Writing!

So, I've written quite a lot in the last few months. I'm planning to start publishing my heart series in October 2019! I'm nervous and excited about the undertaking!

Just wanted to share the... nerve wracking excitement!

The Infernal Devices Book 2, Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

The Infernal Devices Book 2, Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare is an interesting Story. Somehow when I checked it out from my library, I didn't realize it was the second in a series. I think it would be even more interesting had I read Clockwork Angel! There are some references to it. I might go back and read it so I can better understand those, but right now my TO READ stack is pretty good relative to my time available for reading! So, we'll see.

I did like this book. There were not nearly so many inappropriate subject and scenes in this as in the other Clare book I read: The Dark Artifices, Lady Midnight. You can read my review of that book HERE. I was hoping to continue reading the Dark Artifices series because it is very interesting even though I wouldn't let my girls read it yet. However, my library seems not to have them, so I chose Clockwork Prince.

Although this book is significantly less troubling than the other, I have not given my girls permission to read it because there are more mature subjects and issues broached. And I believe it is my right and duty to shelter my children. One way I do this is to guide them in their reading choices so that they are not exposed to scenes that are troubling or overly sensitive or sexual in nature. Not because they don't know about the things presented therein, but because the presentation of information I have almost always exposed them to is significantly different when read from the point of view of a character. Therefore, I guide them to read fiction that is more suited to their age, maturity, and temperaments.

I did like this story and the next in this series is in my TO READ pile as I write this.

Have you read any of the books in the series: The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare? How about Clockwork Prince? What did you think of any/all of them?

Alis by Naomi Rich, a book review

Alis by Naomi Rich is an interesting book. I'm definitely not giving permission to any of my children to read this book until they are significantly older. I do and have spoken with them about most, if not all of, the situations presented in this book, but reading about it from a character's perspective is a significantly heavier thing than having a very removed conversation with one's mother about the same.

Alis is told she must marry a man who could easily be her father, by age. She is horrified by this direction and seeks a way to escape this outcome. This story is the result of her choices. It is really interesting and quite a good story. I do like it and do recommend it to readers who are either much older teens or very mature. I consider my eldest daughter mature… even very mature, yet I will have her wait to read a book like this. Just as so you know.

One reason for my decision is the presentation of an near rape scene. Also, the idea of running away as a resolution to problems is tremendously problematic to me as a Mama of 4 daughters. I would rather not encourage such thinking!

I found the resolution of the story interesting and satisfying.

Have you read Alis by Naomi Rich? What did you think of it?

Beyonders, A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull, a book review

Beyoners, A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull is a good youth fantasy. My eldest two daughters were 10 and 13 when they read and loved it. They super highly recommend it! I liked it, but wasn't as head over heels in love with it as they were as quickly as they were. It took me a little longer to really enjoy it. I definitely do recommend it for younger readers. Guys would probably love it as well as my girls because it is action packed.

The main character is a guy, Jason. He is joined by a girl, Rachel, but it really is more his story than hers. And he does go through some good changes, wherein he improves and grows.

By the end of this first book in the series, something unexpected happens which is a really great cliff hanger. I'm totally curious how the characters and author are going to bring things back around with the way the first book ended!!

I enjoyed the variety of experiences and characters in this book and look forward to getting to know the characters better and see how resolution of the problems presented come about.

Have you read Beyonders, A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull? What did you think of it?

The Dark Artifices, Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare, a book review

The Dark Artifices, Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare is an interesting book. I did like a lot about it, but only recommend it with many reservations.

First, sex is represented in such a way as to suggest most, if not all, of the characters have loose morals where it is concerned, and low regard for the sanctity of it. This along is troubling enough for me to set this one in a pile of books my girls will not be allowed to read until much older. Because of other subjects and the manner in which they are handled, it is a story I will not really encourage my children to read. Any topics covered in a good way aren't worth the problems.

Another problem is the representation of sexuality… although I recognize that bisexuality and homosexuality are becoming more socially acceptable and are often visible, I find it troubling to find it represented as completely acceptable in youth literature. I know I'm on a very unpopular side of this subject.

There are a couple homosexual couples and one of the more major characters is bisexual.

Also, for many fundamentalist Christians (and some others), the amount of and representation of magic would be problematic. This is a lesser issue in my mind, honestly. Definitely something to be aware of, though!

So, the romance part of the story… basically, this girl and this guy are linked magically and forbidden by law to fall in love. They do anyway and are planning to just hide their relationship. But then the girl finds out why the law forbids it and takes matters into her own hands.

The rest of the story is all about how these two figure out who is behind a series of murders, including the girl's parents, and stopping the murderer from fulfilling an evil plan.

It is an interesting premise and story. I did like it. I do not think it is appropriately shelved in the area for teens and YA, though. I guess I'm a bit more conservative than many these days.

Have you read The Dark Artifices, Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare? What did you think of it?

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill, a book review

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill is a good one. My two eldest daughters enjoyed it thoroughly as well. Definitely appropriate for readers from 10 (possibly younger if they read and comprehend well) and up.

Basically, this story is about a witch who saves babies because of a city that believes they must sacrifice them in order to stay safe as a result of lies they've been told by another powerful person who desires to maintain power. Normally, she saves them and feeds them magically as she brings them to their new home. Inadvertently, though, she feeds the main character with the light of the moon instead of the stars and the result is a magical little girl that the witch decides to raise since she, herself, knows that it's like to be magical and can teach the girl how to use the power she has. I want to share more, but it would be a bit of a spoiler to do so as far as the premise is concerned.

I appreciate how the main character is basically kept from self-knowledge until she's a teen and then begins to learn in a very fast and uncomfortable way who she really is. All set in a fantastic sort of reality with magic and dragons and other fantastic sorts of things.

This was an enjoyable read for me as well as my daughters. I do highly recommend it for any reader. Very good conversation starters herein as well.

Have you read The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill? What did you think?

Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass, a book review

Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass is not what I was expecting. I thought I'd checked out the story about the daughter of the couple who got together in The One, but it is not.  If you'd like to read my book reviews of that series, you can find them here, HERE, and here.

This is a compilation of stories from the perspective of others who were not really a focal point in the main series. Once I realized what it was (and wasn't), I really enjoyed it for what it was. Definitely interesting to see some of the same things from different characters' perspectives!

I particularly enjoyed knowing more about the thoughts, feelings, and interactions of those lesser characters represented in these short stories.

I do recommend this book, but really only for older teens and adults... and probably ladies.  I mean, if a guy likes romance, then he'll love this too!

Have you read Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass? What did you think of it?

Lyonesse, Dark Solstice by Sam Llewelllyn, a book review

Lyonesse, Dark Solstice by Sam Llewellyn is the continuation and conclusion of Idris Limpet's story, which is also loosely based on the King Arthur legend. In this book Idris gathers his knights of the table round. It's interesting to see a way that this iconic table may have come to be among the Arthurian knights.

Idris travels with his companions, his knights, to find and rescue his sister Morgan and bring her back to prove to other kings that they should help him reclaim his throne. He accomplishes his goal. His reclamation isn't quite what he had in mind, though. Saying more would really give away too much. It's a good enough story that you really should just read it yourself!

So, obviously, I recommend this book. My two eldest daughters read (at least once) it and love it!

Have you read Lyonesse, Dark Solstice by Sam Llewellyn? What did you think of it?

Lyonesse, Well Between The Worlds by Sam Llewellyn, a book review

Lyonesse, Well Between The Worlds by Sam Llewellyn is not what you may go in expecting if you knew this is loosely based on the King Arthur story. In fact, though, it is!

Idris Limpet is just a poor boy from a poor family in a city near the shore. He has grown up the son of a fisherwoman and a soldier. Nothing spectacular. Until you realize he has a pet seagull. And then you learn that he can see what the gull can see. Cool, right?

But completely unacceptable, in general, in his culture. Thankfully, right before he was killed for being different, he was saved and rushed away from everything and everyone he knew to begin a new life among complete strangers and learn new skills… to become a monstergroom.

Monsters are the fuel of the day and monstergrooms tend the monsters which move the gears of this world's machines. That's just the way it is.

Idris learns to question the way things are and begins to imagine a better way.

Thankfully, by nature of his true parentage, he may just be in a position to do something about it!

I enjoyed and recommend Lyonesse, Well Between the Worlds. It caught my attention and held it, even though at times it felt very much like I was in a dream world while reading. I enjoyed it. My two eldest daughters really love it, too. My second daughter said she liked it as much as another series that has been her favorite for a while now.

Have you read Lyonesse, Well Between the Worlds by Sam Llewellyn? What did you think of it?

Thrice Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris, a book review

Thrice Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris… Edric, how we love to laugh at your silly sayings! And Marigold… stop it with the elephant jokes! Please! Seriously, though, we love Thrice Upon a Marigold as much as Once Upon a Marigold and wish our library had the middle book in this series!  (I haven't read or reviewed that one because our library doesn't have it yet and I don't have a budget for buying fluff as yet.)  You can read my review of Once Upon a Marigold HERE.

Marigold has a baby. Baby is stolen. Mama and Daddy and some new characters team up to retrieve baby. This is the story!

It's a good one. My two eldest daughters and I thoroughly enjoyed it and I highly recommend it. If you can, I'm sure reading the one that comes right before it would also be totally enjoyable based on our enjoyment of first and third. I'll make sure to share once I'm able to read it myself!

Have you read Thrice Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris? What did you think about it?

The Thirteenth Reality, The Void of Mist and Thunder by James Dashner, a book review

The Thirteenth Reality, The Void of Mist and Thunder by James Dashner is the final book the Tick's saga, to the best of my knowledge (though no the end of his story).

Tick must escape the nowhere land he has found himself in with Mistress Jane and Chu. It's really up to him. They can't get themselves out.

He manages it somehow. In the doing, though, a part of the fourth dimension squeaks into their own multiverse and begins to wreak havoc. Again, though there are many forces working to assist, it falls to Tick to fix everything. He sorta manages to…

I do recommend this book and series for middle grade readers. Since the main character is a guy, young guys may especially enjoy it. My daughters love it and they are the reason I read the whole series even though it was a bit of a chore to push through each day. It's got lots of fodder for conversation with my daughters, so definitely not wasted time!

Have you read The Thirteenth Reality, The Void of Mist and Thunder by James Dashner? What did you think of it?

The Thirteenth Reality, The Blade of Shattered Hope by James Dashner, a book review

The Thirteenth Reality, The Blade of Shattered Hope by James Dashner is the third book in the saga of Tick and his friends striving to save the world from the evil geniuses in the realities. This series rests on the premise that there are many realities, with 13 of them being prime. Each reality has some of the same people, but not all do the same things. One's alterant might be very tall or very fat, depending on which reality s/he was from..

In this step in Tick's journey as a realitant, he is pitted against Mistress Jane who has pretty much completely lost all her sense. She's batty as a result of her interactions and experiences with Tick in the first book. She has set out to fulfill her goal of a utopia for all the realities… by doing evil. What's a little sacrifice of 6 billion lives if it saves more than 18 billion? This is how she thinks.

My daughters love this series. I read it because they wanted me to read it. It is good. It definitely did not have me in thrall. I had to push myself to finish it, quite frankly. I'm glad I did because I'm able to talk to my daughters about it. There are lots of great conversation starters, both of the fluff kind as well as many of deeper nature. I think this series is solidly written for middle grade readers. Boys in that age group, often considered the most difficult to hook on books, would probably love it! I definitely recommend it for those age readers.

Have you read The Thirteenth Reality, The Blade of Shattered Hope by James Dashner? What did you think of it?

The Thirteenth Reality, The Hunt For Dark Infinity by James Dashner, a book review

The Thirteenth Reality, The Hunt for Dark Infinity, by James Dashner, is the second book in Tick's saga. I shared my thoughts about the beginning of Tick's adventures HERE, so if you're trying to decide if this series is a go, make sure to check there first!

In this book, Tick continues to grow in new power through the tests Chu puts him through, unbeknownst to him.

Mistress Jane, in this book, seems to be turning over a new leaf. No longer the evil villain, she is trying to behave differently and be kinder, it seems.

She eventually learns that she is meant to do something that would have been easy for her to do in the first book, but she questions whether she should do it at all in this one. By the end, she makes her decision.

Tick and his friends move through various devious tests orchestrated by Chu, who is really just trying to find someone to help him rule the multiverse. He is an evil genius and Tick is determined to foil his plans and bring only actual good (not the twisted power-hungry version Chu has in mind) to the multiverse.

I had a tough time pushing through this book, to tell ya the truth. I did it, and will read the rest of the series, because my daughters want me to. It's good. But definitely didn't have me on the edge of my seat by any means. I definitely recommend it for middle grade readers, perhaps especially boys (though my daughters love it).

Have you read The Thirteenth Reality, the Hunt for Dark Infinity, by James Dashner? What did you think of it?

Treasure of Khan, a Dirk Pitt Novel by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler, a book review

Treasure of Khan by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler is another of the stack of books we received from a coworker of my husband's. It is an action packed story which ties a possible event in history to a fictional series of events set in the present day.

History made pertinent to hair raising modern day events is an interesting theme that seems to be common in Cussler's stories. I like it. The descriptions of guns and detail about fight scenes (when they get bloody), not so much. He definitely writes for a male audience!

This story involves the children of the main character, which I found a really interesting plot twist. Especially because the main character, Dirk Pitt, didn't know about them until they were basically adults and their mother was dead (which we learn in this book).

Action and mystery weave together throughout this story. It's interesting how Cussler alludes to some things and allows others to be complete surprises.

I did like this novel. It is definitely for an adult audience, primarily because of the nature of the action scene as well as some of the interactions between characters. My children will not read it any time soon, though I'm sure my eldest would enjoy it because she loves mysteries and actions packed scenes.

Have you read Treasure of Khan by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler? What did you think of it?

The Skeleton Coast a Novel of the Oregon Files by Clive Cussler and Jack DuBrul, a book review

Skeleton Coast by Clive Cussler and Jack DuBrul is another of the books given to us by one of my husband's coworkers. I guess either they really liked Clive Cussler or they were given lots of his books and passed them along.

Another book whose intended audience is probably guys… or seriously action loving ladies. It started with a bit more action than some, but still took a while for me to get into. The descriptions of guns, boats, and fight scenes are the main reasons I consider this more a guys sort of read.

It was interesting once I got into it. This is another example of a past incident tying into the modern events with which the novel predominantly deals. I do definitely like this aspect of Cussler's novels. It's maybe even a little fun to try to figure out how the historic event will tie into the modern ones.

This story seemed to have more gross parts than the others I've reviewed heretofore. I did not like that part of it at all and sorta skimmed through some parts of that nature. I prefer less description of blood and guts sorts of things. But I know guys often find that really interesting and even enjoyable… another reason I think this book's audience is intended to be fellas.

My children will not read this one. It is for adults because of the things I've listed above.

Have you read Skeleton Coast by Clive Cussler? What did you think of it?

The 13th Reality, the Journal of Curious Letters by James Dashner, a book review

The 13^th Reality, the Journal of Curious Letters by James Dashner is the beginning of an interesting science fiction series. In it, we learn some real scientific terms that, perhaps, some are not familiar with pertaining to quantum physics. My eldest daughter, at 12, knows that I am fascinated by all things QP and recommended this book to me. I did enjoy it, but not as much as I expected based on her report. For me, the story was not very compelling until near the end. It took me a few days to read it. I do look forward to the next book in the series because of the end of this on.

In this story, Atticus Higginbottom becomes involved with attempting to solve a series of clues. At first, he tries to do it alone. Eventually, that changes. I do like that Tick chooses to trust and involve an important adult in his life. I also really like the realities premise of the story. I think most middle age readers would really enjoy it, as did my twelve year old. I would be happy to allow any of my children to read it.

Have you read The 13^th Reality, the Journal of Curious Letters by James Dashner? What did you think of it?

The Appeal by John Grisham, a book review

The Appeal by John Grisham is a book I may never have chosen to buy or borrow. Since it was given to us in a pile of other assorted books and one of my daughters wanted to read it, I took it up. The verbiage is reasonable for a lay-person, especially considering this story is all about legal matters. Grisham did a good job making the subject of litigation more interesting than most people (including me) might consider it.

Jeannette Baker's case is a representative case for a county which became known as Cancer County after illegal dumping by an unethical corporation. Her representation has sacrificed everything to bring her justice. The corporation's lawyers feel completely confident that the jury will side with them. The jury's decision is a surprise. The case is brought to the state's Supreme Court.

The main action and tension of the story is what leads up to the ruling of the appeal and the impacts that fall upon those whose lives were most invested in the case.

I disliked that I felt like the author was leading to a particular conclusion, but then switched at the last minute. As a reader, bait and switch isn't my favorite writing technique, for sure. I do like that Grisham presented a deep and abiding truth in the last line of the novel. One that, if we are wise, we will take to heart by way of stories like this or others' lives.

This book is not good material for younger readers. My daughters will not read it until they are significantly older. Perhaps 16, at the youngest.

Have you read The Appeal by John Grisham? What did you think of it?

The Navigator by Clive Cussler and Paul Kemprecos, a book review

The Navigator by Clive Cussler and Paul Kemprecos was among the books in a trove my husband was given. We love books around here, so we were all excited to go through the score. My second daughter found The Navigator and wanted to read it. There are some adult books I will let my children read, but not most of them. So, I told her I would check it out and let her know.

She will not be reading it until she is much older. There are enough adult scenes and situations to give this Mama pause. However, it is a good story and the adult scenes are tastefully done. Therefore, I can recommend it to those who enjoy adventure.

I think this may be my first step into adult adventure reading. It took a long time for me to get into this book. I felt like it would be much more interesting to most guys and any gals who enjoy stories that involve good descriptions of boats, cars, guns, and a few fight scenes. They were good as far as that goes, for the most part, I just tend to choose other genres before adventure.

This book is one in a series (though not necessarily a read 1 to whatever number sort of series) that involves Kurt Austin and a few other characters that work together regularly to figure stuff out and have adventures together. In this particular episode of their adventures, Kurt saves a woman in distress (a couple times), figures out a mystery, and ends up relaxing where we found him at his boat house.

Part of what I disliked about this book is how very polarized the characters are. The good guys are good at everything and all knowledgeable, while the bad guys are hellhounds, basically. Not terribly real-to life. Another thing I dislikes is how very unreal to most lives Kurt Austin's experience is. I'm sure lots of people read and loved the book because of who the main author is, but I wonder if they would read it if a lesser-known author's name was on the cover in Cussler's place.

Have you read The Navigator by Clive Cussler and Paul Kemprecos? What did you think of it?

The Rainy Season by James P. Blaylock, a book review

The Rainy Season by James P. Blaylock is an interesting story with a really interesting premise. Could stones, glass, or other small items hold memories? What about a soul? Blaylock presents almost this sort of situation as not only a possibility, but a reality in a really interesting story that spans generations and includes time travel!

Phil Ainsworth is the main character and his home is almost a character in the story, right along with the weather and the surrounding land. It's interesting that water is the transportation medium. It's also interesting that the reader isn't sure who has traveled into the future until we again meet the travelers.

The pieces of stuff that hold either a memory or a soul are sort of like a horcrux from Harry Potter, in some ways. The items comes into being by way of the memory or soul. I find this idea fascinating.

I liked the way the author included family history, in a way, because I've become a bit of a geneology lover. It's amazing to find out about our ancestors!

My daughters will read this book when they are significantly older. It is adult reading with some adult scenes. I'm relatively certain they will enjoy it very much. I simply choose to shelter them when it's within my power to do so.

I do recommend this book to any older youth and any adult.

Have you read The Rainy Season by James P. Blaylock? What did you think of it?

On The Run, Chasing The Falconers by Gordon Korman, a book review

On the Run, Chasing the Falconers by Gordon Korman is a good quick read. It's written for youth and mostly appropriate for young mature readers. My ten and twelve year olds read it and enjoyed it very much.

The children who are the main characters are stuck in a home for juvenile delinquents. They have been put their for protection because of the high profile nature of their parents' trial. The brother and sister believe their parents are innocent, but how to prove it? They come to realize they cannot do it from where they are.

Circumstances arise that make it possible for the duo to escape their confinement and the majority of this book is about that process. My daughters and I look forward to reading the continuation of their story because we want to find out if (or how) the brother and sister prove their parents' innocence.

Korman does a good job of hooking the reader, keeping attention through action scenes, while also endearing the characters (and not just the main ones) to the reader.

Have you read On the Run, Chasing the Falconers by Gordon Korman? What did you think of it?

Singing Down the Moon by Scott O'Dell, a book review

Singing Down the Moon by Scott O'Dell, who is also the author of Island of the Blue Dolphins, is a Newberry Honor Book. Because it was initially published before I was born and probably won that honor shortly thereafter, I think the Newberry Honor is more a sign of good books for youth than, perhaps, it is now.

This is book relates an historical fiction about a Navaho Indian girl. She watched her mother's sheep, was taken as a slave, returned home against many odds, endured The Long Walk, and escaped imprisonment to live free on the land with her family. She endures loss and pain along the way, but seems to have an indomitable spirit. I feel like she is a good example of coming into adulthood – not just in an Indian culture.

While I was reading, my eldest daughters asked if I would let them read it. I had only read to the point of first capture and was concerned that there might be inappropriate goings on, so I told them I probably would NOT allow them to read it. Imagine their pleasure and surprise when they learned the next day that I'd altered my decision.

Once given permission, my eldest daughter read the book in a few hours and then the next oldest read it, though taking a little longer. They both enjoyed it a great deal.

We all enjoyed Singing Down the Moon, though none of us could quite figure out what the title has to do with anything. We've discussed it and have no ideas. If you could fill us in, that would be super! I do recommend this story for children from 9 or 10 years old and older. It is a good way to learn a bit about the way Indians were treated in our country's past. Specifically, it is a good illustration of some of the treatment of the Navaho at the time of The Long Walk.

Have you read Singing Down the Moon by Scott O' Dell? What did you think of it?

Michael Vey, Fall of Hades by Richard Paul Evans, a book review

Michael Vey, Fall of Hades by Richard Paul Evans is the sixth installment in the Michael Vey series that started with Prisoner of Cell 25. The seventh (and final?) part of the series will be available Fall 2017. My Mom, daughters, and I feel the same way: it can't come fast enough (at least for the book)!

My review of the first book in this series can be found HERE.

In this installment, Michael Vey and his team of electric youth and nonels are going after the Elgen in a big way… the way that will hurt most: stealing their money. Along the way they are going to attempt to save a fugitive and some prisoners. It's a fast paced, easy read. It is a good bit of fluffy reading with a few deeper thoughts folded in lightly.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint myself, I particularly enjoyed the rib/joke someone made to Welch about being Mormon because he didn't drink alcohol. There were a couple other spots during which I smiled and one during which I laughed (one of the conversations about the youth as they traveled).

My twelve and ten year old daughters are allowed to read this part of Michael Vey's story. They love this series and enjoy it thoroughly. We recommend it highly!

Have you read Michael Vey, Fall of Hades by Richard Paul Evans? What did you think of it?

Michael Vey, Storm of Lightening by Richard Paul Evans, a book review

Michael Vey, Storm of Lightening by Richard Paul Evans is the fifth installment in Vey's saga, which began with Michael Vey, Prisoner of Cell 25.

Most of the electroclan's families end up missing in process of this step in the story. The resistance, headed by The Voice, has been compromised. The Voice has gone into hiding so the electroclan doesn't have definitive leadership. Equally as damaging, the electroclan doesn't have access to the reliable information to which they had grown accustomed.

So the question is, will Michael Vey be able to lead them to resolve the problems facing them and defeat the Elgen? Is that even possible? Or will the world descend into a dictatorship with Hatch as the all powerful emperor?

My daughters and I enjoyed this installment in the series. My girls recommend it heartily for any reader. I still have reservations about young readers indulging in this book and series. However, I think mature children 10 years old and older would be able to understand and enjoy it without nightmares.

Have you read Michael Vey, Storm of Lightening by Richard Paul Evans? What did you think of it?

Michael Vey, Hunt for Jade Dragon by Richard Paul Evans, a book review

Michael Vey, Hunt for Jade Dragon by Richard Paul Evans continues the story begun in Michael Vey, Prisoner of Cell 25. This is the fourth installment of the series, which is forecast to end with the seventh book. (Out this past Fall 2017.)

Michael Vey is an electric human. His genes were messed with, along with a few others his age, when he was a baby. He is the most powerful of all the electric kids. Additionally, he has the widest array of abilities and new ones seem to appear regularly.

In this installment of Michael Vey's story, he and the electroclan (the other electric kids that work with Vey against Hatch and the electric kids who work for Hatch) are set to save a severely autistic child who may have information Hatch, Michael's primary nemesis, wants. Hatch captures the child early, so the electroclan must enter the den of the beast once again.

My girls and I really enjoyed this next step in the Michael Vey saga. My girls recommend it to anyone. I recommend it to any mature 10 year old and older to adult.

Have you read Michael Vey, Hunt for Jade Dragon by Richard Paul Evans? What did you think about it?

Michael Vey, Battle of the Ampere by Richard Paul Evans, a book review

Michael Vey, Battle of the Ampere by Richard Paul Evans continues Michael's story begun in Prisoner of Cell 25 and continued in Rise of the Elgen. In this, the third installment of Vey's story, all of his friends end up awaiting trial for their supposed terrorist activities which resulted as they succeeded in freeing Vey's mom.

Michael is sheltered by natives and hunted by the Elgen who have convinced the Peruvian army that he is a vile terrorist and has done the damage to their electric grid, which resulted in loss of life and electricity to many.

He must free his friends and somehow manage to stop Hatch, who has gained control of the Ampere, the ship that acts as the headquarters for the Elgen.

This book does a good job of keeping the reader in a state of tension, excitedly reading to find out how things are going to turn out for Michael. We were not disappointed. Unless, of course, wishing the story didn't end where it did is disappointed….

My daughters and I really enjoyed this book. We recommend it highly to any mature reader who is 10 years old and older.

Have you read Michael Vey, Battle of the Ampere by Richard Paul Evans? What did you think of it?

Michael Vey, Rise of the Elgen by Richard Paul Evans, a book review

Michael Vey, Rise of the Elgen by Richard Paul Evans continues the story of Michael Vey, Prisoner of Cell 25. He is a kid with unusual abilities because his genetics were messed with… along with a few other kids his age. Michael Vey continues his effort to free his mother from the Elgen.

In so doing, he and his friends learn more about the Elgen's rise to power and their plan to 'restructure' the world. Along the way, Michael learns more about his electric powers, as do the others in the electroclan.

This is an interesting story. My daughters and I thoroughly enjoy it. The writing is very easy to read and it is a story in which it is all too easy to get lost (read: forget chores and just read all day). Thankfully it's not too long, so it's only one day down, rather than multiple.

My daughters and I recommend it to any 10 and older readers. It might be a little too intense for immature 10 year old and younger children, even if they are advanced readers.

Have you read Michael Vey, Rise of the Elgen by Richard Paul Evans? What did you think about it?