Long after Horace's departure for the east nation of Nihon-Ja, his friends fear of his safety as Horace has not communicated back to them whatsoever.
Alyss, Evanlyn, and WIll all catch up with Horace only to find that Horace has dedicated himself to protecting the imperial throne of Nihon-Ja. With everyone here, they must defend against the Senji warriors intending to kill the emperor.

The Emperor of Nihon-Ja focuses on the growth of Horace and his outlook on Knighthood. Instead of Will from Halt's Peril, Horace truly discovers his place.

Reviewer Grade: 11

Continuing on from The Kings of Clonmel, Halt's Peril starts off as Halt is captured when he is pierced by the poisoned arrow from the renegade group of outlaws. The outlaws, known as the Outsiders, take Halt from Will. Will is on his own, and he needs to do whatever it takes to get his mentor back to safety.

Halt's Peril brings out a new side of Will, where he is now left alone without his mentor. Although this is not the first time he is alone without his mentor, there is more tension as his mentor's life is at stake. Will must take his training from Halt to a new level. This is a new character development story that focuses on Will entirely, which is a great story for those that are invested in Will.

Reviewer Grade: 11

Halt, Will, and Horace are tasked to investigate the group of Outsiders of the Kingdom of Clonmel. They must work together to retake the Kingdom, as each of them are forced to overtake challenges from the tyrannical King Ferris.

The Kings of Clonmel continue the legacy story of Halt, Will, and Horace, bringing a new story to the series. In this particular story, it pulls an emphasis on the skills of Ranger's stealth combined to the fighting of the Knights. With this, it introduces a much more interesting character arc that combines both perspectives for those that are interested with both the principles of Ranger and Knight fighting.

Reviewer Grade: 11

The Skandian Oberjarl Erak grows tired of the constant overflow of paperwork he has to do. Instead, he leaves to do one last raid on the neighboring desert country of Arrida. There, him and his raiding party are ambushed and captured, leaving Will and Halt to come and rescue Erak.

Erak's Ransom brings a new perspective to the table, switching between Will and Halt to Erak and his crew. This is an interesting point that allows those who are invested to compare the two characters side by side. The characters relationship's bring out a later climatic point.

Reviewer Grade: 11

The Siege of Macindaw continues the legacy story of the ranger Will. He is sent to recapture the Castle Macindaw, as a renegade knight had compromised the royal family and is planning to overthrow the Kingdom. Will, joined by his friend, Horace, does whatever it takes to rescue their childhood friend Alyss, with the fate of Araluen in their hands.

The Siege of Macindaw ties in a well-rounded romantic story, balanced by a series of intense action. It is a perfect fit for those who enjoy a little bit of both genres. Siege of Macindaw continues on the story of Ranger's Apprentice, bringing out more in-depth lore to the universe.

Reviewer Grade: 11

With assistant pig keeper, Taran looking through the forrest for Henwen, a speaking pig that can predict the future, Taran makes friends and enemies along the way of this incredible journey. Eilonwy and her sarcastic comments, Gurgi with his crunchings and munchings, Fflewdurr Fflam and his lying harp, and Doli who was forced to come along a guide, these friends fight off gangs and monsters while trying to find this special pig. When they meet the Horned King, who will come out victorious? With this book pulling you in with its funny and relatable characters, I encourage readers of all ages to dive into this wonderful journey with Taran.

Reviewer Age: 15

Will, now a fully trained Ranger, is embarking on an adventure with his childhood friend, Alyss. He is tasked to investigate a castle in the North when the Lord Syron is faced with an unknown and unexpected illness. As he and Alyss investigate, they find out more mysteries and sorceries. Will is then faced with trying to find out everything about everyone, whether they are traitors or supporters of Will and Araluen. His ultimate decision is to choose between the mission or to help Alyss, as she becomes a hostage.

The Sorcerer of the North takes away the obsolete story of Halt and Will.
Instead, it takes an approach to one of Will's childhood friends, bringing a new perspective to the table.

Reviewer Grade: 11

Continuing off from the Icebound Land, Will and Evanlyn were still captured by slaves. Will, addicted to a warmweed, has no personal thoughts, and the only thing he can think of is working without complaining. Working in the Skandian city, Halt discovers that the Temujain city is attacking Skandia and the Kingdom of Araluen.

The Battle for Skandia takes a different approach from the constant fight for Araluen. It brings in a variety of other characters that keeps the interest and universe of Ranger's Apprentice.

Reviewer Grade: 11

The Icebound Land is a direct continuation from The Burning Bridge. It starts as Will and his new partner, Evanlyn, do whatever they can to survive as they are captured as slaves under Lord Morgarath. Whilst this happens, Halt defies his King and the Ranger Corps to save Will. Joined by Horace, the two continue across to do whatever they can to help Will and Evanlyn to safety.

The Icebound Land is an extremely enjoyable story, bringing a different perspective on the characters. It has a development arc for Halt, as he is seemed to be attached to Will as a father figure. Will is demonstrated to not be a perfect hero/protagonist, as he is still undergoing his training.

Reviewer Grade: 11

The second installment of Ranger's Apprentice, The Burning Bridge continues the story of the young Ranger, Will and his master, Halt. In the everlasting Kingdom of Araluen, the people are safe from the enemies of Morgarath.
However, Will, Halt, and their companion, Horace, is sent to the neighboring city of Celtica to uncover disturbing truths that have passed by, and ongoing to the Kingdom of Araluen.

The Burning Bridge is a step-up from the previous book, The Ruins of Gorlan.
The Burning Bridge offers more to the story, with a deeper dive into the characters and their reactions. The story continues to move on, allowing for the characters to have a relative and in-depth behavior.

Reviewer Grade: 11

Packed with action and intensity, Detective Cross is a mystery-action that will have you on the edge of your seat for the entire duration of the book.
The plot starts with a bomber planting bombs in national parks. Police search and defuse the bombs, only for more to be planted the next day. The serial bomber keeps on planting more and more, with the authorities always a step behind. I would highly recommend this book, as it had me on edge the whole time, with its accurate details and action packed plot. Reviewer Grade: 8

The Hunters is a brilliant book written by John Flanagan. Hal and his Brotherband chase down Zavac through rough waters. The Herons know that Zavac is cornered, but beating him is going to be tricky. You have to read the rest to know what happens!

This book is packed with action and excitement. Another aspect that I love about this book is Hal’s courage. He shows massive amounts of courage through the story which makes his crew more faithful in him than ever. I would rate The Hunters 5 out of 5 stars. It was so good that I could not put it down. If you are interested in this book, I would recommend reading the whole series.

Chomp is a book written by Carl Hiaasen. I would rate Chomp five out of five stars. In Chomp, Wahoo’s mom is on a trip working in China. The main character, Wahoo, and his dad, Mickey, get hired for a TV job. Their family is tight on money, and they are trying to pay off the mortgage of their house. While Wahoo’s mom is in China, he and his dad go on a rollercoaster of exciting events working for the show. It has a very exciting plot and swallowed me into the book. It is a funny tale about the love for animals. I enjoyed the character’s humor and how Wahoo reacted to tough problems. I loved this book and would recommend it to others. It is in a series, but it is a standalone book. I would recommend reading all of the other books in this fantastic series. The author is an amazing writer. That is why I would recommend Chomp to you.

The Odyssey is an epic poem written by Homer, and it is a literary classic about two great quests. Ten years after the fall of Troy, Odysseus still hasn't returned home to Ithaca, and his house is plagued with suitors wanting to marry his wife, Penelope. His son, Telemachus, feels overwhelmed but is sure that Odysseus isn't dead. With the help of the goddess Athena, he sets off to search for his father as the reader learns more about Odysseus's previous journey and resulting enslavement. Telemachus encounters many obstacles which shape him and build his confidence by the end of the story.
Although this book is a classic and was probably very popular in ancient Greece, it is not an enjoyable book to read. There is too much unnecessary dialogue, and the plot is excessively long. Due to the old language and lengthy descriptions, reading The Odyssey is a very strenuous task.

A classic piece of literature, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a wonderful depiction of life along the Mississippi river and times past. Huckleberry Finn is a wild, adventurous, and self-sufficient young man who finds his way along the river with an escaped slave. Stealing, superstitions, and deception all describe the journey Huck Finn and Jim take together. They encounter rivaling families, con artists, and Tom Sawyer in their attempt to get north. Mark Twain paints a vivid picture of life in the South with slavery in a way that shows that not everyone believed the same thing. A truly fun and interesting story, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a book that will interest even the most disinterested reader.

The first installment of Ranger's Apprentice, the Ruins of Gorlan, is a fantasy-based book telling the story of a young orphaned boy, Will. Living in the Kingdom of Araluen, Will grows up in the time of a coming war. His journey starts once he is assigned to his job in the Kingdom, to which he will later become one of the most renowned and powerful characters.

As a start to a large series, the Ruins of Gorlan is a perfect set-up to the characters and plot. It introduces characters in a unique standpoint, without rushing to develop each character in the start. Will is a relatable protagonist to the audience, where he is equally balanced in regards to strengths and weaknesses. One aspect that is most enjoyable is the successful combination with fantasy into medieval times.

Reviewer Grade: 10

With Inheritance being the last of the series, the book brings everything to an end to everything that we've experienced in Eragon, Eldest, and Brisingr.
Eragon must do whatever it takes in order to take down Galbatorix, and his friend, Arya, is focused on taking down his greatest enemy, Shruikan. The two, along with Saphira, venture out to fight against their ultimate enemies for the final round in the hopes of gaining peace and stability.

Inheritance was a great book to the end of the series. It was a successful installment in the Eragon series, as it was able to show that everything in the past books was a great importance for the ending of the series as a whole.

Reviewer Grade: 10

The war between Eragon and the corrupt King, Galbatorix, continues. Eragon and Saphira continue to persist against the rule of Galbatorix in order to overthrow him. With Eragon and Saphira being one of the few remaining Dragon Riders, they must push to the nation of Alagaësia to be successful.

Brisingr was a highly climatic and thrilling book. It was able to bring together components from both Eragon and Eldest, while also being able to recognize unique parts of Brisingr itself. For example, Brisingr was able to develop upon the characters to where we could see ourselves through their perspective and experience it in an exciting manner. Brisingr is very immersive, with its significance in describing the setting to a great extent.

Reviewer Grade: 10

Eldest is a direct follow-up from the last book, Eragon. Eldest takes place three days after the final battle in Eragon. There, human resistance fighters alongside the dwarves and a clan called Varden, to which they defeated the swarm of enemies sent by the antagonist, Galbatorix. Gaining help from an elf, Arya, he helps Eragon and the dragon Saphira to defeat a trusted ally of Galbatorix, Durza.

Eldest was able to continue the story of Eragon, and add more components that increases the interest in the reader. For example, it diversifies the lore and universe of Eragon as a whole, leaving us more to read and study of. The character development from Eragon played a substantial role in the behavior of the characters in Eldest, with each of them having a unique personality.

Reviewer Grade: 10

Finding a blue stone by Princess Arya, the orphaned farm boy Eragon finds out that it is a dragon egg. Once the dragon, Saphira, had been born, Eragon is trained to become a dragon rider by his teacher Brom. His legacy would become a prophecy to free his people from the tyrannical ruler, Galbatorix.

Eragon was a well-written and well-paced book. The character development had a strong foundation, leading to relating with the characters. One of its most unique details in the story is originality and ability to emphasize upon fantasy, yet demonstrate it in a reasonable way. The things I enjoyed most from the book was the setting.

Reviewer Grade: 10

Bad luck is an amazing book showing lots of humour, fantasy and fun.
Clay is playing a regular game of capture the flag at his camp, Earth-ranch which is on a volcanic island when the vog (volcanic smog) gets so thick that he can't find his way back to camp. Clay then finds his way to a cave that has art of dragons and a book telling their secrets. Clay then finds someone who washed up on shore because his dad pushed him off a cruise ship. The cruise ship then docks at the island saying they are looking for the kid but really looking for a dragon. Clay makes friends with the washed up kid and they find the dragon and make an alliance with it.

Wild Bird, by Wendelin Van Draanen, is an amazing, unforgettable book that you won't be able to put down. The theme of Wild Bird is that anyone can transform their lifestyles and become better people. This book's main character is a willful, fourteen year old girl named Wren whose biggest fault is being unable to say no. This has lead her to be involved with the wrong crowd and make very bad decisions, including smoking weed, shoplifting, and even being a drug runner for her "friend" Nico. One day, Wren ends up in the hospital, being both wasted and having drugs in her system. Her parents used to believe she was "sick" but this day in the hospital they realize she's been lying to them. Before she knows it, Wren is sent off to an eight week camp in Utah that supposedly helps change the lives of people her age with similar issues and addictions. Wren is extremely angry at her parents and the doctors and everyone who she thinks may be to blame for sending her here. But there in the desert of Utah, Wren learns to survive and she begins to realize over time that maybe it isn't their fault after all, and that maybe, just maybe, she needs to change her life around. In the desert, Wren has to face her feelings and realizes that there is no escaping her mistakes.

This book is amazing. I love the way the author created the character of Wren. She's willful, which at first was a weakness, but she later uses it as a strength. She's courageous and as the book goes on you just fall in love with her. I recommend this to anyone who may be struggling with an addiction, anyone who knows deep down in their heart that their life needs change, and, of course, to any readers who love books with adventure and drama.

Reviewer Grade: 10

The Outcasts, is a book written by John Flanagan. I read it and enjoyed it very much. The Outcasts is the first book in the Brotherband Chronicles and begins in a place called Skandia. At the beginning of the book, Hal is not shown much respect. But as his leadership shows more and more, people learn to look up to him. When Hal turns 16, he and his friends go to Brotherband, a place to train to become a man of Skandia. The first two groups of ten are chosen, and Hal and the seven other outcasts are forced to join a group together. From then on, Hal starts to show his true colors to the reader and the other characters in the book.

I would rate this book four out of five because the book was a little slow in the beginning. On the other side, it was an awesome book with a great plot line. I would recommend this book to people who like Percy Jackson.

I am an avid fan of the Wings of Fire series, and Talons of Power is by far my favorite! Individual books in the series have been from another dragons point of view, and this time we get to see the world through the eyes of Turtle the Seawing. As Darkstalker's grip over Pyhrria tightens, Tui gives the most unassuming and fearful character in the group to lead them towards victory. The dragonets will be forced to get creative if they want to stop Darkstalker. Each chapter is full of thrills and plot twists, with an ending I'm sure no one saw coming.

Reviewer Grade: 8

If things hadn’t already turned dark in Westeros, they certainly do in A Storm of Swords. The complicated political situation in the end of A Clash of Kings gets even more complicated as this third book dives into complex armies, weddings, wars, and so much more. George R. R. Martin’s writing may be dense, but I have never encountered a fantastical world as deeply developed as his. A Storm of Swords is jam-packed with intrigue and excitement, and it left me wanting more. I would recommend this book even if you have already seen the show; reading the books adds a whole new dimension to the characters, the plot, and the world.

The Mogadorians have invaded. Earth is falling under Setrakus Ra's rule. However, new hope has arisen for the Loric, new Garde have arisen. Now the new Garde must choose whether they will fight with the Loric or if they will fall to the Mogadorians. The epic saga continues with another exciting adventure. Pittacus Lore continues to twist the plot in new and exciting ways that will keep you engaged. I highly recommend this page-turner to any middle or high school aged reader.

In the first book of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, The Lightning Thief, Percy the protagonist has been accused of stealing Zeus’ Lightning bolt. Percy must get it back to avoid all out war among the gods. Along the way he makes some new friends and meets some strange characters.

This book is one of the best books I have ever read. This book is very unpredictable. My favorite types of books are the ones that are unpredictable and this one has one of the best twist ever in a book. This book did well in the bookstores and was made into a movie. However, in my opinion, the book is substantially better than the movie. The book has lots more parts that are really funny and the movie leaves out great parts of the story. I would recommend this to anyone interested in mythology as it is based on Greek gods and their over the top stories. Yet, this is an excellent book and is good for almost everyone, even if you are not a Greek mythology expert because it is pretty easy to follow along.

Reviewer grade: 9

In the 4th book of this series Hal find himself helping the King of another country across the sea. Hal travels to this country by boat and it takes him about a week. One of Hal's rivals, Tursgud, is also in the area. By the time Hal arrives, Tursgud has raided a village and captured 12 villagers. Tursgud goal is to sell the captured villagers as slaves. Hal decides the Brotherband should go rescue the villagers. I enjoyed reading this book and this series.

Throughout the book I was kept guessing what would happen next. I was never sure about what Hal would do. My favorite part of the book is when one of the Brotherband's plan completely fails and they have to come up with a completely new plan. There were no parts of this book I did not like. I would not recommend reading this book before reading the previous books in the series as you may likely have trouble understanding the characters and the situations they are in. However, this entire series is excellent and worth reading all of the books in the series. I would recommend this book series to anyone who enjoyed reading the Ranger's Apprentice by the same author, John Flanagan. This series is in the same time period and the same world as the Ranger's Apprentice.

Reviewer Grade: 9

An excellent introduction to Greek mythology and adventure, Percy Jackson and the Olympians provides an engaging storyline and an interesting set of characters. Perfect for early interest in literature and mythology alike, it is one of my first favorite series of books. Although it's a childish book, it attracts readers of all ages with its fun dynamics and interesting plot line. It is a clever modern twist on traditional stories. I would recommend reading for ages 9 to 12, but it can be enjoyed at any age.

The second book of the Michael Vey series is not a disappointing sequel. In the book Rise of the Elgen, Michael Vey, the Protagonist is still looking for his mother. In the first book his mother had been captured by the Elgen. The Elgen are a group of people who want to take over the world. I found this book to be very unpredictable most of the time. However, there were a few times where it was not difficult to figure out what was going to happen. One of my favorite characters in this book is Ostin (pronounced like Austin).
Ostin, who is extremely intelligent, is relatable as he is gets picked on because he is a little different. Yet, Ostin is very strong minded and one of the smartest characters in the whole book. What I like most about this series is it has very original and unique characters. This book is one of the top 10 books I have read this year.

Reviewer Grade: 9