Obert Skye’s Wizard for Hire is the first book in a series, but it definitely stands alone. While the ending leaves room for expansion, it also provides a satisfying conclusion.
Switched isn’t a bad book. Jen Calonita’s writing is still easy and inviting. But it’s definitely the weakest book in the series.
The following are middle-grade books (listed in no particular order) I think deserve recognition, even though I haven’t read them yet.
If your father left for a trip and never came home, would you believe that he’s not coming back? That’s the premise of Lily’s Mountain, by Hannah Moderow.
Mira Bartók’s The Wonderling is set in a slightly steampunk Victorian land that borders between Dickensian realism and fairytale magic.
With Embers of Destruction, J. Scott Savage could have easily coasted. Instead he continues to build his characters and world in a fresh and exciting way.
I’ve never been a fan of soccer. So when I received Ten: A Soccer Story, by Shamini Flint, I opened it with some trepidation. I was pleasantly surprised.
Patricia Forde has crafted a world that is terrifyingly realistic. There’s nothing that screams, “this is imaginary,” and that’s why The List works so well.
A week ago, I read Ann Dee Ellis’ latest novel, You May Already Be a Winner, and I couldn’t put it down. It’s one book I will read over and over again.
Mary Downing Hahn’s One For Sorrow is a well-written book that is delightfully creepy, but without at least one sympathetic character, it fell flat.