Seeds of Rebellion / Brandon Mull / 483 pages

This is the 2nd book in the Beyonders series and it is full of action, adventure, heroism, and strange characters.  Two contemporary teens, Jason and Rachel, become Beyonders when they travel to another world in another time.  They join the mission of the blind king to save Lyrian from the evil emperor Maldor.  Accompanying them are a displacer who can remove various parts of his body, a semi giant who becomes a giant at sunset, a seed person who regenerates after death and more.  They traverse strange lands full of perils to reach the oracle in order to discover if they have a chance of winning the rebellion against the emperor.  Quite and adventure and sure to be loved by fans of Rick Riordan, Harry Potter, and other action fantasy lovers.  Recommend grades 5-7.

The First Prophet/Kay Hooper/390 pgs.

This is the first in a new Kay Hooper series. As in some of her recent books, Hooper's new series involves psychics. The main character, Sarah Gallagher, is new to her psychic abilities--her ability surfaced when she woke up from a coma. As a "new" psychic, Sarah cannot control her "abilities," and is the target of a mysterious enemy. She teams up with novelist Tucker Mackenzie; initially he is interested in her "psychic" ability, but his interest turns more personal as the story progresses.  There is a mystery and conspiracy involved, which makes for a fast read. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.

Sharp Objects/Gillian Flynn/254 pgs.

My first Gillian Flynn book was Gone Girl, so I wanted to see if any of her other books featured dysfunctional characters; in a word, the answer is "yes!" In Sharp Objects, Camille Preaker is a reporter on a small newspaper in Chicago. Her boss wants her to return to her hometown, Wind Gap, MO, to write about the murder of two young girls that has taken place in the past year. In typical Flynn fashion, Camille's family is a whole bunch of dysfunctional. Family "secrets" are exposed in the search to discover who murdered the young girls. The novel is told in Camille's voice, which makes for some very uncomfortable reading--and yet, I just had to see how the book ended! It's a pretty disturbing book, but it was interesting to read a predecessor to Gone Girl.

Butterfly Swords / Jeannie Lin / 282 pgs. / Asia

"During China's infamous Tang Dynasty, a time awash with luxury yet littered with deadly intrigues and fallen royalty, betrayed Princess Ai Li flees before her wedding. Miles from home, with only her delicate butterfly swords for defense, she enlists the reluctant protection of a blue-eyed warrior.... Battle-scarred, embittered Ryam has always held his own life at cheap value. Ai Li's innocent trust in him and honorable, stubborn nature make him desperate to protect her--which means not seducing the first woman he has ever truly wanted...."--P. [4] of cover.

A very strong heroine and an honorable hero, lots of action, and a sense of real love and respect between the characters.  An enjoyable read!  My only complaint is that things wrap up a little to neatly at the end to give the reader the romantic happy ending.  Sorry, I just don't think of Emperors during the Tang Dynasty as benevolent and forward thinking when it came to women's rights. 

***Winner of the Golden Heart Award – Best Historical Romance***

The Walking Dead: The Best Defense (vol. 5) / Robert Kirkman / 100 pgs. / Zombie Challenge

This was definitely a volume that I could have just skipped over and would have been better off for it.  In this chapter (Issues 25-30) the main heroes: Rick, Grimes, Glenn, and Michonne have been captured by a ruthless group, headed by a man called "The Governor".  The things this group does to its prisoners is far worse then the zombie attacks depicted in earlier issues.  The torture of Michonne, most of it is hinted at with (mercifully) only a bit actually drawn out; really left me feeling sick and disgusted with the thought that humans could actually think up and inflict this kind of damage on each other. 

A Heartbeat Away/Harry Kraus/370 pages

Dr. Tori Taylor is a very demanding and unforgiving cancer surgeon. But, now she is also a heart transplant recipient. Being on the other side of the care and at the mercy of the nurses who she bullied gives her new perspective before the operation. Afterwards, she finds herself weepy and uncharacteristically empathic to the people around her. She is also plagued by nightmares that she believes come from the donor heart. She and the counselor assigned to her case try to find out more about the donor.

Two stories are told in this novel. Part of the novel is told from the donor's side and the other from Tori's. There is a bit of a twist, but nothing too surprising. It's worth mentioning that this is a Christian novel because there really isn't any indication of that on the book.

The Unwanteds/Lisa McMann/390 pgs.

According to a Kirkus Review, The Unwanteds is "The Hunger Games Meets Harry Potter." I personally feel that is a bit of a stretch. In the land of Quill, every year the 13 year-olds are sorted into two categories--the "Wanteds" and the "Unwanteds."  The Wanteds are the kids that are bright, strong, intelligent, and get to go to the university. The Unwanteds are the "artistic" kids, and since they are of no value in Quill, are sent to their deaths on the day of the "Purge." Identical twins Alex and Aaron Stowe are split up on the Purge--Aaron will proceed to the university, and Aaron will be sent to his death. What the people of Quill don't know, and neither do the Unwanteds, is that the Unwanteds are being sent to a magical place, Artime. Artime was created by Mr. Today, a magician, and exists to hide the Unwanteds from Quill. It's a place that encourages the Unwanteds to explore their creativity, and to learn how to use their creativity as a weapon--because, eventually there will be a showdown between Quill and Artime. This is book 1 in the series, and geared towards middle grade readers.

Angels at the Table/Debbie Macomber/228 pgs.

This is one of Macomber's Christmas tales featuring the angels Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy--plus their new apprentice angel, Will. At midnight on New Year's Eve, in Times Square, Will brings two strangers together, Lucie Farrara and Aren Fairchild. Since they weren't supposed to meet until further into the future, this meeting triggers events that shouldn't have happened. It's a romantic comedy with misunderstandings, discoveries, and a happy ending. A nice, light, read for the holiday season!

Lord God Made Them All / James Herriot 373 p.

James Herriot (AKA Dr. Alfred Wight) returns in this fourth volume where he continues his stories of animals, owners, families, children, partners, that he encounters during his years of practice after serving in the Royal Air Force in World War II, with tenderness, hilarity, sadness, and wonderful care

Decades Books: 1980

The Dark and Hollow Places / Carrie Ryan / 376 pages / December Challenge Apocalyptic Literature

This is the thrid book in The Forest of Hands and Feet trilogy.  It is a post-apocalyptic world and small population remnants struggle to survive in world abandoned by technology.  Gabry is alone in the Dark City as Elias has been away serving with the Regulators.  Katcher destracts guards from approaching Gabry and the disturbance on the bridge attracts Abby's attention.  Is this her long lost sister?  The sisters realize that the true enemy is the authorities who sponsor games and specialize in cruelty.  Using hot air balloons and New York City's underground, they Elias, Katcher, and other Dark City residents are able to escape and hope to establish a new community.

The Last Noel / Michael Malone / 292 pages

This is the story of two people who fall in love as young children, are soul mates throughout life, and are unable to act on that love due to their very different backgrounds.  Noni Tilden is surprised  by a nighttime, bedroom visit on Christmas Eve from Kaye King.  He comes to inform her of her sled gift and they immediately share rides on the sled.  Both are Christmas babies, but Noni is wealthy and white and Kaye is black and living with his grandmother who takes care of Noni's house and family.  Both families have their problems as does society in general.  This is heartwarming story of true love, integrity, and racial tension and prejudice and its detrimental effects on human relations presented as Twelve Days of Christmas.

Son / Lois Lowry / 393 pages / December Challenge Apocalyptic Literature

The Apocalypse has occurred and the remnants of civilization have attempted to reestablish some sense of community and order.  In one of these communities, young women are artificially inseminated and make their contribution to society by being Birth Mothers, Vessels which produce Products - babies - which are then given to couples to raise for the good of all.  When young Claire gives birth, something goes wrong and she is reassigned from Birth Mother to fish hatchery worker.  She feels and irresistible pull toward her baby who is unplaced because of his irascibility and sleepless nights.  One of the day care providers takes him home each night and Claire befriends the man and volunteers in the day care center to be near her son.  When after a year the boy has still not acclimated, the care giver's son runs away with the toddler to spare his life, and Claire follows.  She is determined to find her son and she makes a pact with the Trademaster.  She trades her youth for her son.  This dystopian novel portrays the indomitability of maternal love, the theme that all life is sacred and precious even if, and perhaps especially when, it does not conform to society's expectations.  This is the fourth book in The Giver quarter.  Written after the death of the author's son in 1995, it resounds with the sense of loss and infinite love Ms. Lowry had for her own son.

Dead of Night / Jonathan Maberry / 357 pages / December Challenge Apocalyptic Literature

A plague has been loosed on the earth by one mad Russian Scientist currently working for the CIA.  His entire family was tortured and murdered by a serial killer.  Perfecting Project Lucifer 113, he has created a cocktail that turns humans into flesh-eating zombies.  Working at a prison, he sought to inject killers on death row so that when buried they would be aware of their circumstances and would be consumed by them.  Unfortunately, a serial killer's aunt claims his body after death.  When the body arrives at the local mortuary, Armageddon is unleashed.  Detective Desdemona Fox and her partner JT are sent to the mortuary in response to a 911 call from the cleaning lady.  Will the President follow the suggestions of his advisers and bomb the town and all its inhabitants to contain the plague?   Is this the end of the world?

Who Could That Be At This Hour? / Lemony Snicket / 258 pages

This latest book by Lemony Snicket features the author in the starring role in a new series.  Young Snicket must solve a mystery of a missing statue which is not really missing.  Humor abounds as Lemony befriends innocent and guilty alike and regales us with his extensive vocabulary clarifications.

No Talking / Andrew Clements / 155 pages

It's boys against the girls....or is it the students against the faculty and administration?  The noisiest class in the school, the fifth graders, double dog dare each other not to talk for the next forty-eight hours.  The rules proclaim a limit of three words to be uncountable, but all other spoken words count against the team.  Inspired by Ghandi and his silence for freedom and self-realization, the scheme radically alters life and learning at the middle school.  Andrew Clements' books are all great read-a-louds with great, age-appropriate themes.

If You Know Her / Shiloh Walker / 390 pages

This is the last book in a trilogy.  Preceded by If You Hear Her and If You See Her, it tells of a sadistic serial killer and his dastardly murders which unfortunately include violence against member of his close knit, family-oriented community.  Nia Hollister, a well-known photo journalist, has returned to Ash, Kentucky to investigate her cousin's death.  She does not believe the man arrested is the guilty party.  Law Reilly, a local author, is convinced her doubts merit further investigation.  This is page-turner and a satisfying conclusion to the saga.

Infamous / Sherrilyn Kenyon / 468 pages / December Challenge Apocalyptic Literature

This is actually the third book in a trilogy.  I would recommend reading Infinity first.  Nick Gautier is about to become the greatest hero mankind has ever known, or he will be the one who ends the world.  He is the Malachi and his first mandate is to stay alive while everyone, including his own father, tries to kill him.  He is a most unusual Malachi.  He was not conceived in hate and pain, but in love.  His love for his mother, his girlfriend (who is much more than she seems), and his love and respect for others may save the world...if he can just figure out exactly what he is, what powers he has, and what the intentions of his enemies are.

Patient Zero / Jonathan Maberry / 421 pages / December Challenge Apocalyptic Literature

Can you "trust a man who would bypass an Oreo in favor of vanilla wafers?  It's a fundamental character flaw.  Possibly a sign of true evil."  But Mr. Church, head of DMS - Department of Military Science, is not the evil.  It is the Walkers - zombie-like beings imported into the US for terrorism and unleashed simultaneously on the citizens of Afghanistan.  Detective Joe Ledger was a part of the task force that raided the warehouse where the first Walker was found and killed by Joe.  When he reanimated, Joe killed him a second time.  Sebastian Gault, "whose company is one of the world's top suppliers of pharmaceuticals for humanitarian aid," funded the research that produced the zombies.  He is truly evil.  Has he unleashed the apocalypse?  This, in true Jonathan Maberry style, is a real page-turner from beginning to end...

Zone One / Colson Whitehead / 259 pages / December Challenge Apocalyptic Literature

I'm sorry to say that this was the most boring post-apocalyptic horror novel I have ever read.  It did finally become a page-turner at the very end, but the ending was anything but hopeful.  Of course, we have a plague and zombies, but here we also have skels - zombies who are harmlessly frozen in what they were doing on Last Night.  Mark Spitz (not his real name) is one of a team of three civilian volunteers assigned to sweep New York City streets of these stragglers.  It is an easy job turned horrific.

Zombies Don't Play Soccer / Dabbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones / 70 pages / November Challenge Zombies

Eddie, the Troublemaker, puts vinegar in his soccer coach's water bottle and he quits.  Their new coach, Coach Graves, is really tough and works the kids harder than they have ever worked before.  During practice, a creepy old lady visits the coach and afterwords she becomes a zombie.  The kids try salt to de-zombify her, but she remains a zom.  They defeat the Sheldon Shooters by playing like the coach taught them and played with enough dazzle to wake the dead.
The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids #15