#27 The Medusa Plot by Gordan Korman (39 Clues Cahill vs. Vespers Book 1)

I have to say that I love this series, the 11th book, Vesper's Rising was my favorite by far, and I love Gordan Korman. Therefore I was really looking forward to this book. I was excited to see where Gordan Korman was going to take the series, but I was a little disappointed. I found this one hard to follow and not nearly as gripping as the others in the series. I had hoped that it would provide even more history about the Vesper's before they switched back to the modern times. Jude Watson is writing the next one, due out in December, and I will continue to give it a try. However, if it doesn't get a lot better I might have to move on to a different series. I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars.

#26 The extraordinary adventures of Alfred Kropp by Richard Yancey

When Alfred's uncle forces him to help steal something from his employer's office, he had no idea that he would be starting off on a fantastic chase around the world. (of course he also didn't know that he was stealing Excalibur) In this first of a series, Richard Yancey tells a story that combines a modern hero with the legends of King Arthur. Fans of Alex Rider will enjoy this book (and I hear that the second one is even better). I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

#25 Gossip from the girls' room : a blogtastic! novel by Rose Cooper

Sixth grader Sophia wants to be "popular". She is sure that her path to popularity will be through her school blog, so she is trying to get the newest, juiciest gossip to post. She finds that she can hear all sorts of interesting news by hiding in the girls bathroom. How will thing work out? Read and find out. Overall this was a cute story, but not a "must read". It has the same idea as the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, but it isn't quite as good. I give it a 3 out of 5 stars.

#24 Little Blog on the Prarie by Cathleen Bell

Thirteen year old Gen is being forced to spend her summer vacation at "Camp Frontier", a living history camp set in the 1890's. Growing her own vegetables, milking the cows and being forced to give up every modern convenience (including indoor plumbing) has Gen losing it. She is keeping her sanity by texting her friends on the cell phone she managed to sneak in to camp. She could never imagine the trouble that this is going to cause... I really liked this book. I loved the realistic portrayal of life in the 1890's from someone who is used to today's modern way of life. The characters were funny and the story was very enjoyable. I will definitely be recommending this one. 4 out of 5 stars.

#23 Human.4 by Mike Lancaster

Kyle volunteers to be hypnotized by a friend at the town talent show. When he wakes up he finds that the world has dramatically changed. No one seems to recognize him, or even be aware that he exists for that matter. The computers, telephones, televisions and radios don't work - just what is going on. The story is told from Kyle's perspective on a set of cassette tapes that he is recording. This is a fantastic look at a futuristic society. There are definite twists and turns along the way that keep the story moving at a fast pace. I recommend this book to dystopia and science fiction fans alike, and I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

#22 Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford

A really quick and enjoyable read, nothing taxing about this one:) When Newt's big brother Chris is knocked out during a high school football game, Newt's friends help him create an alter ego to help him cope. Originally dressed as "Captain Nobody" for Halloween, Newt soon begins to wear the costume to school. Watch as Newt plays the role of superhero for the neighborhood, but can he save the one person he's really worried about? There's not a lot of substance to this book, but I did have a good time reading it. I give it 3 out of 5 stars. (5 out of 5 for lower grade levels!)

#21 Unfinished Angel by Sharon Creech

What happens when an Angel is left with no supervision or job description? This is the story of an Angel in the Swiss Alps who is getting directions from a young girl who has just moved in. Zola doesn't feel that the Angel is doing her job appropriately and gives her many suggestions as to what she should be doing instead. What follows is a heartfelt story of hope, and how everyone can band together to make great things happen. Sharon Creech is a great author and I enjoyed this book even more than some of her others. I give it 4 stars out of 5.

#20 Smells Like Dog by Suzanne Selfors

Homer Pudding is a dreamer who often ends up making a mess of things. He has always wanted to be a treasure hunter like his uncle. When his uncle dies mysteriously and leaves Homer a basset hound with an unusual talent (you have to read the book to find out what it is), Homer decides he must solve the case. As Homer and his sister end up in "The City" against their father's orders, readers will be cheering him on. I liked this book. I found myself rooting for Homer who always seems to be making mistakes and the ending took me by surprise. The second book in this series, Smells Like Treasure just came out this spring. I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

#19 Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

Payton has just found out that her father has MS and her very organized life begins to fall apart. When the school counselor suggests that Payton use a focus object to help her journal about her feelings, Payton picks the head of the boy in front of her. Sean Griswold has sat in front of her every year since they were in 3rd grade, so she decides to focus on the back of his head (since she's not paying attention in class anyway). I'm sure you can guess what happens next... I really liked this book. I was afraid that it was going to be a sappy romance novel, but it wasn't. It was a fun summer read. Even my 7th grader liked it (and she doesn't like to read much of anything!). I highly recommend this book to those of you who prefer realistic fiction over fantasy, or those of you who just want a relaxing break. I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

#18 Eight Grade Bites (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod Book 1) by Heather Brewer

Vladimir Tod is a vampire, his mother was human and his father was a vampire but they both died a few years ago. If all of that isn't hard enough to deal with, now he's in eigth grade (we all know how mean middle school kids can be to someone who is different). I love the way Ms. Brewer creates a believable storyline about a middle school vampire. Vlad seems to take everything in stride and has a wonderful sense of humor (when complaining about his 11 o'clock curfew he says, ""I'm a creature of the night, for God's sake. And she wants me home by eleven? I don't think so").
I had been meaning to start this series for some time, and now I'm sorry that I waited so long. Once I began reading I couldn't put the book down. I can't wait to finish the rest of the series. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

#17 Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Liam is a 12 year old boy who looks 30. He is taller than his dad and already has facial hair. He often gets mistaken for an adult, and finally realizes that he can use this to his advantage. He rides a roller coaster without the required adult supervision, test drives a car and pretends to be the substitute teacher. Eventually he ends up as the parent chaperone on a field trip in outer space. I know that seems a little far fetched, but the story line is really entertaining. I mean, how many of us wouldn't do just about anything for a chance to go up in a rocket?!! Overall this was a fast paced read that kept my attention. I love this author and was not disappointed. I give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

#16 Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett

"The wizards at Ankh-Morpork's Unseen University are renowned for many things-wisdom, magic, and their love of teatime-but athletics is most assuredly not on the list. And so when Lord Ventinari, the city's benevolent tyrant, strongly suggests to Archchancellor Mustrum Ridcully that the university revive an erstwhile tradition and once again put forth a football team composed of faculty, students, and staff, the wizards of UU find themselves in a quandary. To begin with, they have to figure out just what it is that makes this sport-soccer with a bit of rugby thrown in-so popular with Ankh-Morporkians of all ages and social strata. Then they have to learn how to play it. Oh, and on top of that, they must win a football match without using magic. Meanwhile, Trev (a handsome street urchin and a right good kicker) falls hard for kitchen maid Juliet (beautiful, dim, and perhaps the greatest fashion model there ever was), and Juliet's best pal, UU night cook Glenda (homely, sensible, and a baker of jolly good pies) befriends the mysterious Mr. Nutt (about whom no one knows very much, including Mr. Nutt, which is worrisome . . .). As the big match approaches, these four lives are entangled and changed forever. Because the thing about football-the most important thing about football?-is that it is never just about football."
This is the review that I had read that caused me to pick up the book to begin with. It sounded like it would be light and funny. However, I was completely lost. I couldn't connect with the characters and found it hard to follow the story line. In fact, I eventually gave up altogether. I have since found that this is the 37th book in the Discworld series (that might have something to do with it). Imagine trying to start Harry Potter by reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, you would be very confused to say the least. I might give the series another try at a later date, but for now I give it 1 star out of 5.

#15 A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

While other authors try to tone down the original Grimm's fairy tales, Mr. Gidwitz takes them on blood, gore and all. He retells the story of Hansel and Gretel (taking some literary license along the way) in the original style. He does take time to warn the readers throughout the book that the "awful" parts are coming up - “Are there any small children in the room now? If so, it would be best if we just...hurried them off to bed. Because this is where things start to get, well...awesome. But in a horrible, bloody kind of way" thereby assuring that everyone will stay glued to their seats. Like Neil Gaimon's The Graveyard Book this story will appeal to both boys and girls, adults and teens. Mr. Gidwitz does an equally great job of combining humor with blood and guts. A fast paced, well written novel. I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

#13 and #14 I So Don't Do Mysteries and I So Don't Do Spooky by Barry Summy

I really love the plots of these two books. Sherry's mom has returned from the afterlife as a ghost and is asking for Sherry's help. She needs to solve a mystery in order to stay in the Academy of Spirits. It's not enough that Sherry needs to deal with boys, friends and a new step-mother, now she needs to deal with spirits too!! I loved reading these books, as have all the other people I have recommended them to. Be prepared for a lot of twists and turns and you won't want to put them one down. (There are also 2 more in the series that I can't wait to read) I give them both 4.5 out of 5 stars.

#12 I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

I really loved the beginning of this book where it says "Three are dead and I am number 4" I was sucked in from the start. This is a really quick read with a great premise - think an updated Superman. I enjoyed the book, even though I didn't think it was on the same level as Hunger Games. I will still recommend it and look forward to seeing where the author takes it in the second book The Power of Six. I give it a 3 out of 5 stars.

#11 Aliens on Vacation (The Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast) by Clete Smith

Scrub is being sent away for the summer, not to camp or to visit friends, but to stay with his grandmother in the "middle of nowhere" Washington. What he finds there is a lot more than he bargained for and her "guests" require a lot of looking after. Throw nosy neighbors and a girl into the mix and you have a great story. This is a good mix of science fiction and humor. I really enjoyed watching how Scrub would handle each new situation and the descriptions of the "guests" were vivid and imaginative. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

#10 How Lamar's Bad Prank Won A Bubba-Sized Trophy by Crystal Allen

Lamar has asthma and therefore cannot compete in other sports at his school. He has taken up bowling and really likes it, but his brother is a basketball star and gets a lot of attention for it. Lamar tries to get attention by pulling pranks - and his last one is a doozy. Can Lamar fix his mess and make things right with all of the important people in his life? A fun and easy read that was really enjoyable. I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

#9 King of the Screwups - by K. L. Going

Liam Geller is the son of a successful former model and an uptight CEO. The pressure placed on him to succeed from a very young age, combined with the layers of emotional abuse suffered from the words of his father, results in causing him to believe that he's not good at anything except "screwing up". When a final mistake at home causes his father to kick him out he goes to live with his "Aunt" Pete. This was a fabulous story about second chances and being true to yourself. I would highly recommend this book to 8th graders, although some of the content makes it a little much for 6th graders. I thought there were some parts that were a bit over the top, but overall it was a great read. I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

#8 My Unfair Godmother by Janette Rallison

My Unfair Godmother is a great sequel to My Fair Godmother. The godmother Chrissy hasn't improved much, and still hasn't managed to become a full-fledged godmother. This time Ms. Rallison takes on Robin Hood and Rumplestiltskin. Sometimes I find that sequels don't live up to my expectations, but this one did. These books are quick, enjoyable reads that combine adventure, romance and humor all in one book. I highly recommend this book - 4.5 out of 5 stars.

#7 My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison

Okay - I've been doing a great job of reading, not such a great job of writing my posts. I will have to get better at that, but for now you will have to forgive me as I post about a number of books all on the same day. I am a fast reader - just not that fast.

My Fair Godmother is another really funny book. A teenage girl, Savannah, finds out that getting 3 wishes isn't all it's cracked up to be. Read to find out how her only "fair" godmother manages to screw up wish after wish and see is Savannah can finally find her prince charming after all. This book is a great twist on traditional fairy tales such as Cinderella and Snow White with a lot of modern sibling rivalry thrown in. I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

#6 - Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson

"Alcatraz Smedry doesn't seem destined for anything but disaster. On his 13th birthday he receives a bag of sand, which is quickly stolen by the cult of evil Librarians plotting to take over the world. The sand will give the Librarians the edge they need to achieve world domination. Alcatraz must stop them!...by infiltrating the local library, armed with nothing but eyeglasses and a talent for klutziness." This book was absolutely hysterical. The storyline is funny enough - but the author's side comments had me laughing out loud (so did my son and daughter). It was a wonderful mix of fantasy and humor, although I don't like that Mr. Sanderson chose to describe Librarians as Evil (I might need to write him a letter about that:) Overall I give this book 5 stars and I can't wait to read the next 3.