Student Saturday: Greenglass House by Kate Milford

Genre:  Fantasy

Student Reviewer:  Ella B.

I loved this book for it's cozy fantasy elements and beautifully written cast of characters. They were easy to connect with and I found myself caring about them only a few chapters in.

This story is about a boy named Milo Pine, who lives in a smugglurs' inn run by his adoptive parents, Ben and Nora Pine. Milo is shy and likes his routine. He expects a quiet Christmas break, like usual. When the bell rings, signaling the arrival of guests, Milo is frazzled to say the least. He grumbles and groans as the visitor, Mr. Vinge, checks in. Then the bell rings again and again, until the house is full of strange guests. With the help of  the cook's daughter, Meddy, Milo tries to figure out why they are all here. 

Things really get serious when items begin to go missing, items with connections to the house itself. No one knows who to trust. Will Milo and Meddy find the thief, and the reasoning for the many visits?

I would recommend this book for anyone who likes to curl up with a blanket and a heartwarming, cozy story full of laughter and adventure.

The final Reset by Mercy Jane Porquez Ballesteros

 

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Suspense

Source:  I won a copy from LibraryThing. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I love when the suspense in a book makes me read it cover to cover.  The mystery starts when  an old woman gives Samantha a clock necklace. To make sure we understand the foreboding, the author has set this event during a storm. She gives her a message with the necklace. What? You didn’t really think I was going to tell you did you?  Samantha is killed, but wakes up to find she has travelled back in time before the stabbing that killed her. Now she must try to figure out who stabbed her.  She can escape this event if someone else dies. I loved that the necklace didn’t begin ticking until she died. It also didn’t move forward, it moved backward as if it was winding down to her death. The pacing was great. The suspense was an “on the edge of your seat” type of suspense for me. The choices she has to make brings that  all important moral dilemma to the forefront.  I really enjoyed this book by an author I had not read before. It is definitely something I highly recommend reading.  I want to thank the author for the copy I won from LibraryThing.

Iris Blackwood and the Curse of Hemlock Island by Chad Prevost

 

Genre:  Middle Grade, Mystery, Adventure

Source: I won a copy from LibraryThing. The opinions expressed here are my own

There is nothing I like more than a great mystery/adventure  book.  This is one of those. You have a twelve year old girl detective named Iris as the main character.  This for me was a plus since I teach middle school students and always try to entice the students to read. This will appeal to many as it is a choose your adventure book.  I loved these growing up.  You, the reader, choose the decision the character will make. Each reading and each choice could have a different outcome.   I would read a book over and over to make sure I had the full experience. Okay, in all honesty it was because I could not stand only reading part of a book. As in the past, each read of this book was a different experience. There is so much to like and learn from this book. I think it would be awesome to have my own students create a story where each group planned the next and different step in the story to create a very short version of a choose your own adventure story.  I am definitely looking forward to reading more by this author. There are three books in this series. Do yourself a favor and check them out