Ages 08 - 10, Ages 10 - 12, Ages 12 - 14

Robots Out of Control

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“Robots Rule” series by C. J. Richards

Book Titles:

  1. The Junkyard Bot
  2. Lots of Bots

Lots of fun and action

Recommended age: 8 – 10; 10 – 12; 12 – 14

George lives in a city filled with Robots.  One day he manages to create Artificial Intelligence in Jackbot, his helper robot.   Suddenly, Jackbot disappears, and George is attacked by a robotic garbage truck.    Helped by Anne, the daughter of the owner of the robot company, Tinkertown, he fights to save himself, Anne and the town from relentlessly rampaging robots.

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Ages 12 - 14

Don’t Underestimate Dessa

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“Three Thieves” series by Scott Chantler

Graphic Novels

Book Titles: 

  1. Tower of Treasure
  2. The Sign of Black Rock
  3. The Captive Prince
  4. The King’s Dragon
  5. Pirates of the Silver Coast
  6. The Dark Island
  7. The Iron Hand

Exciting fun stories of a girl in search of her brother who had been kidnapped by an evil nobleman.

Recommended age: 12 – 14

We first meet Dessa when she is performing for a traveling circus.   In trouble with the owner of the circus, she is convinced to join two friends as they try to rob a queen’s treasure chamber.  Fleeing for her life after the failed attempt, she pursues the nobleman who kidnapped her brother years before.

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Adult, Ages 12 - 14, Ages 14 - 16, Ages 16 - 18

Ancient Evil and Young Heroes

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 “The Berinfell Prophecies” by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper

Book Titles:

  1. Curse of the Spider King
  2. Venom and Song
  3. The Tide of the Unmaking

An entertaining series.

Recommended age:

  • Curse of the Spider King and Venom and Song; 12 – 14; 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult
  • The Tide of the Unmaking; 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult

In a world where the good Elves have been defeated and decimated by the evil Spider King and his villainous army, the only light of hope are the long lost Seven Elven Lords. But the Lords were snatched out of Allyra as toddlers long ago and never seen again. There are rumors that the Lords were taken to another world—a world called Earth—and they are now in danger.  If the Elves do not find them before they are exterminated, no hope will remain, and the Elves will be destroyed.  In addition, the Spider King has set his sights on conquering and ruling Earth—and it is totally unprepared.  In the second book, Venom and Song, the Elves take the battle to the Spider King.   In the third book, a new and more dangerous evil has arisen, and the battle plays out on Earth itself — while total destruction relentlessly advances on both worlds.

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Ages 12 - 14, Ages 14 - 16, Ages 16 - 18

You Don’t Want Agent Six on your Trail

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“Agent Six of Hearts” Series by Jack Heath

Book Titles:

  1. The Lab
  2. Remote Control
  3. Third Transmission
  4. Dead Man Running

Fast-paced action.

Recommended age: 12 – 14; 14 – 16; 16 – 18 (only first and second books reviewed)

Agent Six of Hearts is an elite superspy who works for a vigilante group called the Deck. Trying to provide a semblance of law and order in the City, Six is always on an assignment to help put various criminals behind bars.

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Ages 14 - 16

I Will Make It All the Way

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Stealing Freedom by Elisa Carbone

An engaging story of a young woman’s flight to freedom.

Recommended age: 14 – 16

Ann Maria is a slave.   Life is hard, but then their Master sells her brothers and the rest of her family are bought and set free.   But the Master won’t sell her.   Then one day, an abolitionist comes to her aid.

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Adult, Ages 14 - 16, Ages 16 - 18

The Last Refuge

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The Shield Ring by Rosemary Sutcliff

Recommended: Yes; a story of the last remaining Danes after William the Conqueror takes over England, and their struggle to survive.

Recommended age: 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult.

Summary of Plot: Frytha was the daughter of a high-born Saxon. When she was five, they burned her parent’s home, and she fled with the shepherd to a secret place in the mountains, the Dale. There she met Bjorn, the young fosterling of Haethcyn the Bard. They grow up together, and when the time comes, Bjorn becomes a warrior. But a new danger is coming. The Dale has always been assaulted, but this time the enemy is bringing a greater host then ever seen before. Bjorn is sent out as a spy, hiding his greatest fear—that while being tortured, he would reveal the secret place of the Shield Ring, the ring of mountains that surround the Dale.

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Ages 12 - 14, Ages 14 - 16, Ages 16 - 18

The Stories Must Be Saved

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“The Perilous Realm” series by Thomas Wharton

Book Titles: 

  1. The Shadow of Malabron
  2. The Fathomless Fire
  3. The Tree of Story

An interesting and intriguing story of a story world.

Recommended age:  12 – 14; 14 – 16; 16 – 18.  

Will is running away and crashes into a different world — one in which stories are lived out.   However, an evil ruler is attempting to take control of all the stories and make them his story.   He is pursuing Will, and Will doesn’t even know why.   Will is rescued by a girl, Rowen, who leads him to safety in the city of Fable.  But soon, Will, Rowen, and her grandfather start off on a trek to take Will home—and perhaps save the land.  (Only the first book has been reviewed)

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Ages 10 - 12, Ages 12 - 14, Ages 14 - 16

Nothing Stops Homer

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The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick

A fun historically based story of a boy in his search for his brother braving thieves, murderers, slave catchers, spies and rebels.

Recommended age: 10 – 12; 12 – 14; 14 – 16.

Homer’s older brother Harold is illegally sold off to join the Union Army.   Homer goes to rescue him.   On the way he outsmarts murderers, is outwitted by thieves, joins a traveling show, flies through the air, and rides through the battle lines at Gettysburg — not to mention, saving the day at a critical stage of a very important battle.  

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Adult, Ages 14 - 16, Ages 16 - 18

Who Will Stand Against the Wolf?

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Lupus Rex by John Carter Cash, (son of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash)

A story of courage and determination against great odds

Recommended age: 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult

The King of the Crows has died, and the process of choosing the new king results in great danger.   In the end a great wolf tries to take over the field where all the animals live.   Only the cooperation and sacrifice of many animals, and especially, the bravery and commitment of one small quail, Ysil, can overcome the ferocity of the wolf and his band of predators.

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Adult, Ages 14 - 16, Ages 16 - 18

Jeeves to the Rescue

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Jeeves and Wooster: the Code of theWoosters and other Stories by P.G. Wodehouse

A fun, and, as always, funny book.

Recommended age: 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult

In the title story, Bertie is once again ensnared in a tangled plot where an aunt presses him to do one thing, a female friend presses him to do the opposite, and all the while, his own bad luck puts him in the sights of a suspicious Justice of the Peace and of a Nazi-wannabe who has the size and temperament of a gorilla.   As usual, Bertie’s main goal is to avoid getting married to Madeline Bassett.   The other stories are similarly complicated, fun and crazy.  And, as usual, Jeeves rescues Bertie and there is a happy ending for most everyone.

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