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Scumble by Ingrid Law

Scumble by Ingrid Law

Posted on by J.C.

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Title: Scumble (Savvy, #2)

Author: Ingrid Law

Published By: Dial Books (2010)

Synopsis: Nine years after Mibs’s Savvy journey, her cousin Ledge has just turned thirteen . . . But Ledger Kale’s savvy is a total dud-all he does is make little things fall apart. So his parents decide it’s safe to head to Wyoming, where it’s soon revealed that Ledge’s savvy is much more powerful than anyone thought. Worse, his savvy disaster has an outside witness: Sarah Jane Cabot, reporter wannabe and daughter of the local banker. Just like that, Ledge’s beloved normal life is over. Now he has to keep Sarah from turning family secrets into headlines, stop her father from foreclosing on Uncle Autry’s ranch, and scumble his savvy into control so that, someday, he can go home.

Starring a cast both fresh and familiar, Scumble brilliantly melds Ingrid Law’s signature heart and humor with the legendary Wild West. (Taken from Goodreads)

Review:

A sequel to the award-winning Savvy, Scumble follows more characters in the Beaumonts’ extended family in a sure to be exciting and energetic story.

Ledger Kale has waited forever for his 13th birthday, where his savvy will be revealed. He is sure he is destined to be the fastest runner ever—until his birthday arrives and he starts breaking things. Literally. Things fly apart by just his thought. Ledge is sure he is doomed with this horrible savvy for life, but scumbling (learning to control your savvy) might just teach him something different.

This book was hilarious, energetic, and a fast-paced, fun read. It was magic in a sense, but still very realistic—easy believable this kind of thing could happen in real life. The names are awesome, and I enjoyed seeing Mibs again and her family. Sarah Jane was simply hysterical, but you can’t help rooting for her even when she isn’t the best friend. The few plot twists, which made the book such a fun read, were written well. The scenes, set, and characters were described very vividly.

Overall:

A great, fun read. A great follow-up to Savvy; you won’t be disappointed.

Negative Content:

None.

Rating: 5.0

Recommended to: Everyone who loved Savvy!

The Truth About Twinkie Pie by Kat Yeh

The Truth About Twinkie Pie by Kat Yeh

Posted on by J.C.

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Title: The Truth About Twinkie Pie

Author: Kat Yeh

Published By: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (2015)

Synopsis: There’s something about asking for Impossible Things. For one little second, they feel Possible.
Take two sisters making it on their own: brainy twelve-year-old GiGi and junior-high-dropout-turned-hairstylist DiDi. Add a million dollars in prize money from a national cooking contest and a move from the trailer parks of South Carolina to the North Shore of Long Island. Mix in a fancy new school, new friends and enemies, a first crush, and a generous sprinkling of family secrets.
That’s the recipe for The Truth About Twinkie Pie, a voice-driven middle-grade debut about the true meaning of family and friendship. (Taken from Goodreads.)

Review:

This book was very well done. The author is very talented and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

While at first glance this seemed to me like one of those silly, short chapter books for little kids, it’s really anything but. Detailed themes intertwine over the course of the story, themes that honestly would be more appreciated by an older audience. The characters were lovable and relatable; the plotline was interesting and fun, with a touch of mystery.

The ending was phenomenal: it wasn’t one of those endings that you see coming or are wondering about, but it literally came out of nowhere and bam! everything is revealed. The way GiGi handled it, as well, was very realistic and extremely—I can not emphasize this enough—extremely well done.

Negative Content:

None.

Rating: 4.5

Recommended to: Anyone!

On the Loose by Jenny B. Jones

On the Loose by Jenny B. Jones

Posted on by J.C.

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Title: On the Loose (A Katie Parker Production, #2)

Author: Jenny B. Jones

Published By: Sweet Pea Productions (2014)

Synopsis: Six months into her stay with her foster parents, Katie Parker is finally adjusting to her new family. But when a tornado rips through the town of In Between, nothing is ever the same. When her foster mom, Millie, is diagnosed with cancer, Katie begins to doubt if God really does care. What will happen to Katie? Could she possibly have to leave In Between and the family she’s come to depend on? Things spiral even further out of control when Katie juggles a malfunctioning best friend, Spring Break plans, and holding the attention of her own Prince Charming. It’s going to take more than a glass slipper and some fairy dust to fix Katie’s problems. But will help come in time? (Taken from Goodreads)

Review:

This book was hysterical and hilarious. Katie Parker is the best teenager ever. She is full of smart comments, sarcasm, and otherwise funny things that had me laughing every other sentence. Yet, her thoughts seem very realistic—like an average teenager. She has gone through so much, and though her thoughts may have some negative sarcasm, she is great at looking on the bright side (though she’d never admit it). Katie is truly an amazing person and character and my only sadness is that she is only a fictional character—she seems real enough to be a real person!

I could talk all day on the characters. Frances was a great best friend for Katie, encouraging and yet still realistic. I hated Angel so much, probably more than Katie herself did, and I was yelling at Katie for not doing something about it. Of course, when she finally did do something, I was cheering her on. I loved Maxine, then I didn’t like her at all, then I liked her, then I was so mad at her, but in the end I knew she had a good heart. Katie is lucky to be in such a good family.

The teenage drama written in was well done as well; while there was mild teenage romance, it was nothing more serious than a crush (though I don’t know exactly what you’d call Frances’s situation). It was hilarious but realistic and you can’t help but side with Katie.

Negative Content:

Though there is nothing directly inappropriate for young audiences, an older audience (12+) would be more likely to truly appreciate this work.

Overall:

What else is there to say? This book was amazing and incredible and awesome. One of the best books I’ve read this year.

Rating: 5.0

Recommended to: Ages 12+!

 

Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins? by Liz Kessler

Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins? by Liz Kessler

Posted on by J.C.

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Title: Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins?

Author: Liz Kessler

Published By: Candlewick Press (2015)

Synopsis: Jessica Jenkins is missing…

Jessica Jenkins has always thought she was a perfectly ordinary girl, until the day that part of her arm vanishes in the middle of a Geography lesson! Her best friend Izzy is determined to help Jessica realise what a great opportunity the power to turn invisible could be, but where has her new ability come from? Does this mean she’s a superhero? And, when her friends are threatened, can Jessica use her superpower to help? (Taken from Goodreads.)

Review:

This book was just a classic fantasy story, in my opinion. The main character discovers she has some magical power, then (rather than freaking out or telling her parents) goes out and uses it to have some fun, like pranking people. Then she discovers the secret behind the power, and suddenly is out on an epic journey to 1) locate these other superpowered ones and 2) to stop the world from evil.

See what I mean?

None of this to say I didn’t like this book. In fact, I quite enjoyed it. It was fast-paced, intruging, and completely, one-hundred-percent fantastical, but what else can you expect from Liz Kessler?

However, this book was extremely unrealistic. Well, of course nobody can turn invisible. Let me explain my definition of “unrealistic”: Even when a book is a total fantasy that could never occur in life, I prefer when it is written well enough that you come away almost believing it could. The suspension of disbelief I believe in the correct term.

This book, from the very first sentence to the last, was through-and-through fantasy. For example, Jess never told her parents about her power, but she had no issue telling her friend, a weird boy, and the most popular girl in class. She’s following around dangerous people, sneaking into other people’s houses, and rescuing kidnapped people, all without any—ANY—adult involvement. When she gets a message saying her friend has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom, she says, “We must save him!” rather than go to the police. Not that any of this is wrong, it’s just the elements that further prove my unrealistic theory. Normally I wouldn’t have a problem with the realism or unrealism in a fantasy—normally, I guess I’d overlook it—but in this case, it started out being written as if it were a real story. While in other books you know from the start they aren’t meant to take place in real life, this book seemed like it was, and then, when it turned into a full-fledged fantasy, I just kept looking for those signs of realism and instead found impracticality.

Negative Content:

None.

Overall:

I did enjoy this book. It was fun, imaginative, fantastical, and a quick read, and I’d recommend it for anyone looking for a fun fantasy novel. You won’t be disappointed.

Rating: 3.0 

Recommended to: Anyone looking for a fun fantasy novel!

 

 

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Posted on by J.C.

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Title: Fish in a Tree

Author: Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Published By: Nancy Paulsen Books (2015)

Synopsis: Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions. She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone—than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike. (Taken from Goodreads.)

Review:

This was such a beautiful book!

The author is such a good writer. The pages and chapters flowed so wonderfully and the story was perfectly paced; as I traveled along with Ally, it never once felt drawn out. This story was gorgeous, simply following Ally in a few weeks of her life as she learns that she isn’t as dumb as she thinks, and that things can get better just by asking for help. The messages were portrayed with excellence, straight-out, but not too much in your face.

The characters were so amazing and so relatable: anybody, young or old, will come to love Ally by the end of this book. And not only that; you love Keisha for her quirkiness, and Albert for his smarts, and you hate Shay right along with Ally. Travis, Ally’s brother, was written well too, a good role model for Ally and still his own character.
Ally as a character was so relatable and easy to love. She seemed so real, as if I would shut the book and then go out and find her in everyday life; in fact, it’s hard to believe she’s only a fictional character. I loved following her around her everyday life, through good times and struggles, as she tries to find her way throughout the world.

Negative Content:

None

Overall:

I cannot think of anything I disliked about this book. Beautifully painted, this is a book you won’t regret reading!

Rating: 4.0

Recommended to: Ages 10+

Mindscape by M.M. Vaughan

Mindscape by M.M. Vaughan

Posted on by J.C.

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Title: Mindscape (The Ability, #2)

Author: M.M. Vaughan

Published By: Margaret K. McElderry Books (2014)

Synopsis: Everywhere that Christopher Lane turns, he sees the face of the boy he killed. There is no escape from the guilt, not even on his return to Myers Holt—the secret London academy where he and five others are being trained to use their mental powers, their Ability.

But now that the threat of Dulcia Genever has been dealt with, his friends are too busy working for the police, entering the minds of some of the country’s most dangerous criminals, to sympathize. Chris’s teachers are already concerned enough about him, especially when Chris starts to wonder if the boy may not be a figment of his imagination after all.

Meanwhile, alone in Darkwhisper Manor, Ernest Genever is enjoying watching Chris’s torment. Yes, he will keep his promise—Christopher Lane will die—but not until he has watched Chris lose his mind waiting for Ernest to appear. For, if nothing else, Dulcia Genever did teach her son one valuable lesson: Revenge is a dish best served cold. (Taken from Goodreads.)

Review:

This book was very bewildering.

While the storyline as a whole was well developed, action-paced, and complete with fun characters, the ending completely threw off everything. Despite the fact I loved the first book and yes, this book definitely lived up to my expectations coming off of The Ability, I did not like this one as much as the first.

A sequel to The Ability, Mindscape follows Chris and all his friends as they journey through the last few months they have their Ability, helping the police solve crimes and learning to control their powers even further. The issue? Chris is being haunted by Ernest, the brother of the boy he accidentally killed. Chris can’t get over himself for such a fatal mistake, but what’s even worse is that Ernest can’t get over it, either. In fact, he’s made a vow: Christopher Lane will die.

The storyline approaching the ending was all well and fine, and I would have probably liked it well enough had I actually found the ending decent. I find myself judging books by their endings, and though this one wasn’t the worst I have seen, it wasn’t exactly amazing. What I found most upsetting was this book had so much potential to have an incredible ending; instead, the ending was cheesy, predictable, and let’s just say, CLIFFHANGER! It seemed to me like the author was trying to end the book on a slightly mysterious note: with a little bit unknown to keep the reader guessing, but yet with still enough satisfaction to feel good coming out of the read. Well, to me, that wasn’t what it was. Too much mystery, too much suspense, too many unanswered questions, all appearing at the last chapter; not to mention the actual ending was so abrupt, I turned the page expecting another sentence and there was none. It seemed to literally end right in the middle of a paragraph.

Not to say anything directly in the ending was bad, and most people, I think, will find it satisfying, action-ridden, and suspenseful, but, unfortunately for me, I’m not one of those people. Instead, I’m one of those unusual teenage girls who actually bases her opinion on books regarding the quality of the writing, and in that case, I mostly found it very disappointing.

Besides the ending, though, I enjoyed this book for the most part. Chris’s character is so well done; probably the best done character in the books. Well, he’s the main character, of course he has to be well done—but to be honest, he was the only character I could actually relate to. There were a lot of characters in the series, and while there wasn’t too many (I easily kept track of them all), I did feel like most of them were characters simply thrown in there for the fun of it. I couldn’t truly connect to anyone outside of Chris, even though we did see a bit further development on Daisy. The issue, I guess, is that while the characters are written in a way as secondary characters are, they’re plotted in as main characters, and that makes them hard to relate to.

Negative Content:

None.

Overall:

As a whole, though, and excepting the ending, this was a good read, even though I wish the ending would have gone differently. I need to know what happens next! Write a third book, M.M. Vaughan!

Rating: 3.5

Recommended to: ages 10+