The Crazy Case of Missing Thunder

Goodreads Description:    Fans of Dav Pilkey's The Adventures of Ook and Glook and Patricia Reilly Giff's ZigZag Kids will flock to this chapter-book mystery series full of slapstick humor and silly situations by the wildly popular Tony Abbott, author of the Secrets of Droon series.

Jeff, Brian, Mara, and Kelly are self-proclaimed goofballs. Since first grade these friends have been solving mystery among their schoolmates etc and now their reputation is expanding.

Rich kid Randall Crandall's horse, Thunder, goes missing and he calls upon the Goofballs to find him. Deciphering the clues that range from a flower delivery truck, a thunderstorm and a horse who's afraid of thunder, leads the Goofballs to recover missing Thunder, the flower-loving horse. In the meantime, they follow a trail of chomped-up flowers, disguise themselves as bushes in a florist shop and spend some time in a house that's bigger than the White House.

My Thoughts:

-    I read this with Gnome, and we had conflicting opinions. I thought the book was fun and quirky, and I would have read more of the series. Gnome didn't like it. She thought it was silly and boring. 

-    For an intermediate book, I think this is a great one to read with the kids. It was quick and entertaining, and there are illustrations throughout. A fun group of kids solve a little mystery. It is something I would have loved doing with my friends when I was 11. 

-    I laughed a couple times, but Gnome didn't as much. It just wasn't for her, but I thought the story was kinda funny and cute. 

The Shadow Prince

Goodreads Synopsis:    Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.

Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.

Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds. 

My Thoughts:

-    This has been sitting on my nightstand since the launch party, and I am kicking myself for not reading it sooner. I loved it!

-    This is my new favorite Hades and Persephone story. It had everything: action, romance, friendships, mystery, tension, music, great characters, and a great story.

-    The plot was really well done. It was intricate and interwoven. I was hooked from the beginning, and the ending delivered. 

-    I loved every character. They were all great, and each have their own roles to play. I suspect some characters will play bigger roles later. 

-    I have nothing bad to say about this book. Just gush gush gush!

The Savage Grace

Goodreads Synopsis:    A troubled soul. An impossible choice. A final battle.

Wrestling with the werewolf curse pulsing deep inside of her, Grace Divine was finally able to find her brother, but it nearly cost her everything.

With her boyfriend, Daniel, stuck in wolf form and Sirhan's death approaching, time is running out for Grace to stop Caleb Kalbi and his gang of demons. If she fails, her family and hometown will perish. Everything rests on Grace's shoulders.

The final installment in The Dark Divine trilogy brings Daniel and Grace's love story to a breathtaking conclusion.

My Thoughts:

-    This book was fantastic! I loved it! It was the perfect ending to this trilogy!

-    In the beginning there was so much pain and sadness. It was quite depressing, but then Grace realizes what she is meant to do, and the everything starts getting hopeful and happy!

-    I love how Grace reconciles her relationships and how she became so loving and compassionate. I want to be her friend!

-    There were some epic Buffy fights! I loved all the action and battle scenes! It was thrilling! Paranormal action is so much fun! All the characters were pushed to the limits, and the danger and fear was so tangible! More books need action like this!

-    I really love how everything was resolved. I feel like this ending was appropriate. It was hopeful yet solemn. There is one thing I still wonder about though. I'm sure there will be epic battles in the future for Grace and Daniel, but I'm happy with how everything ended. 

-    There was a bit towards the end that happened to be VERY similar to a Bible story. It is the one about an ear getting chopped off and a certain divine individual heals the ear. Ya, I noticed that! 

-    The character development from the first book to the end of this one was brilliant! I loved how Grace and Daniel's characters evolved. I loved the change that came over each character as they faced their own individual challenges. Jude's character was especially complicated, and I admit I cried for him. 

-    I really like the Divine family and the struggles they went through. I respect this family very much, and I can't even begin to understand how hard everything was for Grace's parents. It would be awful to see your children go through so many hardships. I think Grace's parents played their roles very well. They were there for their children, but ultimately let them do what they had to do regardless of the danger. 

-    I still saw and felt the Twilightish elements, but I've accepted it. I just tell myself this is like Twilight but good.

-    I think what I loved most about the series was that it wasn't just about a boy and girl in love. I wasn't just about werewolves. It was about people! It was about relationships, growing, challenges, forgiveness, heartache, redemption, and so much more! I loved all the morals and lessons! They way that Christianity is mixed into the story is well done and so uplifting. I felt good after reading each book. 

Previous Dark Divine Books

(Click on cover to see my thoughts)

 

The Lost Saint

From Goodreads:    A family destroyed. A love threatened. An enemy returns.

Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She was infected with the werewolf curse while trying to save him, and lost her beloved brother in the process.

Desperate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot, a newcomer to town. But as the two grow closer, Grace's relationship with Daniel is put in danger - in more ways than one.

Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace begins to give into the wolf inside of her - not realizing that an enemy has returned and a deadly trap is about to be sprung.

Bree Despain delivers sizzling romance and thrilling action in the heart-pounding sequel to the The Dark Divine.

My Thoughts:

-    I don't know why I can't stop reading these! This is usually not my cup of tea!

-    I thought the beginning was a little slow, but it picked up and I couldn't stop reading. This book never left my side, and I read every chance I got. 

-    April is so dumb but fun. I find her really annoying, but she is a good friend, and I think Grace really needed her. April reminded me A LOT of Tomoya from Cardcaptor Sakura. Kudos to Brodi Ashton for her input on a bling bling stake! ha ha!

-    I don't know what to think about Daniel and Grace's relationship in this one. I hated it, but I understood it. Every relationship has bumps, and I'm glad they reconciled and became closer because of their struggles, but I hated the lying and poor choices. 

-    How old are Grace and Daniel? Aren't they too young to know what true love is? I can't really complain though, I started dating my hubby when I was 18, but I was out of High School and in College. I don't really know how I feel about this. 

-    I really like the Christian messages in these books. I think religion gives guidance and comfort to people, and this story really shows that. I really liked the theme of helping others and being good Samaritans. I wish my school/seminary had a service project like the one in this book.

-    There was a lot more action and violence in this book, and I LOVED IT!! The epic demon killing was fun! I also liked the battle at the end.

-    This book was very Buffy the Vampire Slayerish. I liked it! It was also Twilightish, which I hated. 

-    I liked the new characters, and I liked that I didn't know who to trust or not. Little warning signs went off in my head about a couple of them. I liked the added suspense of not knowing who the enemy really was. 

-    Grace made a lot of poor choices. I get that most of it was the wolf inside, but I'm glad she got a little kick in the butt at the end. Her pride was getting the way, so I'm glad she was humbled and realized what was going on. 

-    I figured a love triangle would appear, but I REALLY didn't want it to. Oy! Why? Why do books have to do this!? We've already established that Daniel and Grace have "true love" for each other, so lets just leave them alone! 

-    The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger, so I think I'll go devour the 3rd book now!

Previous Book in Trilogy

(Click on cover to see my thoughts)

The Dark Divine

Goodreads Synopsis:    Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.

My Thoughts:

-    I've put this book off for a long time. After the fiasco that is Twilight, I actually didn't want to read this book at all, but I was really surprised at how intoxicating this book was! I couldn't put it down! I'm slowly coming around to liking paranormal books. 

-    Yes, the book has Twilight elements, and I hated that, but this book had better writing, characters, and story!

-    I really loved that this was very mysterious and dark. I wanted to know everything about Daniel. I was dying to know what happened between him and Jude. 

-    I loved Grace's character! She was so compassionate and genuinely wanted to help people. She was willing to sacrifice things and go the extra mile! 

-    I really liked the Divine family. Their family was a very typical Christian family, and I liked how the their bond was strong yet weak. 

-    The part about forgiveness really hit home for me. I've been hurt very deeply by someone close to me, and it is hard to get over the pride and hurt feelings to forgive them. I really appreciated the pastor and his bit about the Prodigal Son.

-    I didn't really like Pete. I thought he could have been left out of the book. I didn't like that Grace had any sort of relationship with him. I felt like it wasn't needed, and he was a jerk. 

-    My heart bleeds for Don! That poor poor man!

-    I feel really sad that I let one book ruin a whole genre for me. I shouldn't have done that cause I've been missing out! I've learned my lesson. Never say never!

-    I think this book could have stood by itself. I'm really curious to find out where the story goes from here, because I liked how this one wrapped up. 

One Moment

Goodreads Description:    This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget.

Maggie remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party. She remembers climbing the trail with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below–dead?

As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?

The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.

My Thoughts:

-    The people in this book are messed up!

-    I wasn't expecting all the mystery and suspense. It kept me turning pages!

-    I kinda figured out what was going on from the very beginning. It wasn't that hard to piece together, so it drove me a little nuts that Maggie took so long to realize what was happening.

-    There was a lot of drinking in the book. The characters were drunk a lot. There was also some heavy profanity. It wasn't frequent, but there were a few f'-bombs. 

-    I enjoyed the book, but it also made me angry. I just want to smack all the characters upside the head!

-    Emotions run high while reading stuff like this, and it is hard to put into words.

The Butler Gets a Break: A Bellweather Tale

Goodreads Bit:    All is (temporarily) peaceful in the village of Eel-Smack-by-the-Bay. An art heist has been averted, an albino alligator refuge established, and a family of refugee circus performers, gainfully employed. After much thought (and a tell-all memoir) Tristan Benway has decided to remain in the employ of the Bellweather family, and the children, especially, have tried to mend their ways.

But old habits die hard, and when the triplets - Brick, Spike, and Sassy - experiment in negative space on the lighthouse stairs, Benway ends up in the hospital with a broken leg, and the Bellweathers are left without a butler.  

The family's efforts to find an interim servant fail miserably. Their troubles mount as they become mixed-up with a band of roving Gypsies, paleontological discoveries gone awry, and encounters with rare attack squirrels.  But letting the recuperating Benway know of their plight is not an option. As the Bellweathers spin increasingly amazing stories of their "new servant" at Benway's bedside, the poor butler starts to wonder if he was ever needed. . .

My Thoughts:

-    This was another charming Bellweather Tale.

-    The cover is perfect for the story!  It really shows what is going on with each individual family member.

-    I didn't find the story as intriguing as the first book, but it was still cute.

-    These books remind me a lot Lemony Snicket's books.

-    I love how Benway tries to pretend he isn't attached to the family, and how he isn't addicted to a certain TV show.

-    I also liked that the book showed that the Benway family really needs Benway, and they think he is part of the family.

-    I want a butler.  Maybe not one like Benway, but one like Carson (from Downton Abbey).  I think Benway is only suited for the Bellweather family.

-    I think I would have enjoyed this more if I were younger.  I'm sure kids around 12 or so would love this book though!

Leaving the Bellweathers

From Goodreads:    The young Bellweathers–fourteen-year-old Spider, thirteen-year-old Ninda, and the ten-year-old triplets, Brick, Spike, and Sassy–and their equally peculiar parents have brought constant chaos to the once-peaceful village of Eel-Smack-by-the-Bay. Still, no one has suffered more than their loyal butler, Benway, who has finally had enough. He is secretly writing his tell-all memoirs, packing his bags, and planning his move to a tropical location, Far, Far Away.
But when the siblings discover Benway is preparing to leave their lighthouse home, they band together to prove how much he’s needed, as only Bellweathers can. . . . 
Full of comic capers and close calls, an art heist and albino alligators, and good intentions gone wrong, Kristin Clark Venuti’s hilarious debut novel introduces a new family that is absolutely unforgettable.

My Thoughts:

-    This was a really cute and humorous book!

-    The cover is a lot of fun, and after reading the book, I fell like it captures the Bellweather family perfectly!

-    I like how the font changes for Benway's journal entries.

-    Spider, Brick, and Sassy are terrible names for children.

-    The way that things are described is pretty funny.  I also got a kick out of the names of things, like St. Whiplash.

-    The writing reminds me of Lemony Snicket's books.

-    I disliked a lot of the family members at first, and I thought they were all out of control and crazy, but by the end, a lot of them grew on me.  I still don't like Ninda though.

-    I liked Benway a lot.  He was such a funny character, and I really sympathized with him.

-    The triplets reminded me of the 3 little boys from Brave.

-    I loved the transition in the book, and I thought the ending was sweet.

-    This book is definitely for younger readers, but I thought it was fun.