Thoughts on The Clockwork Girl by Sean O'Reilly and Kevin Hanna

Tesla, a clockwork girl, and Huxley, a monster boy, overcome all of their differences, including how their creators are enemies, to become friends. When their friendship is discovered, their very existence is threatened.

A fabulous graphic novel that will appeal to many. Beautiful artwork and story combined! B rating.

The Past is Gone by James Valentine (TimeJumpers #1)

The Past Is Gone by James Valentine

Just when Jules finally gets up his nerve to ask Gen on a date, Theo pops in to their life. He literally pops into Gen's room out of nowhere. He's a time-jumper from the future and is mistakenly sent to Mil 3, which is our present day. Apparently in the future, time-travel is common place, but the jumpers are invisible to the people of the current time. Only, something has malfunctioned in Theo's jump and he's visible. Jules and Gen work with Theo to try and return him to his own time.

Okay, not a bad start to a trilogy. I really found the description of the jumps and life in the future fascinating. The story is fairly predictable, but it's still fun to read. Of course, you have the evil person from the future who wants to keep something about the time jumper machine a secret. No one knows much about this yet, so we're left with a cliff-hanger and a tease of the next novel. Of course, I want to get the next one to find out what happens. C+ rating.

Black Water by D.J. MacHale (Pendragon #5)

Black Water by D.J. MacHale

In the fifth installment of the Pendragon series, Bobby is getting used to his role as Lead Traveler when his latest confrontation with Saint Dane leads him to Eelong. The "intelligent" race on Eelong are described as giant cats who can walk upright, as well as on all fours. Humans, known as Gars on Eelong, are relegated to the role of a pet/servant, sort of like dogs are used here. Bobby has to adjust to the different society as well as help foil Saint Dane's attempt to poison all the inhabitants of Eelong. The only way to save everyone on Eelong is to use the antidote developed on Cloral, another territory. Knowing that travelers aren't supposed to bring anything from one territory to another, Bobby must decide whether saving Eelong is worth breaking this rule. Will it cause more chaos and land Bobby right into Saint Dane's hands?

Okay, I admit it. I really like this series. I put off reading it for a while, because I just figured it was one of those forgettable series where every book was the same plot over and over. While there's some of that here -- Bobby chases after Saint Dane and tries to stop his latest evil plan -- there's actually more here. Here, Bobby is starting to have an ethical dilemma. Should he save these people or are they supposed to die? When should he step in? I think this is something that will be explored in the later stories and will really allow his character to mature. I'll read the next one, mainly because I do want to know if this is the direction the series takes. C Rating.

A Small Town, A Rich Fantasy, and Traveling Through Time (or What I Read Last Week)

I've resisted doing "What I'm Reading" or "What I've Read" posts in the past, because I simply thought I should just do post on my responses after finishing a book. And those responses should be one post/one book. I've come to the realization that I simply don't have the time make the time to do a worthy response for EVERY book I read. Sometimes, I just don't know what to say. Other times, I just don't feel like writing a post. Suddenly, I realize I've read something like TEN books with no posts. Yikes! Even though it's not what I originally had in mind, I've decided it's better to post some general, multi-book posts than not at all. I still hope to write some thoughts on individual books as I'm able.

That said, since it's the start of a new week and a new month, here's some of what I read last week.


Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage.
Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel--a cafe owner with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous cafe hostess. She will protect those she loves with ever bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known.

Reminded me of Because of Winn-Dixie with the small-town, quirky characters and a strong sense of community family, but add in the mystery of Mo's background and a local murder. It's one of my favorites of the summer so far. I can't wait to see what my students think when school starts again. A rating.

Sabriel by Garth Nix.
Sent to a boarding school in Ancelstierre as a young child, Sabriel has had little experience with the random power of Free Magic or the Dead who refuse to stay dead in the Old Kingdom. But during her final semester, her father, the Abhorsen, goes missing, and Sabriel knows she must enter the Old Kingdom to find him. She soon finds companions in Mogget, a cat whose aloof manner barely conceals its malevolent spirit, and Touchstone, a young Charter Mage long imprisoned by magic, now free in body but still trapped by painful memories. As the three travel deep into the Old Kingdom, threats mount on all sides. And every step brings them closer to a battle that will pit them against the true forces of life and death--and bring Sabriel face-to-face with her own destiny.


Okay, this one has been on my To Be Read list for a super long time. I adore YA fantasy, and this one has been recommended to me numerous times. I could just kick myself for not reading it sooner, because it's absolutely a-mazing. Simply unforgettable. Nix creates a complex world in the Old Kingdom, but one that's so richly described I had no trouble visualizing and immersing myself there. I have already added Lirael to my lists and hope to get to it before school starts. A+ rating. This one is going on my "Keeper" shelf.

Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone.
Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett's unique ability to travel through time and space brings him into Anna's life, and with him, a new world of adventure and possibility. As their relationship deepens, they face the reality that time might knock Bennett back where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate--and what consequences they can bear in order to stay together.


I received this ARC from NetGalley, as the book isn't scheduled for release until October. I think this time travel romance has something special to make it stand out, and I personally can't wait to get it into some of my teens' hands this fall. Although I am generally a fan of romances, I don't always care for the time travel ones. (Usually, it's travel to a completely different era where the traveler stands out as Not From There. Here, with the travel being only 17 years in the past, most of my concerns were erased.) I think what really resonates with the story is how Anna gets the strength, or maybe gains enough confidence, just by knowing Bennett to change her life. She's a better person for knowing Bennett. It's not a perfect story, by any means. I still had some questions at the end. Will we ever know Bennett's story completely? What happened back home with his sister? Argh! I don't like being left hanging.  That said, it won't keep me from recommending it to my students. B rating.


Now, back to some reading.

Book Read: Iron Man : Iron Armory by Fred Van Lente

Four adventures of Iron Man are included in this collection. Each are basically stand-alone, no story arc here. Fans of this super hero comic will enjoy, but nothing to make it stand out. C rating.

Astronaut Academy : Zero Gravity by Dave Roman

Hakata Soy is the mysterious new boy at Astronaut Academy. He arrived about a month into the semester and isn't willing to share much about himself. Hakata finds himself amidst an eclectic group of students, including a spoiled rich girl with a crush on him, a roommate only interested in sports, a girl with an affinity for always showing up at the right time, and a robot out to destroy him.

The story starts off extremely entertaining and somewhat humorous, but about 100 pages into it, I started to get bored. The constant introduction (or reintroduction) of the characters became tedious, and I just wanted the story to continue. The black and white illustrations are fabulous and add character to the story. They're probably the best thing about it.

This is for fans of graphic novels, especially if you like action/adventure/superhero ones. It had a great deal of potential, but didn't quite live up to what was a fantastic start. I give it a 'C'.

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

Just looking at this book and reading the description I doubt I would have picked Ship Breaker on my own, but thanks to some major prodding I finally gave it a shot. Oh my! Fabulous story telling here. I doubt the setting or genre really matters. Bacigalupi can flat out tell a great story. One of the best stories I've read in a long time -- A rating.

The Doomsday Box by Herbie Brennan (Shadow Project #2)

Opal, Michael, and Danny return in another Shadow Project adventure. This one adds time travel to their astral projection abilities and a new member is added, Fuchsia, who has her own special abilities. The crew partners with the CIA to try and prevent a modern day outbreak of the black plague. The mission sends them back in time to the Soviet Union in 1962 at the height of the Cold War, where they must outwit the KGB and a mole in the CIA to prevent nuclear war.

This will appeal to fans of teen spy adventures, like the Alex Rider or CHERUB series. The kids are sent off on their mission almost immediately and the reader is immersed into non-stop action. I was uncomfortable with the nonchalant way the group acted while in the USSR. I mean, if they are trying not to be noticed, why yell out in English in Red Square? Oh well, it probably will bother me more than other readers. I loved the Epilogue, as it's such a perfect ending. I just wish the end of the mission didn't seem so rushed. I wanted more explanation and I wasn't totally satisfied with how the case was completed. I can't really say much more without spoilers. Overall, a satisfactory read and I know that fans of the first Shadow Project book will be pleased with this one. B- rating

The Roar by Emma Clayton

Mika lives with his mom and dad in the refugee area "behind the wall" in England. When the Animal Plague threatened human existence on Earth all humans moved to a protected area behind a massive wall around the northern third of the planet. Now, people must deal with massive overcrowding, food shortages, and basically a dismal existence. Mika life is doubly dismal for his twin sister, Ellie, disappeared about a year ago and everyone believes she died. Everyone, that is, except Mika. He *knows* that Ellie is still alive, but can't convince anyone else of the truth. When he government begins a program to improve the fitness of all twelve-year-olds and holds a contest to find the best players of a virtual reality video game, Mika begins to suspect it's somehow connected to his missing sister. He is determined to be among the winners, in hopes of finding his sister, but along the way discovers the truth is more terrifying that imagined.

Okay, there's a lot I liked about The Roar. I'd become so involved in certain sections that I'd read for 100 pages without realizing it. There's a twist at the end that wasn't what I had expected or suspected at all. BUT ... I didn't like feeling so confused or lost through most of the reading. Big sections of the story are devoted to Mika, and we'd get all involved with his story, and then, bam, we're suddenly switched to Ellie and her story. These changes in point of view seemed abrupt and unnatural to me. It took me out of the story, which probably is the reason it too me so long to read.

Overall, I loved the idea behind the story and yes, can see some exciting possibilities in the sequel. My hope is that it's better organized and flows a bit more smoothly. I give this one a 'B.'

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

Trella's a scrub. Her life is filled with endless hours of cleaning the pipes and trying to attract the least attention. That way, you don't get hurt and you don't die. The Pop Cops control everything in the life of a scrub, from when to work to what you eat. Trella's heard all her life about the mysterious outside and the rumors of a secret exit. Frankly, she thinks it's all made-up stories to give the scrubs false hope. When her friend Cog introduces her to a new prophet, called Broken Man, Trella's life is changed forever. Suddenly, her days of being invisible and only worried about finding time and a place to be alone are no more. She's thrust into the center of an uprising that leaves her as the #1 target of the Pop Cops.

I love SF stories, which is why I picked up Inside Out. The story is very easy to read, flowing smoothly from one chapter to the next. There's plenty of action and an intriguing mystery to keep even the most reluctant reader's attention. While I found Inside Out entertaining, I kept thinking in the back of my mind that I'd read this story before. Yes, I could predict almost exactly what would happen next. Maybe it's because I have read a lot of SF -- it's a familiar theme and setting for this genre. I don't think it takes a great deal away from the enjoyment of the story, and would be just a minor negative for me.

Inside Out, while maybe not completely original in plot, gets a 'B' from me for it's fast-paced style and ease in reading.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games #3)

Having read (and loved) The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, I could not wait for Mockingjay to finally be released. I bought it for my Kindle, so I could start reading it on the Tuesday it was released. I didn't want to have to wait for the UPS or FedEx worker to deliver or drive to town to pick up a copy at the book store.


I eagerly began it the day it was released, only to find myself willing to put it down after reading one or maybe two chapters at a time. At first, I claimed I was just savoring the final Katniss story and taking my time. After a while, I realized I was slowing down in reading it, because I could just sense that the story was doomed. I wanted to know what happened to Katniss and Peetah, but at the same time I DIDN'T want to know. I dreaded turning the page for fear of what I would find out. Did I really want to know or would it be better to just imagine things the way I'd like them to be? That's something I'm still thinking about, almost a week after finishing the book.

I waited a bit to write my reaction, because I wanted to let time give me a bit of a perspective. I'm not sure if it helped or not, because I still feel emotionally empty. I was emotionally pushed, pulled, wadded, and thrown out, but I'm still glad I read Mockingjay. I didn't like it as much as the first two in the series, because I wanted more descriptions during some of the action scenes. Many times, as the reader, we'd just hear about an event afterwards, rather than experiencing it at the same time as the characters in Mockingjay. That's not to say I didn't find it a compelling, but disturbing read. In fact, I'd say it's a must-read for those that read the first two Hunger Games books, but be prepared to be taken for quite a ride.  My grade? I give it a B.

The Tomorrow Code by Brian Falkner

The Tomorrow Code was an impulse buy for me. I saw it at the bookstore and it looked intriguing, so I bought it. Only after I got home with it did I look up some of the reviews and was even more intrigued.

Tane and Rebecca begin receiving messages from their future selves that contain warnings about an upcoming disaster of epic proportions. The duo, with the help of Tane's brother, Fatboy, attempt to thwart the disaster, by unscrambling the coded messages and warn the others about impending danger for all of New Zealand and the world.

The story starts off slowly, but before you know it, gathers speed and turns into a fast-paced thriller. It took me a couple of days to get through the first third of the story, but only a day or so to finish the last two thirds. I was caught up in the horror of the events and was desperate to see it through. I was left pondering much on ecology and the Earth and the human race's place in it. Fabulous and thought-provoking!  I give it a B+!

Chance Fortune in the Shadow Zone by Shane Berryhill

After reading (and really liking) the first Chance Fortune book last year, I decided to read book #2 in the series.

Chance and the rest of the Outlaws become stuck in the Shadow Zone during a transport mishap. It seems they all have lost their superpowers and must fight off an attack from the Shadowmen. When several members of the Outlaws are captured by the Shadowmen, Chance and the rest of the Outlaws team up with some of the children of the supervillains sentenced to exile in the Shadow Zone to rescue them.

The entire book takes place in the Shadow Zone, so those wanting to see more from Burlington Academy won't see it here. I did enjoy seeing more of the dynamics of the Outlaws team and how characters continued to develop. This is a fast-paced read, with the story moving from action scene to action scene. While I think someone who hasn't read the first book could pick it up and understand what's going on, I don't think they would fully appreciate the story. I'd strongly recommend reading this series in order.

Overall, I found Chance Fortune in the Shadow Zone a fun story and a must-read for fans of the first book. Hopefully, we'll see more books about Chance in the future.  It's a 'B' book for me, entertaining!

A New Hope : The Life of Luke Skywalker by Ryder Windham

Just like it says in the title, this book tells the story of the life of Luke Skywalker from his childhood on Tattoine to his participation in the rebellion against the Empire. Basically, it combines events shown or mentioned in the movies and puts them in novel form. This is a must-read for Star Wars fans, but probably of little to no interest for others. I give it a C.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

The Adoration of Jenna Fox. It's a strange title for a book, I thought. And, what's with the butterfly on the cover? How does that connect with Jenna Fox? So many questions, that made me eager to open the book and dig in.

I guess it was a good thing I was already in a questioning mood, because reading the story made me ask more questions. What happened to Jenna?!? Why did they move? Why does her grandmother hardly speak to her and seem to hate her? Why can Jenna remember every little detail about the French Revolution like a walking, talking encyclopedia, but can't remember her life before the accident?

Oh, I kept reading to find the answers, almost finishing the book in one sitting. I would have too, if real life hadn't interrupted me. Oh, this is one of those uber-fantastic books that stick with you a very long time after finishing. I had so many other, deep, meaning-of-life-type questions to ponder when I finished Jenna Fox. But, I will say those pesky questions about the cover and the title? Well, I did find out the answers to them and it all makes complete sense now. I give this one an A, Highly Recommended!

Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Ever since watching the preview for Found during last year's book fair, I've been intrigued by this book. Unfortunately, everyone else was intrigued as well and I wasn't able to read it during the year, since it was always check out. Thankfully, it's included on this year's Lone Star reading list and I've put those at the top of my to read list this summer.

Jonah's life has been that of a typical seventh-grader. He likes to play basketball, has a younger sister that bothers him, and parents that can be embarrassing. The only thing that makes him out of the ordinary? He's adopted. It's not that big of a deal to him, since he's known that as long as he can remember. When he receives a strange message in the mail that says, "You are one of the missing," he thinks it's weird and wonders who sent it. When he receives a second one that says, "Beware! They're coming back to get you," he gets a little more nervous, especially when his friend, Chip, received the exact same letters and was also adopted 13 years ago. Jonah and Chip decide to investigate the strange letters and their adoptions. After Jonah and Chip discover that they were two of 36 babies that strangely appeared in a plane at the airport, their detective work leads them smack dab in the middle of a mystery involving the FBI, kidnapping, and strange men that appear and disappear right in front of their eyes.

I think students will love this book, because it's fast-paced and contains plenty of suspense. Each chapter ends with a cliff-hanger that will have you wanting to read just one more chapter, and then, just one more until you reach the end of the book. It's not the end of the story, though. There's enough of a tease to leave you waiting impatiently for the next book in Jonah and Chip's story. I give Found a B, Recommended.