12 Days of Christmas: Day 12

 DAY 12

Eragon

The start of an action-packed teen series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Richard Paul Evans.

To everyone at Meridian High School, fourteen-year-old Michael Vey is nothing special, just the kid who has Tourette’s syndrome. But in truth, Michael is extremely special—he has electric powers. Michael thinks he is unique until he discovers that a cheerleader named Taylor has the same mysterious powers. With the help of Michael’s friend, Ostin, the three of them set out to discover how Michael and Taylor ended up with their abilities, and their investigation soon brings them to the attention of a powerful group who wants to control the electric teens—and through them, the world.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Richard Paul Evans introduces a character whose risk-filled exploration marks the beginning of a riveting new series. With only his powers, his wits, and his friends to protect him, Michael will need all his strength to survive….

Eragon is on my list to read this next year.  I heard the Christopher wrote the series when he was only 16 and that just astonishes me.  My son has read this series multiple times, and this year is my year to read it.

12 Days of Christmas: Day 11

 DAY 11

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of cell 25

The start of an action-packed teen series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Richard Paul Evans.

To everyone at Meridian High School, fourteen-year-old Michael Vey is nothing special, just the kid who has Tourette’s syndrome. But in truth, Michael is extremely special—he has electric powers. Michael thinks he is unique until he discovers that a cheerleader named Taylor has the same mysterious powers. With the help of Michael’s friend, Ostin, the three of them set out to discover how Michael and Taylor ended up with their abilities, and their investigation soon brings them to the attention of a powerful group who wants to control the electric teens—and through them, the world.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Richard Paul Evans introduces a character whose risk-filled exploration marks the beginning of a riveting new series. With only his powers, his wits, and his friends to protect him, Michael will need all his strength to survive….

It's beyond rare when all three of my kids like a series.  Michael Vey is one of those exceptions.  

12 Days of Christmas: Day 10

 DAY 10

Stormbreaker (Alex Rider Series)

They said his uncle Ian died in a car accident. But Alex Rider knows that’s a lie, and the bullet holes in the windshield prove it. Yet he never suspected the truth: his uncle was really a spy for Britain’s top secret intelligence agency. And now Alex has been recruited to find his uncle’s killers . . .

Alex Rider's is debut mission is packed with bonus material - including an extra Alex Rider short story, a letter from Anthony Horowitz, and much more!

I had never heard of Alex Rider until a few weeks ago.  An ad for a new television series popped up on my amazon prime membership.  It looked so good that I decided to give the series a try. Stormbreaker is the first book in the series.

12 Days of Christmas: Day 9

 DAY 9

The Lost Heir

Jake is a scrappy orphaned pickpocket living by his wits on the streets of Victorian London. Lately he’s started seeing ghosts and discovers he can move solid objects with his mind! He has no idea why. Next thing he knows, a Sinister Gentleman and his minions come hunting him. On the run for his life, Jake is plunged headlong into a mysterious world full of magic and deadly peril. A world that holds the secret to who he really is: the long-lost heir of an aristocratic family—with magical powers!

But with treacherous enemies closing in, it will take all of his wily street instincts and the help of his friends—both human and magical—to solve the mystery of what happened to his parents, and defeat the foes who never wanted the Lost Heir of Griffon to be found…

I actually interviewed this author a few years ago. I really liked the premise of his book and wanted to give it a try.  Since then I have searched for this book, but couldn't remember the title or author, until I found it just today.  Can't wait to give this a try.  It's the first in 7 books, which draws me to it even more.  I love long stories!

12 Days of Christmas: Day 8

 DAY 8

Midnight Sun

When Edward Cullen and Bella Swan met in Twilight, an iconic love story was born. But until now, fans have heard only Bella's side of the story. At last, readers can experience Edward's version in the long-awaited companion novel, Midnight Sun.
This unforgettable tale as told through Edward's eyes takes on a new and decidedly dark twist. Meeting Bella is both the most unnerving and intriguing event he has experienced in all his years as a vampire. As we learn more fascinating details about Edward's past and the complexity of his inner thoughts, we understand why this is the defining struggle of his life. How can he justify following his heart if it means leading Bella into danger?
In Midnight Sun, Stephenie Meyer transports us back to a world that has captivated millions of readers and brings us an epic novel about the profound pleasures and devastating consequences of immortal love.

This is another book I have really been wanting to read.  It's a very different idea to write a book twice, each time from a different view.  At first I thought what's the point. Who would want to read that? But after the first few chapters were leaked online several years ago, Stephenie Meyer went ahead and posted them on her website.  I read them and found it very intriguing.  I really didn't think she'd ever finish, so I was super excited to hear of the release of Midnight Sun.

12 Days of Christmas: Day 7

 DAY 7

Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book

An original addition to the beloved Beauty and the Beast fairy tale, Lost in a Book follows the lonely, bookish Belle as she finds an enchanted book in the Beast's library called Nevermore that carries her into a glittering new world. There, Belle is befriended by a mysterious countess who offers her the life she's always dreamed of.
 
But Nevermore is not what it seems, and the more time Belle spends there, the harder it is to leave. Good stories take hold of us and never let us go, and once Belle becomes lost in this book, she may never find her way out again.

 

This deluxe hardcover novel expands upon the beautiful story and world seen in the new Walt Disney Studios' film, Beauty and the Beast. 

I saw this title on a facebook reading group I belong to. I love the tale of Beauty and the Beast. I am the type of reader who always wants more.  I love when authors write side stories or backstories about characters.  So I am excited to give this book a try.

12 Days of Christmas: Day 6

 DAY 6

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

In Mary's world there are simple truths.
   The Sisterhood always knows best.
   The Guardians will protect and serve.
   The Unconsecrated will never relent.
   And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.
   But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness.
   Now, she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

This is a great trilogy. I read it years ago and just reread it.  If you like zombies, check this series out.

12 Days of Christmas: Day 5

 Day 5

The Ruins of Gorlan

They have always scared him in the past—the Rangers, with their dark cloaksand shadowy ways. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now 15-year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. What he doesn't yet realize is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied. . . .

Here is the fantasy adventure that launched the Ranger's Apprentice series, an epic story of heroes and villains that has become an international phenomenon. Perfect for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, T.H. White’s The Sword in the Stone, Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series, and George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire series. 

I enjoyed this entire series and am so glad to see my son's picking them up.

12 Days of Christmas: Day 4

Day 4 

Mark of the Thief

When Nic, a slave in the mines outside of Rome, is forced to enter a sealed cavern containing the lost treasures of Julius Caesar, he finds much more than gold and gemstones: He discovers an ancient bulla, an amulet that belonged to the great Caesar and is filled with a magic once reserved for the Gods -- magic some Romans would kill for.

This is a great series (so far I am in the middle of book 2) ;) I am anxious to see how it turns out.  My sons read through book 2 and 3 in 2 days, so I'd say he thoroughly enjoyed them. 

 

12 Days of Christmas: Day 3

 Day 3

Under the Never Sky

Fighting to survive in a ravaged world, a Dweller and a Savage form an unlikely alliance in New York Times bestselling author Veronica Rossi's "unforgettable dystopian masterpiece" (Examiner.com).

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—known as The Death Shop—are slim. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild—a savage—and her only hope of staying alive. A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile—everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption.

In alternating chapters told in Aria's and Perry's voices, Under the Never Sky subtly and powerfully captures the evolving relationship between these characters and sweeps readers away to a harsh but often beautiful world. Continuing with Through the Ever Night and concluding with Into the Still Blue, the Under the Never Sky trilogy has already been embraced by readers in twenty-six countries and been optioned for film by Warner Bros.

This is a title that caught my eye.  I try and run most days and found that I really enjoy listening to audio books.  This is one that I am anxious to try. I love dystopian novels, and this one sounds interesting.

12 Days of Christmas: Day 2

 Day 2

Unwind

The first twisted and futuristic novel in the perennially popular New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology by Neal Shusterman.

In America after the Second Civil War, the Pro-Choice and Pro-Life armies came to an agreement: The Bill of Life states that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, a parent may choose to retroactively get rid of a child through a process called "unwinding." Unwinding ensures that the child's life doesn’t “technically” end by transplanting all the organs in the child's body to various recipients. Now a common and accepted practice in society, troublesome or unwanted teens are able to easily be unwound.

With breathtaking suspense, this book follows three teens who all become runaway Unwinds: Connor, a rebel whose parents have ordered his unwinding; Risa, a ward of the state who is to be unwound due to cost-cutting; and Lev, his parents’ tenth child whose unwinding has been planned since birth as a religious tithing. As their paths intersect and lives hang in the balance, Shusterman examines complex moral issues that will keep readers turning the pages until the very end.

This is a series that my teens are enjoying.  So much so that it is on my buy list. First because they like it.  Second because my son already lost one book from the library and it costs an arm and a leg ;)

12 Days of Christmas: Day 1

 Christmas is a time of year when I typically buy quite a few books for my kids. (and myself lol) So I thought I'd share a book a day either that I read and really enjoyed or that I have heard great things about and am looking forward to reading or giving it to my kids. So here goes.

DAY 1

Dragonwatch

Champion of the Titan

The war against dragons intensifies. Will Kendra and Seth find the help they desperately need from the Giant Queen? This fourth book in a five-book series leaves the underwater dragon preserve of Crescent Lagoon for a gladiator-style arena at Titan Valley, the magical realm of towering giants and enslaved dragons. Our two young heroes have never felt so small or faced a challenge so . . . giant!

No list of mine could be complete without a title from Brandon Mull. My boys have really enjoyed this series.  This is the fourth installment. I believe there will be five.