Book: North of Nowhere

I was a little hesitant about reading this book. When I was a kid I tried reading some of Liz Kessler's other books but I never could get into them.  Over all I have to say that I was pretty impressed.
I found that the writing and the story much better than I thought.
The pace was very quick. Some times to fast. But I think it will be great for younger readers who have a hard reading will like this book and will have a hard time putting it down. The story with it's little twists and tricks will be sure to be a hit.
 Also add to it interesting and well layered characters. The characters all of them were surprisingly life like. Over all I think that this is a book that many young writers will like and find worth to be worth the time.  Great way to keep the kids busy this winter without using video games and TV.


( 10 and up)
Stars: * * *  3.3                
LEVEL: TIME TRAVEL+BOAT= Good reading 

I was given a copy of the book by the publisher. This did not in anyway effect my review or thoughts on the book

Book:Percy Jackson and the olympians book two: the sea of monsters

This book is a fine sequel to The Lighting Thief and does little wrong. It follows the same pattern ( which for me is a plus).Percy gets a quest and has to travel, but this time to the sea of monsters to save grover  which is located in the bermuda triangle. Which of course Rick gave is own spin on.
Also like the first book every encounter an or with a monster(s) is not to long or too short so the book keeps a nice brisk pace once it gets going it keeps moving along. I have to say that the pace of the book is one of its best feature, and great for keeping some of the younger readers interested. The book also brings in a new character tyson who at first i did not like but grew on me. another thing like the first book is the modern version of the gods and monsters this time stand out  being Hermes the chacter development is good as well. This book is a great seaquel on par with the first one. I think that fans of the first book will be far from let down with this.

(  9+ )
Stars:  * * * 3.7
By The B Team

Book:Percy Jackson and the Olympians book one: The Lightning Thief

by now you have already heard of these books or the movie based upon them. This book is the idea of what would happen if the Greek gods,goddesses, and mythology were real and lived in modern north America. and one of the highlights of the book is seeing what the author thinks these gods and  monsters  would look like in the modern world and all of them fit though its up for interpretation . also the book is a very fun, easy and enjoyable to read. it is written how a kid thinks not like an adult trying to write how a kid thinks and making it come off looking dumb. The characters are very good and the book flows nicely with a slow start but  once it gets started it rarely gets  dull throughout  book. Though it can be predicable and a bit cliché at times. But it captures a magic rare to find in kids books and can be easily compared to harry potter and comes the closest to topping potter  that i have seen but it is a lot fluffier and in some ways more enjoyable in the sense that there is no lasting  bully character  and that's nice as keeps Percy focused on the his enemies who are as fun to see in the modern world as the gods. the monsters in this book are pretty standard far with the likes of  the Furies. Also the action is very good not dull and does not get annoying.the humor in this book is very good not to much and pretty true to kids in real life. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a fun short and enjoyable book which will teach a few things without forcing it upon you.

9+
stars *** 3.7

 Reviewed by  The B "team"

Book: Data Runner

I am going to keep is review short and to the point.
I have to say that at first I was pretty doubtful about this book. But some how it really got me putted in to it. No most of the ideas are nothing new but its got that pull. Its a lot like an action movie you have seen the same thing 50 times but you still love the story and want to see it all over again just a little different. Thats pretty much this book. This book follows a lot of poplar ideas in si-fi right now. Like the problems have to do with climate change. Which I like I just wish that it would have either played a bigger part of the book or that the author would have come up with some new ideas and twists on it. This book was also not as thrilling as I had hoped it would be.
Still I think that this book does have some very good points that make it worth reading. This is not a book for most people. I think that boys and "geeks" will like it more than anyone else. Its
on the lighter side but it still has a story that ywill keep you reading.

(YA - 14 and up)
Stars: * * * 3.0

I was given a copy of the book by the publisher. This did not in anyway effect my review or thoughts on the book

Book:Drake's Quest

I would like to start off this review by jumping head first in to what it was I liked about the book.
I liked the feel of the book. I really liked Charlie and I felt that by the end of the book he had changed and grown- up in every really ways.At times the book was fun to read and I found my self liking it.
I liked how it worked history in there so it felt again very real. and there was good mix of pirate slang. it had a good cast. reading the words I could see that everyone in the book was different. and I thought that was somthing you don't see alot. and this is book older boys will love. its rich with history. it had lots of book points. but sadly in this case I feel like the bad out weighed the good.
what I did not like first off was the way the book was made. the pages fell out which could be a problem for library or if you are traveling with the book.And the pictures. that was a pain. This book should not be read by ten year olds. it should be 15 year olds. They are trying to sell the book to kids that can not handle this. no kid over the age of ten will read this book.
And there are somethings in here that should have then been cut out if they are trying to sell it to that age group. the Writers or the editor someone should have done something. this book could have been great and there are a lot of people I wanted to read it but after finshing it I know that either the kids will not like it or the parents will be very up set over them reading it.
This book does have many good points and I think that kids 12 and up would like it. but with the pages trying to look like maps and old paper it feels like a they are trying to sell you something to much and not letting the book speak for its self. if they were to rerelease the book and sell it to the older kids I would give it much better reviews.
would I still be unhappy by one of the parts and want that cut out of the story. yes but other things I would not have a problem with.
So if you are 12 and up and don't mind the pictures all that much I say this is great read.
(YA- 12 and up)

Stars: * * * 3.0




Fun Fact:Brighter Books plants one tree for every book soled.

And Thanks to Brighter books and Adam Slutsky for sending me a copy of this book.

Book: The Power Of Six ( A Lorien Legacies)

So this is book two of the Lorien Legacies or I Am Number Four. and I most say that I hated the movie but I liked the book. and when I got my hands on this one I feel in head first back in to the books. i like how we are learning more about the other ones and we learn more about Six.  I wish that it would have told us when it was going to change person but other then that I liked the book. it was a little better written then the  first. and there was a lot more going on which is the write way to do it with books like this. and I like how we see more of what Lorien might have been like. and we learn where Henri was right and wrong in what he told John.
 Now when it comes to number Seven I was very happy with it. I like her and how her story is unlike John's or Six's.what I did not like was how for such a long story we did not see John grow. I think that there would have been more from where the other books ended to now. and I feel that the writer did not always think about adding more to it. this book does not have a heart. and if it does it is well hided in stone. it is cold and there is no life to it. but what do you really want from a book like this? well it had been not be the world because thats not what your going to get from this. But I liked it and I think that fans of the first book and movie will too.  and if you have time and no other book to read give this a try ( well the first one or the movie first) and you might really like it.  This is a book boys might really like.

(YA-12 and Up)
Stars: * * * 3.4

Movie:Cowboys and Aliens

So some of you might have heard of this movie, some of you might not. I had heard of it and  I watched because my brother wanted. and I mean who does not want to see a cowboy fight an alien, its like every little boys dream (  I am a girl but I have a brother and a dad, so growing up I did watch a lot of sci-fi and western movies). and I wanted to see Olivia Wilde in something other then Tron and Butter. and I have to say it was nice to she her in this movie. I over all liked the cast and was very happy and sad to say this movie is nothing like I thought it would be. Their are a lot of haters and lovers for this movie. and I don't know which one I am. I like a lot of it and dislike a lot of it too. Over all I like the people and the story.I thought that at points it was very well done.I liked Jake and they way he handed things. I like how he was to other people and how most of the time he had  a mind and he used it. I  also really liked Ella because she was not like anyone else in the movie and kept everything together and for me that was one way you could tell it was a Si-Fi was by Jake and Ella they had a mind and by the way the acted with each other is one thing you see a lot in great sci-fi movies. And when done right like in this movie it really makes things likable and help moves the story along nicely. I thought that over all it was well done with everyone else to because you really saw people change, you got to see the highs and the lows of this and see how to work with people you so you can get the people you love back.But I do not like  the aliens and the the way at points like felt more like watching a bad horror movie then a sci-fi -western thing. and I think that they way he aliens where was really western. in most sci-fi you see a bad and you get an idea of why they are bad. where in most westerns you just see a bad guy as being bad. a western is more about good and bad where sci-fi is more about life and what really is good and bad. which is why I liked that jake  was  both. it kept everything in check. so in that way the film was good at mixing the two.Well up in till the last battle  in which case it was trying to hard to be to much. to much  of a sci-fi and to much of a western. and let me just say it had me really hating the movie. because some of it was not needed and over all made the film look trashy.   And I did not always like the endless need to be bloodily and gross and there was an endless killing. that to me was just out and out weird. Also  the ending of the movie was not what I saw coming. really most of the movie was not what I saw coming. and I say if you want to see it see its not really a wast of time. But believe me when I say that is  almost R on  last battle.

PG-13
Stars: * * * 3.4

Book: Wounderstruck

This is a book that I read because of a book club and well it might not live up to  the Invention of Hugo Cabret , it still delivers the same "Wounder" ( :] ) of Hugo Cabret. But this time Brian Selznick goes even further with his new way of writing and style  by making one of his two main characters story tolled through words the other through pictures. Which I  think it is a great novel very compelling story that makes you want to read it all in one day. Very well written, the crafters are great and again so far in both of his books Selznick has made a single image (that are shown in both books) defines the story and it is something that I have not seen before in books. This book is for you should read trust me i think Hugo is better but just by a little. also the level of detail and research that his does for these books if amazing. The way the story comes together like in Hugo is also a delight to read.  i am vary interested to see what other authors might do with this new way of writing a book and I hope Brian will do more books- hopefully in this style again. (but this kind of book takes  a long time to write so fans we have to wait a while till the next book.)

( Tweens/12 and up)

* * * * 4.5

Book:The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Well a couple of years ago a friend gave me a signed copy of this book i started it but never finished it until the book club at my library had picked the book for that months read.Now on to the book, Brian Selznick created a vary odd and new way of telling his great story the tons of pictures and words, also he splits the book in to two parts.  the first of witch has to reading non stop till you get the answer to the question ask the role first half then when you get the answer you will then have to read the second half to understand it it and trust me you like it. the writing is vary well done the pictures are AMAZING, but it's one of the only books i know to have Rights at the end do to having Photos form old silent movies. do yourself a favor and read this book. the story is fantastic and evolves so well that you will fall in love with it. and when your done reading this you should go read his other book Wonder Struck which i will be posting a review of shortly.

(Tween/YA)
Stars: * * * * 4.9

Book: 39 Clues:In To The Into the Gauntlet (#10)

 This book started off great but end poorly. I love these books.  so they are no Harry Potter but they are great fun reads for teens. it is great because guys and girls can read them. so my Brother and I were not happy to hear this was the last one.  this book was great but the end SUCKED! it left  me feeling  like a black hole of nothing. it told killed the book for me.I mean they had they really cool place the test. Isabelle. But they did not have the big Thin Man tell all that they should have. the end was to life sized for a lager than life book like this.and they did not even have they family really come together. they the how Dan with the 39 Clues thing was silly. so for fans of the books a must read. and if you have not read the books you must.  but do not get your hopes up for the ending the world has ever seen.

( YA- 12 and up)

STARS: * * *  2 for the ending. 5 for every thing else.3 over all.

Book: Star Wars:Wild Space

Okay ,Okay I know what you are thinking " Why is DaydreamerN's  doing a review of this?" Well here is why, DaydreamerN has a  brother ( that would be me DaydreamerC). So when I read this book I thought I would review it.
It is really good. I love Si-Fi.  And this book is pretty good.  I like how funny this book is. But there was some parts I could not Like. Like how they went on and on.But this is only  a book for fans of the TV show  I  think that is was nice to read because Star wars is one of the best Si-Fi movie and books out there. They are full of story. So I say this is a great book for fans of the TV show. And for fans of the movies try the TV show( and I mean watch more then just  few sec of it). and fans of Si-fi try the  Star wars movies.  really they are much better then you might think!
(YA-13 and up)
STARS: * * * * 4

Reviewed By DaydreamerC