Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor

Seeing ReddAlyss of Wonderland has just regained the thrown from her evil Aunt Redd. Redd and the Cat escaped through the Heart Crystal but are now trapped within the crystal. Hatter Madigan is on a retreat. Homburg Molly, Alyss’s bodyguard, is off sulking after a reprimand. Alyss is even managing to find some time to spend with Dodge as she settles into the demands of running her queendom. And then it begins, brutal attacks on Alyss’s soldiers by Glass Eyes and phantom sightings have the Wonderlanders wondering, “Is she back?” Seeing Redd is book two of The Looking Glass Wars.

Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean by Jason Somper

vampirates demons of the seaVampirates: Demons of the Ocean follows the story of the fourteen-year-old Tempest twins, Connor and Grace, as they make their way in the world. When their father dies, they leave their lighthouse home to get away from their only choices: an orphanage or adoption by an uncaring couple. They steal their father’s boat and head out to sea. When a violent storm capsizes their boat, Grace and Connor are separated. Connor is rescued by pirates and Grace is rescued by a mysterious ship with a ghastly crew.

Follow up this adventure with the sequel, Vampirates: Tide of Terror. Connor considers joining the Pirate Academy while Grace struggles with visions of the Vampirate ship and her connection to Lorcan.

If you like The Pirates of the Caribbean movies, you should enjoy the Vampirates series.

The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman

golden compassThe Golden Compass is Book 1 in the His Dark Materials trilogy. This holiday season it will be released as a major motion picture. Now’s your chance to read Lyra’s story before you see the movie!

Lyra Belacqua runs freely at Jordan College in Oxford, England with her daemon, Pantalaimon. (A daemon is connected to a person much like a soul. As Lyra’s story progresses the reader learns that children’s daemons may change their animal shape but when one matures his or her daemon settles on one animal shape.) When Lyra’s powerful uncle, Lord Asriel, visits the college, Lyra learns of the dust. Dust that is feared by some and others find intriguing. Lyra is pulled into a world of Gobblers who steal children, of witch clans, and armored bears. Her journey takes her to the cold far North and to her destiny.

If you enjoy, The Golden Compass, you will want to follow it up with its sequels The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass.

The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan

titan's curseThe Oracle spoke:  “Five shall go west to the goddess in chains, One shall be lost in the land without rain, The bane of Olympus shows the trail, Campers and Hunter combined prevail, The Titan’s curse must one withstand, And one shall perish by a parent’s hand.”

Percy Jackson’s best friend, Annabeth, is missing after a recent quest. The goddess, Artemis has dissappeared.  Zoe Nightshade and Bianca Di Angelo, hunters, join Grover and Thalia on a quest to fulfill the Oracle’s prophecy.  Percy has been ordered to stay behind.  But, it wouldn’t be a story about Percy if he followed orders, now would it?

Rick Riordan’s third in the series about the Olympians, is a great read.  Which one of the three books is your favorite?

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

 inkheart2Imagine having a voice so wonderful, so incredible that when you read aloud from a book  some of the characters would appear in this world.  Meggie’s father, Mo, a bookbinder, has this gift.  But this gift also comes with a curse for when one character from the Inkheart‘s world appears in our world, someone from our world disappears into Inkheart’s world.  Two characters, Dustfinger and Capricorn, have been released from Inkheart  into Meggie’s world and Meggie’s mother has disappeared.  Capricorn and his gang are searching for Mo.  They have an evil plan for our world and Mo’s gift is needed to set the plan in motion.

Follow up this great read with the sequel, Inkspell.  Meggie reads herself in to Inkworld and a new adventure begins.

inkspell.jpg

Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

 looking glass 2I just finished reading the Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor. I actually had a chance to meet the author at the Comic Convention in San Francisco a couple of weeks ago. He gave me a 60 second synopsis of the book, enough to make me curious and purchase the book. He plans to write a triology and he is working with others on a comic book series that is already out entitled Hatter M based on Alyss’s bodyguard. I’m intrigued with the concept of having cross-over characters in the novel and comic book. Those of you who are familiar with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass should read Looking Glass Wars just to see how Beddor uses familiar characters and the setting of Wonderland to take us on a whole different journey. And now for Looking Glass Wars…

At Queen Genevieve’s command, Hatter Madigan, the Queen’s faithful and loyal bodyguard, snatches up seven-year-old Princess Alyss and flees through the Pool of Tears to keep her out of the clutches of her vicious Aunt Redd. After emerging from the portal, Alyss finds herself separated from her bodyguard and alone in Victorian London. In London, she meets the author Lewis Carroll to whom she entrusts the terrible story of the Wonderland coup. Alyss hopes that someone will read the tale, come to her rescue, and return her to Wonderland. Lewis Carroll publishes her story as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and he gets everything wrong including the spelling of Alyss’s name. Meanwhile, Wonderland has come under the cruel rule of the Queen of Hearts, Alyss’s Aunt Redd. Will those loyal to Alyss be able to find her in time to return her to the throne? Will Wonderland ever return to its former glory? Check out a copy of The Looking Glass Wars to find out.

What have you read lately?

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

percy jackson ltWell, the gods of Mt. Olympus have been at it again.  They’ve been interfering with the lives of mere mortals. Poor twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of yet another boarding school for causing trouble during a class field trip.  But he had to defend himself against his pre-algebra-teacher-turned-monster.  After all, she was trying to kill him!  When the Minotaur chases Percy to a summer camp for half-bloods, Percy begins to understand the life he has been dealt.

Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt

keturahI just finished reading Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt.  If you like romance, you should enjoy this book.  Keturah Reeve, a peasant girl, wanders away from her loving village out into the forest following the legendary hart and soon she is lost.   After three days of wandering deeper into the forest, Keturah weak with fatigue and hunger realizes she is dying.  When Lord Death comes to claim her, Keturah uses her storytelling skills to gain another day.  She strikes a bargain with Lord Death that if she can find true love, he will have to let her go.  Lord Death returns her to the edge of the forest close to her grandmother’s cottage after Keturah promises to return the next night to finish her story and to be claimed by Lord Death.  Will Keturah find her true love in just a day?

What have you read lately?