Double Take by Melody Carlson

Double Take by Melody Carlson
271 pages

    Madison Van Buren is tired of her life. On break, her mother wants her to go to Italy with her grandmother, her father wants her to visit a different college than she is planning on attending, her best friend wants her to come to Florida, and her boyfriend wants her with him. Annoyed, she runs away.
    Amish Anna Fisher is bored with her families plain ways and want to taste the real world. When she finds out that her mother is sending her to her aunt's house across town to babysit for a month, she is furious.
    Both girls meet in town and find that they look remarkably alike. They decide to trade lives for the week. But they soon realize that each other's lives are very different. Can they survive opposite cultures? Will this switch bring them more harm than good?

Beyond the Reflection's Edge by Bryan Davis

Beyond the Reflection's Edge by Bryan Davis
373 pages

    Nathan Shepherd's mother is a famous violinist and his father an investigator. He is fine with his life of traveling, but then, suddenly, his parents are both murdered. Nathan is sent to live with his father's friend and his daughter, Kelly. Together, Kelly and Nathan use three objects that might help them find out why the Shepherd's were murdered-a violin that plays with voices, a mirror that shows things that are not really there and a camera that take pictures of unseen images. But the killer is looking for Nathan. Can the two teens solve the mystery or is this something more complicated than either of them can imagine?

**Book 1 in Echoes from the Edge**
Next book: Eternity's Edge

The Always War by Margaret Peterson Haddix

The Always War by Margaret Peterson Haddix
197 pages

    When Gideon Thrall gets chosen to receive a medal of courage, Tessa is overjoyed. Their small town now has something to celebrate about! But Gideon runs off the stage, saying her is not a hero and he doesn't deserve the medal. Tessa is very confused, so she follows him to see why he reacted in such a way.
    Soon, the two teens are caught up in a mystery that is dangerous and frightening: why are they fighting this war? And why are the computers giving them contradicting information about the battle sights and enemy territories? Can they be brave enough to face the truth when no one else is?

    Tessa's body reacted as quickly as her mind. Before she was even concious of moving, she was already on her feet and running toward Gideon. Her legs tangled in the blanket, but she kept going, diving for Gideon. She knocked him sideways onto the floor of the plane, so if any of the enemy were already trying to shoot him, the bullets would just whiz harmlessly past. But this wasn't enough. It wasn't enough to tackle him, to hold him down, the mud form her ragged clothes rubbing off on his spotless white uniforn. Guns could ne reloaded, re-aimed, fired again and again and again.
    Tessa rose up and slammed her hand against the control on the wall.

The World Above by Cameron Dokey

The World Above by Cameron Dokey
                            A Retelling of "Jack and the Beanstalk"
175 pages

    Gen lives in the World Below. When her twin brother, Jack, trades the family cow for magic beans, Gen is furious, but, to her surprise, their mother is not-she's happy. She tells the twins that the stories she told them about the World Above are real, and the beans will grow magic beanstalks so they can climb there.
    In the stories, Gen's mother was the duke's wife, but she had to escape when her husband was murdered. Now, she knows she can go back with her children and claim what is rightfully theirs.
    But when Jack doesn't come back from the World Above and Gen goes after him, they realize that things are much more complicated.


    "I'm sorry I never really believed," I said. "Not the way Jack did."
    "It doesn't make any difference," my mother replied. Her eyes focused on the beanstalk for a moment, then returned to mine. "You believe now. Be safe and smart up there, my Gen. Be yourself.
    Before I could answer, my mother turned away and walked quickly toward the house. I turned to face the beanstalk.
    There is no going back, now, I thought.
    For better or worse, there was only going forward. There was only going up. Seizing the trunk of the beanstalk with both hands, I pushed of from the World Below and began to climb

The Pale Assassin by Patricia Elliott

The Pale Assassin by Patricia Elliott
327 pages

    Fourteen-year-old Eugenie de Boncoeur is a spoiled aristocrat living i the midst of the French Revolution. Her brother, Armand, is keeping many secrets from her. This annoys her very much, for she would like to know just what is happening in her country, but there is an even greater secret than the Revolution ideas that Armand is keeping.
    Their guardian arranged for Eugenie to marry a wealthy man called Le Fantome. The arrangement was made for wealth, but Le Fantome hold a secret grudge against the de Boncoeur family. Can Armand keep his sister safe from the Revolution and Le Fantome?

**Book 1**
Next Book: The Traitor's Smile

Exile by Anne Osterlund

Exile by Anne Osterlund
295 pages

Price: Paperback-$8.99 U.S./$10.50 CAN

    Aurelia has survived tons of assassination attempts and is now on an expedition with her best friend, Robert, to see her country and meet her people. But Aurelia is still not safe. One night, her royal guard tries to kill her by burning her tent. She and Robert escape and flees across the country to the frontier.

    But Aurelia is not the only one in danger. Will Aurelia and Robert be safe at Roberts home? Will the king be safe in the castle with an assassin?

How could he think of leaving without telling me? Aurelia tried to say the words aloud to Daria, and they came out, "How could he leave without me?"

    "Do you want to go?"

    "Yes." Well, there it was. The truth.

    "Then go." Daria crossed the room and opened the wardrobe. "Just"-she paused-"don't hurt him, Aurelia."

    Hurt him? Aurelia felt numb. "What do you mean?"

    Her friend returned from the wardrobe with wool stockings and Aurelia's battered riding boots. She did not release them. "You must know."

    Know what? "Daria." Aurelia's tone was threatening.

    "He's in love with you."

    The world stopped. For one long, outrageous moment, Aurelia let herself consider the statement. He had kissed her. Once. And saved her life. More than once.

    But the idea that he could be in love with her did not-could not be true. "That's nonsense." She had tried to let Robert know she wanted to spend time alone with him on the way to Sterling. And he had rejected her. He was still rejecting her.

    Daria habded her the stockings. "Honestly, Aurelia. There's nothing wrong with being in love."

    Aurelia was not at all certain of that.

                                                                                               ~Exile by Anne Osterlund

*Book 2*
Previous book: Aurelia

Sovay by Celia Rees

Sovay by Celia Rees

404 pages
Price: Hardcover-$16.99 U.S.
         Paperback-$8.99 U.S.

    Sovay Middleton is not like most girls living in 1794. Instead of sitting for portraits and going to tea parties, she would rather dress as a highwayman and rob coaches. Sovay's father has been gone for a long time and no word from her brother, Hugh, has come in a while. Sovay sets out to find her family, but instead find more trouble than she can handle.

    Her search takes her from England to France, where the people are revolting against the aristocrats. Accused of being an English spy, Sovay is caught in a web of lies and deceit. Will she and her friends have what it takes to survive the French Revolution?

    She stationed herself at the crossroads, adjusted the black eye-mask and green kerchief and loosened her weapons.

    The horses slowed as they toiled up the long hill, but as soon as they reached the summit, the driver cracked his whip, ready to make a speedy descent. Sovay rode out and the horses shied but showed no signs of stopping.

        'Stand and deliver!' she shouted.

Would you read this book? Why or why not? If you have read it, what did you think of it? Please share you opinion.

Aurelia by Anne Osterlund

Aurelia by Anne Osterlund
246 pages

Price: Paperback-$8.99 U.S.

    Crown Princess Aurelia of Tyralt is tired of people telling her what to do; she wants to make her own decisions. When assassination plots are attempted on Aurelia's life, Robert comes to help. Robert is the son of the king's former spy and Aurelia's friend. After a close call at the carnival, in which he and Aurelia are almost killed, Robert quickly takes takes action to save his friend's life. But Aurelia is convinced that she does not need to be saved.

    As the mystery thickens, Robert realizes that the assassin may not be who they expect it to be. He sets the trap, but will things go as planned?

Aurelia beamed with anticipation and graced Robert with a smile.

    At that moment he knew he was in trouble.

    "Yes, tomorrow night is Carnival, the Night of the Masks. We're old enough to go out in disguise now," Aurelia said. "You must wait for me before you go." She frowned. "It's no fun alone."

    A trace of sadness in her voice made Robert promise despite misgivings. "All right, it's not like I can refuse the order of the princess."

    Her voice fried him to ash. "It's not an order, Robert, but even if it was, I expect my friends to have enough courage to refuse an invitation."

    Nothing had lengthened her temper over the last four years. He resorted to humor, the only defence available, and swept her a mocking bow. "I'll be your lifelong friend then, since I won't put up with being pushed around.

    "Really?" Her eyes danced. She splayed  her hands against his chest and pushed, hard.

    Robert held his footing without giving ground. "Yes, and thank you for the invitation." He encircled her waist with his hands and twirled  her toward her anxiously waiting friends. His mind spun as he looked down at her laughing face. He could not imagine why someone was trying to kill her.

                                                                                   ~Aurelia by Anne Osterlund

**Book 1**

Next book: Exile

Would you read this book? Why or why not? If you have read it, what did you think of it? Please share you opinion.

The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal
319 pages
    Soon after her sixteenth birthday, Princess Nalia receives life changing news: She is a false princess and her real name is Sinda. The king and queen got a prophecy that the princess would be murdered before her sixteenth birthday, so they hid the real Nalia away and replaced her with Sinda.
    After hearing this, Sinda is sent to live with her aunt, her only living family member. The real princess takes over and Sinda must live in an old, rustic town. When she finds out that she has magic in her, she returns to the city to learn how to control it. There in the city, she uncovers a terrible plot against the royal family and sees that Nalia might not be the true princess.

    With the help of her childhood friend, Kiernan, Sinda sets off to find the truth. But will she figure it out in time?

    "According to the oracle, there was a chance the princess could die, murdered, before her sixteenth birthday. All the oracle saw was blood, and the princess dead in this room."

    But I am sixteen, I thought hazily. Is that what they want to tell me, that I'm safe now?

    My father went on. "The princess was the only heir. We had to keep her safe, no matter what the cost. . . . We hid the princess away so she would be safe until after her sixteenth birthday. And we replaced her with another baby, a false princess. You."

    I am alone, I thought as I gazed around the hall. All of this, all my life, it was a dream. And it is ending.

    "What was my name?" I asked.

    For the first time, the queen stirred, raising her head to look at me. "Sinda," she said, her voice thin. "He said your name was Sinda."

                                                                 ~The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

Would you read this book? Why or why not? If you have read it, what did you think of it? Please share you opinion.

City of Stars by Mary Hoffman

City of Stars by Mary Hoffman
453 pages

     Tomboy Georgia is being bullied by her foster brother. When she purchases a wooden figure of a winged horse, it takes her to Talia, a parallel world resembling Italy. There, she meets a young boy named Cesare who works in the stables and is helping his father prepare for the big horse race coming up. A winged horse is born in Cesare's stable, something that happens only once in a hundred years. It is believed to bring good luck to the city in which it is born. Could it help Cesare's city win the race that is so important?
    With enemies lurking  nearby, keeping this a secret might be difficult. The di Chimici will do anything to stop their rivals from winning. And why was Georgia brought to Talia? She knows there must be a reason, but what?

http://stravaganza.co.uk/


    Dreaming of a city with flying horses was one thing . . . But coming face to face with someone she knew to be dead - that was something else again.

Previous book: City of Masks
Next book: City of Flowers.

Eye of the Oracle by Bryan Davis

Eye of the Oracle by Bryan Davis
609 pages
     Dragons have been helping humans throughout all of time. Makaidos helps protect Noah and his ark from the evil Watchers. Years after, he and his family help King Arthur battle the Saxons. Later, the dragons are not safe, so they disguise themselves as humans. There children are both dragon and human.Follow the dragons fight  between good and evil from the creation of man to present times.
     Meanwhile, Mara, an underborn slave, works in the dark caves under the earth to create an army of giants. She slaves under the harsh rule of Morgan, an evil sorceress. Starting from the time of Noah and the ark to present times, this prequel to the series Dragons in Our Midst reveals all the secrets.

Next book: Enoch's Ghost

City of Masks by Mary Hoffman

City of Masks by Mary Hoffman
340 pages
     Lucien, a young boy living in England, is sick in bed with cancer. His father brings him a beautiful journal that looks like it is from Venice. Lucien begins to read about Venice and becomes very intriuged by the Italian city. One night, Lucien falls asleep with the journal in his hand and finds himself transported to a place very much like Venice, Italy.
     In this strange city, called Talia, Lucien is healthy again. He makes friends - and enemies - with the people there and begins to like living there. Returning to Talia every night, Lucien uncovers a plot to kill the Duchessa. Meanwhile, in his own world, he seems to get better. But will these night time adventures affect his health? Will Lucien save the Duchessa of Talia?

http://stravaganza.co.uk/

Next book: City of Stars

Raising Dragons by Bryan Davis

Raising Dragons by Bryan Davis
371 pages

     Bonnie Silver and Billy Banister both have a secret. Billy's dad is a dragon, so he can breathe fire. Bonnie's mom is also a dragon and she has dragon wings. Both teens live normal lives-well, almost. When Billy's hot breath sets off the fire alarm, Bonnie comes to his rescue, but now the principle knows there is something strange about them. Which might have been okay, except they realize that the principle is really a dragon slayer in disguise.

     Will Bonnie and Billy be able to save themselves and their parents from the slayer, or will the last dragons be killed?

http://www.dragonsinourmidst.com/

Isle of Fire by Wayne Thomas Batson

Isle of Fire by Wayne Thomas Batson
336 pages
     After finding out his true identity, Cat struggles to make the right decision. Should he take the monks offer to join them, or should he stay with Declan Ross and his crew? And what about his old life? Should he go back to that?
     Ross, Anne and Cat learn that the evil pirate Thorne is still alive. He and a strange man called The Merchant are threatening England. Can they stop them from attacking, or will they get killed themselves?

Isle of Swords by Wayne Thomas Batson

Isle of Swords by Wayne Thomas Batson
341 pages
    Declan Ross, the pirate captain of the William Wallace, has a problem-several, actually. Ross doesn't want to be a pirate any more, but he doesn't have enough money to buy a house. Plus his daughter, Anne wants to become a real pirate herself.
     Anne finds a young man unconscious in the sand on an island. When he wakes up, he can't remember anything. Monks from an island that was once a safe haven for pirates ask Captain Ross to find the legendary treasure on the Isle of Swords. Will the crew abord the William Wallace find the treasure before the other pirates do? Will Ross Give up the treasure that could free him from being a pirate forever? And who will the mysterious young man turn out to be?

Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix
218 pages          
     Ella is to be married to Prince Charming because she is the one whom the glass slipper fits. At first, she enjoys living at the palace, but after a while, it starts to get boring. She can't do anything productive-all the maids do that- and the prince doesn't pay any attention to her. Ella soon realises that being a princess is not what she expected it to be and she plots to escape.

Visit http://haddixbooks.com/ to learn more.

Violet Eyes by Debbie Viguie

Violet Eyes by Debbie Viguie
                 A Retelling of "The Princess and the Pea"
195 pages

    During a storm, the prince falls off his horse in Violet's family's field. While Violet helps heal the prince, they become friends. Prince Richard tells Violet that his parents are holding a contest for all the princesses in the world to find out which one is a true princess so he can marry her. Violet wishes to compete in the contest, but she is only a peasant.
     Violet decides to enter the contest anyway. Will Violet be able to win, or will Prince Richard be forced to marry one of the proud, arrogant, and terrible princesses that have come for the contest as well?


     Violet realized that the room had grown quiet as everyone stopped talking. She could feel that all eyes were on her.
    The king cleared his throat. "So, we have you to thank for the safe return of our son?" he asked.
    Violet glanced at Richard, who was nodding his head. She hadn't been the only one to care for the prince. Her parents and Father Paul had aided him as well. Still, from the look in Richard's eyes she could tell this was no time for her to be humble. "Yes," Violet said.
    "My dear, we owe a debt of gratitude to your family for caring for our son while he was ill. We would like to reward you. However, only a princess can enter the competition," the king said, his voice still gentle.
    "And a princess before you," Violet said, raising her chin."

The Storyteller's Daughter by Cameron Dokey

The Storyteller's Daughter by Cameron Dokey
                                       A Retelling of "The Arabian Nights"
218 pages

     Shahrazad is the blind daughter of the storyteller. She "reads" the pieces of cloth from her trunk with her hands and tells beautiful stories from them. When the king of the land is betrayed, his plan endangers all the women in the area. The only way to save the young women is that one must agree to marry the king and give up her life.
      When Shahrazad is the one to volunteer, everyone is horrified. In order to stay alive, Shahrazad begins to weave an elaborate tale for the king on her wedding night. When morning comes and the story is not finished, the king spares Shahrazad's life for one more night so she can finish the story.
      This continues for many nights and Shahrazad starts to gain the king's trust. Will their new love and loyalty for each other be enough to save themselves and the kingdom from an attack?


    Can you see me now? Not as I am, but as I was?
    A young woman of seventeen years. Straight and slim, my hair and eyes as black as the ebony wood chest that was the only possession my mother brought with her when she married my father. My skin, the color of rich, sweet honey.
    Are you ready to hear my greatest secret? The one that I have never spoken? You know only a small part of my story. What I am about to relate has never before been told.
    "How can this be?" you ask. All have heard of the storyteller so gifted with words that she told tales for one thousand and one nights running. With her gift, her voice alone, she saved her own life and countless others. Through the years, this story has been handed down, with never a hint at anything left out. How, then, can what I claim be true?

    Listen now. Listen truly. Fall under my storyteller's spell.

Midnight Pearls by Debbie Viguie

Midnight Pearls by Debbie Viguie
                       A Retelling of "The Little Mermaid"
198 pages

     Pearl was rescued from the ocean by a fisherman when she was a baby. The fisherman and his wife have raised her for seventeen years. A plot is revealed against the royal family and Pearl's secret friend, the prince.
     When Pearl is on the beach one night, a strange young man comes up to her and claims to know her. He tells her that she went missing from the sea a long time ago. Can this boy be telling the truth?


    "You've traveled far?" she asked.
    He laughed shortly. "Farther than you know."
    She stared at her pale fingers wrapped in his. We must have come from the same place, she thought with growing excitement. "Are you my brother?"
    "No. I'm not. We are not related."
    "Good," she answered before she could stop herself. She felt a blush rising to her cheeks and was grateful that her couldn't see it.
    He was rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb, and her skin tingled where his touched hers. James did the same thing to my hand two days ago and it felt good, exciting, but nothing like this. . . . Something about him feels so right, even though I don't know him.
    She was suddenly nervous; the silence around them felt like the air did when a storm approached from across the sea. She spoke just to calm herself. "You've been searching how long?"
    "Thirteen years."
    "How did you know it was me if you haven't seen me in so long?"
    "How does the whale know when to swim to warmer waters for winter? How do the fish know when a predator is near? How do you know when love is real? You just know."

Golden by Cameron Dokey

Golden by Cameron Dokey A Retelling of 'Rapunzel'
179 pages

     When Rapunzel is born, she is bald! When her mother, who is obsessive over her own hair, sees that her daughter will never grow hair, she agrees to give her to the sorceress Melisande. Melisande names Rapunzel and cares for her as if she were her own child.
    When Rapunzel discovers that Melisande has a daughter named Rue, Rapunzel is not sure if she can trust Melisande any more. But when Melisande tells Rapunzel that Rue has been trapped in a tower by an evil wizard, Rapunzel chooses to be the one to save her. When the two girls meet they do not get along. Will Rapunzel and Rue figure out a way to work together before they are trapped there forever?


    "Your mother was a very beautiful woman, but her heart was less lovely than her face, for it had room for only one."
    "My father," I guessed at once.
    "No," Melisande answered in a quiet voice. "Your mother's heart had room for in it herself alone. When I saw this, I did the only thing I could. I made room for you inside my own heart. There you have stayed from that day to this. That is why you live in my house: because you lived first within my heart."
    I felt my own heart start to thump at this. Her words brougth me pain and joy. In all fairness, I had asked for both.
    "It's because I'm bald, isn't it?" I asked. "That's the reason she didn't want me."