The Frog Prince by Jenni James

First things first: cover art! I love this cover art! It seriously could be a painting, and I would happily hang it in my room somewhere. I love how everything is kind of faded except for the frog. The girl remains mysterious to us we know she is probably really pretty from what we can see in the image but the frog is still the main focus. Whoever drew this did a really good job!

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Summary:

 A prince disguises himself to find true love— 

Prince Nolan has had enough of Princess Blythe—the woman to whom he has been betrothed since infancy—and her simpering letters. Does the princess truly not have a brain in her head? Never before has he communicated with someone who seemed so childish and spoiled. It was time he met her for himself, to decide if he could actually follow through with this marriage. But to do it right, she must not see how handsome he is. He needs a disguise—something that would show him her true nature. 

Nolan asks an old herb woman to transform him into a creature that is disgusting to any female—a frog. The spell will last thirty days unless the princess does the impossible and kisses him. Now the true test begins. Will Blythe prove to be as monstrously annoying as he believes she is, or will he learn to see past his judgments and find a loving princess waiting for him? 

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After reading Rumpelstiltskin by Jenni James I really did not have high hopes for this book and started reading it with some trepidation. However, this one surprised me! I found that I really really liked it! This princess is not a brainless insta-love one! You have no idea how happy that makes me. Also first time I have ever seen this, said princesses wanted to kiss said frog prince and the frog told her no! This made me happy because in 99.9% of other books likes this the guy says heck yes! And then its all over and they live happily ever after, but there is so much kissing up to that point! Blythe is a character with so much depth to her, she is kind, loving and mostly ignored by her family. My heart broke for her at one point in this book because she says several times that Caspian (what she calls the Frog Prince) was basically the only one to ever notice her. Another thing I loved about this book is that the Prince admits he was wrong, that he was the one with the problems not Blythe. This is one of the very few fairy tale books that I will worry about the strength of the couples marriage later on in their lives. Blythe and Nolan took almost thirty days to get to really know each other and they understood each other on a deeper level by that point. Does anyone else do this? What fairy tale couple do you think would be the first to line up for a divorce?  Anyways, read this book! I'ts seriously great for any age and it teaches a lot of positive messages that I think all girls need to hear. Like you need to stick up for yourself, and if you see a need that needs taken care of you go for it, don't think about what other people will say. Loved this one!

Rating: 10 out of 10! Highly, highly recommend!

Content Rating: 1 (8-120). A couple instances of kissing, but there is zero violence or language. 

The Bridge to Never Land By Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

First things first: cover art. In this cover we can see crows and the two main characters of this book. Compared to the other covers in this series this one was not my favorite, actually that applies to this book as a whole. Anyhow the crows were slightly confusing on the cover until you read the book, but spoiler alert: Ombra is back! Again...

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Summary:

Aidan and Sarah Cooper have no idea what they're getting into one afternoon when they discover a mysterious coded document in a secret compartment of an antique English desk their father recently bought at an auction. Something about the document seems familiar to Sarah, and that night she realizes what it is: the document seems to be referring to some books she has read-the Starcatchers series, about the origin of Peter Pan. But how could that be? The document seems far older than the books. And of course, the books are just stories.

Curious, Sarah and Aidan begin to decipher the mysterious document. At first it's a game-unraveling the mystery piece by piece, each piece leading them to a new, deeper puzzle. But soon the game turns strange-and scary. Pursued by a being that can take any form and will stop at nothing to get what it wants from them, Aidan and Sarah embark on a desperate, thrilling quest for help-a quest that leads them to some unforgettable people in some unlikely places, including one that's not supposed to exist at all. 

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Okay so compared to the other books in this series this one was not my favorite. Aiden and Sarah really just did not click with me, their personalities just seemed a little to shallow? This entire book just seemed a bit shallow as well. Also I can't believe what they did with Peter in this book! I mean the entire rest of the series Peter has his moments, but generally he is a very nice person and would do anything for his friends. In this book the only word I can really use to describe him is he was a complete and total jerk for most of it! I know a lot of time has passed since he has seen anyone but his friends or the tribe members but still he can't of changed that much. I mean there is one part where Tink says something rude and Peter actually vocalizes what she said. Basically something to the effect of you're right they do look like cows. I think it was cool how Barry and Pearson incorporated Disney Land into this book but the entire time this book just felt like they were trying to hard to make a book. The characters were to complex for one book, which again made them extremely shallow. Also this story just really does not make sense in a modern setting. It just felt forced and didn't get the attention and love that it deserved. Also really, get a new bad guy! What happened to all the other dark spirit things like Ombra that were in  the Jackal as well, why can't we meet any of them? Anyhow, they say they are not making anymore books so there won't be one to really make up for this one sadly.

Rating: 5 out of 10. Didn't really love this book but I didn't exactly hate it either so it was just kinda a meh book.

Content Rating: 1 (8-120). There is a few intense scenes but other than that this book is pretty clean! 

Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by Josh Grisham

First things first: cover art! I like how this cover art shows just how young Theodore is, he isn't dressed in a suit in tie or anything. He seriously looks like any other kid that you would see riding their bike. What I don't understand his the fact that his bike is precariously perched on courthouse steps. Any bike experts out there? Would riding down those steps on a bike cause serious injuries or could one safely attempt such a journey? 

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Summary:

"In the small city of Strattenburg, there are many lawyers, and though he’s only thirteen years old, Theo Boone thinks he’s one of them. Theo knows every judge, policeman, court clerk—and a lot about the law. He dreams of being a great trial lawyer, of a life in the courtroom.
But Theo finds himself in court much sooner than expected. Because he knows so much—maybe too much—he is suddenly dragged into the middle of a sensational murder trial. A cold-blooded killer is about to go free, and only Theo knows the truth.
The stakes are high, but Theo won’t stop until justice is served."

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This is one of my Junior High revisit books, but now it's turned into an entire series! As most of you, my readers, know I'm going into Crime Scene Investigation for my Bachelor's Degree so I love mystery novels. Theodore Boone is only thirteen but I think he could really be Best Friends with Alex Rider from the Alex Rider series. I love all the actual law stuff in this book and how it seems like Grisham has actually done his research and I love it when authors do their research instead of just making stuff up. Another good thing about this book, is that it provides the same drama and suspense as a crime thriller without all the gore, language, and kissing. I do think that Theodore does need to tone it down a bit, I mean he is only thirteen! He's not Parry Mason, but that TV show is mentioned in the book and I have seen it so I felt proud that I got that reference. There is so much stuff that is just simply not true that is seen in court room drama's so even though this book is meant for younger readers I enjoyed the fact that it stayed pretty true to real life. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about the court systems without to much in your face drama. 

Rating: 10 out of 10. This book is really good! I hope the rest of the series holds to the standard of the first one.

Content Rating: 1 (8-120). Theo breaks the law a couple times to get the truth, but this would be a great conversation starter book between any parent and child about the justice system. 

Peter and the Sword of Mercy by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Summary:

The year is 1901--it's been twenty-three years since Peter and the Lost Boys returned from Rundoon. Since then, nobody on the island has grown a day older, and the Lost Boys continue their friendship with the Mollusk tribe, and their rivalry with Captain Hook. Meanwhile in London, Molly has married George Darling and is raising three children: Wendy, Michael, and John. One night a visitor appears at her door; it's James, one of Peter's original Lost Boys. He is now working for Scotland Yard and suspects that the heir to England's throne, Prince Albert Edward, is under the influence of shadow creatures. These shadow creatures are determined to find a secret cache of startstuff which fell to London many centuries ago. The starstuff is hidden in an underground vault which has only one key: the Sword of Mercy, a legendary weapon kept with the Crown Jewels. Molly is determined to help, but when she suddenly goes missing, it is up to her eleven-year-old daughter, Wendy, to keep the starstuff out of the Others' clutches. She has heard her mother's stories of a flying boy named Peter Pan, and he may be her only hope in saving the world from a shadowy doom...

Guess what There are two more books to this series! I was just as excited as you are to figure that out. (Fun fact, as I write this You Can Fly from Peter Pan is stuck in my head and it won't leave!) We get to meet Wendy in this book! I like the Barry and Pearson's Wendy much better than the Wendy in the movie. The Wendy in the movie is just way to naive and helpless for me to really like her as a character. However this Wendy is just like her mother in the first three books, but that is also a problem. I feel like Wendy just wasn't as unique of a character as she should have been because she was constantly in her mothers shadow when it comes to personality. This book is set twenty years after the original trilogy and the 1900's London is amazing! I love how Barry and Pearson once again contrast the Island that hasn't changed a day with this new London. The transition is also very seamless as they are able to explain what has happened in the past twenty years without spending to much time on backstory. There are no plot holes, and this book leaves no loose ends behind. It seems that all the enemies are gone. But there is another book, so maybe Ombra once again has evaded death. 

Rating: 9 out of 10. This whole Ombra not dying thing is getting old, and I wish Wendy was more of her own character but other than that this book was good! 

Content Rating: 1 (8-120). There is a bit more violence than the other books but other than that this book could be a PG movie if it was made into one. (Oh please Disney please! Make these into a movie!)

Peter and the Secret of Rundoon by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Summary:

"In this action-packed third installment in the Starcatchers series, Peter and Molly find themselves in the dangerous land of Rundoon, ruled by an evil king who enjoys watching his pet snake consume those who displease him. But that's just the beginning of problems facing our heroes, who once again find themselves pitted against the evil shadow-creature Lord Ombra in a struggle to save themselves, not to mention the planet. It's a wild desert adventure, with rockets, carpets, and camels all flying through the air, zooming toward an unforgettable climax."

This is the last book in the series, and yes I am sad. I love this world that Barry and Pearson have created! The characters are still going strong, this book combines old and new characters which helps the story line out tremendously. All those final questions will be answered such as: why doesn’t Peter have to wear a gold suit to touch the Starstuff, how did the crocodile end up swallowing a clock, and where/who are Peter’s parents? This series finale does not disappoint! There are plot twists and turns, the ending was so suspenseful as well! It’s going to be sad to see all these characters go, but the ending wraps up all those loose ends nice and tight which was very satisfying.

Rating: 10 out of 10! I have nothing bad to say about this book!

Content rating: 1 (8-120). Mild violence, and one brief instance of kissing but other than that this book is squeaky clean!

Framed by Gordon Korman

First things first:cover art. Like the first two books Luther is prominently displayed on the front cover. Luther is seriously one of my favorite characters, especially in the last book I mean a Doberman who besties with a monkey: AWWW! In this cover we can also see Ferret Face, Ben's service ferret,  in the background also in an adorable little jail costume.

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Summary:

"Griffin Bing's new principal doesn't like him. And Griffin doesn't like the boot camp football atmosphere the new principal has brought. Griffin manages to stay out of trouble -- until a Super Bowl ring disappears from the school's display case, with Griffin's retainer left in its place. Griffin has been framed! Unfortunately, the Man doesn't have a Plan - and everything his team tries to find out who really took the ring backfires. Griffin ends up in an alternate school, then under house arrest, and finally with an electronic anklet - with no way to prove his innocence! Griffin smells a rat - but will he be able to solve the mystery in time?"

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This is the third book in the Swindle series, to see my reviews of the first two books click here and here. I don't know what it is about this series, something in my brain tells me that these books are way to young for me but the other half just does not care. Like the descriptions says this time the man in the plan is in trouble for something he did not do. This time it's fun to watch his friends try to come up with a plan as the man with a plan is out of commission. The entire time reading this book all I could think of was that Griffin's punishment was a bit to excessive. I mean he doesn't have the best of track record but house arrest? Seriously? Anyhow, this book was still a fun adventure as Griffin and his friends prove their loyalties and their friends innocence. 

Rating: 7 out of 10. This book compared to the rest of the series was really not my favorite. But anyways it was still a good third book. 

Content Rating: 1 (8-120). As usual with these books there is some juvenile mischief but other than that it was pretty clean. 

Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Summary:

"In this riveting and adventure-packed follow-up to Peter

and the Starcatchers, we discover Peter leaving the relative safety of Mollusk Island-along with his trusted companion Tinker Bell-for the cold, damp streets of London. On a difficult journey across the sea, he and Tink discover the dark and deadly, slithering part-man/part-creature Lord Ombra. It seems that the dreaded Ombra has a variety of mysterious powers including the ability to make shadows disappear. When Peter reaches London, he sets out to find the indomitable Molly. Together they must combat Ombra's terrible forces to both protect the Starcatchers and the treasured starstuff and most importantly to rescue Molly's mother from the clutches of evil." 

Peter and his friends are back! The same evil from the last book is still threatening to overthrow everything, and Barry and Pearson have packed this book with as much action and adventure as the first. The authors do a great job at making the antagonist scary, but not scary enough that it will give younger readers nightmares. We get to see a lot more of Tinkerbell in this book and she’s just as sassy and temperamental as the Tinkerbell the world has come to know and love. I love the contrast between London and Mollusk Island in this book, it’s interesting to see how the ways of life are so different as they collide. Sometimes the second book in a series is dry and dull, but the second book in this series is in some ways even better than the first! A big part of it is that a lot of the backstory of Peter was taken care of in the first book, so we get to see him fighting the evil with Molly and the rest of the Starcatchers. Again, if you like Peter Pan and Tinkerbell read this book!

Rating: 10 out of 10. If anything, I enjoyed this book more than the first one!

Content Rating: 1 (8-120). This book is very clean, still some mild violence but that is it!

Zoobreak by Gordon Korman

First let's talk about cover art. Like the first book (see my review here) Luther prominently is displayed on the front cover with some foreshadowing to the book's contents behind him. I like the simplicity of the cover design and I also like how the dog is the focal point.

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Summary:

"When Griffin Bing's class goes to a floating zoo, they don't expect to see animals being treated so badly. They don't expect to find Cleo, Dog Whisperer Savannah's pet monkey who's been missing for weeks. And they really don't expect to have to hide the animals once they've rescued them! Hilarity ensues as Griffin's team once more pulls off a heist . . . trying to break the animals back into a (better) zoo!"

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Even though these books are geared towards younger readers I find myself enjoying them! This one is just as funny as the first however I hope the third one uses a slightly different "formula". My favorite part of this book would have to be when the heist comes together, and like the first one something goes slightly wrong. In this case a very large security guard gets stuck in an air vent and hilarity ensues! I find myself cringing at Griffin though, I mean he knows he could go to jail for a very long time but he doesn't care! If you liked the first book then I would definitely recommend reading this one as well, especially if you love animals! 

Rating: 7 out of 10. These books are meant for younger readers but even besides that I found myself wincing at some parts. 

Content Rating: 1 (8-120). This book has some mild juvenile mischief but other than that it is pretty clean! 

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Summary:

"Don't even think of starting this book unless

you're sitting in a comfortable chair and have lots of time. A fast-paced, impossible-to-put-down adventure awaits as the young orphan Peter and his mates are dispatched to an island ruled by the evil King Zarboff. They set sail aboard the Never Land, a ship carrying a precious and mysterious trunk in its cargo hold, and the journey quickly becomes fraught with excitement and danger. Discover richly developed characters in the sweet but sophisticated Molly, the scary but familiar Black Stache, and the fearless Peter. Treacherous battles with pirates, foreboding thunderstorms at sea, and evocative writing immerses the reader in a story that slowly and finally reveals the secrets and mysteries of the beloved Peter Pan." 

Peter Pan has always been one of my favorite movies, and Tinkerbell is my second favorite Disney character so it was exciting to revisit these books from my junior high years. This first book explains a lot of unanswered questions that the movie brings up. Such as: where did Peter come from, how did the lost boys as well as the pirates come to be on the island, and where did Tinkerbell come from? Barry and Pearson reveal that there is so much more to this magical flying boy and his fairy, and I find myself rather not liking the movie version of Peter compared to this book's version. England collides with pirates, evil, magic, adventure, natives, a mysterious island and a substance called Starstuff. In this book you also get to meet Molly Aster, who will one day become Mrs. George Darling. If you love the movie, read this book! There is seriously nothing I have to say that is bad about it.

Rating: 10 out of 10. Love, love, love this book! It’s a perfect beginning to this story!

Content Rating: 1 (8-120). There is some mild violence, but if you have no problems with the content of the Peter Pan movie then these books are perfect for you!

Swindle by Gordon Korman

Summary:

"After a mean collector named Swindle cons him out of his most valuable baseball card, Griffin Bing must put together a band of misfits to break into Swindle's compound and recapture the card. There are many things standing in their way -- a menacing guard dog, a high-tech security system, a very secret hiding place, and their inability to drive -- but Griffin and his team are going to get back what's rightfully his . . . even if hijinks ensue."

I first read this book when I was in Junior High. What drew me to it was the fact that kids my same age were pulling off a well-planned heist. Griffin Bing is the man with the plan, and he manages to get his friends to join in on his crazy plans. This plan involves stealing back an incredibly rare baseball card from the man who cheated him out of it. The variety of personalities that are seen in Griffin’s friends is quite funny and I love reading as they interact. After reading this book four years later I am surprised to say that I still find it to be pretty good! It’s perfect for younger readers looking for an adventure. The main character is a bit rebellious, but I couldn’t help but root for him and his friends during this book!

Rating: 8 out of 10. I’m older now, so some of this book did seem a bit silly to me. Also the plot was a bit to short for my liking.

Content Rating: 1 (8-120) This book is very clean, there’s just some Juvenile mischief (teens break into someone’s house to steal a baseball card).

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

Summary:

"When Dashti, a maid, and Lady Saren, her mistress, are shut in a tower for seven years for Saren's refusal to marry a man she despises, the two prepare for a very long and dark imprisonment.

As food runs low and the days go from broiling hot to freezing cold, it is all Dashti can do to keep them fed and comfortable. But the arrival outside the tower of Saren's two suitors--one welcome, and the other decidedly less so--brings both hope and great danger, and Dashti must make the desperate choices of a girl whose life is worth more than she knows.

With Shannon Hale's lyrical language, this forgotten but classic fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm is reimagined and reset on the central Asian steppes; it is a completely unique retelling filled with adventure and romance, drama and disguise."

This book is written like a journal so we as the readers get to see the main characters raw and unfiltered thoughts to the situations that she is in. The setting of this books appears to be medieval Asian and I absolutely love it! Many books focus on Europe and Asia is left out of the picture so this setting is unique and fun. Dashti, the main character in the book, is amazing. So much stuff gets thrown at her but she manages to stay positive and keep going. Another good point of this book is the small amount of magic that is mixed into it, at the begging you are led to believe that Dashti's songs are merely superstition. However towards the middle and end of the book I realized that there is real magic to these healing songs. This book is actually based off of a fairy tale! Its a little known Grimm's fairy tale called Maid Mallen, yeah I had to look it up too. I love how simple this book is, and Hale gives us a nice fairy tale book that I'm sure will be classic in years to come. 

Rating: 10 out of 10. This book is well written, and I love the medieval Asian setting as it is very unique. I also love the positive message it sends, it lets people know that no matter your situation you can help others and be happy. 

Content Rating: 1 (8-120). There is a small amount of violence, also there is a time where one of the characters sees a man naked as he turns into a wolf. However there is zero detail and all it says is that he took off all his clothes until he was naked. 

Entwined by Heather Dixon

Summary: "Just when Azalea should feel that everything is before her—beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing—it's taken away. All of it. And Azalea is trapped. The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. So he extends an invitation.Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest, but there is a cost. The Keeper likes to keep things. Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late."

This book, where to begin. It has been one of my favorites ever since I first heard the audio book. The world that Miss. Dixon creates is absolutely stunning. The story takes place during the Victorian Era and is a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. The twelve sisters in this story are named after flowers in alphabetical order, for example the first sisters name is Azalea and the last sisters name is Lily. (In between you have names like Bramble, Clover, Delphinium, etc. etc.). What really made me love this book though is these are not your privileged-everything-they-could-ever-want-is-bestowed- upon-them princesses. Clothing is handed down from one sister to the next, and each sister has little to no dowry when the time comes for her to marry. This gives each of the characters very real and down to earth personalities and I think that makes them connect more with the reader. And can we just talk about the cover art for a minute? That is what made me even pick up the book in the first place. So many details packed into a small space, but they all work together to make this beautiful image. Overall I absolutely love this book, the characters and story is fresh and it makes you want a second book. Sadly though this book is meant to be a standalone and leaves all ends tied up nice and tight for the reader. 

Rating: 10 out of 10! This book was perfect! Absolutely perfect!  

Content Rating: 1 (For ages 8-120) There are a few intense scenes with the antagonist of the story, as well as some other mild violence (plus one or two instances characters kissing). But other than that this book is clean as can be!