<![CDATA[Kid Book Reviewer - Home]]>Fri, 03 Apr 2020 12:35:35 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Saving Washington]]>Wed, 26 Jun 2019 03:39:01 GMThttp://www.kidbookreviewer.com/home/saving-washingtonPicture
Reviewed by Helena

Rating: High Two

Who I'd Recommend to: I would suggest this book to people who like heavy historical fiction with minimal embellished fiction elements that make a story more colorful. Some other historical fiction books I have read and liked are Fever 1793 by Laurie Anderson, Now by Morris Gleitzman, and Towers Falling by Jewell Rhodes.

Synopsis (from the publisher) : 
SAVING WASHINGTON follows young Joshua Bolton and his childhood friend Ben, a freed black man, as they witness British tyranny firsthand, become enraptured by the cause, and ultimately enlist to defend their new nation in a battle that galvanized the American nation on the eve of its birth. 


ThoughtsSaving Washington has a really cool concept. It follows a character named Josh, and his best friend Ben through the Revolutionary War, and a battle that is almost completely unknown. It is a battle in which many untrained militia men from  Baltimore, Maryland were suddenly burst into battle to save General Washington, who would later become our first President. I was fascinated by the subject and started reading immediately after I got the book. Sadly, in only the first few chapters, I was disappointed with the character development. The characters seemed very one-dimensional, and none of them had detailed arcs. To further express my point, in the first half of the book, the only main female character was the love interest, and the only adjective they used to describe her was ‘busty’. I wish that the characters and their arcs were further developed and that they had distinguishing traits that helped me get involved in their story. I was not a big fan of this book. I love this genre, and history is my favorite subject, so it was a shock to me that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

Disclaimer: this book was given to us in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are our own. 
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<![CDATA[The House in Poplar Wood]]>Sun, 17 Mar 2019 02:42:15 GMThttp://www.kidbookreviewer.com/home/the-house-in-poplar-woodPicture
Reviewed by Helena Birbower

Rating: High Five

Who I'd Recommend to: I would recommend this book to readers who liked the A Wrinkle in Time series, and the Percy Jackson series.

Synopsis (from Amazon): For as long as the Vickery twins can remember, Lee and his mother have served Memory, while Felix and his father assist Death. This is the Agreement. But one Halloween, Gretchen Whipple smashes her way into their lives. Her bargain is simple: If the twins help her solve the murder of local girl Essie Hasting, she'll help them break the Agreement. The more the three investigate, however, the more they realize that something's gone terribly wrong in their town. Death is on the loose, and if history repeats itself, Essie's might not be the last murder in Poplar Wood. Simultaneously heartwarming and delightfully spooky, The House in Poplar Wood is a story about a boy's desire to be free, a girl's desire to make a difference, and a family's desire to be together again.

Thoughts: I LOVED this book. It has a really interesting and very clever plot line. Ormsbee personifies acts of Death, Memory, and Passion into creatures called Shades. These Shades have servants called apprentices who do their bidding. The main characters are the sons of apprentices, who are held captive to an unjust Agreement against their family. Because of the tragedy that these boys are held to, you really learn to love them and pity them. The other main character is a girl, and she is endearing only because she’s really annoying. The characters are relatable, even though the story takes place in a magical world.

I enjoyed how the book equally incorporated all of the characters points of view, and how the author added multiple layers to the story that all came into focus at the end to solve the mystery. Some things I did not enjoy too much were that the story took a long time to build up, leaving me bored at the beginning, and that middle school wasn’t portrayed as realistically as I would have wished (all through the school was such a small part of the story why am I complaining?).

Although the story started kind of dull, I continued to read it, and eventually, it grabbed my attention so much that I couldn’t put it down. The story has a really nice theme, that anything is possible, and even a kid can save the people they care about. When I finished this book, I started screaming, because I didn’t want it to be over. That’s how much I loved this book.
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<![CDATA[A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting]]>Tue, 22 Jan 2019 01:27:04 GMThttp://www.kidbookreviewer.com/home/a-babysitters-guide-to-monster-huntingPicture
Reviewed by Helena Birbrower

Rating: High Four!

Who I'd recommend it to: Fans of the Percy Jackson series, The Girl Who Could Fly, The School for Good and Evil series, and the Half Magic series.

Synopsis 
(From amazon)When middle schooler Kelly Ferguson’s Halloween plans switch from party-going to babysitting, she thinks the scariest part of her night will be the death of her social life. But then Baby Jacob gets kidnapped by the Boogeyman’s minions and Kelly learns there’s a whole lot more to childcare than free snacks and Netflix. Like chasing shadow monsters, drop-kicking Toadies, and mastering monster-fighting moves like the Naptime Headlock and Playground Punch.
Now, with the help of an ancient handbook and a secret society of butt-kicking babysitters, Kelly sets out to destroy the Boogeyman before he brings Jacob’s nightmares to life. But when the monsters’ trail leads to her school’s big Halloween bash, Kelly will have to prove she can save the world—without totally embarrassing herself in front of her friends.

Thoughts: I finished this book in three days, and I really did enjoy it. I only chose this rating because I was not as invested in the characters and story as I have been with others. The main character was slightly annoying, and in some parts I found myself rooting for the villain. A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting is about an eighth-grader named Kelly who is earning money to go to a summer camp. She just wants to fit in with the crowd and calls herself invisible. She takes on many odd jobs, including babysitting. What she doesn’t know is that she has to be on her toes. In this story, monsters might actually be in the closet. This book has a dose of magic and monsters, and a sprinkle of realistic struggles. I really enjoyed how the author was able to include all kinds of conflict in the book and made sure it wasn’t black and white. There were layers in every page. The villain was not plain mean, he was classy and smart. The main character was not the stereotyped ‘hero’. There were bounds of growth in every character, and they were very unique.In summary, I liked this book. There is another book in the series, and more coming out if this seems interesting.
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<![CDATA[The Land Without Color Series]]>Mon, 13 Aug 2018 00:41:17 GMThttp://www.kidbookreviewer.com/home/the-land-without-color-seriesThe Land Without Color
Reviewed by Oscar

Rating: High Five

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of the Land of Stories,  Heroes of the Distant Planets, and other exciting adventure books.

Synopsis (from Amazon): What If You Were Transported to a Land Without Color?
And
the Only One Who Could Restore it Was You? 

When Alvin gets a mysterious pack of gum for his birthday, he of course blows a bubble as large as he can. But when that bubble carries him away to a far-off land where everything is gray, he’s in for the adventure of his life, and more than a little danger.  Because he’s the only one who can restore the Kingdom of Color to its former glory. To do it, Alvin has to battle man-eating plants, outsmart the bumbling Crimson Guards, cross the Sugar Dessert, overcome the two-headed dragon, and find the color-stealing goblins. It’s dangerous. Scary. Impossible! But it’s the only way to restore color to the kingdom.

The Great Sugar War

Reviewed by Oscar

Rating: High Five

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of the Land of Stories,  Heroes of the Distant Planets, and other exciting adventure books.

Synopsis (from Amazon): What Would You Do If You Found Yourself In the Middle of An Epic War,
And You Were The Only One Who Knew The Way to Save the Kingdom?

When Otto’s 12th birthday present carries him across a strange sea, he finds himself in an astonishing land, smack dab in the middle of an epic war. A combat between the Kingdom of Color, and the Kingdom of Shapes. The ravages of war have stripped the land of color and Otto’s only hope of bringing the brilliant hues of light and life back to the land is to defeat the sugar soldiers. Escape from the gnome factory. Outwit the war inspectors. And of course, convince the grasshoppers the vital importance of eating their greens.

The Collapsing Kingdom

Reviewed by Oscar

Rating: High Five

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of the Land of Stories,  Heroes of the Distant Planets, and other exciting adventure books.

Synopsis (from Amazon): All His Life, Brandon Has Heard Stories About The Kingdom of Color.
Now He’s About To Live One

Brandon grew up hearing stories about how his grandfather and great-great grandfather battled to free the Kingdom of Color from its enemies, but he never imagined that one day he’d have to risk his own life to save the kingdom. Grayness has returned to the kingdom. The land is collapsing beneath Brandon’s feet. Food has stopped growing. And his Grandpa Alvin, is missing. Brandon’s only chance is to team up with his best friend, and a giant eagle. Together they must elude the relentless Officer Reed, escape the nefarious Spider Riders, and of course rescue the twin princesses, Gwendolyn and Sapphire.
Thoughts: This series is truly incredible. I loved how Benjamin Ellefson was able to connect the three different books in The Land Without Color series into one truly incredible story. For example, in every book there is a different main character, however each main character is related to each other. An example of this is one of the main characters is the grandson and great-great grandson of the two other main characters. I also enjoyed all the sidekicks in this series including a talkative squirrel, a dim solider, and a helpful eagle. Finally, I liked how Kevin Cannon drew such amazing and descriptive illustrations. Overall, I loved this funny, amazing, truly incredible series.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.
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<![CDATA[Lakes of Mars]]>Sun, 05 Aug 2018 19:59:08 GMThttp://www.kidbookreviewer.com/home/lakes-of-marsPicture
Reviewed by Oscar

Rating: High Five!

Who I'd Recommend to: Fan's of the Legends of Zero, and the Outer Bounds series. 

SynopsisAaron Sheridan doesn’t want to live anymore. His entire family had just died in a shuttle crash and he’d been the one flying it. Unable to deal with the guilt, he signs up for the Fleet expecting a fatal deployment to the Rim War, but instead ends up at their most prestigious command school, Corinth Station.
Initially, he’s detached from the brutality of his instructors and the Machiavellian tactics of the other students there, but after he sticks up for his only friend he makes himself a target of the most feared cadet on the station, Caelus Erik. Unsure of whom to trust and worried that anything he does will make others on his flight team targets as well, Aaron retreats deeper and deeper inside himself. However, when he discovers that officer training is not the station’s only purpose, it becomes increasingly clear that risking everything is the safest thing he can do.

Thoughts: This is a fantastic book. I loved how Merritt Graves is able to add so many amazing twists to Lakes of Mars that left my head spinning. This book was very complex and interesting, which made it really enjoyable. I also enjoyed all the diffrent characters in the book. One character that I particularly enjoyed was Aaron's best friend, Sebastian. A reason I enjoyed Sebastian is because he always supports and helps Aaron. A final thing I liked about Lakes of Mars was the soundtrack that goes along with the book. I liked how the music fitted the scenes and the chapters perfectly, while, at the same time added to the book. Overall, I loved this fantastic, exciting, twist-filled book.

Disclosure: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. All  thoughts are my own. 
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<![CDATA[Lost on the Water: A Ghost Story]]>Sun, 29 Jul 2018 20:24:57 GMThttp://www.kidbookreviewer.com/home/lost-on-the-water-a-ghost-storyPicture
Reviewed by Oscar

Rating: High Five!

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of Ida B., anything by Katherine ApplegateKira-KiraBe Light Like a BirdWonder, and other inspiring stories.

Synopsis (from Amazon): One girl’s adventure begins as she tries to survive a scary night alone on the water. Forced to leave the California beach behind to spend the summer with her grandma in rural Tennessee, Dannie is certain this will be the most boring summer of her life. Things start looking up when a group of local kids, mistaking her short hair and boyish figure, invite her on their ‘no girls allowed’ overnight kayaking trip. Obviously, her grandma refuses to let her go. But Dannie suspects the real reason is that the woman is afraid of the lake, only she won't tell Dannie why. Longing for freedom and adventure, Dannie finds an old rowboat hidden behind the shed and sneaks off on her own to catch up to her new friends. It seems like a simple solution … until everything goes wrong. Dannie soon discovers this lake is more than just vast. It’s full of danger, family secrets, and ghosts. 

Thoughts: This book is fabulous. When I heard about Lost on the Water: A Ghost Story, I was thinking maybe I'd like the book.  However, when I finished this book, I was thoroughly surprised and blown out of my mind. I love how D. G. Driver is able to make this book very feminist. For example, in Lost on the Water: A Ghost Story, the main character Dannie, a girl, goes to an all boys campout and does everything the boys do. Also, she is able to turn the campout, which has been all boys for decades, into being a boys and girls campout. Another thing I enjoyed about this book is how all the pieces fit together perfectly, like the boat Dannie rides in connects to her family's past. Overall, I love this fun, exciting, mysterious, fabulous ghost story.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All thoughts are my own.
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<![CDATA[The Three Hares: Bloodline]]>Sun, 22 Jul 2018 02:45:11 GMThttp://www.kidbookreviewer.com/home/the-three-hares-bloodlinePicture
Reviewed by Oscar

Rating: High Five

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of Blood Ninja, and other fun, exciting, nature books.

Synopsis (from Amazon):The Adventure of a Lifetime . . . 
Ethan Drake is a living legend. If only his late father had mentioned it. Ethan and his friends decode a series of cryptic riddles from an ancient treasure map. Their discovery entangles them in a centuries-old struggle between warring secret societies. It soon becomes clear that Ethan is not just an adventurous teen who accidentally stumbles upon a shadowy world. He is a catalyst… a spark which ignites the resurgence. 


Thoughts: This book surprised me. After I finished the first chapter of The Three Hares: Bloodline, I thought it would be okay. However, by chapter six I started to eat my words because it was turning out to be an amazing, fun, exciting book. I love how Geoffrey Simpson was able to create such an interesting and creative book. I also enjoyed how the town the main characters lived in, turned less from a town and more a war-zone. Another thing I appreciated in this book was all the superb battle scenes. A reason why I appreciated the battle scenes was how complex and exciting it was. Something I really respected Geoffrey Simpson for, was how well he hid the twists in The Three Hares: Bloodline until the end. A final thing that I liked about The Three Hares: Bloodline was the theme. The theme in my opinion was that ordinary people, even kids, can take matters into their own hands and fight back. Overall, I love this fun, exciting, amazing, surprising, twist filled book.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own. 
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<![CDATA[The Lost Continent]]>Fri, 20 Jul 2018 21:32:03 GMThttp://www.kidbookreviewer.com/home/the-lost-continentPicture
Reviewed by Oscar

Rating: High Five

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of Erin Hunter, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, and Cornelia Funke. 

Synopsis (from Amazon): Blue the SilkWing is content. Life in his Hive is safe; he loves his family; he has enough to eat. And Pantala has been at peace for as long as he can remember -- SilkWings and HiveWings live and work together in harmony, and because they stay vigilant, no one has seen a dangerous LeafWing in years. Now that Blue's sister, Luna, is undergoing her Metamorphosis, Blue knows things are going to change. Luna will have her wings and her silk, be assigned a partner and a work order, and move to another Hive. A few days later, Blue's own wings and silk will come in. But nothing could prepare Blue for what happens when Luna's wings start to grow. Suddenly his world is turned upside down, throwing him into dangers he never knew existed. Pantala isn't as peaceful as it seems, and Blue isn't safe. Whether he's ready or not, it's time to adapt -- and fight for his life.

Thoughts: This book is the best in the series yet. When I started reading the first book in the third sub-series of Wings of Fire I expected it to be okay, however when I finished it was the best Wings of Fire book I've read yet. I love how Tui T. Sutherland used some attributes from past Wings of Fire characters to create new characters. For example, Cricket (one of the main characters) is a lot like Kinkajou form the past Wings of Fire books. Another thing that I enjoyed about The Lost Continent was all the new species of dragons. One of my favorite things about the Wings of Fire series is all the different dragons and powers. I was sad when Tui T. Sutherland had of the same powers and dragons in the first ten books, but I was really excited in book eleven with all the new dragons and powers. Overall, I love, love, love this fabulous, amazing, funny, creative book.
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<![CDATA[Surviving Horse Island]]>Wed, 04 Jul 2018 20:43:21 GMThttp://www.kidbookreviewer.com/home/surviving-horse-islandPicture
Reviewed by Oscar

Rating: High Five!

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of Land of Stories, Unicorn Quest, and other fun other worldly books

Synopsis (from Amazon): Josh and three of his classmates have proven they can survive a forest and a desert, but what about an island? Can they finish a third mission and make it home alive?

Thoughts: This book is superb. I love how Karl Steam is able to keep crafting new and exciting places for Josh and his three classmates to have their adventures. I also enjoyed how the rivalry between two of Josh's classmates, Melissa and Katie, continued in the third book in the Kids vs. Nature series. For example, Katie just wanted to play on the beach all day, while Melissa wanted to find water, build a shelter, and get food to eat. A final thing that I liked about Surviving Horse Island is how it isn't only a fun, funny book to read, it also teaches about how to actually survive in the wilderness and the diffrent animals. Overall, I loved, this fun, exciting, amazing, superb book.

​Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own. 
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<![CDATA[Wings of Fire books 1-10]]>Mon, 02 Jul 2018 03:07:09 GMThttp://www.kidbookreviewer.com/home/wings-of-fire-books-1-10
Reviewed by Oscar and Olivia

Rating: High Five

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of Erin Hunter, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, and Cornelia Funke. 

Synopsis (from Amazon): The seven dragon tribes have been at war for generations, locked in an endless battle over an ancient, lost treasure. A secret movement called the Talons of Peace is determined to bring an end to the fighting, with the help of a prophecy -- a foretelling that calls for great sacrifice. Five dragonets are collected to fulfill the prophecy, raised in a hidden cave and enlisted, against their will, to end the terrible war. But not every dragonet wants a destiny. And when the select five escape their underground captors to look for their original homes, what has been unleashed on the dragon world may be far more than the revolutionary planners intended . . .

Part One

  • Book One
  •  Book Two
  • Book Three
  • Book Four 
  • Book Five
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The Dragonet Prophecy

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Reviewed by Oscar

Rating: High Five

Who I'd Recommend to: People who loved Warriors by Erin Hunter

Summary (from Amazon): The seven dragon tribes have been at war for generations, locked in an endless battle over an ancient, lost treasure. A secret movement called the Talons of Peace is determined to bring an end to the fighting, with the help of a prophecy -- a foretelling that calls for great sacrifice. Five dragonets are collected to fulfill the prophecy, raised in a hidden cave and enlisted, against their will, to end the terrible war. But not every dragonet wants a destiny. And when the select five escape their underground captors to look for their original homes, what has been unleashed on the dragon world may be far more than the revolutionary planners intended . . .
Thoughts: I really liked this book. I especially liked the part when Clay (the main character) kept getting foamy and stung by the water. I thought that was really funny and well written. My favorite character was probably Peril because the author, Tui T. Sutherland, really gave her a nice humor and made her what you would imagine a dragon to be. Funny, but serious, at the times she should be. What I loved about this book was how the author brought history and legend to life to make this story what it is. For example, Sutherland made all these things that humans do with dragons instead of humans. Also, people always think they are so strong, but in this book, the humans are weak and the dragons are strong. It was hilarious how everything was almost put into the opposite. I would recommend this book to ages 7-12, girls and boys. I loved this book!

The Lost Heir

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Reviewed by Oscar

Rating: High Five!

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of 
Percy Jackson, WarriorsThe Last DogsEragon, and Dragon Rider, along with more Cornelia Funke stories like Dragon Rider.

Summary (from Amazon): The lost heir to the SeaWing throne is going home at last. She can't believe it's finally happening. Tsunami and her fellow dragonets of destiny are journeying under the water to the great SeaWing Kingdom. Stolen as an egg from the royal hatchery, Tsunami is eager to meet her future subjects and reunite with her mother, Queen Coral. But Tsunami's triumphant return doesn't go quite the way she imagined. Queen Coral welcomes her with open wings, but a mysterious assassin has been killing off the queen's heirs for years, and Tsunami may be the next target. The dragonets came to the SeaWings for protection, but this ocean hides secrets, betrayal--and perhaps even death.
Thoughts: I really loved this book. What I liked  about this book was that Tsunami was always a hilarious, persistent, bossy character, but in a good I-want-to-protect-my-friends-and-will-do-so-at-all-costs way. Glory was definitely my favorite character because she had a sarcastic sense of humor. I also liked Riptide because he was funny and taught Tsunami "squid-brain" in Aquatic (the language of SeaWings). Plus, he was brave and stood up for Tsunami (even though she didn't need it). My favorite scene was when Tsunami was getting taught Aquatic by Whirlpool because he's a little too flirty. Speaking of Whirlpool, he was an interesting character to add to the story because he was so greedy and looked like a hippie. Also, none of the characters ever gave up, which I like, too. I liked how the author, Tui T. Sutherland, really made the book unique like The Dragonet Prophecy (book 1). Another thing I liked was all the humor in this book. For example, after so long, with Blister almost getting killed, in the Epilogue, she still thinks she's won the battle! Overall, another great installment in this series and I'm excited to read the next book. 

The Hidden Kingdom

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Reviewed by Olivia


Rating: High Five

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of Erin Hunter (or, the Erin Hunters - actually, Tui T. Sutherland is one of the Erin Hunters), Percy Jackson, and Cornelia Funke. 

Synopsis (from Amazon): Deep in the rain forest, danger awaits... Glory knows the dragon world is wrong about her tribe. After all, she isn't "as lazy as a RainWing" -- she isn't lazy at all! Maybe she wasn't meant to be one of the dragonets of destiny, as the older dragons constantly remind her, but Glory is sharp and her venom is deadly... except, of course, no one knows it. When the dragonets seek shelter in the rain forest, Glory is devastated to find that the treetops are full of RainWings that no dragon could ever call dangerous. They nap all day and know nothing of the rest of Pyrrhia. Worst of all, they don't realize -- or care -- that RainWings are going missing from their beautiful forest. But Glory and the dragonets are determined to find the missing dragons, even if it drags the peaceful RainWing kingdom where they never wanted to be -- in the middle of the war.
My Thoughts: Yay! I finally get to review one of the Wings of Fire books, because most of the time my brother, Oscar, insists on reviewing them. 
Anyways, I just love these books. The characters are hilarious, the writing fun and easy, the mystery incredible, and everything else about it amazing. I loved hearing about the NightWings and how Sutherland eases the reader slowly into the dragon's world of war and shows us a little more of the mystery with each book. (Mystery being with the NightWings, RainWings, Blister, the prophecy, and the replacement dragonets...). Glory's POV was one I have waited for  for a LONG time (OK, I've a waited for all of them, but who wouldn't want to hear about Starflight, or Sunny, or Tsunami, or.... ALL OF THEM) and it didn't disappoint. Her character was spot-on, and we finally got to learn a little bit more about her feelings towards being a RainWing. Blaze was hilarious - exactly the opposite of her sisters, kind of like a mix between Sunny and Queen Red Riding Hood from the Land of Stories - and Queen Glacier left me curious and intrigued about her character. (As a side note, I'm still confused about why there isn't an IceWing dragonet. It doesn't mention it in the prophecy - maybe the author added it in to show how flawed the prophecy really is? I don't know. Has anyone else realized this?) The end of the book, with SPOILER, Glory trying to become queen, was awesome, too. 
Pretty much every about this book, this series, was amazing, fun, rolling on the floor with laughter, PERFECT. :) 

The Dark Secret

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Rating: High Five

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of Erin Hunter (or, the Erin Hunters - actually, Tui T. Sutherland is one of the Erin Hunters), Percy Jackson, and Cornelia Funke. 

Synopsis (from Amazon): Like all the dragonets of destiny, Starflight has always wanted to see his home -- but he's also been afraid of his fellow NightWings. Starflight doesn't have mindreading powers like his tribe, and he doesn't understand why they're so secretive. No one has ever even seen the NightWing queen. But now Starflight is the dragonets' only hope -- he must find a way to negotiate with his fellow NightWings to free the RainWing dragons they've captured, and perhaps end the war in Pyrrhia altogether. Starflight is the smartest of the dragonets... but is he brave enough to speak up? Or will he falter in his mission, and accidentally betray them all?

The Brightest Night

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Reviewed by Olivia


Rating: High Five
Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of Erin Hunter, Percy Jackson, and Cornelia Funke

Synopsis:One will have the power of wings of fire . . . Sunny has always taken the Dragonet Prophecy very seriously. If Pyrrhia's dragons need her, Clay, Tsunami, Glory, and Starflight to end the war, she's ready to try. She even has some good ideas how to do it, if anyone would listen to her. But shattering news from Morrowseer has shaken Sunny's faith in their destiny. Is it possible for anyone to end this terrible war and choose a new SandWing queen? What if everything they've been through was for nothing? Buried secrets, deadly surprises, and an unexpected side to scavengers are all waiting for her in the shifting sands of the desert, where Sunny must decide once and for all: Is her destiny already written? Or can five dragonets change their fate and save the world . . . the way they choose?
My Thoughts: I would say this is an amazing end to an amazing series..... however, there are still what - three more books in the series? It just doesn't make sense, because the next few books have a completely NEW topic, with completely NEW characters. :/
Anyways, I just love Wings of Fire. The characters, the charm, the humor, the mystery, the EVERYTHING. (sorry, I'm in a mood for caps today :) ). I could repeat everything I've said in the previous reviews about the writing, but I'm sure that will bore everyone to death (it did with my brother) so I'm just going to stick with the story and characters today. 
SUNNY! To be honest, when I started this book, Sunny kind of blew me away. Sutherland just made her seem... so one-sided in the previous books, but then when actually get her perspective there's an overflow of thought, depth, and emotion. Her faith to the prophecy, the way she has a kind excuse for everything everyone does, and her undying love, trust, and loyalty in her friends is what we  previously think makes Sunny Sunny. But there's so much more layered in - her hurt and annoyance at the way people look at her- treat her, rather - her understanding, her search for the good in everyone... it's all a lot deeper than expected. I really enjoyed her perspective, and actually liked her indignance (spelling? again, sorry).
Thorn, Smolder, and Deathbringer were also some of the highlight characters, in my opinion, from the story. Deathbringer wasn't actually in the book that much, but when he is, I can't help laughing out loud at his comments. Thorn seemed like the perfect mother for Sunny...fiercely protective, loving, overall caring and loyal, but sharing some other qualities similar to Tsunami, too, which made me laugh as well. Smolder was an interesting character....I won't elaborate, but I wonder how differently Tsunami, Clay, Glory, and Starflight would have treated him. 
The ending was great... suspenseful, action-packed, everything you want in the climax of a series.

Part Two

  • Book Six
  • Book Seven
  • Book Eight
  • Book Nine
  • Book Ten
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Moon Rising

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Reviewed by Olivia

Rating: High Five


Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of Erin Hunter, and Percy Jackson, Cornelia Funke.


Synopsis (From Amazon):
Peace has come to Pyrrhia . . . for now. The war between the tribes is finally over, and now the dragonets of the prophecy have a plan for lasting peace: Jade Mountain Academy, a school that will gather dragonets from all the tribes and teach them to live together, perhaps even as friends. Moonwatcher isn’t sure how she feels about school, however. Hidden in the rainforest for most of her life, the young NightWing has an awful secret. She can read minds, and even see the future. Living in a cave with dozens of other dragons is noisy, exhausting--and dangerous. In just a few days, Moon finds herself overwhelmed by her secret powers and bombarded by strange thoughts, including those of a mysterious dragon who might be a terrible enemy. And when someone starts attacking dragons within the academy, Moon has a choice to make: Stay hidden and safe? Or risk everything to save her new friends?
My Thoughts: To be honest, my brother wasn't a big fan of the new books in the Wings of Fire series (Winter Turning, Moon Rising, etc). However, I really enjoy them, although I miss some older characters like Tsunami (who still is in the book for a couple scenes) and Sunny. Glory is in this series a lot more, being the queen of the Rain and NightWings. 
Moonwatcher (aka Moon) is an amazing character - everything was spot on and fit her perfectly. Quiet, intrigued, curious, wary, friendly - so many things rolled into one, yet they all came together to make Moon, Moon. Winter, Qibli, and Carnelian fascinated me. Plus, it was really interesting seeing Moon's perspective on their thoughts, and how she reacts to them in their sort-of friendship. Kinkajou, as always, was awesome :), as were all the other old characters. 
I can't go on enough about this writing - easy, speculative, more in the back of your mind so that you focus on the story, making this book devoid of dullness. Sutherland does a very good job of making me want to know more - the mystery is always something I look forward to in this series. The author eases you into it, giving away little clues at a time until you realize what happened, either a split second before or after the characters in the book. Either way, this technique makes you cheer for Moon and her friends during the fire/explosion scene (also with the Icicle scene and Starflight). 
Of course, I HAVE to add in a part about Darkstalker. DARKSTALKER. Ugh! I can't tell what's up with him - why are you doing this to me, Tui T. Sutherland? The worst part is that Darkstalker isn't in the book that much in Winter Turning, leaving us on a sort-of cliffhanger. At times, Darkstalker seems kind, funny - similar to Deathbringer - but others, you can tell he's lying to Moon. He seems manipulative, yet at the same time, caring - but then you wonder, is he just caring about Moon because she's the only one that can free him? 
Overall, I just love this series, and can't wait to read more! 

Winter Turning

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Rating: High Five

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of Erin Hunter (or, the Erin Hunters - actually, Tui T. Sutherland is one of the Erin Hunters), Percy Jackson, and Cornelia Funke. 

Synopsis (from Amazon): Daring mission... or deadly mistake? Winter has been a disappointment to his royal IceWing family his whole life. When his sister, Icicle, runs away from Jade Mountain Academy, fleeing terrible crimes and possibly planning to commit more, Winter knows that they both need a second chance to make things right -- if only he can find her. Winter’s new clawmates, Moon, Qibli, and Kinkajou, won’t let him make this dangerous journey alone. They don’t seem to understand that IceWings, the most superior of all dragon tribes, can fix their own problems. When their search leads the dragonets straight into Queen Scarlet’s vicious talons, Winter is grateful to have some help. But even the bravest dragons can’t follow him to the Ice Kingdom, where he’ll have to face the greatest threat of all: his own family.

Escaping Peril

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Reviewed by Olivia

Rating: High Five

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of Erin Hunter, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, and Cornelia Funke. 

Synopsis (from Amazon): 
Peril has been loyal to Queen Scarlet, who used her fatal firescales to kill countless dragons in the SkyWing arena. Now, Peril is loyal to Clay, the only dragonet who has ever been her friend. So when Scarlet threatens Jade Mountain Academy, Peril sets off to find her former queen, stop her, and save the day, no matter what it takes. There's just one problem: a strangely persistent SeaWing, Turtle, insists on coming along, too. Turtle is worried about his friends, who left to search for Scarlet and haven't returned. Peril is worried that she might accidentally burn Turtle -- or burn him on purpose, for being so annoying -- and frustrated that she keeps saying and doing the wrong things. She can't escape her firescales, and she can't escape her reputation as the deadliest dragon in Pyrrhia. So when she's offered a chance to trade everything for a second chance, Peril has to decide who she's really loyal to . . . and whether her own scales might actually be worth saving.
​Thoughts: I am literally blown away by this book. Sutherland has really outdone herself - in fact, I feel like her books only continue to improve. That's not to say that I didn't have a few issues with this book - but those were very minimal and hardly took away from the story. 
The plot was the only issue I had, actually. It felt like Sutherland wrote this whole book, and then decided that the ending wasn't memorable enough so she added in half of the next book to leave us on a cliffhanger (it worked). This, I found, was very frustrating, despite the added tension and excitement. Other than that, this book was amazing! I loved every one of the characters and how they've evolved over this series, although I would've liked to see some more of Winter, Kinkajou, and Qibli, some of my favorite characters. Peril's character was spot-on - the entire time, you could really feel her emotions. Although I originally wasn't too excited about the prospect of a book dedicated to Peril, I grew to love her character and was rooting for her by the end of the book. I loved the twist, too, and how it tied in with the brilliant prologue. The writing didn't stray far from its normal humor, suspense, and adventure - honestly, I think that the Wings of Fire series is the best series for middle grade readers. And although this book took a bit of a dark turn at the end, I'll be eagerly awaiting the next installment in this series. 

Talons of Power

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Rating: High Five

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of Erin Hunter (or, the Erin Hunters - actually, Tui T. Sutherland is one of the Erin Hunters), Percy Jackson, and Cornelia Funke. 

Synopsis (from Amazon): The war is over. The false prophecy has been fulfilled. But the dragonets still have enemies. A dark evil, buried for centuries, is stirring. And a young NightWing may have had the first true prophecy in generations . . .

Something is coming to shake the earth
Something is coming to scorch the ground
Jade Mountain will fall beneath thunder and ice
Unless the lost city of night can be found.

Darkness of Dragons

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Reviewed by Oscar

Rating: High Five

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of Erin Hunter, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, and Cornelia Funke. 

Synopsis (from Amazon): Qibli knows Darkstalker must be stopped. And he knows he could stop him -- if he had magic. With even a sliver of the ancient dragon's all-powerful scroll, Qibli could rewrite history the right way: end war forever; make every dragon happy; perhaps even cast a very small spell so that everyone would like him . . . Instead, as Darkstalker's dangerous influence spreads across Pyrrhia, entrancing or killing every dragon in the seven tribes, Qibli can only grasp the small animus objects he's borrowed from Turtle. With some clever thinking, Qibli's talons finally hold the power to make a difference. But prophecies are not easy to rewrite. Can Qibli be the magical force Pyrrhia needs, or will he be the one to bring Jade Mountain -- and his family, his friends, his whole world -- crashing down?
Thoughts: This book was so so so amazing! Sutherland made each chapter build and grow on each other like a skyscraper that keeps getting higher and higher. I loved how this book  was so creative with the different villains. It added a lot of suspense to the story. I also thought it was so cool how Sutherland made the prologue all mysterious, and it's only explained near the end. Another thing I cherished about this book is how Sutherland talked about Qibli's backstory, something we've kind of been kept in suspense about since Book 1. Overall, I loved this book and, in general, the Wings of Fire series.
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