4 Books to Keep the Tweens Entertained

by MK French

Have your kids complained of being bored, yet? Not only is it important to keep up their reading skills during the summer, books are a great way to keep them entertained. Whether they are looking for an adventure, love robots, or are into graphic novels, there are plenty of new books to choose from this month including these 4 stories.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

Grave Mistakes by Kitty Curran ~ a Review

by MK French

Molly Dade is trying to hide a secret from the rest of her little Maine community. Her family was living in a house reportedly haunted and next to the cemetery, but then her mother and twin brother were killed in an accident. Only, her mother is a ghost and her brother is a poltergeist. Molly’s younger sister is a zombie. While she's trying to keep it a secret, she has a violin audition coming up that her family wants to see. Her father's new assistant at the cemetery seems to know the Dade family secret, and the explosion that killed her mother and brother might not have been an accident. Someone might be after the Dade family—but who? And why?

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

2 Fantasy Novels for Young Readers

by MK French

Did you or your kid get a new eReader for Christmas? If they (or you) love fantasy novels, then definitely check out these two books for young readers.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

Shad Hadid and the Alchemists of Alexandria by George Jreije ~ a Review

by MK French

Shad Hadid never fit in at school, so he focused on his family and dreams of opening an Arabic bakery. When Shad is attacked, he discovers his late baba was an alchemist and he’s one as well. This skill earns him an invitation to the Alexandria Academy, a school for alchemists. Shad hopes to learn more about alchemy and that he'll be safe from monsters, but no one at the school knows what alchemy even is. Shad soon discovers evil, and only he holds the key to stopping or fulfilling their plans.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao ~ a Review

by MK French

Zachary Ying's mother works hard and can't teach him about his Chinese heritage. All he learns at school are Western classics, so Zack is unprepared to host the spirit of the First Emperor of China in order to seal the leaking portal to the Chinese underworld before the upcoming Ghost Month blows it wide open. Unfortunately, the spirit binds to his AR set and botches the mission from the start. When Zack's mother's soul is stolen by demons, he must learn to wield the emperor's powers and search for artefacts. If he can't get this right, he loses his mother for good.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts by Erika Lewis ~ a Review

by MK French

Orphan Kelcie Murphy is used to being excluded or overlooked, and fending for herself even when she's supposed to be taken care of by the foster care system. It turns out that she's a Saiga, descended from those able to wield elemental magic. She's dying to attend the Academy of Unbreakable Arts to learn to use this power, as well as find out who her parents really are.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

2 Books for Young Readers

by MK French

Are you a teacher looking for new classroom books or do you have children at home in need of entertainment? Here are two books that our young readers will enjoy.

Amazon affilate links are used on this site. Free book were provided for an honest review.

Sugar and Spite by Gail D. Villanueva ~ a Review

by MK French

Jolina is so fed up with being bullied by Claudine that she uses her grandfather's arbularyo magic to brew a love potion to soften Claudine's attitude. It works so well that Claudine now wants to be Jolina's best friend and do whatever she asks. However, magic like this comes with a cost...

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

3 Books for Kids

by MK French

Are you looking for something fun to put in your kids' Easter baskets that's not full of sugar? Or perhaps you would like for them to take a break from screens this spring break. Well, today I have 3 books that should entertain your kids.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead ~ a Review

by MK French

Bea's parents have gotten a divorce, but she knows that they will always love her. That's the first thing written in her notebook, where she keeps a list of things that will not change. Her father plans to marry his boyfriend Jesse, and Bea is thrilled. She likes Jesse and hopes that Jesse's daughter will be the sister she always wanted. As the wedding day approaches, Bea will learn that it takes a lot to create a new family.

The Slug Queen Chronicles by S. O. Thomas ~ a Review

by MK French

Cricket Kane discovers that tooth fairies are now kidnapping entire children, not just collecting teeth. Her brother is taken, leaving behind a changeling and a toxic black dust that affects her family. She’s immune to it and follows a mysterious cat to the land where magical creatures are real. Cricket has to harness the power of that dust to rescue her brother and the other missing children, but it might cost her life.

What the Dog Knows: Young Reader Edition by Cat Warren ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

I typically shy away from books about animals as they often make me cry. As I had learned of this book in a science writers group I'm in, I figure it wouldn't really be sad since it was more about the science of scent and how dogs use the sense of smell. And I can tell you now that there isn't any sad stuff about the dog in this book. It is quite an interesting book, in fact.

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim ~ a Review

by MK French

Maia Tamarin can sew better than any of her three elder brothers, but she lives in a world where the most she can hope for is to marry well. Though her family is currently in reduced circumstances, a royal courtier demands that her father present himself at court for a competition to be the next royal tailor. She was the one to keep the family shop afloat for years, so she cut her hair and dressed as her ailing brother. Her dreams are to become the Master Tailor for the court to elevate her family's honor and prove she has the skill it takes to do the job. This is only the beginning of a journey fraught with magic and court intrigue.

The Reader by Traci Chee ~ a Review

by MK French

There were redcoats on the road. The gravel path that cut through the tangled jungle was teeming with people, and the mounted Oxscinian soldiers rode above the seas of foot traffic like lords in a parade: their fine red jackets unblemished, their black boots polished to a high shine. At their waists, their sword hilts and gun grips glinted in the gray morning light. ~ first chapter, first paragraph.

Sefia has been in hiding or on the run her entire life, and now her Aunt Nin has been captured by the same people that had murdered her father. They were looking an object that he had been hiding, with symbols that gradually Sefia learns to understand. In a society that has no written language, the power of a book is also the power of magic, and some people will do just about anything to get it.

Edge of Yesterday by Robin Stevens Payes ~ a Series Review

by Donna Huber

I recently read the first two books in the middle grades time travel series Edge of Yesterday. Charlotte (aka Charley) is obsessed with Leonardo Da Vinci and is determined to prove time travel is possible with Da Vinci's time machine. In the second book, Da Vinci's Way, we join Charley in Renaissance Florence.

The Gift of the Quoxxel by Richard Titus ~ a #KidLit Review

by MK French

King Norr would like to leave the idyllic world he lives in, determined to experience life at the fullest. He has adventures and encounters mysterious figures throughout his journey.

Kate's Really Good at Hockey by Christina Frey & Howard Shapiro ~ a Review

by MK French

Kate was finally accepted to go to an elite hockey camp in Denver over the summer. While she was looking forward to staying in the dorm, her mother decides that she should stay with her grandmother instead. Her grandmother had never shown an interest in hockey, so Kate is disappointed. There are girls who bully her and a coach that seems to let it happen, which makes her summer even worse. When Kate discovers secrets family members kept from her, she is upset and feels as though her summer is ruined.

5 Fantastic Books to Keep Your Kids Reading All Summer

by MK French

School's out (or will be soon)! Studies have shown that when kids do not read during the summer, they can lose half a grade level or more in reading skills. This "summer slide" effects other academic areas as well. Beyond the educational benefits, instilling a life-long love of reading will benefit your kids throughout life. Here are 5 books to keep your kids reading all summer.

Two New May Books for Your TBR Pile

by MK French

May is filled with so many new releases. Here are two more books that hit shelves today. First up is a literary novel set in rural Texas. Then I have a middle grades adventure perfect for summer reading.

Sword & Sorcery Novels for Each Age of Fantasy Readers

by MK French

Sword and sorcery literature was first coined for this subgenre of fantasy in 1961. As the name suggests, it features sword-wielding heroes with typically magic or elements of the supernatural present in the story. While there are similarities to other types of fantasy, it tends to fast-paced and action-packed. It is also considered to lend itself more to series format than say epic fantasy.

As sword and sorcery stories appeal to all age groups of readers, today I review three - one targeted towards middle grades, one that is more for teens, and one for adults.