Animorphs – Book 7: The Stranger – By K. A. Applegate

This will either be the last book in the series for a while or the last one strictly in order……I haven’t decided which. You see, I don’t own #8 and the library doesn’t have any of the other books beyond #6 (and that was a three month wait). So I can either wait until I happen to find the next book while book hunting or I can skip it.

thestrangerTitle: The Stranger
Series: Animorphs; Book 7
Author: K. A. Applegate
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: CU, Modern, Aliens
Synopsis: Okay. Rachel and the other Animorphs have finally found the new entrance to the Yeerk pool. They’ve even figured out a way to sneak in. The infamous roach morph. But they didn’t count on roaches being a Taxxon delicacy. This time escape doesn’t look so good. And then everything stops. Everything. The feasting Taxxon, the human-Controllers, the Hork-Bajir. Time. Now Rachel, Cassie, Marco, Jake, Tobias, and Ax are in for their wildest trip ever. They’re going to get the chance to decide whether they want to stay on Earth and fight the Yeerks. Or go to another planet. And the guy giving them the choice says he can save them. Now all they have to do is make the choice…
Recommendation: Highly recommend this series.

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Animorphs – Book 7: The Stranger – By K. A. Applegate

Animorphs – Book 6: The Capture – By K. A. Applegate

Hi Jared,

This is one of only a dozen or two that I’m missing from my shelf so I naturally turned to the public library. Two months later it finally shows up and I’m done it in 2-3 hours. A more disturbing discovery is that the library doesn’t have any books later than this one…..so if my readthrough is to continue I’ll need to buy the ones I’m missing. The question is do I pay $4 each and get them as I need them or do I just wait (and pray) for them to show up at my usual hunting spot for a buck?

thecapture.jpgTitle: The Capture
Series: Animorphs; Book 6
Author: K. A. Applegate
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: CU, Modern, Aliens
Synopsis: It was really bad when Jake found out his older brother was one of them. It was even worse when Tobias stayed in his morph too long. But nothing compares to the horror the Animorphs are about to face. Nothing. Jake and the other Animorphs have a feeling they know where the Yeerks’ new base is located. And they’ve found out how to get in – how many people will really notice a few flies on the wall? But they never figured that they might get caught. Or that Jake could fall into the Yeerk pool. That Jake could become a human-Controller. A Yeerk. The enemy.
Recommendation: Highly recommend this series.

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Animorphs – Book 6: The Capture – By K. A. Applegate

Adventurers Wanted – Book 1: Slathbog’s Gold – By M. L. Forman

Hey Jared,

Finally going back to this awesome series which I’d found and read right before we started the blog. In fact it was one of the reasons I wanted to start it because I kept telling you about it and you just sort of went “meh.”

slathbogsgold.jpgTitle: Slathbog’s Gold
Series: Adventurers Wanted; Book 1
Author: M. L. Forman
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: EU/AU, Medieval, Higher Magic, Dragons
Synopsis: Upon entering Mr. Clutter’s shop, Alex is swept away on an incredible adventure to a faraway land filled with heroic warriors, mysterious elves, and hard-working dwarves. Alex becomes the eigth man in a band of adventurers seeking the lair of Slathbog the Red – and evil dragon with a legendary treasure. Along the way, Alex and his new friends must battle dangerous trolls and bandits, face undead wraiths, and seek the wisdom of the Oracle in her White Tower. Alex’s adventure takes him to distant and exotic lands where he learns about courage, integrity, honor, and, most importantly, friendship.
Recommendation: Highly recommend this series. Great for younger and older readers alike.

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Adventurers Wanted – Book 1: Slathbog’s Gold – By M. L. Forman

Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles – By Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black – Complete Series Review

Hey Jared,

As promised, this is a bit late in getting posted but I still got it out today. I decided to make this a series review and just include what I’d said of the first book.

Series: Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles
Author: Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: EU, Modern/Contemporary, Magical Creatures, Faeries, Giants, Nixies
Synopsis: Eleven-year-old Nicholas Vargas only thinks his life has been turned upside down after his developer father remarries and moves his new wife and daughter into the soon-to-be completed Mangrove Hollow. But an “expedition” to a nearby lake turns up a little nixie with a giant problem – the huge, lumbering, fire-breathing variety – and it’s up to Nick; his stepsister, Laurie; and his big brother, Julian (plus a familiar face from the original Spiderwick Chronicles) to figure out the best way to stop a host of rampaging giants before all of Florida goes up in smoke.
Recommendation: This book is recommended for younger readers.

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Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles – By Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black – Complete Series Review

The Spiderwick Chronicles – By Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black – Complete Series Review

Howdy Jared,

This was supposed to be published on Monday, but I forgot to schedule it. It’s almost the end of the month so I’m sprinting to the end.

I’ve got the first two books on my shelf  (Bookshelf Blitz) but since they’re so short I figured I should probably just review the whole series at once instead of piecing them out. Also expect a review of the movie soon-ish.

Series: The Spiderwick Chronicles
Author: Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: EU, Faeries, Dragons,
Synopsis: The Field Guide sets up the story of the Grace children—13-year-old Mallory and 9-year-old twins Jared and Simon—who with their mother move into the dilapidated Spiderwick Estate only to quickly find themselves sucked into a dark and fascinating world of faeries.
Recommendation: This book is recommended. Suitable for nearly all ages.

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The Spiderwick Chronicles – By Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black – Complete Series Review

Animorphs – Book 5: The Predator – By K. A. Applegate

Greetings Jared,

I forgot how iconic most of the first few books in the series are. So many things happen, but I suppose it would need to given how short they are.

thepredatorTitle: The Predator
Series: Animorphs; Book 5
Author: K. A. Applegate
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: CU, Modern, Aliens
Synopsis: Marco never wanted to be an Animorph. He never wanted the ability to change into any animal he touches. He just wants to chill. Whatever happens, happens.
Recommendation: Highly recommend this series.

SPOILER WARNING: This review assumes you’ve read up-to book 4.

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Animorphs – Book 5: The Predator – By K. A. Applegate

Animorphs – Book 4: The Message – By K. A. Applegate

Hello again Jared,

The Bookshelf Blitz has been going pretty well. I’m starting to see how the month is going to shape up. The big thing is staying focused.

themessenger.jpgTitle: The Message
Series: Animorphs; Book 4
Author: K. A. Applegate
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: CU, Modern, Aliens
Synopsis: It all started with the dreams. But Cassie didn’t pay much attention to them. She and her friends had all been having weird dreams since they’d first learned to morph. Maybe it was just some crazy side effect.
Recommendation: Highly recommend this series.

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Animorphs – Book 4: The Message – By K. A. Applegate

Thad Damous and the Intergalactic Conspiracy – By Luke Samson

Hi Jared,

I won this in a Goodreads giveaway a couple of months ago and it’s been sitting on my shelf every since. So it was perfect for my Bookshelf Blitz.

thaddammousTitle: Thad Damous and the Intergalactic Conspiracy
Series: Thad Damous; Book 1
Author: Luke Samson
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: CU, Instantaneous Travel, Aliens?
Synopsis: Have you ever wanted to spend your summer on an exciting adventure? Well, Thad Damous has and when he gets to his grandparents’ home, he finds an adventure that one can only dream about. Thad meets up with a hermit who lives in one of the caves in Coal Mountain behind his grandparents’ home. The hermit offers an adventure of a lifetime in another world called, M-Core. Thad ends up getting more than he bargained for, and meets a young girl his age. Together they seek to clear the hermit’s name while finding out who really is behind a strange conspiracy that involves transport tubes, spaceships, and a greedy man. Find out if Thad and Tera are able to solve the mystery and help save a man from jail – or worse.
Recommendation: I wouldn’t recommend this book.

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Thad Damous and the Intergalactic Conspiracy – By Luke Samson

DNF – The Roar by Emma Clayton

DNFtheroar

I’ve tried to start reading this twice but I could not manage to get very far. The premise is painfully hard to get past. Because of some plague spread by all animals (suspect on its own) they literally built a wall cross the northern part of the planet to hide behind…..across continents, mountain ranges and two oceans……Ya, that’s more than unlikely it’s impossible, let alone doing it while under siege from plague ridden animals and the civil unrest that would cause.

Next is the characters. We get an OP girl with superpowers and a pet monkey who escapes a space station and blindly tries to run home. Her brother who can feel what she feels. And the Bad Guy who is instantly shallow.

There’s nothing to keep me going in this book. So why fight it?

Robert

DNF – The Roar by Emma Clayton

Seventh Tower – Book 6: The Violet Keystone – By Garth Nix

Hey Jared,

I’m finally finished! If I attempt anything like this again, I think I’m going to try and finish it quicker. A big series, like Animorphs, can be done slower but for 6 books this too a little too long.

violetkeystoneTitle: The Violet Keystone
Series: Seventh Tower; Book 6
Author: Garth Nix
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: UU/EU, Stone Age/Medieval, Magic
Synopsis: Tal and Milla are only one step away from death. Evil is only one step away from triumph. An old war is made new again. The ultimate power is up for grabs.
As shadows rage, ancient spells return, illusion reigns and corruption threatens. The search for hope is the bravest quest. The Seventh Tower is the key to it all.

Recommendation: A great short novel for an early reader. I wish this was around when I was in second grade.

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Seventh Tower – Book 6: The Violet Keystone – By Garth Nix