Heidi Heckelbeck Has a Secret by Wanda Coven

Heidi wakes up in a grouchy, grumpy gloomy mood.  After being homeschooled with her younger brother, her mother decides it's time for Heidi to start second grade in the public school. Heidi isn't very happy about the new arrangement, even her favorite outfit of black jean skirt with striped black-and-white- striped tights isn't enough to cheer her up.    To make things worse, on Heidi's first day she gets picked on by meanie Melanie. What's a girl to do?  Heidi decides it's time to pull out her special Spell Book that has been handed down in her family and teach mean Melanie a lesson.  O.K. This is where the action ends. With a great premise of a witchy girl going to school and wonderful illustrations by Priscilla Burris whats not to love?  Oh yeah, cliffhanger ending.   I found this to be a very different approach to a chapter book for young readers and really hope it doesn't continue with each book.  I just picture unhappy little faces wondering what happens to mean Melaine.  Guess they'll have to pick up Casts a Spell to find out.  And I really recommend those who read the first have the second available, it's the kind of book that someone who is interested in early chapter books would like.    

  

I found Heidi Heckelbeck Has a Secret as iBooks free ebook of the week selection.  It would make a great pick for five to seven year olds.  

Destiny Rewritten by Kathryn Fitzmaurice

Destiny is such an interesting subject. Whether it's destiny that brings two people together or the future that we are destined for. In Emily Elizabeth's case, her destiny was predetermined by her mother in the way that she named her after the famous poet Emily Dickinson. When your mom is an English-professor who writes greeting cards and loves poetry a nudge from her to follow in your footsteps seems obvious. Emily's mother even goes one step further by inscribing "Emily Dickinson is one of the great poets.  The same will be said of you one day."  Emily's mother also hides special dates, developmental stages and the name of Emily's father among the pages of the poetry book.  But Emily's passion lies with collecting happy endings and writing romance novels and letters to her favorite author Danielle Steele. Plus, Emily doesn't even get poetry.  So when Emily looses her special book, she is afraid that destiny is taking a terrible turn for her.  Emily, Wavey and cousin Mortie begin a desperate search through used bookstores and thrift stores to find her precious book.  Overall, I enjoyed the characters in the book.  I loved the interactions between Emily and Wavey, and cousin Mortie was hysterical.   Mortie wants to be in the military when he grows up, so he develops a plan for finding the book and puts it in Morse code.  He also performs reconnaissance as they go in search and is the overall backup. Although I could see how the story was going to end pretty early on, there was lots of humor in letters that Emily writes to Danielle Steele and in the situations that Emily, Wavey and Mortie find themselves in. The only person that I really didn't understand was Emily's mother and how she left Emily's finding her father to fate.  Not wanting to mess with or change Emily's fate by telling her his name.  A very good story that questions whether destiny is within our control or is it just up to chance.   My copy was from the public library. 

FYRE by Angie Sage

Angie Sage is the author of the Septimus Heap series which includes such books as Magyk, Flyte, Phsik, Queste, Syren, Darke, and her final book in the series, Fyre.  She has also written and illustrated numerous picture books as well as the series Araminta Spookie, for which I have read the first. For those not familiar, the series began when "the seventh son of the seventh son" (Septimus) was stolen but thought to be dead. Over many books, Septimus comes to learn about his family and some of his destiny to become an Extra Ordinary Wizard Apprentice.  There is plenty of charms, incantations and Magyk.  Yet, there is also time travel, ghosts, dragons and deep within mysterious forces and dark wizards that are trying to regain their power.  I don't think I could ever do the entire series justice in one review so, I'm going to focus more on my thoughts. Overall, I thought this would be a daunting task to bring everything together.    Being the last in the series, Fyre has a lot of history and loose ends to tie up.  That and it had been a few years between my reading each of the books.  I mean Magyk was published in May of 2005 and Darke was in 2011.  Yet, I still found it was like coming back to a familiar place.  All the characters I enjoyed were here, all be it now they were taking on more adult like roles.  Princess Jenna was soon to be crowned Queen, Beetle was now the Chief Hermetic Scribe and well Septimus is an Apprentice to ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia.  I kinda felt like I did when I read the Harry Potter Series and the Edge Chronicles, sad that it was ending but comforted by the fact that I could start it all over again if I wanted to.  Plus it seems that Angie Sage is also working on a new trilogy that will include the world of Septimus.   My review copy was from the library. 

Happy Book Blog Birthday

It's hard to believe that it is already my little blogs Book Birthday.  Just think, one year ago I decided to put you out into the world.  I've watched you grow and thanks for all the followers who continue to follow and comment on the blog.  It is really appreciated and you truly are the best!!

The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

Today I'm excited to talk about The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani.  I first saw this book as a part of the Harper Collins Browse Inside feature back in June, up for offer were the first six chapters. I was captured by the cover and illustrations by Iacopo Bruno. I also really loved the premise that Chainani set up with the two schools (one for good and one for evil).  Plus there was the bonus feature of this wonderful trailer. Can't say that I've looked at to many of them, but this one catches the eye.  

  

Trailer for The School for Good and Evil

Within the town of Gavaldon, on the “eleventh night of the eleventh month” the School Master comes and kidnaps two children for the School for Good and Evil. Sophie is most likely girl who will end up in the School for Good. She after all has been dreaming and grooming to be a princess her entire life. With her eye for fashion and love of pink, she is a shoe in. Agatha, on the other hand seems to be destined for the School for Evil. When you grow up in a cemetery wearing all black and chase people away all the time, you really get a reputation for being evil. But good and evil are not just black and white and when Agatha and Sophie seem to be placed in the opposite schools, everything turns to a shade of gray.   

The School for Good and Evil is an interesting take on what constitutes good and evil. In the beginning, Chianani leads us to believe who is destined to be the princess and who is the witch. But Agatha and Sophie don't even know what lies within their hearts. The first quarter of the book Sophie is trying to switch schools with Agatha and Agatha is trying to find a way home to Gavaldon for them. Lots of emphasis is placed on telling the reader how unhappy Sophie is with the circumstance. Both try to convince everyone under the sun that there has been a horrible mix-up. When Agatha and Sophie manage to get into the School Master's tower, they come face to face with the Storian. Once Storian has begun the girls story, they must follow it to its end. The School Master also informs them that a princess and witch can never be friends and the only solution to their problem is to solve a riddle. “What's the one thing Evil can never have and the one thing Good can never do without?” The School for Good and Evils illustrates how beauty is not just how we look on the outside, it is also in the life we live and actions that we take.  Overall, I would say I see a little Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and a smidge of Darth Maul thrown in for good measure. A fun fairy tale retelling and Book Two is set to be published on April 15, 2014 with this new beautiful cover.  
  

My Review Copy was from the Library.  

The Hero's Guide to Saving your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

Doesn't everyone knows the tales of Cinderella, Rapunzel  Sleeping Beauty and Briar Rose? But, what about the names of all the Princes from those tales?  Believe me, I was struggling with that one too.  I blame it on to many Disney movies growing up. Apparently everyone has just been calling them Prince Charming for years. Now if you asked Prince Liam, Prince Frederick, Prince Duncan and Prince Gustav, they would say it's all on account of those no good bards messing up the way things really went.  After reading the story, I can certainly see their point.  I really like Healy's take on these fairy tales and how each Prince, well and Princess alike is different from the way that I am used to.  Prince Liam is in an arranged marriage to Briar Rose, except she is spoiled, mean and down right rude.  Prince Frederick has his daily routine and Ella (Cinderella) is getting rather bored of it all.  Prince Duncan and Snow White are the only ones that are married but both haven't really settled into that role.  Prince Gustav has tried to stand out among his 16 older brothers but when he is saved instead of Rapunzel, he becomes the laughing stock of his kingdom.  The Prince's are not the only ones unhappy.  If you ask the witch she let Rapunzel go.   So, when the bards begin to go missing one by one, Ella decides she is up for some adventure and plans to go and rescue him.  This was such a fun retelling of the famous fairy tales, packed with humor and defiantly works for kids and adults alike.  I was laughing aloud at the narrators interjections into the story.  Loved the titles in each chapter and I think this would make for a great read aloud.  Lucky for me the next book is already available so there is an added bonus of not having to wait to see what happens next.  Great for 8 year old and up who enjoy fractured fairy tales. My review copy was purchased.  
     Here's the cover of Book 2, Published April 30th 2013.    

Parched by Melanie Crowder

PARCHED, just the name has ya thinking hot, dry and thirsty.  The cover also captures the tone of the book very well.  Melanie Crowder imagines a barren world in which water supplies have dried up.  What little left is being hunted down by armed thugs.  It is a sad place, one where Sarel losses her parents in a struggle to hold onto the food that they were able to find among the barren soil.   One leaving Sarel to tend to the family dogs and the little knowledge her mother left her about which roots can survive and what left is edible.  It is also a place where a young boy, Musa is kept in chains because of his ability to track down the water that is deep within the soil.   Yet, among this place the two are brought together in hopes that they can find a way to survive.  Ok, so there will be some SPOILERS down below, you've been warned, so stop now if you haven't read the book yet and really should. Parched is classified as Literary Upper Middle Grade Fiction, so right around 5th to 8th grade.  

Parched begins from the view of Nandi, Sarel's dog. (Actually it is told in alternating voices of Sarel, Musa and Nandi.).   It is one of the most heart wrenching moments of the story for me.  This is one of those books that makes you feel.  It isn't so much about the place, although it too is a sad desolate place, but it is the whole circumstance that these two children are left in.  They really have to fend for themselves among some terrible odds. Both have to learn how to trust each other and find courage to overcome those odds.  There is a lot packed into those 151 pages.  I think my only problem with Parched was that I felt to much.  Strange statement, I know, but the ending leaves me feeling sad for the two children.  Although the issue of water is resolved, I can't help thinking that it will dry up too.  Plus the thugs are still out there and eventually they could find these kids.  I guess that is part of what makes this such an engaging book is it makes you feel and think about what a world without water would be like.  

My review copy was provided by the lovely Casey and Natalie over at Literary Rambles http://www.literaryrambles.com/ as a part of a giveaway from the author and her publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  So a big thank you to all for the ARC of Parched.

Coming up Next:  The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (The League of Princes#1) by Christopher Healy.