Sky Jumpers

Sky Jumpers
by Peggy Eddleman

From the publisher:
"What happens when you can't do the one thing that matters most? Twelve-year-old Hope Toriella lives in White Rock, a town of inventors struggling to recover from the green bombs of World War III. But Hope is terrible at inventing and would much rather sneak off to cliff dive into the Bomb's Breath—the deadly band of compressed air that covers the crater left by the bombs—than fail at yet another invention. When bandits discover that White Rock has priceless antibiotics, they invade. With a two-day deadline to finish making this year's batch and no ingredients to make more, the town is left to choose whether to hand over the medicine and die from the disease that's run rampant since the bombs, or die fighting the bandits now. Help lies in a neighboring town, but the bandits count everyone fourteen and older each hour. Hope and her friends—Aaron and Brock—might be the only ones who can escape to make the dangerous trek through the Bomb's Breath and over the snow-covered mountain. Inventing won't help her make it through alive, but with Aaron and Brock's help, the daring and recklessness that usually gets her into trouble might just save them all."

This is an AMAZING middle grade book! And not just middle grade, but teens and adults will enjoy it as well. It has tons of action, characters that you will love and care about, a very intriguing world, and a plot that leaves you breathless (and not just from the Bomb's Breath :)). But I think the thing I loved the most was that it had depth. Yes, the action was intense and the plot was amazing, but watching the growth that Hope made through the book was what put this above and beyond so many of the middle grade books. I also appreciated that although this is the start of a series or trilogy, it had closure and was complete in and of itself. I will definitely read the next book, not because I'm being driven crazy by what is coming next, but because it was so good. I have pre-ordered 2 copies of this book for my library, but I'm afraid that may not be enough. Many thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Areas of concern: Bandits take a whole town hostage. There are scary action sequences, but good prevails. No bad language or sexual situations.

Suggested ages:
Kirkus Reviews - Ages 9-13
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 8-12
*Mrs. Duke says that all ages would love this book!*

Seeds of Discovery

Seeds of Discovery
by Breeana Puttroff

From the publisher:
"Quinn Robbins' life was everything she thought a teenager's should be. She has good friends, a family that she loves, good grades, and an after-school job she enjoys. And, she's just been asked out by Zander Cunningham, a popular football player and great guy. But one day when driving home after picking up her little sister from the baby-sitter's, she nearly hits a boy who, after running blindly into the street, mysteriously disappears.

The mystery only deepens as she figures out who the boy is; William Rose, a reclusive, awkward boy from school who always has his nose in a pile of books.

As she becomes more aware of his behavior it becomes more obvious how out of the ordinary William is and how hard he deliberately tries to blend into the background. This only intrigues her more and she finds herself working to find out more about him, and exactly where he keeps disappearing to.

On a whim one night she follows him and suddenly finds herself in a new world. One where William is a prince, literally, and she is treated like a princess. She also discovers that she is stuck; the gate back to her own world isn't always open.

Quinn finds herself smack in the middle of a modern-day fairy tale, on a course that will change her life forever."

Not earth-shattering, but pretty enjoyable. This is the start of quite a long series - I think there are 4 books and then some sort of spin-off series. My daughter recommended it to me and it was a fun and easy read. I found it a little strange to have characters such as Abby, Zander, Annie and Owen introduced at the beginning and then not heard from again. I'm sure it was set-up for the next books, and they will be seen much more in the coming books. There was an over abundance of characters throughout the book, and there were times when I wasn't sure who they even were. However, I did like Quinn and I loved Thomas and the rest of the royal family. I think young teens will really enjoy this book.

Areas of concern: A man tries (unsuccessfully) to force a girl towards his bedroom. Children are sick and dying from a mysterious disease, but the mystery is mostly solved. All in all, a very clean read.

The Colossus Rises

The Colossus Rises
by Peter Lerangis

From the publisher:
"Percy Jackson meets Indiana Jones in the New York Times bestselling epic adventure.  Seven Wonders: The Colossus Rises is the first book in a seven-book series. This first installment chronicles the story of Jack McKinley, an ordinary kid with an extraordinary problem. In a few months, he's going to die--unless he finds seven magic Loculi that have been hidden in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  Rick Riordan calls Seven Wonders 'a high-octane mix of modern adventure and ancient secrets. The Colossus Rises is Lerangis's most gripping work yet. Young readers will love this story. I can't wait to see what's next in the Seven Wonders series.'"

This book didn't really do much for me, but I do think middle schoolers will love it. A lot of people have compared it with Percy Jackson, and since I didn't really like The Lightning Thief , I guess they probably are similar. So if you like Percy Jackson, you will probably like this. It never really grabbed me, and it took me a long time to read it.  The pacing was very slow for most of the book.  I understand that there needed to be a lot of set-up for the series, and it did pick up in the end. I appreciated the use of the ancient Wonders of the World, and it had exciting elements throughout. I enjoyed the characters of the 4 children, although I found it very annoying to read the backwards words that Cass uses. 

Areas of concern: Children are kidnapped, taken away from their families, held prisoner and operated on. I don't remember any bad language. 

Suggested ages:
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 8-12
School Library Journal - Grades 6-9

Pivot Point

Pivot Point
by Kasie West

From the publisher:
"Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without."

I LOVED this book!  What a unique plot with 2 very compelling stories.  I loved the main character, Addie; I loved Trevor; and Laila and Duke had me going back and forth until the very end.  And the ending!  What a horrible decision to have to make! I can't wait for the sequel to come out next February.   

This book is a little bit paranormal and a little bit dystopian, but not too much of either.  So if you don't like paranormal or dystopian books, don't let that stop you from reading this one.  It felt more like a contemporary YA book than anything else.  I appreciated that the teenagers were snarky, sarcastic, believable teenagers without displaying obnoxious behaviour or language.  I highly recommend this one!

Areas of concern:  I think the worst word that was used was "prick", and the main character made a point of saying she was surprised that the other person used that word.  There is some general talk of a couple of murders, and a girl being traumatized because a guy was trying to go too far with her, but she knee-ed him and ran off.   There is some sweet kissing between boyfriend and girlfriend.

Suggested ages:

Booklist - Grades 7-10

Kirkus Reviews - Ages 13+
*Mrs. Duke can never figure out where these ratings come from.  Kirkus Reviews says that The Hunger Games is recommended for ages 11+, and it has all sorts of horrible violence in it.  So why this one says 13 and up when it is a very clean read, I'm not sure. *

Die For Me

From the publisher:

Die For Me
by Amy Plum

"In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again."

I thought this book started out really well, I loved the twist of "revenants" instead of the usual paranormal book. I loved the Paris setting, I can just imagine myself sitting at an outdoor cafe and reading. Ahhhhh. I appreciated that the main character was really close to her sister and grandparents and was a big reader and loved museums. The main character and her love interest take their time getting to know each other, and that was refreshing. There are obvious Twilight comparisons, but I enjoyed the unique twists. However, the middle of the book really dragged for me. It did pick up at the end, though. 

Areas of concern:  I read this on my Kindle so I couldn't mark places with inappropriate things like cussing and vulgarities. I don't remember anything too offensive, though. All in all, I enjoyed it and I think 8th graders will love it.

Suggested ages:

Booklist - Grades 8-11

Kirkus Reviews - Ages 12-14