“Rapunzel’s Revenge” series by Shannon Hale

Book Titles:

1. Rapunzel’s Revenge
2. Calamity Jack

Graphic Novel

A fun and unusual take on the Rapunzel story.

10 – 12; 12 – 14; 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult

Evil Mother Gothel stole Rapunzel when she was little and used magic to dominate the land.   When Rapunzel challenged her, she imprisoned Rapunzel in a tower.   But Rapunzel escapes and uses her long hair to fight her way across the land to rescue her real mother, defeat Gothel and free the land from Gothel’s domination.   In the following book, Rapunzel and her friend Jack set off to Jack’s hometown where giants are oppressing the city.   Aided by a newspaper publisher friend, they work to foil the plans of the giants and rescue Jack’s mother.

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The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke

An interesting book set in an entirely new world—the ocean.

14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult

Nere lives in a post-apocalyptic world which is ruled by the cruel Western Collective. The world’s temperature is rising, and all hope for mankind seems lost. But some scientists have come up with a desperate plan for the continuation of the human race: the Neptune project. They’ve genetically changed the makeup of the kids in the Neptune Project giving them all sorts of abilities to help them survive underwater. Nere, unknowingly and unwillingly, is a part of it. Once she is fully transformed, the above world is lost to her. However, the depths of the ocean are not a safe place to be, and Nere has a long journey before she reaches safety.

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Unnatural Death (A Lord Peter Wimsey Novel) by Dorothy Sayers

Lord Peter takes on an opponent whose murders leave no evidence.

Recommended age: 16 – 18; Adult

Lord Peter believes a murder has been committed, even though there is no evidence.   He doesn’t give up; instead, he digs deeper and flushes the murderer out, forcing his foe to overplay his or her hand.

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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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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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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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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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Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins

What do you do when you are forced to fight and kill people who are not your enemies?

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

Burma is oppressed by its government, and it is at war with its ethnic minorities, among them, the Karenni people.  Chiko, who sympathizes with the Karenni, is kidnapped by the military and forced to train to fight the Karenni.  When Chiko steps on a mine, he is rescued by a Karenni young person who chooses to save him rather than kill him.   But bringing him home to the Karenni camp brings its own problems.

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