The Magic Maze Trilogy by Samuel Warren Joseph and Phil Proctor

 

The Magic Maze Trilogy by Samuel Warren Joseph
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a super fun trilogy to read! It's my first experience with these authors but I'll be looking for more of their works for sure!

Tyler & Tess in the Magic Maze (Book 1)
In this story, we are introduced to Tyler and Tess, 11 year old twins. They are on their way to a soccer game when they are sucked into a magical maze. This story is full of adventure, twists and turns, and lessons to learn! I love this book as it's got me excited to read the next one and we're meeting new characters at the end of this story!

Madness in the Magic Maze (Book 2)
Tyler and Tess are trying to solve challenging puzzles in order to be able to go home. It's a combination of wit, smarts, and sometimes luck to crack these codes. It's always best to do things like this with someone you know and love as teamwork is such a huge part of it!

Escape From the Magic Maze (Book 3)
The last book in our trilogy features another challenging maze for Tyler and Tess. It's a race against time to solve the puzzles in order to make it home. With teamwork, humor, and their smarts, can the twins make it back to their home sweet home?

This series is so much fun to read! It's like Alice in Wonderland meets Wizard of Oz, and goes in the Labryinth and ends at Narnia! I love the humor, as well as the complexity of the mazes. Just when you think you have it figured it out, you learn that you haven't. These stories are meant for people aged 7-12 but truthfully, they are great for all ages.

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The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

 

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very enjoyable book to listen to while I was out getting some fresh air. The narrators did a great job conveying the story of their characters. There were times that I became a bit confused about the storyline but overall, it was still enjoyable. The quest to find the missing manuscript was my favorite part of the story.

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Mortals and Angels: The Beginning of the End by Bethany Summers

 

Mortals and Angels: The Beginning of the End by Bethany Summers
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I took a chance on this book because the cover looked interesting and I like to read some young adult fantasy style novels. I was not familiar with this author so I didn't have any specific things I was looking for in reading this novel. I will say that it's a bit difficult to get into. There is a lot of room for character development. It's my understanding that this is a debut book for this author so I don't want to be too harsh. Once the story starts to flow, it's actually pretty enjoyable. I do think that young adults will enjoy this story and I'm looking forward to giving this author another read when her next book drops.

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An Oracle's Handbook by B.E. Padgett

 

An Oracle's Handbook by B.E. Padgett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a very enjoyable series and young adults will love the adventures that Jon and Frank find themselves taking. They go to a school for perceptually gifted kids and it's a pretty cool place. There are mysteries galore and this time is no exception.

I do recommend reading these books in order as they build on themselves. This series would make a great gift for the middle school reader!

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Evergreen Academy (Society of Magical Botanists Series) by Heather Schneider

 

Evergreen Academy by Heather Schneider
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fans of Harry Potter will love this series! This is a fun, cozy read about a young lady and her adventures in Botany School with a magical twist. Join Briar on her journey with her friends and watch their relationship develop into friendship, and for some, romance. It did take several pages for me to get into this story but once it picked up, I didn't want to put it down.

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The Viper’s Bloodline Awakened (The Gods’ Scion Series) by Winnifred Tataw

 

The Viper's Bloodline Awakened: The Fifth Book in the Urban Fantasy series The Gods' Scion by Winnifred Tataw
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you enjoy a lot of drama, teenage angst, action, dark magic, fantasy, and more, you'll love this book. I do caution you though, make sure to read this series in order as there are a lot of characters and moving parts. If you pick this up out of order, you'll be slightly confused for a bit and might not want to finish this spectacular series. I do believe this is my most favorite book in the series. It's hard to say much more without giving anything away! This author has a way of writing to keep you on the edge of your seat and wanting more with each book!

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The Secret Aftermath (The Discoveries of Julia Xero Series) by Gloria Oliver

 

The Secret Aftermath: An Urban Fantasy Thriller by Gloria Oliver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book picks up where Book 1 (The Secret Humankind: An Urban Fantasy Thriller leaves off. Julia sure can't catch a break no matter how hard she tries to get ahead! Lots of action, drama, and adventure as Julia tries to thwart off a new enemy trying to beat her down.

This has been an enjoyable series so far and I look forward to more!

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The Queen’s Dance (Heart & Hand Series Book 2) by Nicole E. Kelleher

 

The Queen's Dance: A Sizzling Slow Burn Fantasy Romance by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Allow yourself to get swept up in this great read!! It's obvious that a lot of time and attention to detail have gone into writing this epic fantasy read. There is a play on words in the title, even though it's not to a depth that I would have thought. There is mystery, intrigue, lore, and of course, romance to keep you captivated from the first to last words!

This is the second book in a series. This can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend going back and reading the first book as well!

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Vague Directions: Into the Woods by Debra Parmley

 

Vague Directions: Into the Woods by Debra Parmley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've read a couple of books by this author before. This one was a little bit different than the others I've read. It is enjoyable but not my favorite.

I think this short read could have been better by leaving out the paranormal part of it or by making the story longer. Either could have led to some improvements with the story. Still a good read though!

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Flying at Recess by Lois Wickstrom

 

Flying at Recess by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story about Soara, Zanie, and Lulu has some very vibrant illustrations throughout. This is my favorite part of this book.

Soara is a bit unique. She can fly into the sky when she drinks flower nectar. It's cool and all but her friends Zanie and Lulu really miss playing with her at recess. The bell rings and Soara is nowhere to be seen. Can she make it back to her seat before the teacher realizes she's gone?

This wasn't my favorite read by this author, who is a favorite of mine. It was a fun book but just seemed to lack the educational component that I've come to love with this author.

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Troy: A Crown of Stones Origin Story by C. L. Schneider

 

Troy: A Crown of Stones Origin Story by C. L. Schneider
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a prequel to the Crown of Stones Trilogy. I appreciated this perspective of Ian Troy as it helped to fill in some blanks that I felt was missing, but not necessarily required to enjoy the series. There is actually a bit of a different glimpse of Troy, as this story reflects his younger years. There is a lot of adventure, suspense, magic, and drama in this story as we've become accustomed to in this trilogy.

If you're a fan of fantasy, be sure to grab this one up as well as the following three books!

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One Quarter Villain by Cori Cooper

 

One Quarter Villain by Cori Cooper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Maddy is a little upset when she sees she's received a DNA test from her grandmother for her birthday. I mean, what teenager would want to do this? Well, Maddy soon learns that she is one quarter villain. Life changes a little bit.

This is a fun twist on a fairy tale. It's also a clean enough read that I can recommend it to young readers. I really appreciate that in a book! Prepare to read this in one setting, or at least where you can finish it in one or two because it will take off quickly!

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Mermaid Tails by Suzanna Lynn

 

Mermaid Tails by Suzanna Lynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mermaids are magical and pretty and this book features mermaids of various colors, shapes, and sizes. What I didn't expect was the educational information about various sea creatures. The added bonus made this book much more interesting and fun to read!

A little fantasy and a lot of facts in here!

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Kingdom of 7 Sovereigns - Wolf (Kingdom of 7 Sovereigns Series) by R. C. Reigh

 

Kingdom of 7 Sovereigns: Wolf by R.C. Reigh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Let's start out by taking a second to admire the cover of this book. It's absolutely gorgeous!!

In this slightly comical at times fantasy read, we hear from 4 young teens who are in their inaugural year at the Bastion Academy. There are wolves, fairies, witches, dragons, vampires, ogres, and humans involved in this story, with this one really focusing on Prince Dane, who is a wolf, and Princess Amelia, a human. They are fated to each other and their parents arranged their marriage when they were still wee babes.

There is a lot of action, some comedic relief, enemies-to-friends, and even a budding romance or two in this amazing tale. I am looking forward to reading more books in this series and seeing how things progress for all these teens. I highly recommend this read and so far, it's my favorite read of 2024!!

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Children of the Wild (Children of the Wild Series) by Krysta Tawlks

 

Children of the Wild by Krysta Tawlks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Each of us are born with differing traits that set us apart from each other. Elbert starts noticing things changing for him when he turns 14 years old. While his siblings seem completely normal, Elbert starts to notice feathers and a burning in his chest. What is his destiny? What is he to become as a person?

An enjoyable read with some points of humor along the way!

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Grave Digger Academy IV (Grave Digger Academy Series) by C.A. King

 

Grave Digger Academy IV by C.A. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Year four at the Grave Digger Academy is unlike any other for Makayla. There are more students than last year and there is a new headmistress. There are more new rules compared to last year. Some students were not invited back from previous years and it's unclear why. The Crones are really honing in on Makayla and her movements. She ends up meeting some unexpected people who help her out along the way. Can she survive this year of school?

Another great read! This one was a bit shorter than the others but still covered a lot of ground. I'm looking forward to year 5!

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Grave Digger Academy III (Grave Digger Academy Series) by C.A. King

 

Grave Digger Academy III by C.A. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's the start of Makayla's third year at the Grave Digger Academy. Things are a little different from last year and Makayla feels like she's a target. First of all, where are all the students? What's with all the new rules? Makayla knows there's about to be an adventure and she's not sure she's ready to deal with it or the fall out.

I recommend reading this series in order as the background established in previous books is key to understanding what's happening. Another great read by C.A. King! Now on to book 4!

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Sarge by Stuart Ledwith

 

Sarge by Stuart Ledwith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an interesting little novella to read. We meet TJ, aka Sarge, as a young boy who's delivering packages to put food on his table. A kindhearted person takes him under his wing and sets him on a successful path for life. This story is about that path his life took, which is much better than things were looking. Sarge is able to lead a successful group of people in black ops missions dealing with all sorts of things, including UFOs.

I appreciate how this was a "short and sweet" story and didn't drag out a lot of details where they weren't necessary. This book was just enough and I'd recommend it!

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Wild Lavender (Heart & Hand Series Book 1) by Nicole E. Kelleher

 

Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I almost didn't pick this book up. I am ever so glad that I did though!! This book has elements that I love in a great story. There is mystery, intrigue, romance, horses, castles, Lords and Ladies, and more!

This book sucked me in from the very beginning. I instantly fell in love with Lady Aubrianne and her assertiveness as a young lady. Her mysterious meeting in the hallway started it all. Then there was the wedding that lacked all the luster a girl has ever dreamed of on her special day, not to mention the cold shoulder of her new husband. Lord Roger was an enemy of mine from the get-go!

The writing in this book is masterfully done, especially considering this is the author's debut book. I do look forward to going on more adventures with Nicole E. Kelleher in the near future!

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The Secrets of Arkaim (The Reeds of West Hills) by B. E. Padgett

 

The Secrets of Arkaim by B.E. Padgett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story picks up on year 2 at West Hills School for the Perceptually Gifted for the Reed twins. It's going to be a better year because everything is better then the first year!

The big announcement is the Zodiac Games. They only come along every 3 years and this happens to be that year! A mixture of physical skills and intelluctual abilities will be the focus of this super fun event. When a handful of students start getting sick, the Games become a low point of priority. Bigger issues arise when the military becomes involved and Jon and Frank find themselves under tight scrutiny.

I loved this book and read it pretty quickly in one afternoon. It will hold attention and is really hard to put down! While this is the second book in a series, this could be read as a standalone with minimal loss to the back story. I am super excited to read the next book in this middle grade series! This is great for fans of Sky High, Harry Potter, and The Hunger Games!

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