heirs of the Force" and find out!

As mentioned above, I love the Young Jedi Knights series and this book is a great introduction to the characters and setting.  You don't have to be a Star Wars wiz to understand the books.  You don't even need to have watched the movies, though it would help!  "Heirs of the Force" is aimed at 10 and up, though younger and older Star Wars fans should enjoy this book and the following eleven books in the Young Jedi Knights series.

All the books, including "Heirs of the Force", have a great mix of action, adventure, humor, and life lessons.   The characters are interesting to read about and the plenty of characters from the movies pop in, as well.  The best part of the Young Jedi Knights series is that they read like a popcorn flick--  nothing you have to think on too much.  All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the adventures the Solo children and their friends find themselves in.  Highly recommended!!!

Review: Palace of Mirrors by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Title: Palace of Mirrors
Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Format: Hardcover
Genre: Young Reader/pre-teen/fantasy/fairytale
Perfect For: Pre-teens or early teens

Pretend you're a peasant who knows that she is much more than a normal girl. Pretend that for years you've been told that danger is out to get you. Pretend that danger has come and the only thing you can do is run towards your true destiny. Cecila is a strong minded girl of 14 who, along with her friend Harper, find themselves in an adventure so important the fate of the kingdom rests upon their shoulders.

Haddix has shown in the past that she has mastered the art of fairy tale and Palace of Mirrors is no exception. Her characters have a well thought out voice and are kept relatable for the preteen/teen audience. This book is funny and endearing. It was hard to put down and should be a quick read for most. What I really enjoyed about this book most, however, was the uplifting story-line and the ease of the writing style. It's not perfect. There are some bits that seem to be slightly rushed and the meaning of the title takes a while to get introduced, but overall, the pro's very much outway the cons.

This book is very much a 'happily ever after' story you don't want to miss!