Riordan sets bar for diversity in middle-grade | The Hammer of Thor

The Hammer of Thor
By Rick Riordan
(Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #2)
Published October 4, 2016
471 pages
Middle Grade, Mythology, Fantasy, Diverse

Thor's hammer is missing again. The thunder god has a disturbing habit of misplacing his weapon--the mightiest force in the Nine Worlds. But this time the hammer isn't just lost, it has fallen into enemy hands. If Magnus Chase and his friends can't retrieve the hammer quickly, the mortal worlds will be defenseless against an onslaught of giants. Ragnarok will begin. The Nine Worlds will burn. Unfortunately, the only person who can broker a deal for the hammer's return is the gods' worst enemy, Loki--and the price he wants is very high.

Review | Bad Magic by Pseudonymous Bosch

Bad Magic

Author: Pseudonymous Bosch

Series: Companion to The Secret series

Release Date: September 16, 2014

Pages: 400

Review by: Tessa

Clay is not a stranger to bad words. He learned his first one at the young age of three. There is not much that he has not heard before. But, there is one word that causes him to cringe every time he hears it -- magic.  It is a word that crushed everything that Clay believed in. It filled his childhood with lies, empty promises, and confusion. Magic also caused Clay's older brother to disappear. He has not been seen since. Now, years later, magic has returned with a vengeance in Clay's life. He was expelled from school and banished to a isolated camp for "bad kids" because he was blamed for someone else's magic trick.
Earth Ranch: A Camp for Wayward Teens
As it turns out, isolated island camps are not as normal as Clay thought. Llamas are the primary residents along with a couple of campers and countless warrior bees that surround the camps border.
White vog (volcanic ash + smog) coated the island in a suffocating haze. The blackened lava and stifling heat made living on the island very different from your normal resort. But no amount of vog could cover the island's mysterious secrets, puzzling people, and the occasional ghost or two.White vog (volcanic ash + smog) coated the island in a suffocating haze. The blackened lava and stifling heat made living on the island very different from your normal resort. But no amount of vog could cover the island's mysterious secrets, puzzling people, and the occasional ghost or two.

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

Hey everybody! Cassia here! Ugh, summer's almost over. Hope you all had a great summer of reading! That's basically what I did all summer. ;) Anyway, my friend just introduced me to manga, so I'll be reading that, too. Here's another review for you all!

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

Sophie and Josh have always had normal lives as twins. As normal as they can get, anyway, being twins and all. Until Josh got a job at a bookstore. Nick Fleming is nice, but there’s something off about him. When a small man that smells like rotten eggs enters the bookstore and starts throwing...light at Nick, Josh knows there’s something more than off about the Flemings. He runs to his twin, Sophie (who just so happens to work across the street at a coffee shop), and tells her, but she doesn’t believe him. She does, though, when he shows her the wreckage. Nick tells them to follow him, and they’ll be safe from the odorous man. But will they?

Review | The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch

The Name of This Book is Secret


Author: Pseudonymous Bosch
Series: Secret #1
Release Date: October 1, 2007
Pages: 364
Review by: Tessa
      
       This book is was created for a middle school audience, but the riddles and mysteries in this series can be enjoyed by any YA lover.
       *WARNING*
        The only thing worse than not knowing a secret is knowing a secret.
         Cass and Max are unlikely friends, but they both have one thing in common--they love mysteries. When they discover a "dead" magician's journal they are swept up in a mystery of epic portion. Something is stolen, and they must get it back, for the world depends on it. They encounter crazy carnies, a Symphony of Smells, a blind dog, and a secret society hunting for immortality. Their lives are constantly in danger, and yours will be too, because you can never forget a secret.