Book Reviews by Ehlen Administration

The Quest for Hope by A.S. King My rating: 4 of 5 stars Aliatta has been raised a princess, but has never quite been able to pinpoint why she has such terrible dreams. She is always fighting terrible monsters she can’t defeat herself, but is defended by beautiful, shining creatures. Unbeknownst to her, Aliatta has been selected by the High King for an impossible quest, and her dreams are just the beginning. The Quest for Hope is book one in a new young adult Christian Fiction series, Invisible Battles. The story begins with obvious Biblical imagery of the Garden of Eden, but the book itself definitely has it’s own story that alludes to the allegorical nature of Narnia and Middle Earth without copying it completely. Full disclosure, waaay back in the day when blogging was not the industry it is now, I had a Xanga blog (true story) called “Chri-Fi Commentary” where I reviewed Christian Fiction - the good, the terrible and the plain uncalled for. I’m happy to say that while this ...

Brink of Dawn by Jeff Altabef My rating: 4 of 5 stars Juliet and Troy are on the run, following the path of Juliet’s destiny, laid out by her grandfather, Sicheii. Together they meet up with the other Chosen to begin their training. Juliet is discovering her new powers at an alarming pace, which leaves her wondering how much human is left in her anyway? Will she lose her identity completely? And what about the Deltites, is she really powerful enough to defeat them before they turn humanity into a cosmic pawn? Book 2 in the Chosen series follows up with newly discovered hybrid Juliet as she struggles to carry out her destiny. I thought it was well written and insightful, exploring teenage insecurities a little too accurately in some cases. Pulling in the group dynamic was a little clunky at the beginning, particularly for a novel written largely in the first person, but I really enjoyed their interactions. Incidentally, I don’t think you will miss much if you accidentally start w...

Zombie Attack! Rise of the Horde by Devan Sagliani My rating: 5 of 5 stars Xander is determined to make it to the base where his brother Moto is stationed. It’s his only hope of survival against the zombie horde, which has overwhelmed his current base. Together with his 12 year old charge, Benji, he must navigate cannibals, cults, neo-Nazis, and biker gangs to get to relative safety. Oh, also zombies, there is the minor issue of zombies. Rise of the Horde is a well told zombie apocalypse introduction that feels like it really is being told from 16 year old Xander’s perspective. He is good at narrating from a perspective that feels like more of a regular citizen’s feel for how a zombie apocalypse would look and begin. I also really appreciated how it wasn’t all blood and guts and gore, but really explored how various human subgroups might react and survive in a such a situation. Some would turn to religion, some would simply refuse to believe their own eyes (and get subsequently ...

Forests of the Fae: Devlin's Door by K. Kibbee My rating: 5 of 5 stars Anne isn’t pleased about having to spend the summer at her aunt and uncle’s house with her insufferable cousin. But when she gets to poke around a town whose residents mysteriously disappeared almost 100 years ago, and discovers a journal written by 13 year old Grace, she may open a portal that was best left closed. Can she and Grace protect each other and escape the malicious Fae? In an age where everyone equates fairies with cute little sprites no more mischievous than Tinkerbell, I really appreciated a story that recreates the true malevolence of the Fae. The writing was descriptive and sucked you into the story, and while I can’t say I was totally stunned by the ending I was pleasantly surprised that the author was not afraid to take risks with the characters. Now I’m left wondering if the story stands alone and should not be tampered with, or if I want to see a series! Giveaway! There is a givea...

Jamyria: The Entering by Madeline Meekins My rating: 4 of 5 stars Margo is tired of the stares, the silence, the awkwardness. She can’t change the past and she can’t change how teenagers act. But she never thought that stomping away from an awkward teenage encounter would land her falling through a globe into another world that she might be called to save. Jamyria: The Entering is a riveting fantasy tale of a teenage girl who begins down the path of destiny. It is very well written, interspersing Margo’s life in the fantasy world Jamyria with flashbacks of her history that colors her actions in Jamyria. I really enjoyed this first installment of the story, and can’t wait to see how Margo’s story plays out. She is a realistic yet fascinating character, and I love the intertwining of the “real” world and fantasy - kind of a Narnia nod. I’m looking forward to the next book! View all my reviews Please note, while there may be affiliate links or payment for reviews, all opinion...

Cloud Red by Daisy White My rating: 4 of 5 stars Red was born after the floods, but can’t shake the feeling that her father was recently murdered because he knew something about them. She won’t rest until she finds out who killed her father and why, but she might uncover some rather damaging, even deadly, political information the process. Can she find out what she needs to know without risking her life or her friends? And why does the sky have those pink streaks running through it? Cloud Red is an engaging young adult novel about a rebellious teenager who is determined to track down her father’s killer. It is set in a post-apocalyptic portion of England, where there has been a Noahesque flood, and only a small portion of Great Britain had water that receded enough for survival, although now that too is threatened. The brave new world has to survive in not so pleasant conditions, but teenagers are still teenagers. The setting is interesting and the characters are written honestl...

Shape Shifters of the Suburbs - The Boy From The Temple of Heaven by Luke Loaghan My rating: 4 of 5 stars Mary Johnson has always wanted a child, and finally is able to adopt a 5 year old Chinese boy, one year before she ages out of the program. The adoption agency told her he was “different,” but she didn’t realize how different until she finally saw him change into an animal in his sleep. Breccan is a shape shifter, and it turns out a very powerful one at that. Unbelievably, in their sleepy Long Island suburb, more shape shifters emerge, and must band together to fight the evil presence that has been growing there for the past 30 years. This book is written simply and is a little redundant in some places, but is a great read for tweens. Everyone wants to have a super power, and Breccan goes on a journey of discovery about his and learns to both work with and protect his friends, even those with similar powers. As he ends his tenure in middle school, however, new alliances are ...

Spartanica by Powers Molinar My rating: 4 of 5 stars A young adult novel full of fantasy, Spartanica is the first in a series that follows brothers Ty and Marcus as they find themselves transported from their average suburban Chicago home to another dimension. While there they discover a decimated world that may offer clues to some parts of their past and help rescue a group of children attempting to escape captors, with the help of some of the local creatures. Spartanica is a great read, even for adults, and I think it provides an intriguing series to hook readers during middle school. There is a lot of fantasy, including super powers, an arrival to an apocalyptic landscape to navigate, anthropomorphic creatures, a hostile takeover and fantastic technology. Tweens will easily be able to put themselves in the position of Ty or Marcus, and I think that they will clamor for more in the series. Author Powers Molinar provides clear, concise writing that is quite engaging without fal...

Heist School Freshmen by Alan Gallauresi My rating: 4 of 5 stars I have a teenage brother, and Heist School Freshmen sounds like it was written by him. This is a good thing, in this case, as the story is about teenage boys who band together, led by their intrepid leader Angelo Bastillo - who now goes by Angel because it just sounds way cooler - to attempt a treasure hunt of epic proportions in their very average high school. It also meant I understood a lot of the lingo and text speak, which is very encouraging for an otherwise uncool older sister like me. I really enjoyed the story, and I think the series has potential. The character development was detailed and largely accurate for modern teenagers. I am also a big fan of anything that gets boys to read, and I really think that this story would be great particularly for middle schoolers. It has suspense, teenage “romance,” a lot of comic interludes and even a little SAT prep thrown in, all narrated by Angelo. I would recommend...