Kepler's Dream

Kepler's Dream
by Juliet Bell

Ella has to spend her summer with a grandmother she has never even met.    With her mother in the hospital undergoing cancer treatment and her father too busy, the only option for Ella is her grandmother's unusual home.    Convinced it is going to be a long, boring summer, Ella suddenly finds excitement when a rare and valuable book, Kepler's Dream of the Moon, is stolen from her grandmother's library.   With the help of her friend Rosie, Ella seeks out to solve the mystery of the missing book, while at the same time working to fix her broken family.   

This book is a good combination of mystery and realistic fiction.    Readers who enjoy mysteries or books about family and friends will likely enjoy this story. 


Author's website:  http://julietbell.com/

Book trailer: 

The Cloak Society

The Cloak Society 
by Jeramey Kraatz

Alex Knight has spent his life planning to become a supervillain like his parents, Shade and Volt.   Growing up in the Cloak Society, an organization of powerful supervillains, he has been trained to use his own powers to aid the group in gaining control over Sterling City.   After spending his whole life devoted to Cloak, he suddenly begins to question their motives after meeting a member of the Rangers, a group of superheroes who have defeated Cloak in the past.    Will Alex follow in the footsteps of his supervillain parents, or will he leave the life that he has always known?

I had a hard time putting this book down! It is fast-paced and full of action and adventure.   I'm looking forward to the next book in this series!  Readers who enjoy the supervillain theme of this book may also consider reading Joshua Dread, another book about a boy from a supervillain family.

Author's website:   http://www.jerameykraatz.com/

Author interview:

Supervillain Personality Test:

Island of Thieves

Island of Thieves
by Josh Lacey

Tom Trelawney didn't mean to burn down a shed.  Unfortunately, the accident with the shed means he has to stay with his Uncle Harvey while his parents go on vacation.   Shortly after Tom's arrival, Harvey announces that he must go on a secret trip to find a hidden pirate treaure.   After much pleading (and a little blackmail), Harvey agrees to take Tom along with him.    What Tom expects to be a fun adventure soon turns into a dangerous quest.   Tom had been worried about making it back to New York before his parents returned,  but now he's worried he may never even make it home at all!

What a great book! Island of Thieves is a good choice for readers looking for a book full of action and suspense! 

Author's Website:  http://www.joshlacey.com/

Always October

Always October
by Bruce Coville

What do you do when your little brother turns into a monster?   Jake Doolittle needs to figure that out.  When he and his mother discover a baby abandoned on their doorstep, they decide to keep it.   Everything goes well until one full-moon night when Jake discovers his new brother LD has turned into a furry green monster!  Jake soon learns that there are other monsters after his new brother and, despite the baby's new fangs and pointy ears, he becomes determined to help save LD.  With the help of his friend Lily, Jake brings LD to the mysterious world of Always October,  a land full of monsters and other creepy creatures. 

I thought this book was great.   Always October is full of adventure, humor,  and many surprising twists!  

Author's website:  http://www.brucecoville.com/

The Ghost of Graylock

The Ghost of Graylock 
by Dan Poblocki

Forced to spend a summer with their two aunts, Neil and his sister Bree soon discover the nearby Graylock Hall, an abandoned hospital with a dark past.    With the help of a new friend, Nick and Bree sneak into the old hospital to investigate its ghostly legend.    After narrowly escaping a terrifying visit to Graylock, Nick and his sister begin experiencing frightening nightmares and visions as well as many unexplained events.    Will they be able to solve the legend of the Ghost of Graylock before it's too late?

The Ghost of Graylock is a creepy book that is a good choice for fans of scary ghost stories!   It is full of many unexpected twists that will keep readers surprised and in suspense!

Author's Website:  http://www.danpoblocki.com/