July Reads

1. The Enchantress by Michael Scott.
Good grief. What a colossal waste of my time.  This was the last book of a really good series (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel), but this book, What The Frell!  I felt like it was LOST all over again.  I kept saying, your going to end it like THAT? (This is the point where I ruin everything, so avert your eyes if you don't want to know. )  I mean, REALLY?  a Time loop?  And They aren't even twins and one of them is a Neanderthal?  WHAT?  Neanderthals don't even have the same skulls as us.  Because, HELLO! they are Neanderthals.  Ok.  I'm done now.  My husband read this series as well, and he had no problems with the ending, so maybe it's just me who had issues. 

2. The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan
This is another finale of a good series. (Kane Chronicles) This one I had no issues with the ending.  I mean it was a little sad, but it didn't make me want to shout and throw the book across the book like the previously mentioned book did.  I kept getting this book and the book mentioned above confused, because it deals with Egyptian Gods and siblings.  

3. A Hero for WondLa by Tony Diterlizzi
This was the second book in the series. I enjoyed this book.  It had this sort of Avatar (the movie with the blue aliens) feel to it at the end, but not in a bad cheesy way.  Eva Nine finds her way into "civilization" and discovers it isn't what she expects or wants.  Futuristic books aren't usually my thing, but for some reason I enjoy this story.  Probably because the characters are so well written.This was a very quick read with all the action, and illustrations.  I loved the illustrations.  I look forward to the finale of this trilogy. 

4. Humming Room by Ellen Potter
This was another little quick read. Basically, this book is a modern retelling of The Secret Garden.  As long as you go into this book knowing that little tidbit, you will enjoy the ride. 

5 The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin
Hooray!  I read one grown-up book this month.   This was a historical fiction written as the autobiography of Lavinia Warren, the wife of the real life Tom Thumb, aka Charles Sherwood Stratton.  It tells the story of her life and how she came to be a part of  P.T. Barnum's show.  I'm not really sure how I felt about this story.  It was ok.  I neither loved, nor hated it.  Maybe because the main character was not a very sympathetic person?  I can't quite put my finger on it.  I don't feel like I wasted my time reading it, but it didn't make me want to go out and find more books by the same author either.  If you are a big historical fiction buff, particularly around the time of the civil war, I'd say you should give it a read.

6. The Second Spy by Jaqueline West
This is the third book in the Elsewhere series, target audience: middle school.  I've really enjoyed this series, and it keeps getting better with each installment.  The evil witch is still on the loose and working to release her father, or a version of him from one of the paintings in our main character's house.  There is a double cross that I thought was unexpected, hence the title, "The Second Spy."  I love the character development in this book, and also the deepening of the relationships.  Hopefully the author will continue on this trend for book four.