5 comments about Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, Book 1).

1. Clare's Mortal Instruments is my favorite of all the various urban fantasy series I have read (both YA and adult). I started Clockwork Angel today with great anticipation. I'm now half way through and am taking a break to write this to comment that while this is well worth a read for anyone who loves the world Clare has created, this prequel is not nearly as powerful as the first three Mortal Instruments books. There is much less action, little suspense, not much utilization of the magical elements of this world, and most importantly, the characters are less compelling. Perhaps things will pick up and deserve four stars, and even if they don't it is still a good read, but don't expect a story as compelling as her earlier work. I certainly hope her future work returns to her previos quality. She's still - for now - my faviorite author in this genera.



2. I actually thought this book was very good. I like how she has kept in touch with the characters from the Mortal Instruments trilogy while still developing a whole new world. I really enjoyed how she set up her characters this time around. It's interesting watching the love triangle she is obviously building. I think this will be just as good as her other series once she gets going. As usual this is a bit gritty for a teen novel, but enough so both teens and some of the older crowd can enjoy it. Like City of Bones, this is slower moving in the beginning due to her establishing her characters and their relationships. All in all it was a fast paced read and I can't wait for the other two. I hope she writes them quickly.



3. When this first arrived in the mail, I have to admit I squealed and jumped up and down for at least a minute. But seriously what Mortal Instruments fan wouldn't? This is the PREQUEL were talking about. And at first it was amazing, just the thing I was hoping for, but then it took a turn for the worst, becoming boring and just a little bit too much like MI for my tastes. Thankfully, it did get a LOT better by the end, but still, I was disappointed big time overall.
   
   Clockwork Angel takes you back to a time before Jace, Clary, and Simon, back before some major damage in the Shadowhunter world occurred; the late 1800s in rainy London to be specific. In this addition, the story's new focus is Tessa, an orphan who's on the way to meet her beloved older brother in London so that she can start a new and better life than the one she had in America. Though waiting for in London isn't her brother but too scary sisters who call themselves the "Dark Sisters", and without any hesitation she goes of with them, not giving it a second thought. But as she is soon to learn this was a bad decision, one that might change everything she ever knew, and before she knows it she's thrown into the world of the Shadowhunters, which include two very dreamy but unattainable boys, with a talent she couldn't even begun to imagine she would have.
   
   I think Tessa is basically supposed to be the polar opposite of Clary. Because she's tall (Clary's short), she's an orphan (Clary's not), and so on. This bugged me to no end, especially when you added in the fact that Tessa lacked the spunk and charm I love about Clary's character. And while the main boys, Will and James, in this were swoon-worthy and adorable, they were just like Simon and Jace but with British accents and slightly different characteristics that lead them to being fragile (James/Simon) and brooding (Will/Jace), and lacking in this was the connection I always felt between Clary and James and Clary and Simon, as well as heart Though, with saying that I did love most of the secondary characters such as Charlotte, Henry, Sophie, and the always lovely Magnus Bane. But I will say that each of the main characters I had a hard time liking for most of the book, were starting to grow on me by the end, so hopefully by the second book I'll end adoring them just as much as I do the MI characters.
   
   The plot of this was decent and interesting enough but until the end it didn't have enough action to keep me interested fully. Instead it had back story and world building and lots of it.
   
   In all, Clockwork Angel was decent but nearly as great as Cassandra's prior books but by the end I did see promise, so hopefully the next one will be something I simply love and adore to the max.
   
   Grade: B-



4. The concept is rather stale, as if the author is going through the motions of her first series which is probably one of the best I have read! I was highly anticipating this release and perhapts I am just disappointed at how it all turned out. Maybe in time I will feel differently about the book, but it is a first book in a new series, it should have me drooling for more, not regretting the time I spent counting down the days till its release. When you think a start of a series, it needs to be more. The Hunger Games was Brilliant in its brutal in your face excitement; Peever's The Jumper Chronicles: The Quest for Merlin's Map (first book of a new series) is so reminiscent of Harry Potter you know it will take off! In fact The Jumper Chronicles was one of the best books I read all year, even better than Mocking Jay (considering that I was not a fan of the Ending of MokingJay!) Atemis Foul and Percy Jackson also had strong first novels, I guess what I am saying is there are a lot of books out there that are better than this one, that you should read before you spend money on this one! Here is a list.
   1) The Hunger Games The Hunger Games: Training Days Strategy Game(three book series-complete)
   2) The Jumper Chronicles The Jumper Chronicles: The Quest for Merlin's Map(7 books are planned, the first one is out, and it is the best book of the year, despite a few Editorial misses!)
   3) Artemis Foul Artemis Fowl Boxed Set(Seen books are out, The author is prolific expect more---the last one just came out and I have not read it yet, however it is on my shelf!)
   4) The Inheritance cycle Inheritance Cycle Omnibus: Eragon and Eldest (The Inheritance Cycle) (Eragorn, Brisinger, Elderest) The author has one more book planned in the cycle, where he had originally only planned three.
   5) Dark is Rising The Dark Is Rising (Boxed Set): The Dark Is Rising, Greenwitch, Over Sea, Under Stone, Silver on the Tree, The Grey King(this is a classic four book series, and totally worth visiting the library to read, it should be there as books like Harry Potter, Jumper Chronicles, and Hunger Games get most of the press these days)
   6) Harry Potter Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)(Should be close to the top! But everyone who loves to read has read them.
   7) Percy Jackson The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 5)(Brilliant---when I say Percy Jackson I mean anything written by Rick Riordan.
   8) The Mortal Instruments City of Bones (Mortal Instruments)(done my this author, and one more book is in the works -book 4--She is a good writer, I just hope that book 4 adds something rather than money in her pocket! Then she should move on!



5. Unlike seemingly everyone else, I was dissappointed with this book. It just didn't come up to par with The Mortal Instruments for me. And that's not just because I miss Jace ;)
   
   So, I think the book had a promising start with the prologue, but I can't say I liked the first part with Tess trapped in that horrible place with the Dark Sisters. I just don't think having the main character in the custody of the enemy is a good start for a book. I mean, it worked for the whole plot of course, but it just isn't something I prefer. I was so thankful when she finally got the heck out of there, because it was so creepy--and not in a good way. It was as if Clare wanted to break Tessa before she'd even really begun her journey.
   
   A few things that bothered me about the writing: too many long, boring conversations from characters I did not care about. And when people are given dialgue, explaining things that happened to them in the past, they talk as if they're writing a book, which I find rather jarring. A character says this at one point: "I can barely describe my sense of shock as I stared around me--creatures of indescribable grotesqueness filled the room. The Dark Sisters were there, leering at me from behind their whist cards, their nails like talons." And then "I was drawn to the gaming table like a moth to light," and "I emerged in the dawn" etc etc.. I doubt many people talk in similies, or as if they are writing a novel.
   
   The plot of the book, with the automatons and everything just isn't my cup of tea, but I won't take any stars away for this, because it's just my personal opinion, and I believe it was done/written well and decribed as accurately as something like this can be. I could always clearly picture every single scene as though I were looking down on the characters from above, and I suppose that almost made up for the book not being to my taste. The villian wasn't precisely obvious from the beginning, but I had a pretty good idea who it was early on.
   
   Clare did a good job painting nineteenth century London. I felt like she knew what she was talking about, and I really liked how in a time where women were considered unequal to men, the shadow hunters were different. Charlotte, a woman, is in charge of the institute, and works very hard to get there and stay there. I liked that shadow hunter women were still allowed to fight. It was funny to see Tessa's surprise at this. What did seem a tad fake or forced, was Tessa's beliefs about women and servents. It seemed as though Clare merely had Tessa think some of the things she does to prove that she knows how things were in the nineteenth century, yet without actually having them be a part of the book and the world the shadow hunters live in. For example, Tessa is shocked at how the servent, Sophie (I'll talk about how much I loathe her later), talks to her "masters," yelling at and insulting them. Tessa is also shocked that female shadow hunters fight, because she believes females don't have "blood lust." So Tessa was sort of a device to fit in the nature of the 1800's without the book actually having that feel, and without the characters actually acting accordingly.
   
   So, the characters. I'll start with Tessa. I have to say, I don't hate her, but I don't like her either. I much prefer Clary. But about Tessa...I found her to be inconceivably idiotic. Stupid. She witnesses a character hacking up blood on two occasions and still does not realize that said person is ill or that anything is wrong with them. She just brushes it off as if its a common occurance with no meaning, as if the person simply sneezed or something. Stu-pid. She was also a little bit rude, and said so many hurtful things to people. On top of that, she apparently knew that a certain character was evil all along, yet she said nothing and convinced herself said person was not evil. Stu-pid. She's brave though, which is good, even if I do find her a little bit icy and self-pitying. At one point she tells a character that he doesn't have the "luxury" to blame himself for something--she actually gets quite angry with him--then proceeds to whine about how it was all her fault. Hypocrite much?
   
   As for Will... Well, I'm getting bored of the whole "guy thinks he isn't good enough, and every other character in the book thinks he isn't good enough, for the girl, so he is mean to her to push her away." It's getting old. And boring. And stale. Still, I found Will to be an intriguing character, because I don't fully understand him. I love not understanding a character. It's just so fun. I'm anxious to learn more about him and, despite what many of the characters think, he obviously does have feelings and care about people other than himself. People who have no feelings don't mourn, don't weep over those they think dead. They just don't.
   
   Now...I honsetly didn't find Will to be that rude until the end of the book--at least to Tessa. I think Jace is meaner to Clary in the beginning than Will is to Tessa...but then, in the end, he has to do the whole "I will push you away to save you from my evil self" thing which was not a good note to close with. I loved that when he found that one of his human servents/friends had died, he said the thing shadow hunters always say when one of their own dies even though the guy was only a "mundane." It was beautiful, because shadow hunters are supposed to be so superior and arrogant, and yet Will was willing to say this for a human because he believed the man deserved it and he was right.
   
   Jem...I like him a lot. I don't think I really understand him, either. We learn a chunk of his past, yet I still don't feel like I know him and I can't predict what he might say or do next, which is always fun. I like that he and Will are so close, because he's apparaently the only one who realizes that Will is not completely evil, except for Charlotte and Henry (though they believe most of the lies that come out of his mouth throughout the book). Basically...he seems like someone I'd want to be friends with--someone good to talk to/confide in.
   
   Charlotte was wonderful. She's so strong and caring and yet vulnerable at the same time. Henry...he's adorable and quirky and serves to lighten the mood a little. And boy does this book need lightening, because it is dark. Way darker than TMI.
   
   About Sophie. I hate her guts. She's the type of person to blame others for a wrongdoing committed by someone else, simply because she assumes, with no evidence, that both people are exactly alike. I found it so annoying that she claims to know for sure that Will cares for absolutely no one but himself. Really? How would she know that? And anyway, it's obvious that that is not true. If she's gonna hate him, hate him for something that's actually true, something she actually knows. Hate him because he's rude--fine. But don't make up false evil qualities that he does not actually have because you assume he's like some random jerk from your past when in reality you don't actually know as single thing about him. Also, Sophie thinks she's God. She tells Tessa that Will does not deserve to be loved. Uh-huh. And what exactly gives her the right to make this absurd proclimation? She also says that beautiful people are bad, because snakes who have pretty bright colors are the most dangerous. Well, I hate to break it to you, Sophie, but human beings are not snakes and you should not judge them on their appearances. Also, you were once considered beautiful before your face got scarred. Does that make you evil, too?
   
   And question: Why does no one say Jessamine is evil and selfish? She's a lot ruder than Will is throughout the entire book. Every word out her mouth is an insult. She also leaves a character on his own to die (which he does) simply because she thinks ladies should not fight--and she is a shadow hunter for goodness sake! It's her job to protect people! Yet she does nothing but run and hide and then shows absolutely no remorse when the poor guy dies. She casually metions his death as if he's a flea or something. Ugh. I get that she doesn't want to be a shadow hunter and just wants to be a lady, but really. I hate her. She's the one who cares about no one but herself, not Will. Fact. I wanted to give her a good beating. All she cares about is clothing and looking good. At one point, Tessa even acknowledges the fact that Jessamine enjoyed going to a funeral because she looks good in white, the shadow hunter mouring color.
   
   A little side note on Magnus. He's so different in the past! He's so much nicer! I actually liked him more in this book than in TMI, but I liked him there too--just not as much. He's much greedier in the present.
   
   Okay, moving forward. I think my main problem with the book is that it depressed me. Will has funny lines for about the first half, then he stops being funny altogether and the book becomes all gloom and doom and death and destruction and betrayal and sadness and tears. A few of the characters have pointless deaths that made me sad. This is why the four stars. Truthfully, it would have gotten three stars save for one thing: the characters. I love how each of the characters has their own past and motivations and dreams. They all feel very real, and this is amazing for a YA novel. Many YA novels make the mistake of having every character's life revolve around the main character and none of them actually have lives or concerns of their own. That's what makes this book so great. ALL the characters are so distinct and different and all have different wants and needs. They don't live strictly for Tessa. They have lives. And I love them for it.
   
   Now, about the ending...it had a really annoying cliffhanger. I want to know what happens, even though I can't say I loved the book. I still don't want to wait. Time machine, anyone?

5 comments about The Book Thief.

1. Although this book already has 917 reviews as I write, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to add my name to the list of lovers of this powerful book. I had a little trouble getting into it at first. After about 85 pages I called the friend who recommended it to ask why she loved it so much. She told me to persevere and I will be greatly rewarded. So rarely do I have tears in my eyes while reading. There are many well written powerful books on the market with heart wrenching tales to tell but this book does it so well without being maudlin and manipulative. It is a very special piece of literature.



2. I went to Indigo three years ago looking for the new edition of Lolita. My mother who was with stumbled into the YA section and picked this book up for me and said it sounded interesting. I bought it, but I didn't think much of it for the past three years. But last summer when I literally had nothing to read, I read this book after two previous attempts.
   
   I devoured this book in one day.
   
   *SPOILERS INCLUDED IN THIS REVIEW*
   
   There is not enough praise in the world I could give this book. Yes, I had read books about the Holocaust previously, but this book will stand out to me forever. Mr. Zusak's writing style is so captivating and distinct that no one but him could ever write like that. Sure, he breaks the cardinal rule of "show don't tell" but he does it in such a quirky way you really don't care and can't help but enjoy it.
   
   There isn't too much action in this book (if you want action go turn on Transformers) but ever scene was written beautifully and masterfully crafted. Although much of the book is about Liesel learning to read and her relationship with Hans, and Rosa, and Max, and Rudy, the Holocaust was elegantly woven throughout the entire book. Even if Liesel is playing soccer or reading or having fun, you still sense the gloom and the mood of the war.
   
   Even though Mr. Zusak's writing is superb, the real gems of this novel (tarnished however, in the best way possible of course) are the characters--each one his or her own individual and equally unique and realistic. Liesel was such a relatable character to me, because she acted like a normal 9 year-old girl at the start and 10, 11, and 12 year-old as the book progressed. She struggled to fit in, and she was, not to mention, illiterate. How she overcomes those struggles is what makes her such a wonderful character. Max was fantastic and you couldn't help but dread his fate, Rudy was lovable and you couldn't help but bawl when he died, Hans was the dad you wished you had, Rosa was an animated character that you couldn't help but secretly love.
   
   But the most interesting character, perhaps, was the narrator: Death itself. No, we did not get a back story to Death (how could we ever?), but Death was so quirky and witty he was a character, too!
   
   The book provided an interesting point of view from a German girl's perspective. This is a book that can be life altering--it really and truly opened my eyes. The ending was probably one of the saddest, most bittersweet ones I have read in quite some times. I cried for nearly ten minutes and then re-read the ending again. You will laugh at Rudy's witty remarks as well as Liesel's snarky comebacks. Your heart will melt when you read about Hans and Max. You will feel Rosa's pain. Most of all, you will experience all of this through Death's perspective.
   
   One of the best books I have read in a while. Perhaps I am overrating his book like crazy, but in my eyes, it deserves it all.
   
   Overall Grade: A++++++(Haha, no I'm just kidding....) A+
   5 out of 5 stars (If only there was a 6 option.
   
   Similar books include: The boy in the striped pajamas, Milkweed, and Hunger Journeys.



3. I've been reading a lot of the reviews for this book and I've noticed a recurring theme with most of them. Some have been saying that this is not a book that teens would enjoy, but I'm here to let you know that that is nowhere near the truth. Now I will admit that I am an old teenager (19 years old) and that I mostly read mangas (Japanese comics) but although I still love Japanese comics, I'm looking for more novels to read, because I've miss them so much from my days as an avid reader. The Book Thief is a beautiful work of art amidst the vampire phase spurred by Meyer's Twilight series *gags* that I can't seem to escape in bookstores (seriously there's vampire crap EVERYWHERE, and quite frankly I'm sick of looking at it), Marcus Zusak has fired up my desire to read regular books. I'm now constantly on the look-out for more and more great novels like this one and I will be reading more of Zusak's work. I highly suggest any adults out there with teens to let them have a go at this book.



4. There have been so many good reviews of this book. Just wanted to add mine as I loved this book. Can't really understand the young reader tag tho?? A great story but the writing style is the thing that grabs you. Should be used in any writing class as an example of perfection.



5. I usually start my book reviews by writing a story overview to give you a glimpse of what the book is about. And I could do that for this book too ...
   
   "This is the story novel of a 9-year-old girl named Liesel Meminger who lives with her adoptive parents in World War II Germany in the working-class town of Molching. Given up by her mother to protect her safety, Liesel loses her younger brother on the train ride to Molching. (At his burial, she steals her first book, The Grave Diggers Handbook.) As she grows up on Himmel Street, we get to know Liesel and her accordion-playing adoptive father Hans Hubermann; her stern (but secretly loving) adoptive mother Rosa; her best friend Rudy; the depressed but kind Mayor's Wife (who passively encourages and abets Liesel's continuing book theft); and the sad but strong Jewish refugee Max (who is hidden in the Hubermann's basement). Set against the backdrop of World War II, we experience the war from Liesel's point of view--from forced participation in the Hitler Youth, to the stress of sheltering a Jew in your basement, to the importance of seeming to support the Nazis and Hitler when you're doing everything you can to subvert their atrocities while not being noticed."
   
   ...but I don't really want to do that. Why? Because giving a summary of this book doesn't convey to you what makes this book so incredibly powerful, amazing, gripping and poetic. It makes the book seem somewhat ordinary when it is anything but. For this is an extraordinary book.
   
   What makes it so extraordinary? The narrator. Our narrator, you see, is Death. (Yes ... Death. Like the Grim Reaper.) And, as you might expect, Death doesn't come at a story in the same way as you or I.
   
   EXCERPT: I could introduce myself properly, but it's not really necessary. You will know me well enough and soon enough, depending on a diverse range of variables. It suffices to say that at some point in time, I will be standing over you, as genially as possible. Your soul will be in my arms. A color will be perched on my shoulder. I will carry you gently away.
   
   Death is tired. Death needs a distraction. A vacation. Which is why he notices colors. To Death, Rudy isn't just a boy. He is the lemon-haired boy. Hans Hubermann isn't just a man. He is the silver-eyed man (whose eyes begin to rust at his death). But Death notices Liesel ... and something about her catches his notice. As Death says:
   
   EXCERPT: It's the story of one of those perpetual survivors--an expert at being left behind. It's just a small story really, about, among other things:
   
   * A girl
   * Some words
   * An accordionist
   * Some fanatical Germans
   * A Jewish fist fighter
   * And quite a lot of thievery
   
   I saw the book thief three times.
   
   From the very first page until the very last, I was completely enchanted by this book. I loved Death's narration ... his bolded, centered asides, his sly sense of humor, his use of imagery and colors, his way of listing the events in the upcoming chapters, his advice for meeting him, the gentle way he holds a soul in his arms. For me, Zusak's choice of narrator and the way he tells the story elevates this book from "another World War II novel" to a shimmering, dazzling prism of light that reflects our humanness back to us.
   
   If you can't tell already, I loved this book. Loved it. When you read a lot of books, you're always hoping for one that will surprise you, tell you a story in a unique way, or open your eyes to what a writer can do with words. For me, The Book Thief was one of those books. Upon starting it, I immediately regretted that I hadn't read it sooner. What if Death had come for me before I got to read it? Then it became a book that I didn't want to end. Although it is 576 pages, I found something to love and linger over on each page. And although I'm not a person who likes to reread books, I know I will revisit this one again.
   
   So, if you haven't read it yet, don't delay. It is a wondrous book--brimming with love and dazzling in its inventiveness and words. Perfection.
   
   A Brief Aside: For some reason, this book is always classified as a Young Adult novel, which I feel might turn off some readers. Do not let this label fool you into thinking there is anything simplistic about this book. If this is YA book, then it is the pinnacle of the genre. In my mind, I don't see it needing to be labeled as such, and I fear that such a label might keep some readers away from it. Don't make that mistake!

No comments about Thomas Jefferson: A Character Sketch.

5 comments about The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name.

1. This is the best children's Bible story book I have ever read. The pictures are great, but the way the stories are told is amazing. I have a Christian Theology degree and am often frustrated how Bible stories are told to children. But this one is wonderful because they are told with a sense of humor and real life. But they also weave in the story of God's love for his people starting at the very beginning in the Old Testament. "Every Story Whispers His Name" is an accurate subtitle, because all the stories lead the way to the story of Jesus in the New Testament. Very well written. I have started buying this for gifts for my friends! Great gift for adults as well.



2. I can't say enough about this book. We bought it for our 4 year old grandson..book with CD version. We've bought 2 more since for gifts...one for the grandson's family and one for a couple who will be having a baby in the fall.
   
   The narrative is electrifying with its Biblical content and commentary. If you don't know the gist of the Bible, buy this to get a real grip on the magnitude of Biblical truth.



3. This book is for children of all ages. Written in such a manner that old and young alike can understand the life of Jesus without needing a commentary to decipher the story.



4. My husband and I attended seminary and after having children struggled to find a theologically accurate bible for your children. We wanted something that didn't dumb down key concepts and that also kept God's holiness in tact. We LOVE this Bible. The stories are longer than most children's bible (3-4 pages usually), but the illustrations are nice. Each story points back to Jesus by the end of it. It doesn't mask over sin and man's falleness, but openly shows that without Jesus we have no hope. We know that our children won't catch everything we read every time we read, but whatever they do here is Truth. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BIBLE.



5. This book is amazing! Even after 30+ hours of seminary, this book has enlightened me to some amazing theology. For example, I never saw all the parallels between Joseph and Jesus (both were sold for a price, their brothers thought they were dead, they saved their family..). It's true that the whole Bible tells the story of God's plan to save His children through Jesus and this book helps you see that in some familiar stories that we often overlook how much they point to God's plan all along. This helps children and adults alike see how God is at work in every story.

5 comments about Number the Stars.

1. This is a very good book and definitely worth reading. For me and my daughter, who was 11 when we read it, it just wasn't a great book. It did not pull us in the way a great book does, it didn't stay with us for long.
   What I did like about this book was that it was a relatively gentle way to present the holocaust to a child. My daughter resists anything that she thinks is going to be too sad, and this book is one she could get through. She could relate well to the girls in the book and the story is powerful enough to have an impact without being overwhelming.



2. This book was an incredible insight. I loved every minute of it. Much like Anne Frank's diary this book is about Jews in hiding. It's an incredible story and one that I read over and over again. I highly recommend this book to all.



3. an amazing story. Lowry really went all the way into pulling the reader(s) into the book. I suggest for children ages 10 and up, or for anyone who understands the meaning of war, death, and sacrifice. This made many people who read this book cry. Very understandable. Bravo.



4. What a sad triumphant story. I've not read too much on the holocaust (something I intend to remedy) and to start out with this children's novel was probably the perfect introduction to the subject. Even though it is for a younger crowd, it does give a nice easy start to what essentially is a horrifying point in history. It helps prepare for the harder things to come.
   
   Annemarie is a Danish girl who lives with her parents and her younger sister. It is several years into the war and the Nazis have occupied the city and are in control. They terrorize everyone, Jewish or not, and aren't above scaring young girls on the street. Annemarie learns this firsthand when she is reprimanded for practicing a footrace on the street and a soldier yells at her. With her, is her Jewish friend Ellen, who is also yelled at for racing.
   
   When the Nazi's start clearing the Jewish out of the city, Annemarie's family takes Ellen in and disguises her as Lise, an older sister of Annemarie's that died a few years back. They have some close calls harboring Ellen but manage to keep her safe. However, life in the city becomes too dangerous for even this and they flee to the country where there are relatives near the coast. With the help of this relative and other brave heroes, they help Ellen and her family escape persecution.
   
   The writing in this, is of course, juvenile. It is after all, a children's book. But despite this, it is very elegantly told and easy to get lost in the story. I would have liked to see a bit more description on events and people, but I can see where it should be left out in order to appeal to a younger crowd. Its written in the third person and mostly follows Annemarie as a character. Since it is a fairly short book, it moves quickly and not a lot of time is spent on developing the characters or storyline beyond the basic plot and this may account for the lack of description as well.
   
   Such a sad story, even despite having happy moments. To think that such things were done in real life and all the atrocities committed is very depressing. I can only hope that human kind has learned from its mistakes and it will not be repeated. This is the perfect introduction to the horrors of the holocaust for the younger crowd. It has enough in it to be realistic but not enough to completely scare a younger reader. There are some violent aspects to the book, but really, in perspective it is no worse than some of the violence in cartoons.
   
   I enjoyed the book for its information but it did make me want to go read something a little more positive. But sometimes that's a good balance, once you read something sad it gives you an excuse to read something happy as well (at least for me it does!). It is important to read though and I wish I would have had the opportunity to read it when younger.
   
   Number the Stars
   Copyright 1989
   132 page



5. I am 10 years old, and I read this book because my sister read it and loved it. I didn't think I would like it, but I read it anyway. After I read the first chapter I couldn't put it down! That's how good it is. Usally it takes me at least 2 weeks to read a book, but I read this in 6 days. It is one of my favorites. Good book! In fact extra good book!

5 comments about The 39 Clues Book 2: One False Note.

1. My son does not enjoy spending a lot of time reading so when he finds books he's interested in I buy all of them in the series just to keep him reading. 39 Clues is one of those books. He seems to enjoy them and it hasn't been as big a struggle as usual to keep him reading over the summer.



2. I know other reviewers have given this series a very low rating. They could be written better but you have to remember the age group that these are written for. I think the series is a great buy since it does get my daughter to read.



3. One False Note take us on the second leg of Dan and Amy's quest to discover all 39 clues. This time they are headed to Austria to figure out what Mozart has to do with their heritage and the mystery that has take over their lives.
   
   Dan, Amy, and Nellie, their trusted and so cool au pair are hot on, the trail of the next clue, with Saladin in tow. On top of figuring out the clues, they are puzzled by whatever it is that is making Saladin, their late grandmother's cat, scratch himself silly and refuse to eat.
   
   In this adventure Dan and Amy uncover yet another secret fortress used by their diabolical, and very artisitc, relatives to thwart the Cahill's discovery of useful information.
   
   We learn about Mozart and his sister and several links between the great musician and other famous people. And who knew that Mozart's sister was a musician herself?
   
   One False Note is a good read, not as good as the first book, but still full of action. One thing I didn't so much like was the constant bickering between Dan and Amy. Even for brother and sister it almost overshadowed the story. And the historical information is a lot more blatant in this one and not made as interesting.



4. This series started off great with the first book but this book shows a vast change in the Cahills personalities. They have turned into whiners and thieves. It is hard to cheer for the underdogs when they are stealing clues and information from others or tailing them. The first book definitely drew me in, setting up likeable characters and the "villians". With this book I feel like I just have to get through it to get me to the next one.



5. The second book in the 39 clues series picked up right where the first one left off. I was a little uneasy knowing that this was by a different author (and not knowing anything about this author), but I was generally pleased with the tone, voice and general pacing of the story that was presented.
   
   It made me wonder about the serialization of the story and how much control/oversight Scholastic gives to the various authors taking part. I'm sure Scholastic has a general trajectory but I wonder if they provide the authors with outlines of specific elements each book requires or if they just give a start/end point and some character overview and let the authors run with it. I find the idea very intriguing.
   
   The plot of this book felt a little faster paced than the first one. I attribute part of that to the fact that the first book needed to present the general build up and meta-story of the treasure/clue hunt and the dynamics of the family. Book 2 provided minimal references to the backstory (enough to remind readers of what's going on...or to potentially bring new readers up to speed) but kept the recaps brief enough to not interfere with the flow of the story.
   
   There was a lot of increased tension as Amy and Dan bounced around various European cities in search of clues related to a small piece of music written by Mozart as well as obscure references from his family and friends.
   
   There were a number of times I had to drastically suspend my disbelief in order to willfully follow the kids across multiple countries in high profile situations. The pace of the plot moved along so quickly though that I had little time to sit back and think about the "reality" of the situation, so instead I just rolled along with the fun.
   
   As I said, the plot was more fast paced. It felt like there were more high-tension situations and more close calls or dangerous encounters. Looking back on book 1, I think there were many similar encounters, but for some reason, in this book, the suspense and anxiety feels like it was taken up a notch (cornered in underground family strongholds, breaking into hotel rooms and evading security, high speed chases around the city, etc.).
   
   I'm a little torn as to the trajectory of the mystery/story in this book. Some of the clues and their resulting goals felt like blind leaps of faith that just happened to pay off with strange coincidences. Again, my suspension of disbelief had a hard time reacting to some of these clues/elements remaining where they were for as long as they had (particularly the final revelation of the book...I have a real hard time believing that nobody found what the kids found). But as to the overall mystery, I'm actually growing more intrigued...especially as to the identity of the "man in black", the motivations/actions of the lawyer who 'read' the will, and even some of the dynamics between the various family members.
   
   These books are a very quick read and the kids really enjoy them. From an adult perspective, they're light and definitely have holes in the plot, but they're still a lot of fun when read with the right expectations. I look forward to following this series out and seeing where the clues lead.
   
   As a general "adult" adventure/mystery book, I'd give this a 3 out of 5, but as a kids' adventure (which is what it is), it's a solid 4.
   
   ****
   3.5 out of 5 stars

5 comments about The 39 Clues Book 3: The Sword Thief.

1. I know other reviewers have given this series a very low rating. They could be written better but you have to remember the age group that these are written for. I think the series is a great buy since it does get my daughter to read.



2. As the third book in the 39 Clues series, this book picked up where the last ones had left off both in terms of plot/story and in terms of expectations.
   
   Another new author took over this time and did a great job of continuing the adventure in Japan and Korea. With the various details included, I wonder if part of the choice of author is based on his/her knowledge of the proposed setting for the book. In this book, we're given a fair amount of good details about the Japanese landscape, cityscape, culture and society.
   
   The way the plot was handled in this book was interesting to me and more believable in terms of the globetrotting done by the kids. In book 2, they were essentially on their own (along with their au pair) racing around Europe. In book 3, they hesitantly take on first one alliance and then a second alliance with fellow clue seekers who help the kids maneuver through various countries.
   
   The alliance aspect helped with the believability of travel but stretched a little thin in terms of the interactions with the temporary allies. The first alliance felt generally logical and believable especially with the subtle and enigmatic character development given during the story (I'm still not sure what to make of the guy...he generally seems "good" and like he cares about the kids, but at the same time, he seems brutal and frightening). The alliance that came a little later was less believable when considering the general character traits of the new allies. It seemed to me that they would have dropped the kids by the side of the road and stolen the kids' ally. Still, it played out well. The one character I was left a little confused about was Irina...what exactly was her initial role in the airport and with regards to those who took Amy and Dan's tickets? If she was involved in the ticket theft, why did she stay out of the picture further on in the book. I was a little confused as to where she was and why she never turned up again.
   
   I really enjoyed the twists and turns and especially the new revelations that came. The story continues to be intriguing. The reading is quick and simple (to be expected as a children's book) but is still a lot of fun.
   
   ****
   3.5 stars out of 5



3. I started reading the series because I had nothing else to read, and because the first book of the series was written by Rick Riordan (a favourite). I found them very entertaining.



4. My son hasn't read a book this fast .....ever ! I can only summize that it is most engaging.



5. Proceed with caution if you have not read book #1, The Maze of Bones, and book #2, One False Note, as this book begins just where the last book ended. I mean, you could have put the 2 books together and thought you were just flipping the pages between chapters. And, I will warn you again - do NOT start this series if you don't plan on buying all of the other books in the series as it is highly addictive! The series just keeps getting more action packed and more exciting as I learn more about the characters and what the clues lead to. I did not feel that this book was as strong in historical content as the previous two so I kind of missed learning about Japan & Korea through the eyes of the characters, however, from what little bit the author included, I can tell that the characters would agree with a lot of my descriptions of Tokyo, as I have had the good fortune to travel there twice so far. It was fun to learn a little bit more about ancient samurais and feudal Asia, though.
   
   The characters are separated more in this book and there are a lot of other characters including Alistair Oh and Ian Kabra who play vital roles in moving the plot along so the author jumps around a lot on his points of view. You will read one chapter from Dan's POV, then jump to Amy, then Ian, then Alistair, then Alistair's uncle, etc. All of this helps move the plot along, but does make it a little bit more difficult to follow for younger readers and takes a little bit of the surprise out of discovering their motives as they simply tell you what is going on in their heads. I loved that some of the "villains" started to show some heart in this entry in the series. Ian starts doubting the Lucian way, which is to achieve your objective at all costs - including the cost of lives. Alistair feels guilty for trying to kill Amy & Dan and double crossing them in previous meetings as he finds they remind him more and more of his own loveless childhood. It seems that Amy & Dan have finally found some relatives who believe in them and want to help them succeed. This sets you up for a whopping shocker of an ending so brace yourself and make sure you have book #4 handy!
   
   I think that boys in particular will enjoy this book as it is all about ancient warriors in feudal Japan and Korea. What boy doesn't like swords and dream of having the moves and stealth of a ninja? I also think it is great that the authors are going to take the characters around the world and not just focus on Europe. It opens up a little bit of a window to young readers about areas and people that they may not consider reading about until they are older. Through Peter Lerangis' clear and concise writing style, we find the plot rapidly moving forward and foreshadowing into what I believe will gradually happen throughout the rest of the books in the series. As with previous books, this title comes with a pack of 6 cards that you can use to play games and collect clues online. An installment not to be missed!

5 comments about The 39 Clues Book 1: The Maze Of Bones - Library Edition (39 Clues. Special Library Edition).

1. My thoughts...I read this book orally with my 6 year old, who is a very proficient reader for his age. This is the start to an very exciting series. My only frustration was that I had to stick to the chapter or two a day rule, because he did not want me to read without him. Each chapter dripped with suspense and mystery and I wanted to keep reading. The two main characters, young Amy and Dan embark on an adventure that is as much dangerous as it is exciting. Parts of the book were intense, borderline scary for my son, but he just curled tighter into my arm and said "Keep reading Mama.".
   
   The best part of the book for me as a parent and a teacher has been the infusion of history and geography. We purchased a large world map and we tracked the characters from Boston to Philadelphia to another international destination. Benjamin Franklin also played a role in the story. We took the opportunity to learn more about his inventions and his life. This is a great series for independent readers and for a read along with a parent. This is great for boy or girls. It is a PG rated story, fun for all everyone. We have already started book two, One False Note.



2. This is a good book! I think Rick Riordan is an excellent writer. Since the Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a good series, I decided to read this book. When I read it, it amazed me!
   Since I read the Maze of Bones I'm going to read the book one false note!



3. I know other reviewers have given this series a very low rating. They could be written better but you have to remember the age group that these are written for. I think the series is a great buy since it does get my daughter to read.



4. This is the beginning of a very clever series by a number of different authors. Amy and Dan Cahill have lost almost everything that matters to them during their short lives. When their grandmother passes away they are are given a choice, along with the rest of their family. They can take a million dollars or join a quest to find 39 Clues that will lead to world domination.
   
   Pitted against their relatives, most of them bordering on evil and greedy, Dan and Amy head off on a journey around the world in search of the clues and answers to a multitude of family secrets.
   
   This first mystery in the series is a grand start to the adventure. Amy and Dan discover that their family genes are rooted in the DNA of some of the world's most intelligent, powerful, and talented people in world history.
   
   Maze of Bones takes us into the life of Benjamin Franklin and gives us some wonderful insight into his deeds and adventures of his own.
   
   39 Clues is a very clever way of getting kids interested in some very interesting and famous people without making it seem like learning.
   
   Rick Riordan is a really cool author and the Maze of Bones is a great way to begin this series. If you want your kids to read, this is an excellent place to start. Lots of mystery, tons of aventure, and some rip-roaring action.



5. I order this book for my son but instead of getting book #1 the seller sent me book #9. I e-mailed the seller 2 times to have this situation resolved but got no response. I ended up not getting my correct order and losing my money in the process. I was and still am very unhappy!!

5 comments about Johnny Tremain.

1. This is a good audio version of the book by Esther Forbes but even as such not very interesting for Teenagers who are the targeted group of readers/listeners. The story lacks a certain tension and depth but depicts events and background at the time quite well.My son, who had to read it for school, used the audio version to find certain passages quicker and was bored out of his wits by it.



2. Would've been great to read this book while learning about the Revolutionary War as a kid. Makes it come alive. Instead, I felt the need to refresh my memory of historical facts. Also read "My Brother Sam Is Dead".



3. I never read this book as a child, but I decided to assign it to my fifth grade reading group. I am VERY glad that I did. It was wildly enjoyable, and piqued my students' interest in finding out more about the American Revolution (and mine, as well!). Caution should be taken, however. The vocabulary is VERY hard. I had to come up with a "Johnny Tremain dictionary" in order to facilitate the kids' reading comprehension. However, you will not be sorry after reading it!



4. This book came pretty quickly except we werent sure at first that it was the right book because the cover is not the same as the one listed.



5. I strongly disagree when people say this book is, " boring, hard to read, ( it sucks) ". This book is about a despisable character who is degraded to nothing by a hand accident suffering him to complete rejection from society. Then he finds work and brings his life back to shape.
   When I read a couple reviews that said this book was slow moving, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It's not slow moving... it's called a story! Not every book has to be like a reality TV show or action movies. Johnny Tremain is a book I'd recommend to anyone for it's wonderful story as well as meaning.
   I wish I could go higher than 5 stars.

5 comments about The Sign of the Beaver.

1. Sign of the Beaver is one of our favorite books that we read in our third grade reading group. It was very exciting, emotional, and fun! It is about a boy named Matt and his father, and his father went to get his sister and mother and the new baby. It is really interesting because Matt meets an Indian boy named Attean and they make bows and snares, and they encounter a bear. We would recommend this book for other schools and young people who like adventure books. Sign of the Beaver is great, and we suggest you read it!



2. "The Sign of the Beaver" is a book that my children and I enjoyed; they are boy and girl, 8 and 10.
   
   The story is about a boy named Matt whose family is moving to the 'wilds' of colonial Maine. His dad and he have gone out ahead of the rest of the family to prepare a clearing, plant some crops and build a small cabin. Matt's dad then leaves him behind while he returns to Connecticut to retrieve the rest of the family which includes his wife, the baby they are expecting, and his daughter. While Matt's alone, he has a few life defining experiences; amongst them an encounter with a trapper who steals from him, and a tribe of nearby Indians. In particularly, he struggles to have a relationship with a Native American boy named Attean, who is a couple of years his senior.
   
   TALKING POINTS:::
   The book is an award winning chapter read that is written at nearly the 5th Grade level (AR 4.9)
   
   I thought the value of the book was that it directly addressed the 'myth of white guy superiority'. Speare used both examples from DeFoe's "Robinson Crusoe" and some of the adventures of the boys to demonstrate how ridiculous it is to assume that newcomers would understand an environment better than the natives who grew up with it. In DeFoe's case, she ridicules his precepts and roundly shows how the man's prejudice was hurtful.
   
   The other concept I like was that the book tried to show children that most of the time it is individuals who can behave badly, and not groups. Although it could be argued that by making it clear that the Europeans were 'grabbing up' the land without consideration of the people who already live there, that they were in fact behaving badly as a group.
   
   All this said, I think the pacing suffered on account of the complexity of the ideas that the author was trying to get across. And certainly her choice of grammar made the book, in my experience, an exceedingly difficult read-aloud.
   
   Pam T~
   (booksforkids-reviews)



3. I had to purchase this book for my son for school. The whole process went smoothly and I was delighted in the condition that the book was in when I received it.



4. I bought this audiobook for my son to listen to in the car on a long trip. The first thing I will say is actually a negative, that the reader was just a bit annoying, and the accent he used for the characters was off. (It's a story about Maine, why are you using a cheezy generic country accent?) Apart from that though, and regarding the actual content of the story, we really enjoyed it. It's a great story about growing up, friendship, respect and learning responsibility and self-reliance. I think especially for boys, the parts about how Matt and Attean fished, made bows and arrows, etc. are intriguing. We listened to this twice on our trip, and since we got home my son has also been listening to it on his CD player at bedtime, so I would have to say it is a hit with him (I think 8 years olds are maybe not as sensitive to cheezy, misplaced accents as other people might be.) I would definitely say this CD is worth the money.



5. this book is a total snoozer! my class had to read it and it was the most painful thing i've ever done. the plot is so used and old! plus it was the most boring thing i've ever read. when we finished it i ripped it in half and threw it away. don't bore your brains out by reading this awful book.