Category Archives: Ages 14 – 16

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

Pirates, Secret Monks, and Ancient Treasure

Leave a comment

“Isle of Swords” Series by Wayne Thomas Batson

  1. Isle of Swords
  2. Isle of Fire

A very Christian book with a rousing adventure about pirates.

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

It takes place in the Caribbean in 1713. The main characters are all pirates who had been cast out of the Royal British Navy. While stopping on an island, they come across an unconscious man. When he regains consciousness, it is discovered he has no memory of his past life. At the same time, the pirate captain, Declan Ross, is enlisted by a top secret group of monks (the Brethren) to find and protect the legendary treasure of Constantine from the evilest pirate on the Seven Seas, Bartholomew Thorne. Meanwhile, Declan’s daughter, Anne, is trying to help Cat, the man with no memory, discover his past.

The second book takes place a year later, in 1714. Bartholomew Thorne, once thought dead, is on the rise again, with a revenge plan of great magnitude. And once again, Declan Ross is the only one in his way. Meanwhile, Cat and Anne, with the help of the Brethren, are chasing down an elusive evil adversary, the mysterious Merchant, who is legendary for dealing in death.

TO SEE THE FULL REVIEW: 

  • If you are reading this in your e-mail, please be sure to click on the link at the top of the page to go to the Reading With Wisdom website.
  • If you are reading this on the Reading With Wisdom website, Click on the link underneath READ ALL REVIEWS on the right-hand side of this page.

 

Adult, Ages 14 - 16, Ages 16 - 18

The Princess is in a Prison, Too

Leave a comment

Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl

An interesting look at life in the early 18th century.

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

Liza has lost all of her money, but her lawyer has told her that there is an opportunity for a lady in waiting to the princess.   Once at Kensington Palace, Liza learns that life in the palace is full of intrigue and danger, as well as loyalty to the princess.  Avoiding dangerous noblemen, spying for the princess, carrying messages out of the palace, and crawling through secret tunnels, Liza perseveres in her attempt to protect the Princess.

TO SEE THE FULL REVIEW: 

  • If you are reading this in your e-mail, please be sure to click on the link at the top of the page to go to the Reading With Wisdom website.
  • If you are reading this on the Reading With Wisdom website, Click on the link underneath READ ALL REVIEWS on the right-hand side of this page.

 

Adult, Ages 14 - 16, Ages 16 - 18

Light-hearted Love – Wodehouse Style

Leave a comment

The Adventures of Sally by P.G. Wodehouse

One of the better Wodehouse stories.   Not as funny as some, but a better story.

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

Sally, from New York, is engaged to a man who she would not, perhaps,  be engaged to if she knew him better.   Ginger meets her sunbathing on a beach in France as he unravels a dogfight, and he falls in love with her.  The rest of the story devolves into the typical Wodehousian confusion as truth and love find their way through to the end.

TO SEE THE FULL REVIEW: 

  • If you are reading this in your e-mail, please be sure to click on the link at the top of the page to go to the Reading With Wisdom website.
  • If you are reading this on the Reading With Wisdom website, Click on the link underneath READ ALL REVIEWS on the right-hand side of this page.
Adult, Ages 12 - 14, Ages 14 - 16, Ages 16 - 18

There’s No Money In It, and the Villains Are Sticky

Leave a comment

The Adventures of Superhero Girl by Faith Erin Hicks

Graphic Novel

A fun, funky story of a girl with super powers.

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

Superhero girl is living a life of fighting crime.    It is a small town; there aren’t many villains, and very few super-villains (you know it’s bad when you have to fight Marshmallow Menace — who throws Marshmallows at you). It can be frustrating, and there is no money in it.   But Superhero girl is determined to do what is right, even when she is pestered by her super-successful superhero older brother.

TO SEE THE FULL REVIEW: 

  • If you are reading this in your e-mail, please be sure to click on the link at the top of the page to go to the Reading With Wisdom website.
  • If you are reading this on the Reading With Wisdom website, Click on the link underneath READ ALL REVIEWS on the right-hand side of this page.

 

Adult, Ages 14 - 16, Ages 16 - 18

To Manga or Not To Manga

Leave a comment

Manga Shakespeare: Hamlet by William Shakespeare text adapted by Appignanesi, Richard; illustrated by Vieceli, Richard.

An interesting manga version of one of Shakespeare’s most famed plays

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

Hamlet the Dane’s father died, and his uncle became king, marrying the widowed queen in the process. When the ghost of the Old King presents himself to Hamlet, speaking of murder, Hamlet is set upon a quest for truth and revenge that ends up in tragedy and death.

TO SEE THE FULL REVIEW: 

  • If you are reading this in your e-mail, please be sure to click on the link at the top of the page to go to the Reading With Wisdom website.
  • If you are reading this on the Reading With Wisdom website, Click on the link underneath READ ALL REVIEWS on the right-hand side of this page.
Adult, Ages 10 - 12, Ages 12 - 14, Ages 14 - 16, Ages 16 - 18

Who Knew Delaware Was So Perilous?

Leave a comment

“Pals in Peril Tales” series by M.T. Anderson

  1. Whales on Stilts
  2. The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen
  3. Jasper Dash and the Flame-Pits of Delaware
  4. Agent Q, or the Smell of Danger
  5. Zombie Mommy
  6. He Laughed with His Other Mouths

A very funny series of spoofs of various genres of story books, but there are some questionable aspects to some of the books in the series.  I do not recommend Zombie Mommy, but others may not find it a problem.

Recommended age: 10 – 12; 12 – 14; 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult.

Jasper and Katie are story book heroes.   They have not aged because their books are still being read.  In the first book, we are introduced to our heroes as they foil a dastardly plot to take over the world using, yes, whales walking on stilts.  In the second book, Lily, Jasper and Katie, along with a whole list of other story-book heroes have been invited to a rustic country resort for a special dinner.   Turns out the invitation was fraudulent, and there is skullduggery afoot.   Fortunately, the three figure it out, catch the criminals and everyone, including the bad guys (who are tied up with policemen to guard them) all go skiing.  In the third book and fourth books, they go to Delaware, through its jungles and ancient cities, dodging the Delaware secret police, dinosaurs and tentacled monsters, to find an ancient monastery hidden in the mountains, and then fight their way out.

TO SEE THE FULL REVIEW: 

  • If you are reading this in your e-mail, please be sure to click on the link at the top of the page to go to the Reading With Wisdom website.
  • If you are reading this on the Reading With Wisdom website, Click on the link underneath READ ALL REVIEWS on the right-hand side of this page.

 

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

Supervillains Aren’t All They Are Cracked Up to Be

Leave a comment

“The Cloak Society” series by Jeramey Kraatz

  1. The Cloak Society
  2. Villains Rising
  3. Fall of Heroes

An interesting and fun superheroes vs. supervillains book from an unusual viewpoint.

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

Alex Knight has lived all his life in the secret base of the evil supervillain group known as The Cloak Society. He has been raised to believe in what they believe – to be a supervillain. For years he has looked forward to fighting the Society’s nemeses: the Rangers of Justice. But when he finally does, he saves a Ranger’s life, and suddenly, for the first time, Alex isn’t sure what he wants to be. And that’s not all—there are things going on behind the scenes, and soon Alex will have to make a choice: whose side is he really on?

The second book continues the story begun in the first.  The third book brings a climactic battle between The Cloak Society and the Rangers — and it all depends on Alex and his friends.

TO SEE THE FULL REVIEW: 

  • If you are reading this in your e-mail, please be sure to click on the link at the top of the page to go to the Reading With Wisdom website.
  • If you are reading this on the Reading With Wisdom website, Click on the link underneath READ ALL REVIEWS on the right-hand side of this page.

 

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

The Rangers Are At Their Best When the Odds Are Against Them

Leave a comment

“Ranger’s Apprentice – The Early Years” Series by John Flanagan

  1. The Tournament at Gorlan

An exciting and engaging prequel to the author’s acclaimed Ranger’s Apprentice series.

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

When Crowley, one of the last true Rangers, and Halt, a mysterious Hibernian who has been given Ranger training, set out together, they have a difficult task ahead. They must foil the evil plans of Morgarath, a baron who has his eye on the throne of Araluen. But the man they were hoping to get help from seems to have gone to the dark side as well, and the Rangers are quickly becoming an extinct species. Can they gather together enough people to stop Morgarath’s evil plan before he obtains his goal?

TO SEE THE FULL REVIEW: 

  • If you are reading this in your e-mail, please be sure to click on the link at the top of the page to go to the Reading With Wisdom website.
  • If you are reading this on the Reading With Wisdom website, Click on the link underneath READ ALL REVIEWS on the right-hand side of this page.

 

Ages 14 - 16

Orphan on the Run

Leave a comment

The Story of Cirrus Flux by Matthew Skelton

An interesting story of an orphan in 18th century London who is being pursued and he doesn’t even know why.

Recommended age: 14 – 16.

Summary of Plot: Cirrus lives in a home for orphans.  He is treated kindly there, but one day a girl comes running in and tells him he must run for his life.   Fleeing with her, he discovers that a strange woman is seeking him.   He escapes her and escapes the orphanage, and is forced to wander in the streets looking for help, not knowing that both friends and enemies are looking for him.

TO SEE THE FULL REVIEW: 

  • If you are reading this in your e-mail, please be sure to click on the link at the top of the page to go to the Reading With Wisdom website.
  • If you are reading this on the Reading With Wisdom website, Click on the link underneath READ ALL REVIEWS on the right-hand side of this page.

 

Adult, Ages 14 - 16, Ages 16 - 18

Even Aunts Can’t Stop True Love

Leave a comment

Blandings Castle by P.G. Wodehouse

A number of short stories mostly regarding Blandings Castle or Hollywood.  As usual with Wodehouse, they are complex and very funny.

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

Lord Emsworth is the absent-minded lord of Emsworth Castle, and he is surrounded by domineering sisters who try to make him act his role as Lord of the Manor, and who bring their daughters or sons to Blandings to keep them from getting married to people who don’t have money.   In the Blandings Stories Lord Emsworth, with the help of the young lovers (or in one case, a twelve-year-old girl) eventually stands up to his sisters (or his gardener) and helps the young lovers get reunited.  In the Hollywood Series, young love survives despite the temptations and trials of life around the silver screen.

TO SEE THE FULL REVIEW: 

  • If you are reading this in your e-mail, please be sure to click on the link at the top of the page to go to the Reading With Wisdom website.
  • If you are reading this on the Reading With Wisdom website, Click on the link underneath READ ALL REVIEWS on the right-hand side of this page.