Ayan's Book Review
Mapmaker's Mistake

-by Meilani Schijvens

What a wonderful start to a series.

In Mapmaker’s Mistake, Asha is still struggling against her preordained fate of having an arranged marriage with a prince (to let her kingdom Zanzia use aristocracy to ward off attacking warlords) when she is confronted by King Dokar and his ruthless army. 

But as she wins a duel against King Dokar, his army begins to scour Zanzia for Asha, so she escapes to Pome for shelter. Still, King Dokar’s men ravage Zanzia, leaving Asha to choose between her kingdom or herself.

This book taught me a lot about medieval warfare—sword-fighting, longbows, spears, etc. What’s more, the author neatly weaves this into the main plot, so you’ll drown in the story without knowing that you are taking a history lesson. Cool!

I like how the plot of this book flashes by with incredible plot twists and fast-paced action. Besides, it was very suspenseful and kept me hooked from cover to cover.

I recommend this book to readers 9+ as the plot might be a little too complex for younger readers to understand.

I give this book 4.7/5 stars as it has some violence (but that was needed for the plot.) This is a unique story, and I haven't read anything like this one before. 

    

Amy's Book Review: 

Eddie the Elephant

-by Colin Ridyard

'Eddie the Elephant' and the Birthday Party is a picture book about Jackie and Eddie. It is Jackie’s birthday, and she has invited her friends to her birthday party. 

One of her friends lost his invitation, but Jackie says that he can still stay at the birthday party. A baby elephant named Eddie finds the invitation, and he comes to the party. 

Eddie has very good manners; he also brings a present for Jackie. Because Eddie is very, very huge, he loves eating a lot. Not only that, he is certainly not a deer. (Everyone said ‘Oh, dear’ when Eddie did something wrong though he didn’t mean to.) 

Later in the party (when Eddie does millions and millions of trouble at Jackie’s house), a thief steals Jackie’s presents! Will Jackie get to see what her friends gave her? Does the whole birthday party gets ruined? Read this wonderful picture book to find out!

The cover and illustrations in this book are very delightful and attractive too.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it is very engaging.

Happy reading.

-Amy

   

Amy's Book Review: 

My Fantastic Stories

-by Monisha Vishwanath

'My Fantastic Stories' is a short story collection, and I loved this book so much.

I’ll just write a review of two of the short stories that I liked the most from this fantastic collection.

Story 1:

Beauty and the Peacock is about a charming girl named Beauty. She lives on one side of a forest that is beside a village. Whenever Beauty dances, the peacocks, who are on the other side of the forest, come to dance with her. 

One day, she trips, falls, and hurts herself. When the villagers who live in the village find her, they say that Beauty can no longer dance with her peacocks. And that makes Beauty very sad. 

Can Beauty ever dance with her peacocks again? Read this story to find out!

I love how the author has woven the beautiful lessons into this wonderful tale. 

Story 2:

Dear Diary is a funny story about Samantha, who complains about everything! Mama (Samantha’s mom) tells her not to complain about everything; she should find solutions. She always complains to Mama until one day when Mama tells her not to complain, and she gives Samantha a diary named Magic Magenta. 

Samantha gives Magic Magenta a nickname—Maggie. And whenever she is sad, she writes in Maggie. But does it help Samantha become a better person? If yes, how?

Read this cute story to find out!

This story teaches us not to complain about small things; instead, we should find solutions.

I recommend this book to children 5+ as a read-aloud and 7+ as a reader.

I give this book 5/5 stars as this is definitely a collection of fantastic stories.

-Amy

P.S. This book can be read at home or in a classroom to teach children many valuable lessons in a fun way.

    

Ayan's Book Review
Axel Rhodes and the Golden Scarab

-by S.W. Lothian

Axel Rhodes and the Golden Scarab is an edge-of-your-seat thriller in which Axel is exploring the Egyptian exhibit when a statue of Horus comes to life! 

Horus tells Axel that Axel is to go to ancient Egypt to retrieve the golden Scarab, which holds the powers of the evil god Seth, and put it in a safer place where Seth can’t steal it. Axel takes the quest, bringing along only his best friend Linc. Horus sends in a girl named Rani to accompany them on this quest. 

Can they survive the challenges they face, find the Golden Scarab, and restore it to its final resting place…all before they are captured by Seth? Read this gripping adventure to find out!

The pacing in this book is impressive. And in the battles and chase scenes, I wouldn’t put it down for anything in the world.

My favorite part was when they entered the Temple of Bast. It had lots of traps and puzzles that affected their mission.

I recommend this book as a read-aloud for 6+ and as a reader for 8+.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it’s the best thriller I’ve ever read.

  

Amy's Book Review: 

Lost with Leeks

-by Laurel Decher

'Lost with Leeks' is a middle-grade fantasy about Prince Nero, who lives in the Blackfly Kingdom. 

Nero is out with a bunch of archers when he gets lost because Prince Nero’s godfather gave Nero a magnetic personality that is supposed to make him charming! It works, but it makes Nero a trouble-magnet for compasses, maps, and magical creatures. So when Nero touches a map, gets near a compass, or gets near a magical creature, those things go wonky!

Prince Nero’s mother, Queen Ash, usually does millions of damage in The Seven Kingdoms. That’s why Nero has Damage Control when King Schwartz is in France to bake. Then, Queen Ash puts St. Nicholas in the AirCastle. For Queen Ash, that didn’t work out. Nero was glad it didn’t work out. But because that didn’t work, Queen Ash put St. Nicholas in the water dungeon. That worked out for Queen Ash, but not for Prince Nero. Does Nero save St. Nicholas and his reindeer in time? Read this book to find out!

Prince Nero is pretty smart, and in the time of need, he can think up some pretty good ideas. He is my favorite character. His mother, Queen Ash, is very destructive and might break up The Seven Kingdoms one day. 

I recommend this book as a read-aloud to children 6+ and as a reader to children 9+.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it is a great book, and I loved every single part of it.

Have fun reading!

-Amy

P.S. This book can be read as a stand-alone.

   

Ayan's Book Review
Sol Invictus

-by Ben Gartner

When I first read 'The Eye of Ra,' I thought this story of Sarah and John couldn’t get any better, but with 'Sol Invictus,' the author, Ben Gartner has outdone himself. The plot is really intriguing and is sure to capture any reader in minutes.

In 'Sol Invictus,' Sarah and John are exploring a history museum when a notorious criminal from ancient Egypt confronts them with the fact that they have to go to ancient Rome to unite two warring kings. They don’t believe him but are forced to take on the mission. Can they survive the dangers they face, complete the assignment, and find the portal back home—all before it’s too late? Read this exciting adventure to find out!

All the characters are very well developed. Crocus is an avid warrior, John is a witty boy, Sarah is an instinctive girl, Constantius is a kind emperor—the relationships between these characters create a lifelike experience.

I recommend this book as a read-aloud for 6+ and a reader for 9+.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it’s definitely a must-read.

Happy reading!

- Ayan

P.S. Even though this can be read as a stand-alone, I highly suggest reading the first book in this series, 'The Eye of Ra,' before this one, to fully appreciate the story.

 

Ayan's Book Review
The Search for the Stone of Excalibur

-by Fiona Ingram

‘The Search for the Stone of Excalibur’ is the thrilling sequel to ‘The Secret of the Sacred Scarab.’ In this book, we again have Adam and Justin, and we join them in their search for the second stone of power.

The two boys had barely returned from their adventurous visit to Egypt when Adam received an urgent letter from his archeologist friend, James, who revealed that the second stone of power had been discovered. The stone was supposedly embedded in the legendary sword of King Arthur. James had also included the air tickets to Scotland. Whether ready for another adventure or not, the two cousins had to travel to Scotland in search of the second stone of power. To make matters worse, their nemesis, Dr. Khalid, also followed them to Scotland in pursuit of the same stone. I loved that we have a girl, Kim Maleka, join them in this quest, and she turned out to be very helpful.

Do Adam and Justin find the stone before it falls into the wrong hands? Read this second installment of this adventure series.

I loved the parts of the book where Adam gets dreams. Especially the one with King Arthur in it. The descriptions of the dreams are very intriguing and suspenseful. I love the use of sensory details that make the entire book even more thrilling and gripping. 

In this book, children will learn a lot about the legendary King Arthur and mythology in a fun and engaging way. 

I recommend this book for children 11 years and older, and I’m sure even adults will enjoy this book.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it’s a sure page-turner, and the mystery will keep readers hooked until the last page. I can’t wait to read the third book in this series.

Happy reading!

-Ayan 😊

P.S. I highly recommend reading this series in order to enjoy this book better.

 

Ayan's Book Review
Rea and the Blood of the Nectar

-by Payal Doshi

I love to read books set in different places in the world, and I was so happy to read a book that was set in Darjeeling, India. This story follows a twelve-year-old girl Rea and the escapades of finding her twin brother Rohan.

The night Rea and her brother Rohan turn twelve, they had a huge fight. And strangely early in the morning, Rohan went missing. 

Their Amma was in shock and acted as if Rohan was missing forever, and their grandmother, too, started acting weirdly. Rea and her friends set off on a quest to find Rohan. They met an old fortune-teller who helped them in the pursuit, and they found a portal to Astranthia. And then started the magical and adventurous quest of “Rea and the Blood of the Nectar.” 

Will Rea ever find her brother? Or will she be lost in the magical world forever?

Join Rea as she solves the clues to find her brother and save the land of Astranthia.

The themes in this book include family values, friendship, and perseverance. Rea’s development as a character is wonderful, as she learns to come out of her comfort zone and make friends along the way. There were no boring or confusing parts, making the entire story was easy to follow.

I recommend this book to children 8 years and above. I give this book 5/5 stars as this is a very engaging read, and I couldn’t wait for our family reading time. Can't wait for the next book in this series.

Happy reading!

-Ayan

 

Ayan's Book Review
The Ghost and the Greyhound

-by Bryan Snyder

I’ll start by saying that reading this book is like living inside it with the characters. The scenes, descriptions, the woods, the smell, the sound, everything draws the reader into the book to have a vivid cinematic experience instead of just reading a book. I loved the world-building of this slightly fantastical story and the transition from the real world to the fantasy world.

Piers was an average boy living an average life, and he was also bullied by older and stronger boys. Everything changed for him the day, in the woods, suddenly his dog Nixon started talking. Following Nixon, Piers entered deep into the forest and met a ghost girl. The girl takes Piers to her world. What follows next is the gripping tale of ‘The Ghost and the Greyhound.’ 

I loved this book’s themes, which include friendship, perseverance, and that, big and small, everyone can work together. 

This book’s pacing is fast and engaging and made it hard to put down the book each night. 😊 The character development is great, too. 

To summarize, I absolutely loved this book. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but I can assure you that it won’t be the last. I can hardly wait for the sequel of “The Ghost and the Greyhound.”

I would recommend this book for children 11+ as there are some difficult concepts for younger children to handle, but I think even adults will enjoy this book very much.

I give this book 5/5 stars as this is one of the highly engaging tales I’ve read. This book is nothing like I've ever read. It's one of a kind.

Happy reading!

-Ayan

 

Amy's Book Review: 

The Adventures of Monkey and Toad

-by Donald Lloyd Jr.

I love beautiful picture books, and if you do too, you must read this funny story.

'The Adventures of Monkey and Toad' is a beautiful picture book about Monkey going out in search of a strange croak he heard. When he found the source of the noise, he saw that it was a toad. 

Monkey was sure that they would be great friends, but Toad was hesitant because of their many differences. Will they ever get to know each other? Can they ever become friends? Read this cute picture book to find out!

I loved the colorful and engaging illustrations and the beautiful cover.

 

I recommend this book to children 3+ as it is a short, sweet, and funny book.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it is a great read.

Have fun reading!

-Amy

  

Ayan's Book Review
Guinevere: The Legend

-by Cheryl Carpinello

Right when you think that a series can't get any better than this, you read the next one only to find this the best so far. Well, that's what happened to me when I read the third book in the Guinevere series. 

I felt Guinevere: The Legend’s plot highly captivating. Why? Mostly because of Cedwyn’s sacrifice for the kidnapped children, which plunged Guinevere into a desperate mission to rescue all of them. She discreetly escapes from the castle at Cadbury and ventures out in search of the renegades. Meanwhile, Cedwyn is forced to suffer the harsh life of a kidnapped slave. Can they each survive far from the comfort of home and find each other in time to rescue the others? Read this action-packed book to find out!

The themes in this book include friendship, loyalty, and trust. Guinevere and Cedwyn are loyal friends who trust each other! This book is actually built on that relationship.

I would like to point out that the pacing is superior—right from the start. This third book is like a sequel to the second, so you can expect this one to start suspenseful. I highly suggest reading Guinevere Book 2 before reading this book.

I recommend this book to anyone aged 8+ as some of the scenes may be too difficult for younger children to follow.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it’s an adventurous and exciting book that’s sure to please all. 😊

Happy reading!

-Ayan