Wildfire

Author- Rodman Philbrick

Rating-⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Flames race toward Sam Castine's summer camp. Suddenly, a flash of heat blasts him as pine trees explode. Now a wall of fire separates Sam from his only chance to evacuate. There's just one thing to do: Run for his life. Run or die. 

Drought has made the forest a tinderbox. How will he survive? Sam struggles to remember survival tricks he learned from his late father. Alone and lost, with no chance of rescue, it's a stroke of luck to find another lost camper- Delphy, a tough older girl with spunk and wit. The pace never slows, and when flames finally surround Sam and Delphy on all sides, there's no place to turn. But a powerful bond that can only grow out of courage and hardship has been forged- as two unlikely friends beat all odds and outwit one of the deadliest fires ever.

WHAT I THOUGHT

I thought it was really good and liked how there were so many so close calls that kept me reading. But in the beginning I think it would have been better if there was a normal day at the camp before the fire started. if you liked this book you would probably like the I Survived Series too.

Schooled

Author-Gordon Korman

Rating-⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Capricorn Cap Anderson has been homeschooled by his hippie grandmother, Rain. When Rain is injured in a fall, Cap is forced to attend the local middle school. Although he knows a lot about Zen Buddhism, nothing has prepared him for the politics of public school.

WHAT I THOUGHT

At first I felt bad Cap but then I got further in and it got funny and I really liked the way Cap dealt with the things happening. If you liked this book you might like Apple In the Middle by Dawn Quigley.

Bridge to Terabithia

Author- Katherine Paterson

Rating- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Jess Aaron's greatest ambition is to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. He's been practicing all summer and can't wait to see his classmates' faces when he beats them all. But on the first day of school, a new kid, a new girl, boldly crossing over to the boy's side of the playground, outruns everyone. That's not a very promising beginning for a friendship, but Jess and Leslie Burke become inseparable. It doesn't matter to Jess that Leslie dresses funny, or that her family has a lot of money - but not a TV. Leslie has imagination. Together, she and Jess create Terabithia, a magical kingdom in the woods where the two of them reign as king and queen and their imagination set the only limits. then one morning a terrible tragedy occurs. Only when Jess is able to come to grips with this tragedy does he finally understand the strength and courage Leslie has given him.

WHAT I THOUGHT 
It was sooo sad. This is one of the few books that made me all teary eyed. But even though it was sad it was a very good book.

The Shadow Throne

   AUTHOR- Jennifer A. Nielsen

RATING-⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

BOOK DESCRIPTION

War has come to Carthya. It knocks at every door and window in the land. And when Jaron learns that King Vargan of Avenia has kidnapped Imogen in a plot to bring Carthya to it's knees, Jaron knows it is up to him to embark on a daring rescue mission. But everything that can go wrong does.

 His friends are flung far and wide across Carthya and it's neighboring lands. In a last ~ effort to stave off what looks to be a devastating loss for the kingdom, Jaron undertakes what may be his last journey to save everything and everyone he loves. But even with his lighting ~ quick wit, Jaron cannot forestall the terrible danger that descends on him and his country. Along the way, will he lose what matters most? And in the end, who will sit on Carthya's throne?

WHAT I THOUGHT

This is the third and final book in the Ascendance Series. It had a happy ending but the middle was so sad I got teary eyed twice! But it did have a couple of twists and surprises and is great series to read if you like adventure, historical fiction and books about war than you would probably like these books. If you liked this series then you might also like the I Survived Series.

The Runaway King

Author-Jennifer A. Nielson

Rating-⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Just weeks after Jaron has taken the throne, an assassination attempt has forced him into a deadly situation. Rumors of a coming war are winding their way through the castle walls, and Jaron feels the pressure quietly mounting within Carthya. Soon, it becomes clear that deserting the kingdom may be his only hope of saving it. But the farther Jaron is forced to run from his identity, the more he wonders if it is possible to go too far. Will he ever be able to return home again? Or will he have to sacrifice his own life in order to save his kingdom.

WHAT I THOUGHT

This is book two of the Ascendance Series. It was just as great as the first book but you have to get into it a little bit before it gets you on the edge of your seat. In many parts of the book unexpected stuff happened. If you liked this book you might like The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by AVI

The Moon Within

Author- Aida Salazar

Rating-⭐⭐⭐⭐

BOOK DESCRIPTION

          Celi Rivera's life swirls with questions, about her changing body. Her first attraction to a boy. And her best friends exploration of what it means to be a genderfluid. But most of all, her mothers insistence she have a moon ceremony when her first period arrives. It's an ancestral Mexica ritual that Mima and their community have reclaimed, but Celi promises she will NOT be participating. Can she take a stand for who she wants to be?

WHAT I THOUGHT

The Moon Within was a good book but it was a little confusing. It is a quick read with short chapters and is written like a poem. If you liked this book you might like Are You There God, It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume.

The False Prince

Author-Jennifer A. Nielsen

Rating-⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Book Description

      In a faraway land, civil war is brewing. To unify his kingdom's divided people, a nobleman named Conner devises a cunning plan to place an impersonator of the king's long ~ lost son on the throne. Four orphans are forced to compete for the role, including a  defiant and clever boy named Sage. Sage knows Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point - he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage  to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of duplicity and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that may very well prove more dangerous than all the lies taken together.

My Thoughts

It was a very good book that had a great twist to it and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. I had a hard time putting this book down a liked it way more than I thought I would. If you liked this book you might also like the Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling or The Chronicles Of Narnia series by C.S Lewis.

A Good Kind Of Trouble

                                                           Author-Lisa Moore Ramee

                                                           Rating-⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

book description

          Twelve-year-old Shayla is allergic to trouble. All she wants to do is to follow the rules. (Oh, and she'd also like to make it through seventh grade with her best friendships intact, learn to run track, and have a cute boy see past her giant forehead.) But in junior high, it's like all the rules have changed. Now she's suddenly questioning who her best friends are, and some people at school say she's not back enough. Wait, what?

          Shay's sister, Hana, is involved in Black Lives Matter, but Shay doesn't think that's for her. After experiencing a powerful protest, though, Shay decides some rules are worth breaking. She starts wearing an armband to school in support of the Black Lives movement. Soon everyone is taking sides. And she is given an ultimatum.

Shay is scared to do the wrong thing (and even more scared to do the right thing), but if she doesn't face her fears, she'll be forever tripping over the next hurdle. Now, that's trouble, for real. 

my thoughts

      It was a great story about friendship and overcoming your fears. It is sad, happy, and funny all rolled up into one good book. If you liked this book you might also like Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams or Blended by Sharon M. Draper.