The Pinhoe Egg

by Diane Wynne Jones

Marianne and Joe Pinhoe, youths in a clan of rogue magic users, are looking forward to their summer holiday, only to have it ruined by Gammer Pinhoe, the scheming, elderly matriarch of the family. Joe is sent to work at Chrestomanci castle to spy on the wizard folk there, while Marianne must look after Gammer.

But when a visiting clan leader comes to speak to Gammer, the ensuing argument so enrages Gammer that her mental capacities become impaired and a magical war breaks out between the two clans. Sure that a spell is responsible for Gammer’s insanity, Marianne tries to convince her family but nobody believes her, and when she finds an enormous egg hidden in the attic, things go from bad to worse. Marianne goes to Joe, but finds Cat, the young nine-lived enchanter who lives at the castle, instead. With his, Chrsetimanci’s and Joe’s help, Marianne must find a way to stop the war before anyone gets seriously hurt.

Vampirates : Demons of the Oceans

by Justin Somper

14 year old twins, Connor and Grace Tempest are devastating when their father, the lighthouse keeper of Half Moon Bay dies. Alone in the world, except for each other, and now penniless, they rejected the town people's attempts to force them into a life of drudgery. Taking their father's yacht, they sail off into the unknown and right into a destructive storm.

Their small vessel sunk, the twins are picked up by two very different ships. Connor ends up on the pirate ship, The Diablo, captained by Molucco Wrathe. Due to his athletic and cheery nature Connor soon fits in and finds friends among the pirates, but his sister is never far from his thoughts. Sure that Grace is still alive, despite evidence to the contrary, spurred on by the strange ship he saw and an old sea shanty his father used to sing, Connor convinces the pirates to begin a search for his sister.

Grace wakes to finds herself aboard the strange Vampirate ship. Looked after by Lorcan, a young looking vampirate, she soon adapts to life on the ship. In an attempt to keep busy Grace begins to collect the stories of each of the vampirate’s crossing over, including the dangerous vampire Sedorio. Strange visions of Connor, give Grace the surety her brother is still alive. But what will it take to reunite the twins?

Part of my 100+ reading challenge

Max

by James Patterson

A mastermind criminal by the name of Mr. Chu has kidnapped Max’ Mom, Dr Martinas in an attempt to blackmail the flock, knowing that Max will do anything to save her newly found mother.

Enlisting the dubious help of the navy, Max and her friends set out on a rescue mission, and they know just where to look. Fish are dying in millions of the coast of Hawaii, and Dr Martinas is being held on board a ship. There is no way the two events are not connected! But to rescue her Mom, Max is going to have to rely on the flock, as her own judgement in this case is biased and also trust the youngest member of the flock, Angel, a 7 year old girl, (okay maybe that’s not so bad, as not only can Angel fly, she can read minds and breathe underwater!)

So don’t miss this fast paced, action packed next episode in the Maximum Ride series!

Part of my 100+ reading challenge

Fairest

by Gail Carson Levine

 

Aza is a foundling.  Brought up in an inn in Ayothra she knows she is different.  Her adopted parents have always treated her as one of the family, but Aza knows she is hulking and ugly.  Her only redeeming feature is her marvelous voice, but even that is not so wonderful among a people of reknowned singers.  That is until she learns to immitate and throw her singing voice, a talent she calls illusing.

When fate gives Aza the opportunity to go to court for the King's wedding, despite her looks, she jumps at the chance and when good fortune calls her to the attention of the new queen, Ivy, and they become friends Aza is on cloud nine.  But when Queen Ivy discovers Aza's illusing, she forces Aza to sing for her, a ruse that is soon discovered and the blame laid at Aza door.  Aza flees for her life into an adventure of self discovery and self worth.

Read by Full Cast audio, this entertaining and inventive twist on the beloved Snow White story is packed with adventure, song and a little romance. Aimed at an older audience than Ella Enchanted, yet set in the same world, Levine's fans will find a few familiar faces woven into a tale of the magic mirrors, dwaven people and  complex palace intrigue. Interlaced with wonderful Ayortian songs making this audio book a delight to listen to.

Part of my 100 + reading challenge

Tiger Moon

by Antonia Michaelis

Beautiful Safia is sure she is going to die at the hand of her bethrothed. Having tried to escape over the wall, she finally seems to resign herself to her fate. Befriending one of the eunuchs, she begins a tale, Shaharazad fashion, of daring adventure and rescue:

A young thief, Farhad, steals a locket from the Buddha, and finds himself on a quest to rescue Buddha’s daughter from marriage to a demon king. With the help of a sarcastic white tiger, he must first find the fabled bloodstone to use as a bribe and cross many hundreds of miles, all before midsummer’s day.

Translated from the original German, this beautiful story skillfully weaves together the tales of Safia and Farhad with Hindu themes of reincarnation, immortality, free will and karma. A powerful and beguiling tale filled with wonderful characters including a rascally thief and a desperate, determined princess.

Part of my 100 + reading challenge

Coraline

by Neil Gaiman

This deliciously creepy tale begins with Coraline and her family moving into an old house made into apartments. Upstairs lives an old man who claims to have a mouse circus and downstairs are two old ladies who once “trod the boards” on the stage and their old Highland terrier. Exploring the apartment on a rainy day, Coraline finds a mysterious locked door. When her mother unlocks it all they find is a brick wall to the empty apartment next door, but Coraline is woken up in the night by a scuttling noise that leads her back to the door. This time when she opens the door she finds a dark passageway that leads to another world that is creepily familiar. Here she finds people just like those living in the house, including her “other mother” and “other father”, the only difference is the big black buttons they have instead of eyes.

Determined to keep Coraline on their side of the door, the “other mother” kidnaps Coraline’s real parents. Now, Coraline, with the help of a seemingly disinterested talking black cat, must use all her wits and courage in a terrifying game to win back her parents and her freedom.

This dark tale infested with eerie and memorable imagery, is also full of wit and charm which takes the edge off of the terror and yet provides just the right amount of scare for reading under the covers at night!

Read by the author, whose wonderful voice and expression gives life and chilling character to the story.

Part of my 100+ reading challenge

Rose by Jeff Smith

 I admit I am a sucker for Charles Vess' drawings, and this volume lived up to my expectations.  Gorgeous artwork with depth and detail, if you don't mind a little blood.  Emotions are so easily read on the characters faces that you almost don't need words.  Of course, the story is good too. Well thought out and not overly wordy.

Rose is a feisty heroine with a good heart.  When she and her sister, Briar, are sent to Old Man's cave for their final testing, Rose has no idea of the adventure she is in for.  Tricked into setting free a dangerous river dragon, Rose sets out to undo her mistake, but a terrible price must be paid to make amends.

Find out more about Jeff Smith @ www.boneville.com
and Charles Vess @ greenmanpress.com

Part of my 100+ reading challenge

Dealing with Dragons

by Patricia C. Wrede

It isn't much fun being a princess for intelligent, practical Cimorene who finds all the fun things like learning fencing, Latin and magic are just not done by princesses. Neither is it done to voluntarily become a dragons princess, but Cimerene is tired of being told what not to do and she would rather keep house for a dragon than stay in her parent’s castle waiting to be married off.

This quirky and comical story of a princess who would rather rescue herself is wonderfully read by a full cast. Follow Cimerene as she fends off her would be rescuers, fights to outwit dastardly wizards, deals with stuck up princesses and shows the dragons what she is made of. A wonderful mix of adventure, danger and fun with a few fairy tale elements thrown in for good measure.

Part of my 100+ reading challenge

Daughter of the Flames

By Zoe Marriott

The Sedornes invasion that destroyed the Ruan kingdom left Zira without memories, identity or family and a jagged scar marring her face. Raised in the mountain temple by warrior priestess, Zira hates the Sedornes, but when she saves the life of a Sedorne noble her whole life is turned upside down. The tyrannical Sedornes king, whose assassins were thwarted, sends an army that destroys the temple. If she is to save the people she loves Zira must uncover her true identity and put her trust in a man who should be her enemy.

Overflowing with fast paced battle scenes, intricate cultures and martial arts, Daughter of the Flames starts out well but becomes a little predictable. I would have liked to see more of Zira’s character struggle as some decisions concerning her enemies seemed to come a little too easily. The rest of the cast need some more character development and so are a little flat. But overall a well thought out and enjoyable story.

Part of my 100+ reading challenge

Hush: An Irish Princess’ tale

by Donna Jo Napoli 

From the Icelandic sagas comes a compelling rewriting of the bittersweet tale of Melkorka an Irish princess, kidnapped by slave traders.  Sent away from home for safety, Melkorka and her sister, Bridget, are taken by the slave traders on the road.  Her homeland and family lost to her, and unable to understand her captures Melkorka takes a vow of silence.  When Bridget escapes overboard and with the encouragement of her fellow slaves, Melkorka uses her silence to bewilder and awe her captors as they sail halfway across the known world. And so she learns that even slaves can have influence and silence can breed power.

Part of my 100 + reading challenge.

Ark Angel

by Anthony Horowitz

This fast paced next installment of the hit teenage spy series finds Alex Rider in hospital recovering from being shot.  Paul, a quiet boy about Alex’s age and son of multi-billionaire Nikolei Drevin is in the room next door.  So, when three men from an eco -terrorist group try to kidnap Paul, Alex is taken instead.

Managing to escape from the terrorists Alex is ask to stay with Paul at their mansion to finish recovering and then fly to Flamingo Bay in the Bahamas to see the launch for Ark Angel, the first hotel in space.  Alex agrees, but soon wishes he hadn’t as he beings to realize things about Drevin and the kidnapping don’t quite add up.


Part of my 100+ reading challenge

The Lost Cities: A drift house voyage by Dale Peck

Susan, Charles and Murray Oakenfield have an unusual secret -their uncle’s house is really a ship that sails on the Sea of Time, taking its occupants wherever and whenever.

In this second adventure, a mysterious book is delivered to the children’s apartment in New York, a book that will lead Susan and Charles to the 16th century. While Charles adventures among the Huron Indians, Susan and her uncle find themselves in Greenland in pursuit of another mystery – an amulet that gives the wearer knowledge beyond their time. Susan and Charles, with the help of a past incarnation of their brother Murray, must stop the amulet and book being used or all of time will be disrupted.

A good next step for teens who loved “The Magic Tree House” Series!

Part of my 100+ reading challenge

Star of Kazan

by Eva Ibbotson

Founding, Annika has been brought up in Vienna. Ellie and Sigrid, the two women who found her are wonderful, as are the professor’s they work for and of course, all her friends. She learns to love cooking, sees the legendary horse of Vienna put through their paces and enjoys listening to the tales of the old lady who used to be on the stage and received many breath-taking jewels, including the Star of Kazan.

But Annika has always dreamed of a mother of her own and when an elegant woman arrives with papers say she is Annika’s mother, Annika is swept away by the dream to her new life as an aristocrat.

Knowing nothing of her new life, Annika finds many things that confuse her. The castle they live in is falling down, there are no servants to take care of the place and when she tries to clean and cook, her mother is angry with her. Homesick, Annika begins to put together clues that will lead to shocking treachery, astonishing courage and the true meaning of family.

Part of my 100 + reading challenge

Image from amazon.com

Book of a Thousand days

by Shannon Hale
For Dashti, the Mucker girl, life is not easy. After losing her mother, she trains to be a lady’s maid for Lady Saren, only to find the Lady has refused to marry the man her father has chosen for her and they will be locked in a tower for seven years as punishment.

But Dashti is not daunted by the turn of events. Keeping a diary she begins to record her excitement at their supplies and her hopes. But as time passes, her enthusiasm drains, as the girl’s food and candles are eaten by rats, the tower’s temperatures go from blistering hot to bone chilling cold and a terrify visit from Lady Saren’s suitor, Lord Khasar.

If the two girls are to survive inside and out of the tower they must learn to rely on each other and change from maid and mistress to family.

Presented in full cast audio, this book is a delightful and adventuresome fairy tale set in the Asian steppes.

Part of my 100 + reading challenge

Stargazer by Patrick Carman

Having defeated Abaddon, the evil force threatening Elyon, and heard Roland Warvold's life story as they sailed across the lonely Sea, Alexa and Yipes are ready for a new adventure, but not disaster!

When their ship, the Warwick Beacon, destroyed by Abbadon,and the captain lost, Alexa and Yipes are rescued by the people who live on the Five Stone Pillars. But Abbadon is looking for a new home and the whole community is in danger. Some blame Alexa for bring Abbadon. Alexa must find a way to stop Abbadon but does she have the courage to withstand Abbadon a second time?

Part of 100+ Reading challenge

Princess Ben by Catherine Murdock

When the King, her uncle, and her mother are murdered and her father either captured or dead, Princess Benevolence, now heir to the throne, is moved into the palace with her regent Aunt Sophia to learn her duties to the kingdom.  Forced to learning dancing, needlework, curb her huge appetite, and finally banished to the highest tower in the castle, Ben is staving and miserable until she stumbles upon spell book in a room hidden by magic.  With the help of a few spells, Ben learns to steal food from the kitchen, pilfer comfortable clothes, make a flame, create a sleeping double and master a flying broomstick.  She is content to use her new found skills within the palace, until her Aunt Sophia decides to throw a ball and marry Ben off to the heir of the neighbouring kingdom, the very family suspected of murdering her parents!

Using her newfound skills and dressed as a boy, Ben flies away leaving a sleeping double, only to crash land and be captured by soldiers from the neighbouring kingdom, led by the prince on their way to take her country.  Put to work as a slave, Ben begins to realize her life in the castle was not so terrible and on hearing the prince boast of a prophecy to wake the sleeping princess, Ben vows to escape, but can she get back to the castle in time to warn them and stop her double from taking her place?

Filled with magic, escape, adventure (and a dragon for good measure!), Princess Ben is a feisty new heroine in a fairytale any age will enjoy. 
 
Part of my 100+ book challenge

Into the Mist by Patrick Carman

Alexa Daley, heroine of the Land of Elyon series is back with a new adventure in this first book.  She and her friend Yipes have set sail into the unknown on the Warwick Beacon with Roland Warvold as their captain and the only one who knows where they are headed.

Before Roland can explain where they are going he must first tell Alexa and Yipes his history - the story of two brothers, orphaned and alone; and their  courage on a journey filled with strange animals and places and even the appearance of an old friend as they search the Dark Hills for their destiny.

Journey with Alexa as Roland leads us "Into the Mist".   

Part of my 100+ book challenge