Review: Stranded on Thin Ice, by Sharon CassanoLochman

 

Title: Stranded on Thin Ice

Author: Sharon CassanoLochman

Format: e-galley

Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: "Twelve-year-old Tanner Phillips fishes the Oneida Lake Ice Fishing Derby every year with his dad. Last year, he ruined everything — losing the competition and losing some of his grandfather’s gear. This year, Tanner is determined to not only prove his skills on the ice, but also show his dad, once and for all, that he’s no longer a little kid.

But as soon as they get out on the ice, the competition turns disastrous.

When one of the competitors goes missing and another gets injured, Tanner’s father must leave Tanner and his new friend, Richie, alone on the ice. After their ice hut comes unhitched, Tanner and Richie find themselves blown across the frozen lake in a blinding snowstorm.
Alone. Without their cell phones. Trapped, on thin ice. Suddenly, it isn’t just about the winning the derby — it’s about life and death. In one perilous night, Tanner will have to prove not to his father, but to himself, that he has the courage and determination to survive. "

My Opinion: Tanner is so excited to be at the Oneida Lake Ice Fishing Derby again this year with his dad, but he's determined not to make the same big mistake he made last year, losing his pole through the hole in the ice. He really wants to prove to his father that he's not a kid anymore, but things start to go wrong even before they get to the ice.

This was a well written, very interesting book, with a lot of suspense, as well as a lot of interesting characters. Tanner and his new friend, Richie, are very likeable and act age appropriate, which is a nice change from kids their age acting mature beyond their years. The setting is described so well I felt like I should put a sweater on while I was reading it because I should really be shivering from the cold! The plot was paced out nicely and this ended up being a really quick read because it was so interesting. It kept my attention from start to finish, and it ended all too quickly.

In summary, this was a very well written book full of suspense and great characters, that I think will appeal to the middle grade age group.

Highly recommend.

5/5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free of charge through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: The Daemon Parallel (Daemon Parallel #1), by Roy Gill

 

Title:         The Daemon Parallel (Daemon Parallel #1)

Author:     Roy Gill

Format:     E-Galley

Source:     NetGalley

From Goodreads: "Our world is only the beginning… Cameron's father is dead and his inheritance is … rather unusual. He has power to world shift: travel between the Human and Daemonic realms and the Parallel – a void where the worlds meet. Between befriending werewolves and battling daemons, Cameron's new life is already pretty complicated but things are about to get even more dangerous…"

My Opinion: Cameron is a young teen who has just lost his father, and his mother left when he was even younger, so he's very thankful when his grandmother takes him in, even though he doesn't know her at all because for some reason, his father wouldn't let him have anything to do with her when he was growing up. When she tells him she can bring his father back from the dead with his help, he's over the moon. She explains to him that there is a world parallel to ours, called the Daemon parallel, and that he has magic and can help her obtain all of the things needed to perform the ritual to bring his father back. This sets Cameron off on a quest that involves werewolves, daemons, and even humans, and puts him in danger from an unexpected source.

I enjoyed this book very much. Cameron was a very likeable young man, and the friends he makes along the way are just as likeable. The interesting thing is that the ones you think will be evil sometimes aren't, and the ones you're supposed to trust are sometimes the ones you should be running away from the fastest. It keeps you on your toes!

The plot was well written, and moved along at an easy pace. The world building was phenomenal due to a very interesting setting. The human world and the Daemon parallel were described very well, which made them easy to imagine. The ending was a great twist, as well.

In summary, I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Highly recommend to MG readers who like a little paranormal in their stories.

5/5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free of charge through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: Horrificata Book 1: School's Dead Boring, by D.I. Russell

 

Title: Horrificata Book 1: School's Dead Boring

Author: D.I. Russell

Format: e-book

Source: NetGalley

My Opinion: "Desmond Kingsley loves football and HATES school – especially science.

So when he’s trapped in detention with outcasts Dee, Craven, Todd and complete lunatic Blob, while someone unleashes chemicals at the school, turning almost everyone into mindless shambling corpses…or worse, he’ll have more than his grades to worry about!"

I love horror stories so when I had the chance to read one with my teenager, I was excited to see if he would love it as much as I did - and I wasn't disappointed! He loved it! He's not a huge reader, so the fact that he read the entire book quickly told me everything I needed to know about it. Of course, I read it myself so we could discuss it (gotta throw some educational conversation in there!), and we actually liked all the same parts. I thought the characters were great and the story was a lot of fun. There was just enough "gross" in there to keep it interesting, and there were some great twists regarding how the zombies came to be and who was behind it. 

This book is recommended for the 12 to 18 age group and I agree with that recommendation. It has enough humor thrown in with the gore to keep that age group interested. Anything that gets kids reading is a good thing, and I think this book fits that bill.

In summary, I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

5/5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free of charge through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Archibald Finch and the Lost Witches (Archibald Finch #1), by Michel Guyon

 

Title: Archibald Finch and the Lost Witches (Archibald Finch #1)

Author: Michel Guyon

Format: Audiobook

Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads:  "What happened 500 years ago was never supposed to resurface.

Exploring his Grandma’s scary manor, Archibald stumbles upon a dark family secret, linked to a time of great fears and superstitions. Key to that mystery: an ancient terrestrial globe, populated by the most fantastic creatures.
When he unlocks the storm inside by accident, the risk-averse boy gets whisked into the underworld of Lemurea, where a battle started in the Middle Ages has yet to be settled. Down here, it’s light versus darkness, magic versus fire, witches versus dragons. But not any kind of witches —an army of young girls, with the most magical weapons. And not any kind of dragons —Marodors, enigmatic monsters, part beast, part human, which will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about dragons.
While Archibald is thrust into an amazing adventure that will test his survival skills, on the flip side of the Earth, his sister Hailee faces her own challenges. Seeking to solve Archibald’s disappearance, she uncovers the grim plans of a dark priest.
Two breathtaking stories, running parallel with one another, but tightly intertwined. Two worlds, on a dangerous collision course..."

My Opinion:  Archibald and his family (mom, dad, and sister Hailee) move into a big, spooky mansion just before Christmas that they inherited from Archibald's grandmother. Archibald is searching the house one day, looking for his Christmas gifts (which, of course, his mother forbade him to do), when he came across an old globe. It wasn't an  ordinary globe, though, as there were countries on there that Archibald didn't recognize. It does have a keyhole, so Archibald goes on a search for the key, which he eventually finds. To his surprise, the globe starts spinning and emits a bright light, and sucks Archibald and his surrounding furniture into another world. Archibald has to learn the ways of this new world, and he has to search for a way home. Meanwhile, in present day England, Hailee  is also working on finding a way to bring Archibald home.

I really enjoyed this story, as did my 15 year old son when he listened to it. I think the narrator did a good job with the pacing and the dialogue, which makes all the difference when listening to an audiobook. The characters were well defined and explained, and I liked the changes I saw in both Archibald and Hailee as the story progressed. 

The pacing of the story itself was also done well, and the world building was extensive. Something else I appreciated was that the author didn't talk down to the reader like in some MG books I've read. That makes it much easier to enjoy.

All in all, I give this book 5/5 stars. 

I received a copy of this audiobook free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Review: Secret Magic (Evie Everyday Witch #1), by Elena Paige

Title: Secret Magic (Evie Everyday Witch #1)
Author: Elena Paige
Format: ebook
Source: BookSirens

From Goodreads: "Funny magical adventure series perfect for kids ages 7 and up

My name is Evie Everyday and I’m a witch. But all I’ve ever wanted is to be a Lamron. That’s the word normal spelled backward. Anyways, now I have the chance to go to a regular school and be a regular girl I’ll do whatever it takes to fit in.

Fitting in is easy. All I have to do is:

Keep my magic a secret Swap my favorite colorful clothes for boring black ones Suck up to scary Mrs. Rogers, the school principal Keep my pet cat, bat and corncob from causing any trouble And stay away from Izzy. She’s all colorful and funny and awesome…. and not helpful for fitting in.

But when everything starts to go wrong, there’s only one way to save my new school… use magic. And only one person who can help me… Izzy!

Evie Everyday Witch is a series of chapter books that kids and parents will love. Ideal for reluctant readers. Evie's quirky, funny personality will sweep kids off their feet, and get them reading again!"

My Opinion:  Evie is a witch who wants more than anything to be normal, which to her means dressing normal, having normal friends, and by all means, acting normal. She really, really wants to go to a normal school instead of the school for witches that she attends, and against all odds, she gets her parents to agree to this!! She shows up her first day dressed in her most colorful outfit, but she quickly realizes that the other kids are all dressed in black, with one exception, a girl by the name of Izzy. While Evie secretly admires the way Izzy acts and dresses, she decides that to be "normal" she can't hang out with or  be friends with Izzy. As Evie does her best to fit in, she realizes that it's not as easy as she thought it would be to change everything that makes her, her.

I thought this was a very cute book with a great message. The pacing was quick and the book was very easy to read, and Evie really great into herself over the course of the story.

I think this is a great MG book, full of magic, which would appeal to younger readers that like fantasy, or to introduce them to this genre. 

I'm giving this book 5/5 stars.

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review: The Magicians Convention, by Elena Paige

Title: The Magicians Convention
Author:  Elena Paige
Format: ebook
Source: BookSirens

From Goodreads: In a world of mages and illusionists, one orphan must find the magic within himself to save the ones he loves . . .

Twelve-year-old Toby would give anything to see his parents one last time. But since they died tragically ten years ago, he knows it’s an impossible wish. Raised by his grandfather, who’s a little too protective, Toby yearns for adventure. So when he wakes up one morning and realizes his grandfather is missing, he follows the clues that will lead to his rescue. Toby is soon engulfed in a secret world of magic and illusion.

In this unfamiliar world, Toby is joined by two new friends: Wesa, a runaway mage, and Thatch, a security boy who’d give anything to practice magic. The three friends are instructed to find a magical hat before an evil magician gets his hands on it first.

Failing will mean the deaths of those they love and create a dangerous divide in the world of magic.

The Magicians Convention is the spellbinding first book in a trilogy of middle-grade fantasy novels.

My Opinion: Toby, a 12 year old boy who is being raised by his over-protective grandpa, wishes for excitement, for an adventure, and whether good or bad, he gets his wish. One otherwise ordinary day, he is looking out his window when he sees a long line of people, dressed very strangely, queued up outside a neighbor's door, waiting to enter. He calls his grandpa up to witness this strange occurrence, but his grandpa thinks he's making it up because he, himself, sees nothing. And thus begins the very adventure he was wishing for.

This is the first book in a new series, but there is a prequel that I recommend you read before starting this one. You could definitely read The Magician's Convention without reading the prequel, and would understand it completely, but the prequel sets the tone and gives a bit of background that makes it easier to understand just what is happening and who some of the characters are.

As for the characters, they are written very, very well, in my opinion. The back story of each of them is written seamlessly into the story line, and they are able to grow and learn as the story progresses. The plot is easily followed but not predictable, and the pacing of the story is just right.

I like to review MG books because I have a seventh grader who doesn't mind my picking his brain to get an idea of what works in a story and what doesn't, and I can report that he gave this book 2 thumbs up and said that he really enjoyed reading it and is looking forward to reading the next book in the series, which was my opinion, as well.

In summary, I am giving this book 5/5 stars, and can enthusiastically recommend it for fans of all ages who could use a little bit of magic in their lives.

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review: Hoods: The Beginning (Hoods #1), by David Niall Wilson

Title: Hoods: The Beginning (Hoods #1)
Author: David Niall Wilson
Format: ebook
Source: BookSirens

From Goodreads:  San Valencez is a city with many levels. Near the barrio, on the south side of town, gangs rule the streets, and those that don’t find a way out tend to be sucked into the shadows and consumed. Not far away, near the border between the bad side of town and civilization, there are those standing up to the shadows. They aren’t superheroes, exactly, but they aren’t regular kids either. They have abilities, intelligence, strength, skill—and a desire to see their city become a better place.

Four teenagers, Weaver, Cami, Shooter and Combo, come together with a mutual desire to make things better, to help those who need it and punish those who deserve it. When Shooter’s old friend Mikey approaches them, concerned over his brother Dale’s connections with a gang called Los Escorpiones, they organize and become something stronger than their separate parts. The city is in danger from a threat it doesn’t even know exists. All that stands in the way of disaster is a group of “Hoods.”

My Opinion: San Valencez is a tough place to live, so having friends, your own squad, is highly recommended, especially if you have to go out at night. Our four young heroes-to-be are pretty much loners, until a chance encounter in a dark alley brings two of them together. Bobby and Eddie both have enhanced abilities, and, unknown to them, they are caught on video by a classmate of theirs by the name of Luisa, code name Weaver. Weaver and Cami (another classmate named Lisa) have already been working together to help clean up their city, but they are not getting as far as they would like, so when Weaver sees what Bobby and Eddie can do, she knows instinctively that she needs to recruit them to join her cause. The boys agree that someone has to take on the gangs and other bad elements in their neighborhood, so they join forces with Weaver and Cami, and get their own code names, Shooter and Combo. They have to keep their identities secret because it would be very dangerous if anyone found out who they were.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The setting was described in such detail that I could feel the gritty darkness of it slipping into my mind as I read. The four kids who headline this book were well fleshed out and easy to like. You get to know them through their back stories and family history, which was written into the story very naturally.

I thought the plot flowed along at a good pace, which made the book very easy to read. It was a quick read because of this.

In summary, I enjoyed this book very much and enthusiastically recommend it to lovers of MG/YA fantasy stories. I give it 5/5 stars.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review: Hugo and the Bird: Gnome Wars, by Jeff Mills

Title: Hugo and the Bird: Gnome Wars
Author: Jeff Mills
Format: ebook
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: Kadavera, the witch, was dead. This should mean a celebration, but for nine-year-old Hugo, his schoolmate, Emma and their strange magical friend, Bird, it is the start of another dangerous adventure. Her death has precipitated the regeneration of not just one but both of her sister witches – and they are both far worse than she ever was. 

Conscripting the Cornish goblins, the witches capture the gnomes from the Gnome Reserve to use as guinea pigs in their experiments to be able to exist in daylight. This would allow them to fulfil their dying vow; to kill and destroy all those and their descendants, who were responsible for their own and their mothers’ unjust execution 300 years before. They are determined not to let anyone stand in their way, especially two interfering children and a stupid bird. 

A chance finding of a small amulet leads Hugo and his friends into realms of King Arthur and to the magic power of his sword, Excalibur. Emma receives some terrible news, which ultimately takes her on a journey from which there may be no return and pits her against her friends. Can Hugo and Bird, rescue the gnomes and prevent the witches from achieving their lethal goal and how can an inquisitive journalist make everything far worse? Set in North Devon, the heart-pounding adventure continues and is based on historical events. Hugo and the Bird: Gnome Wars is a tale of fantasy, revenge and friendship that readers from nine years to ninety will identify with and love.

My Opinion: Hugo and his friend, Emma, along with their magical "bird" find themselves dealing with another mystery involving resurrected witches. What's not to love about a story involving witches hell bent on revenge, magical creatures, goblins and gnomes? Due to the young age of the main characters, this book is geared towards older elementary age to middle school age children.

I didn't have a chance to read the first book in the series, Hugo and the Bird: The Toothfairy, but that didn't keep me from being able to follow along and keep up with this story. There were a number of errors with spelling, punctuation and grammar, but I received my copy through NetGalley and it is understood that the book is almost always an uncorrected proof, so hopefully the final version will go through a final editing process before release.

The characters were likeable and very much acted their age, which is better than some MG stories where the characters act much older and with more maturity than they should possess. The action was constant and the plot moved along at a quick pace. There was just the right amount of suspense to keep the reader involved, and some of it was downright scary, which younger readers will love!

In summary, I really enjoyed this story, and with some good editing to tighten it up, I can definitely recommend it for older elementary and middle grade students who love their fantasy with a good mystery thrown in to boot :)

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

4 out of 5 stars ;) 

Review: Magdalena Gottschalk: The Crooked Trail (Magdalena Gottschalk #1) by M. Gail Grant

Title: Magdalena Gottschalk: The Crooked Trail (Magdalena Gottschalk #1)
Author: M. Gail Grant
Format: ebook
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: Lily Brooke, where small town charm and a hidden secret converge one fateful late autumn night. The demons of the past are determined to never be locked away again. MALB, the Mystical Alliance of Lily Brooke, consists of six childhood friends that are bound together in loyalty, friendship, and courage. Together, they all face the unleashed enchantments that are haunting the children after their discovery of the forbidden sacrificial cave, crooked trail, and mysterious treehouse. Magdalena has always known she is different from the others, but the cause has always escaped her, until now. Coming to grips with her soul purpose, she must gather courage she never knew she possessed to save her friends and family from the evil forces hiding amongst them. 

Magdalena Gottschalk: The Crooked Trail, is a middle grades to young adult epic fantasy fiction novel, that explores faith, unity, differences, belief in a higher power, magic, and teamwork. It will leave you sitting on the edge of your seat, begging to turn the page, while written for audiences of all ages. With a touch of southern charm and tradition, this novel takes you on a journey not for the faint of heart. Witches, wizards, demons, black magic, and soul searching all have their place in the quaint little town of Lily Brooke. 

My Opinion: Magdalena and her friends Gabriel and Hubert decide to spend a beautiful day exploring the woods behind Hubert's farm. Magdalena just celebrated her 13th birthday and her wish to have something exciting happen to her has come true, but not in the way she had hoped! When people say to "be careful what you wish for," this is exactly what they had in mind!

I loved the description of this book and was looking forward to reading it, but there were a few glaring problems that really took away from my ability to fully engage with the characters and the story. The description of the book says that it is for middle grades to young adult, but I really think it is geared more toward the younger set. The characters are 13, so I would say this is the age of the readers that would enjoy it, as young adults would really notice the problems and be bogged down by them, as I was. The way the kids speak was weirdly formal, especially for 13 year olds. For example, they didn't use contractions when speaking to each other, and they explained things that the others should already know, almost like they were adults speaking to children instead of young teenagers speaking to friends they've known their whole lives. And at one point, when Magdalena is talking with 5 of her good friends (the members of MALB, the Mystical Alliance of Lily Brooke), she says: "This morning, he made eye contact with my mother, Leona, and had his assistant take his place at the door to greet the morning attendees. My mother turned to my father, Paulos, and excused herself stating she needed to go to the ladies' restroom." Again, these kids have known each other all of their lives, so you would assume they know who her mother and father are, which was why it was odd that she threw her parents' names in there, like they had no idea who she was talking about! I've just never heard kids do that, especially 13 year olds who seem to abbreviate everything these days. Then there was the wrong usage of who/whoever and whom/whomever, which is a pet peeve of mine. I stumbled every time the words were used wrong: e.g. "Whom wrote such a ridiculous story?" This happened over and over again. Also, the writing seems forced sometimes, which breaks the reader's concentration and the flow of the story itself. Other times, something just doesn't make sense, so you have to stop and figure out what didn't work in the sentence, and that takes you out of the story as well: "The group all tried to bend, move or sway the perfectly spaced boulders, but nothing gave." How the heck do you bend or sway a boulder? It just doesn't make sense. 

Another big problem for me was that there would be pages of descriptions of what was happening in a scene, as well as dialogue, and then when someone new came along, instead of just saying that the character repeated what they had heard, done or said, they actually repeated the whole darn thing! There was way too much retelling and re-explaining, and I feel like that bogged the story down a lot. But other times, not enough was explained. When something big happens to Magdalena in the second half of the book, and I mean big as in life changing, rock my world kind of big, she has a moment of indecision, then says she has come to terms with it, and then just seems to know instinctively what to do and how to do it (it's hard to describe it without giving it away lol), even though it's something that adults would have to take time themselves to figure out! There just wasn't enough explanation of how one got from point A to point B sometimes.

Now, the things that I liked about the book: the story itself was a good one. There was a sense of intrigue and mystery that drew you in and made you want to continue to read. The characters were described very well so it was easy to find yourself invested in them. The world building was great, so much so that you felt you were walking around Lily Brooke alongside the characters. The characters were likable so you found yourself honestly pulling for them to solve the mystery and save the town. The title comes from the choice you have in life of choosing the straight path, staying on the straight and narrow, or choosing the crooked trail, which can lead you to trouble. I really loved that symbolism.

In summary, I liked the actual story here, and the characters, but felt the book was bogged down with unnecessary repetition, stilted conversations, and story flow problems, which could all be fixed if the book were to be re-edited. 

I'm giving this book 3 stars out of 5 :)

Review: Tiger Boy, by Mitali Perkins

Title: Tiger Boy
Author: Mitali Perkins
Illustrated by: Jamie Hogan
Format: ebook
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: "“One of the new tiger cubs has escaped from the reserve!”When a tiger cub escapes from a nature reserve near Neel’s island village, the rangers and villagers hurry to find her before the cub’s anxious mother follows suit and endangers them all. Mr. Gupta, a rich newcomer to the island, is also searching—he wants to sell the cub’s body parts on the black market. Neel and his sister, Rupa, resolve to find the cub first and bring her back to the reserve where she belongs.

The hunt for the cub interrupts Neel’s preparations for an exam to win a prestigious scholarship at a boarding school far from home. Neel doesn’t mind—he dreads the exam and would rather stay on his beloved island in the Sunderbans of West Bengal with his family and friends.

But through his encounter with the cub, Neil learns that sometimes you have to take risks to preserve what you love. And sometimes you have to sacrifice the present for the chance to improve the future."

My Opinion: Neel is a young boy who lives on an island in the Sunderbans of West Bengal who is happy and content with his life with the exception of two things: 1) the Headmaster of his school has entered Neel into a competition to win a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school in the larger city of Kolkata, India; and 2) the Bengal tiger reserve on a neighboring island has announced that a baby tiger has escaped and has made its way over to Neel's island, where it has become lost. 

Neel's island, among others, has been devastated repeatedly by cyclones and people are having to leave to try to find work in the bigger cities, but Neel loves his island and his family so much that he never wants to leave, and if he wins the scholarship, he feels like he will lose both. He is a natural when it comes to reading or writing anything in English or Bangla, but math is another story altogether. He hates math and sees this as his way out of winning the scholarship and having to move away. 

There is an evil man called Mr. Gupta who is trying to take over the island and who has absolutely no regard for the Sunderbans or any of their traditions. He cuts down the trees that serve as natural barriers to protect the rice and chili fields of the farmers from the cyclones when they hit, and when he hears about the lost tiger cub, he puts a bounty out on its head, hiring locals to help him find it by offering more money than they can turn down. Even if they know it's not the right thing to do, food is scarce, and money even more scarce, so they do it to feed and clothe their families. Neel's friend, Viju, tells him about the bounty, but since Viju and his father are helping Gupta to search the island, he swears Neel and his other friend, Ajay, to secrecy. Even though Neel knows he can't tell anyone or risk breaking his promise to Viju, he worries and worries about what's going to happen to that poor little cub if Gupta finds her.

What I loved most about this story was its heart. Neel and his sister, Rupa, are so moved by the story of the lost little tiger cub that they put themselves into danger's way to try to find her. Jai, Neel's father (whom he calls Baba), is so eager for Neel to win the scholarship and have a better life than he can give him, ends up going against what he knows is right to try to earn enough money to hire a tutor to help Neel pass the math portion of the scholarship examination. Everybody but Mr. Gupta have such big hearts and think about everyone else, which is so refreshing to read. I also loved the descriptions of the island and life on the island that Mitali Perkins injects with such clarity:

"This pond was freshwater, but most of the creeks and rivers in the Sunderbans were salty and muddy. Neel didn't mind - he loved the tang of salt on his tongue and the squish of mud between his toes. Home for him was the hiss of his father's boat a it slipped through the deltas, golpata branches swaying in the monsoon rains, and the evening smell of jasmine flowers near his house mingling with green chilies and fresh ilish fish simmering in mustard-seed oil. Neel had climbed all the tall palm trees, waded in the creeks, and foraged for wild guavas in every corner of the mangrove forest."

When you get to the end of the book, you learn that Mitali Perkins lived in the Sunderbans when she was young, which is why her descriptions are so, well, descriptive! I highly recommend this book to children and middle grade kids to teach them something as simple as how to be respectful to people and how to do what is right even when no one else is, to something bigger than themselves, the plight of the Bengal tiger and the lives of the people who live in Sunderbans. 

I am giving this book a very happy 5 stars :D

I received a copy of this book free of charge through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: Nice Shot, Cupid! (Myth-O-Mania #4), by Kate McMullan, David LaFleur (Illustrator)

Title: Nice Shot, Cupid! (Myth-O-Mania #4)
Author: Kate McMullan
Illustrator: David LaFleur
Format: ebook
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: "What a myth-o-maniac (old Greek-speak for "liar")! Zeus's version of the myths is completely wrong. It's time to set the record straight. For the first time ever, Hades, King of the Underworld, reveals the true story behind the myths.This laugh-out-loud series of fractured Greek myths by best-selling author Kate McMullan is irreverent, irresistible, and totally twisted.

That story about Cupid falling in love with the beautiful Psyche? What malarkey! He did accidentally prick himself with one of his own arrows and fall in love -- but with himself!"

My Opinion: I received a copy of this book free of charge through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is my first experience with the Myth-O-Mania series of books and I have to say that I absolutely loved it! Since each book tackles a different myth, you don't have to read them in order to be able to follow what's happening, which is good for me because I plan on going back and reading them from the beginning, that's how much fun I had reading Nice Shot, Cupid! 

This book tells the"true" story of Cupid and Psyche according to Hades, God of the Underworld, because, as he puts it, "When it comes to myths, you can count on me, Hades, to give you the real deal." I have to admit that Hades has always been my favorite god because he's so dark and mysterious, dealing with the dead all the time, etc. Imagine my surprise when I found out that he has a wicked sense of humor and a great deal of love for his family, and mortals who may need his help. The humor in this book is tailored to the MG age group, i.e. "Yo, Hades!" Cupid said. "Am I ever glad to see you, man!" ... "Yo,  Cupid," I called back to him, wondering what exactly "Yo!" meant. He calls his wife, Persephone, P-Phone, and drives around in a chariot pulled by his steeds, Harley and Davidson!

Hades is also quite the romantic. When Cupid falls in love with Psyche but is too embarrassed to show her what he looks like (because in this series, Cupid is a teenager, covered in zits, with a mouth full of metal and greasy hair), he kidnaps her and takes her to one of Zeus's palaces where he speaks to her from behind a curtain (which she promises never to look behind), and figures that he'll keep her there like that until he gets through this awkward teenage phase he feels stuck in. Hades tries to help Cupid realize that he should be honest with Psyche and trust that she will see past his appearance to the love struck man inside, but unfortunately, Cupid's mother dearest, Aphrodite, shows up and all of Hades work goes to hell in a handbasket! 

This was really such a fun book that I would recommend it to all MG readers who love a good laugh and don't mind reading an alternative "truth" to all of our favorite Greek myths :D  I give this book a very enthusiastic 5 stars!