Sin Series Books 1 – 3 by A.I. Nasser

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

 

Book 1 - Kurtain Motel

I will say that this is definitely not the book to read during a storm at night. After car trouble Patrick is picked up by a priest and due to a storm they stop at a creepy motel. The setting was a perfect setup for this story. The “guests” find themselves plagued by their deepest sins. Something wants them to confess these sins. If you really want to creep me out then add in spiders. They are my biggest fear. This is told from multiple points of view.  I happen to be someone who likes this. I don’t think I would ever want to be in a motel like the Kurtain Motel.  This is just the first book in his Sin series so it ends a little bit differently than I liked, but set things up to make me read the next one. If you love creepy books then this book and this author is the one for you.

 

Book 2 - Refuge

Okay, book 2 of A.I. Nasser’s Sin series is just as creepy as the first book.  Three people have escaped the Kurtain Motel. They end up in a town called Refuge. I am a strong believer that names in books are often a story in themselves. It made me wonder why the author would name the town Refuge. Just when they think they have their lives returning to normal the creep factor is turned up once again. We still have a theme of “confessing their sins” running throughout this series. This author knows how to make everything about his book creepy. Definitely one of my favorite horror authors. Now on to the third book in this series.

 

Book 3 - Purgatory

Patrick and Jimmy have been on the run since they left the Kurtain Motel. They are trying to find Jimmy’s mom who was possessed by the evil that haunted them at the motel. They find themselves in a town called Darville. Something is definitely wrong in Darville. Evil lurks there. Once again those creepy spiders make an appearance. All I kept thinking as I read this series is that it would make an awesome movie, spiders and all. I do feel that the series left me with some unanswered questions. Was that enough to make me not enjoy the story?  Definitely not. I need to check some of the other books by this author. But please, check out this trilogy, you won’t be disappointed.

The Whispering Storm: Respecting Mr. Ravi by Christopher

 

Genre: Upper-Elementary

Source: I received a copy from StoryOrigin to facilitate my review. The Opinions expressed here are my own.

I have enjoy this book which shows Alex Thomas trying to help his school janitor. I have noticed throughout the books that take place in Timpleville, that Alex has a respect for Mr. Ravi. Mr. Ravi is a great mentor to Alex. In this book he realizes that everyone including the principal treats Mr. Ravi with little respect. Alex has plans to change that. If you have read any of the books involving these characters you quickly learn that what Alex plans doesn't always come out the way he expected.  This is a quick read.  It addresses issues of bullying and respecting others.  Another great book I can't wait to introduce to my students.

The Giant Inside by Christopher Francis

 

Genre: Upper-Elementary
Source: I purchased a copy

This book followed Meeting Henry Greenfield. Alex has definitely made an enemy of Damian Dermite. The bully has a reputation to uphold and it seems that Alex is getting in the way of that reputation.  Things will get better if he can just figure out how to handle Damian Dermite.  Once again I love the continuing story of these characters. Had I read this book before the Screaming Ridge books it would have seemed more cohesive. This author definitely has the upper-elementary lower middle-grade students figured out. The story comes across as realistic and relatable.

Meeting Henry Greenfield by Christopher Francis

Genre: Upper Elementary
Source: I received a copy from StoryOrigin to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Alex Thomas has started sixth grade in the worst way possible. He has found himself partnered with the new kid, and gotten himself on the radar of the biggest bully in Timpleville. If I had been introduced to this author earlier I probably would have looked at the order of books. I know some of them are middle grade and some are upper elementary books.  There is a carry over between them. I have already read “Remembering Kaylee Cooper” and “Alex Was Here”. Both of these books are about the main character in this book. In this book Alex has just started sixth grade. His best friend has moved away and his brother has moved on to high school. Then Alex is paired up with the biggest and newest kid in the school, Henry Greenfield.  I was happy to see how the character of Henry had changed from the book “There’s an Ogre-Beast in the Playground”. It is a small change but that is what we want to see in a book. If not the characters feel flat. I think I am loving these books because I teach middle school. For us this begins with sixth grade. I know a lot of places still have sixth grade as elementary. I see the pecking order that is shown in this book and understand what the characters are going through. It is an awkward time for kids. Christopher Francis has done a wonderful job of capturing this in his books. I have to say well done. I have somewhere between 10 and 12 more of his books to read and think I will read and review at least half of them before I move on to other books. After all, why deviate when you have such good books?

There’s an Ogre-Beast in the Playground by Christopher Francis

Genre: Upper-Elementary
Source: I received a copy from StoryOrigin to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I loved this upper elementary grade book.  Being different is tough. It is even tougher when someone is there to always point out those differences and make fun of you. Henry is that boy. He is a six foot tall fourth grader with red hair. Everyone, including the teachers bully him in some way. He doesn’t like being different. It isn’t until an ogre-monster comes to the school that Henry realizes that sometimes being different is okay.

Alex Was Here by Christopher Francis

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery

Source: I purchased a copy

I enjoyed this second book by Christopher Francis. The characters were familiar. However, as the story progressed we watched them change for both the good and the bad. I teach middle grade and so this story depicted sixth graders quite well. Alex and Daisy in the first book "Remembering Kaylee Cooper" had to help the little girl return to her parents at Screaming Ridge. Unfortunately, this event created more havoc at Screaming Ridge. It seems a portal was opened and the whole of Timpleville found themselves in danger. The way the author chose to tie this all up was genius. This is the third book I have read by this author. I currently have five others to read. I can't wait.

Remembering Kaylee Cooper by Christopher Francis

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery, Ghost Story
Source: I purchased a copy

I have to say I am really enjoying my summer selection of books.  Christopher Francis is a very talented author. His story about a young boy who is being followed by a young and annoying girl made my day today. Kaylee inadvertently trips Alex in the Cafeteria one day at school. This created a mess on him, his friends and landed him in the principal's office.  She follows him everywhere.  As the story goes on we are introduced to Daisy, the girl Alex has a crush on. He also is best friends with her step-brother Henry. Then we are introduced to the school Bully Damian and his side-kick Jared. Madelyn is a new girl in school. During Their Mythology class they are discussing urban legends. She tells them one about the house on screaming ridge. She tells them about the family that lived and died there.  This set a whole lot of things in motion. The fact that Alex almost drowned in the river has caused him to react differently to things.

This is a ghost story, but not the creepy, don't go in the house kind of story. This is the story of a ghost who doesn't realize they are a ghost. This is a story of those who have had contact in one form or another with ghosts or who have had near death experiences. This is one of those stories that will keep the reader reading from beginning to end. The characters are believable, the setting is well thought out. Christopher Francis is an author who definitely knows what he is doing.  I purchased his books in ebook format but will definitely be purchases paperback copies for my shelves this year.

The Forgotten Girl by India Hill Brown

Genre: Horror, Middle Grade, Mystery
Source: I purchased a copy

India Hill Brown has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I purchased this book after reading "The Girl In the Lake.  I love a good ghost story.  The difference between other ghost stories and the type that this author writes is the historical message.  Her characters are African American.  Her ghost stories came about because of an injustice. In the case of this story, Iris and her neighbor and best friend Daniel break the rules and go out the night of the first snow. To make matters worse they sneak into the forest across the street so their parents won't see them. What they end up finding while making snow angels is a grave of a young girl named Avery. Now Iris is being haunted. The grave is that of a young girl who was buried in a segregated cemetery. Avery doesn't want to be forgotten. That is why she is haunting Iris.  

If you think this is a long gone issue think again. Iris knows what it is like to be forgotten. She is the captain of her middle school's step team.  Her mom notices on the TV news her middle school and all the club captains being recognized. That is, all except her and her step team. It seems that they are always being forgotten. Emails just seem to get lost. I know for a lot of people who are white like me they often don't see the big deal in this. I do. I have never understood why people feel they should judge other's worth based on their skin color.  I am aware there are many African American Cemeteries that have been run down, forgotten about, or evern worse. bulldozed away to make room for other buildings.  I like the fact that this author isn't afraid to to address these issues. If there is one thing I hope her books do for the kids who read them is spur them into noticing these injustices and working toward a solution. I look forward to many more books by this author, and I look forward to putting them into the hands of my students. Awesome book!

The Girl in the White Van by April Henry

Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Mystery
Source: I purchased a copy

I absolutely love this author’s books.  She takes young people and puts them in situations that are a nightmare in themselves.  Savannah is a young girl who is kidnapped. She is taken out to an old trailer where she finds Jenny. She is another kidnap victim and has been held for ten months. Savannah and Jenny are completely different. Savannah takes Kung Fu and so she fights back.  Jenny seems to have just given up until she meets Savannah.  As they try to escape knowing the danger the tension is brought to a whole new level. Just like in her book, “The Night She Disappeared” the author has given us a character in Savannah that is willing to fight back. This action keeps the story moving forward. I love how her characters are strong girls, or girls who find the strength to do what they didn’t know they could do. I had to wait until the summer to read this because my students handed it from one to the other.  I can make sure to get this book into the hands of my students.  

Where She Fell by Kaitlin Ward

Genre: Young Adult, Adventure
Source: I purchased a copy. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This was one of the stranger books I have read. I had actually started it last year and never finished it. Today was as good as any day to finish it.  Eliza is not very out-going. She and two of her friends go down near the swamp. When her friends leave her to take a picture outside a cave she walks on. Suddenly she finds herself falling through the earth.  Eliza is found by a group of people who have fallen down as well. They’ve not been able to find a way out so they have formed a colony.

Eliza learns many things about herself while she is underground. She learns to be more assertive. She learns what true friends are. The friends she had on the surface were not true friends. She learns you can’t just sit back and wait when things take a wrong or bad turn. Sometimes you have to step up and go for what you want or what you know you should do.

For me I felt the ending needed a bit more. It was like watching a movie build up to the end and then you want to know what happened next, but never find out.  I will still recommend this book to my students and others who like adventures and young adult books.