Jake and the Gingerbread Wars by E.G. Foley

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Source: I own a copy

This is a charming book about a young boy who once lived in an orphanage but was now an Earl. While walking through town with his cousins and friend, they visit two different pastry shops. This is where their adventure begins. The two bakers who at one time cared for each other were not warring against each other. Jake discovers that there is mischief and magic behind it all.  With the ability of telekinesis and his friends and family with him, he sets out to make things right. His adventures have him chasing an elf and meeting Santa, Yetis, Jack Frost, and the Ice Princess.  This is a short Christmas novella that falls between books 3 and 4 in the Gryphon Chronicles by E.G. Foley.  This can be read as a stand-alone book. However, I personally want to check out the other books in this series—great adventure with a touch of magic.

Student Saturday: All In by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Source: Young Adult, Mystery
Student Reviewer: Paige H.

 I'm a DIEHARD Naturals fan. So, when I read All In by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, you knew I HAD to do a book report on it. "All In" is the third book from the Naturals series, and OH MY! This book was excellent. I also solved the mysteries with the characters while reading, keeping me on my toes the whole time. Like the plot twists! I was mentally pinning the points, thinking of what would happen next, like who would get hurt? What's this character going to do now? All that stuff. I felt very immersed in the book. Also, the character development in this book!! It was amazing; I learned more about Sloane, Micheal, Lia, and everyone. 

Man, this book was a fantastic read! In this book, "The Naturals" heads to Las Vegas to help solve a string of murders, but suspects don't pop up quickly, so this time, they really must dig for clues. Now, the ways the victims were murdered were typical, but for some reason, they have numbers or codes imprinted on their wrists. It's nothing like any cold cases the naturals have solved before. But wait, that's not all. For the first time in years, there's been a crack in her mother's murder case, which can change Cassie's view on everything. The tension is thick between the Naturals, and people's lives, including their own, are at risk. It is now indeed a race between time. Can Naturals solve this case? Cassie, the main character, is a profiler with a unique set of skills. Her orange hair and blue eyes are just the beginning. She deeply cares about everyone, but sometimes her emotions can cloud her judgment. Dean is also a profiler, and he's dating Cassie. He has blonde hair and hazel eyes. He can be pretty mysterious, but you can see him open to the group throughout the books. Sloane is the definition of an AI. She knows anything and everything, and she's fantastic with numbers. He has blonde hair and blue eyes, and she's a sweetheart. The case that the naturals are solving hits too close to home for her. Lia is a human lie detector; she can instantly identify any lie. She has monolids, black hair and dark eyes. She can be nice, but also very direct. Micheal is an emotional reader. Knowing this, he can hide his emotions well. He has brown hair and brown eyes; he's an extrovert at its finest. The Naturals stay in Las Vegas, Nevada. Where they stay in a fancy high-end hotel (Thanks to Micheal's money). The hotel is near different casinos and shops, which can help the Naturals relax while working on this case. 

To conclude, this book is hands down excellent. The plot twists, characters, everything. This book is PACKED with details, so I learned a lot! It's incredible how the author specializes explicitly in stuff like this. (while doing research I found an about the author on Goodreads) For example, the about her says, "Jen graduated high school in 2002, and from Yale University with a degree in cognitive science (The study of the brain and thought) in May of 2006." So, this book was very descriptive; it made me even more obsessed! I give this book a solid 8.7 out of 10. I recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers or young adult books.

Appointed by Kandi J. Wyatt

 

Appointed by Kandi J. Wyatt

 

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Source: I received an advanced copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is the seventh book in the “Four Stars Over Ardatz: Sovereigns” series. In this book we meet Shawnahur. His friends and family call him Shawn. He is the youngest of eight children. His three older brothers are away at war. Shawn is a drover of pucklings. He and his dog watch over these wooly haired duck like animals.  When his brothers come home on leave they love to tell stories of the battles they are fighting. One afternoon while watching his pucklings his dog begins to bark. Shawn checks out the situation looking for whatever danger may be headed toward his animals. What he finds is a small lizard like creature who has its leg stuck between two rocks. As he reaches to help it, the creature lowers his beak and touches Shawn's hand. A small burning sensation  goes through his hand. He keeps talking to the creature, hoping to gain his trust so that he can free him. Once freed, the creature starts speaking to him in his mind. He learns the creature is actually a silver dragon. The dragon, named Keenah had touched his hand to see whether he had a good heart. They both pledge to protect each other creating a bond between them. A rabid fox comes racing toward Shawn and he is able to quickly grab it by the mouth. Keenah helps direct his magic through Shawn’s hands killing it. This is the beginning of Shawn’s ability to use magic.

This is by far my favorite in this series. As we read further we see Shawn rise in power and in favor among the people. The story reminded me of several Bible stories. He takes supplies on the battlefield to his brothers. They are being taunted by a giant of a man. No one will challenge him. Shawn speaks up willing to do so. This reminded me of the David and Goliath story. Earlier in the story he is called upon to help the commander of the army while he is at home. The rains have put him in a foul mood and he has outbursts. Shawn’s flute playing calms him down. This reminded me of David playing to calm King Saul. I love the characters.  Shawn has quickly become one of my favorites.  The world building is outstanding as always.  This is a series you must read. If you have read the first six books then you must read this one.