Fablehaven Book One - 4.5 stars

Well, to start with, the Fablehaven series is really one of my favorites. The author, Brandon Mull, has a unique way of explaining things without ever sounding boring. The humor is delightful, the villains are impeccable, and the storyline is exquisite.

Being one of my favorites, I'll try not to ramble on...

This story of demons, trolls, magic, and fairies takes place in modern-day North America on a preserve governed by Stan and Ruth Sorenson.
The preserve is called Fablehaven. (Ta-da!)

The Sorenson's grandchildren are to visit this summer, unaware of the dangers occupying their grandparents' estate. But when evil arises and their grandfather is taken, the children (Kendra and Seth) must overcome perilous obstacles to save him, in the aftermath proving themselves to be respectable future caretakers.
And, (spoiler alert) unfortunately, there is also a catch with their grandmother to deal with.

My magic rating:
This book -- this series, in fact -- is based on magic. Its foundation is magic.
I personally do not believe that magic is real, and see nothing wrong with reading stories about it. Hopefully, our readers will eventually learn Noodle's writing style and my writing style and figure out for themselves whether or not they'd like to put to use our review suggestions. For this book, I would have to rate it a 9 out of 10.

My gore rating, or nastiness rating:
With a 1 representing a bleeding paper cut and a 10 representing a body-blasting explosion, I'd say this book earns a well-deserved 2 out of 10.
It's really not bad at all in my opinion, but I don't get disgusted very easily. Each person reacts differently. There are dire situations and definitely some bloodshed, but nothing so bad as, say, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

All in all, I'd definitely recommend this book and this series to a friend -- or even multiple friends! It kept me intrigued until well after the end of the final book.

Link to author/Fablehaven website: http://brandonmull.com/site/fablehaven-books

The Amulet of Samarkand - 5 stars

     The Amulet of Samarkand, the first book in the Bartimaeus Sequence by Johnathan Stroud is a story of djinni and magicians, set in 20th century England. The entire Parliament is composed of magicians, men who have learned the art of summoning magical beings from another dimension to serve them. Meet Nathaniel, a magician-in-training with great talent, and his powerful djinni servant, Bartimaeus. Prepare to be amazed by the breadth of the story Stroud has to tell in this book.

     The book centers upon Nathaniel's quest for revenge. After he was publicly shamed by a powerful magician called Simon Lovelace, he acquires a powerful thirst for revenge. Bartimaeus is summoned, and ordered to steal a powerful protective charm from Lovelace: the Amulet of Samarkand. Bartimaeus is a djinni with a reputation that is outshone by his own ego, but he has an entertaining sense of humor. The interplay before the somewhat stiff-necked and stubborn Nathaniel and quick-tongued, sarcastic Bartimaeus is part of what makes the story so special. 

     Bartimaeus isn't too pleased to find himself summoned by a kid, but he has no choice but to do what Nathaniel says. Unfortunately, after he steals the Amulet, he accidentally leads Lovelace and his demons to the home of Nathaniel's master. It's only because of Bartimaeus that Nathaniel escapes certain death at the hands of a vengeful Lovelace. But the two of them are now adrift in London, and Bartimaeus is itching to be released from the human world. However, Nathaniel is both patriotic and ambitious, and when he learns that Lovelace is at the center of a clever plot to overthrow the Prime Minister, he is determined to see the plan foiled and Lovelace's reputation destroyed. I know: big plans for a twelve-year-old. That's what Bartimaeus thinks as well. How are they, a young, half-trained magician and one demon (no matter how clever) going to defeat some of the best magicians in Parliament? Read and find out.

     The Amulet of Samarkand was a very enjoyable read for me. I think a pattern is developing in my reviews - I really enjoy books with a bit of humor. Bartimaeus brings it to this story, and I really enjoyed him. The story starts a little bit slow, but speeds up toward the middle if you stick with it. I can't really decide what age range I would think The Amulet of Samarkand is specifically targeted at, but any reader who isn't daunted by the size of the book (+300 pages) should like it. This book is also totally unlike any other stories I've read. Johnathan Stroud's writing style is quite different as well, and the Bartimaeus Sequence mixes 20th century England with djinni and magicians in an entertaining and unusual way. Take it from me: if you're looking for something different and interesting to read some afternoon, The Amulet of Samarkand is a good choice. 

     One thing about The Amulet of Samarkand that might not be worthy of 5 stars, at least to some people, is that it was full of footnotes. Mostly they're just information which is necessary for understanding Bartimaeus's powers, or sarcastic backchat. Some hint at Bartimaeus's long and glorious past and all the things he's done the various other times he was summoned into our world. But unless you're a dedicated reader, the footnotes can be distracting and detract from the rest of the story. Other friends of mine who have read this book skipped over the footnotes and still enjoyed the story, so reading them is entirely up to you. I thought they were fun and interesting, but others have found them annoying. But footnotes aside, The Amulet of Samarkand was still an highly entertaining read.

Link to Bartimaeus Sequence website: http://www.bartimaeusbooks.com/index.html

Mariel of Redwall - 4.5 stars

     Mariel of Redwall, by Brian Jacques, is one of the Redwall novels. It's a story of a mouse called Mariel who escapes from a tryannical sea-rat king called Gabool the Wild and finds her way to the Abbey of Redwall. But her father is still a prisoner of the evil sea-rat, and Mariel is determined to rescue him. With three companions: Tarquin, Dandin, and Durry Quill, she sets out to return to Bladegirt, Gabool's fortress on the isle of Terramort. But it's a long voyage, and Gabool the Wild has hordes of other sea-rats at his command. Welcome to a riveting novel by Brian Jacques.

     In Mariel of Redwall, Mariel has an adventure which takes her from the great forest of Mossflower on a hair-raising voyage in a sea-rat ship. She meets the gentle abbeydwellers of Redwall Abbey, the fighting hares of Salamandastron, and the villainous sea-rats who serve Gabool the Wild. Only a young mousemaid, Mariel is a mouse with a thirst for revenge. Armed only a knotted rope called Gullwhacker, and her three trusty companions, she sets out to rescue her father: Joseph the Bellmaker. Guided by a vision from the founder of Redwall Abbey, Martin the Warrior, she seeks to find a way back to Terramort so that she can slay the sea-rat who made her a slave.

     Mariel isn't the only one who intends to kill Gabool, however. Rawnblade, the great badger lord of Salamandastron, the mountain fortress filled with fighting hares, is having visions of Gabool. His destiny is driving him toward Terramort. But one badger and one mousemaid may not be enough to slay Gabool and his rat horde. And Joseph the Bellmaker has escaped from Gabool, and he too seeks revenge. 

     This thick little book by Brian Jacques is quite a thriller. It may take guts to stick with it, since it starts a little slowly, but you'll be pleased with what you find later on in the story. The animals that people the world of the Redwall novels are creatures I have come to know and love. The gentle Redwallers in particular are very endearing, but the courageous hares of Salamandastron are my very favorite. Brian Jacques also sprinkles in plenty of marvelous riddles and songs into his stories - now that's something you won't see in many books! This story is well worth the read, and I advise you to give it a try.

Link to Redwall website: http://www.redwallabbey.com/

Artemis Fowl - 5 stars!

     Artemis Fowl, the first book in the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer, is about the 12-year-old criminal mastermind, Artemis Fowl. In his search for greater power, wealth, and influence, he stumbles across the existence of a civilization of magical beings - fairies, pixies, and the like. He and his bodyguard and friend Butler - actually, he's a butler, too - kidnap one of the pixies, a fairy named Holly Short. Artemis's plan is to ransom Holly for some fairy gold - but the fairies aren't about to part with any of their gold. They also want to keep their existence secret from other humans. What follows is a hair-raising episode as fairy and human genius match wits. Who will win?

     If that's not thrilling enough as it is, the fairies are equipped with high-tech equipment and magic, while Artemis only has his wits. But Artemis has never been out-witted, and he's quite confident in his ability. Also, the fairies are split into two factions and are arguing about what to do about Artemis. I've never read a book that balanced a high-tech yet magical story as well as Eoin Colfer did in Artemis Fowl. If you're one of those readers who likes to try and solve the mystery before the book gives you the answers, you can try and beat Artemis Fowl, but I guarantee you won't. 

     The story is told from the point of view of many of the characters: Artemis, Butler, Holly, and Foaly, a computer geeky centaur. Other intriguing characters such as Commander Julius Root of the LEPrecon and Butler's little sister Juliet also appear, giving this story a wide and varied cast of characters. It's fun and has it's moment of humor. The characters are genuine and extremely enjoyable, and this story is unlike any other you've ever read. You'll never find characters like Julius Root and Foaly in another book, and you're never going to run across a mastermind like Artemis Fowl. I wouldn't have missed Artemis Fowl for the world. Pick it up. Read it. I mean, who doesn't like what happens when you mix magic and technology, fairies and geniuses?

Link to Artemis Fowl website: http://www.artemisfowl.com/

The Burning Bridge - 5 stars!

     The Burning Bridge is the second book in The Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan. I found these books when I was 12, and I've been absolutely in love with them ever since. The entire series are action-packed and full of interesting characters. They're exciting to read, and Flanagan writes in a style that's both descriptive and inviting. And he's funny. In my book, that counts for a lot. 

     The Ranger's Apprentice series is a must-have addition to your bookshelf or library. It's a 13-book series that follows Will, the original Ranger's apprentice, through his life as he grows from an apprentice to a real Ranger. His mentor, Halt, is an amazing character and one of my favorites out of the whole series. Other characters that accompany Will on his journey are Horace, a knight-in-training, Evanlyn, the princess of Araluen, Gilan, Halt's first apprentice, and Pauline and Alyss, a lady diplomat and her protege. All of them are characters I can and have related to over the course of the series, but out of all the books, The Burning Bridge is probably my favorite. In this book, the story of Will is really only just beginning, and he's already showing his promise as a Ranger. The cast of characters are gathering around him, and Will is faced with the problem of saving the kingdom of Araluen from an enemy that was supposed to have been powerless. 

     One thing I have to point out is that Will isn't training to become a forest ranger or anything like that. Araluen, Will's homeland, is a fictional kingdom in a fictional world something like medieval Europe. The Rangers of Araluen are an elite group of fighters, trackers, secret agents, and law enforcers. They are loyal to the King of Araluen and roam about Araluen making sure the law is kept, and when Araluen is at war they are invaluable as intelligence gatherers and generals. The Rangers are highly skilled archers and are able to walk without a sound and remain unseen in plain sight. They ride special horses, wear special cloaks, and use special weapons. Some people think of them as sorcerers because they seem like magic. Will has to learn everything a Ranger should know, and he uses all those skills on his adventures. The secret of becoming a Ranger is part of what makes these books such a great read. I highly recommend them.

     The Burning Bridge - and all the other Ranger's Apprentice books - have no inappropriate content in them. I would say the books are aimed at kids between 8 and 14, but I think they're also a pleasing and very compelling read for all ages. They don't use complicated language, so younger kids can comprehend them easily, but the story is far from shallow. Elements of romance, adventure, and battles show up, including one moment when Horace, Will's best friend, goes into one-on-one combat with the villain. That's a very suspenseful scene, and probably one of the highlights of the entire story. 

     Oh, and something I almost forgot to mention. The Burning Bridge has an extremely powerful cliffhanger ending. So you'll want to get the next book right away to find out what happens. 

Link to Ranger's Apprentice website: http://www.worldofjohnflanagan.com/rangers-apprentice/