Book Review: Aphrodite the Beauty

Title: Aphrodite the Beauty by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

Release Date: August 3, 2010
Publisher: Aladdin
Pages: 224 pages
Genre: Middle Grade, Mythology
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: Well-researched and true to the original myths, each volume in the Goddess Girls series addresses contemporary issues like friendships and relationships from a classically accurate—and entertaining—persepective.

In Aphrodite the Beauty, Aphrodite, goddessgirl of love, must deal with jealousy after giving Athena a makeover. It doesn’t seem fair that the godboys pay more attention to her friend when Aphrodite is supposed to be destined for love! She also copes with a crush from an unlikely source—the nerdy Hephaestus (god of the smith)—and learns that love comes in many forms.

I’m a fan of this Goddess Girls series and although I liked Aphrodite the Beauty a lot, I didn’t love it as much I did the first two books in the series. I feel like pre-teen girls are bombarded with love relationship issues and expectations at such a young age that I appreciate books that don’t focus on them but I know I’m not being realistic. Crushes happen and Aphrodite the Beauty actually deals with it in a very sweet and responsible way. Additionally, this book is about Aphrodite, after all, so of course it deals with crushes, angst and love.

Aphrodite is bored with all the attention she gets from the boys so to entertain herself, she gives her friend, Athena, a makeover. No one is prepared for the amount of attention Athena gets, especially from Ares, Aphrodite’s crush. 

As in mythology, Athena is a bit shallow. She becomes jealous of the Athena and is not always very nice to the one boy who actually likes her for who she is inside and not just how she looks. Aphrodite the Beauty is about jealously, friendship and most importantly, appreciating inner beauty. As with the other books in the series, the mythological aspects of the book are fun and well written.

So far, this series is an all around hit. I highly recommend it for pre-teen girls.

Content: Clean read. 

My Rating: Really Good!

Book Review: Persephone the Phony

Title: Persephone the Phony by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

Release Date: April 6, 2010
Publisher: Aladdin
Pages: 160 pages
Genre: Middle Grade, Mythology
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: As Persephone's mother encourages her to do, she often "goes along to get along" instead of doing what she really wants. But when she meets Mount Olympus Academy bad-boy Hades, she finally feels she has found someone with whom she can be herself. He's the first person who actually listens to her, and she finds herself liking him, despite the fact that the other goddessgirls think he's bad news. But if he makes her feel so special -- and so comfortable -- can he really be all that bad? 

Authors Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams put a modern spin on classic myths with the Goddess Girls series. Follow the ins and outs of divine social life at Mount Olympus Academy, where the most privileged godboys and goddessgirls in the Greek pantheon hone their mythical skills.

Persephone the Phony is the second book in the Goddess Girls series. While I’ve been reading the books in order, they can stand alone as well. As with the first book in the series, Persphone the Phony deals with real issues that today’s girls face while using a fun, mythological setting that gives pre-teens a loose introduction to Greek myth.

As the title suggests, Persephone is the subject of this book. Persephone is a people pleaser who goes along with others people’s opinions and plans, even when she feels different. With girls facing so much peer pressure, I liked the positive message that you should be true to yourself and not a ‘phony’ as Persephony was at the start of the book.

The book also deals with wrongfully judging people (in this case, Hades) and family relationships. There is a bit of romance in the book but it’s very sweet and innocent.

Persephone the Phony is another book in the Goddess Girls series that I would recommend to young girls. It’s adorable and a quick read. I am looking forward to the other books in the series.

Content: Clean read.

My Rating: Really Good!

Book Review: Athena the Brain

Title: Athena the Brain by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

Release Date: April 6, 2010
Publisher: Aladdin
Pages: 160 pages
Genre: Middle Grade, Mythology
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: In Athena the Brain, Athena always knew she was smart and special, but she didn’t realize that she was a goddess! When she’s whisked away to Mount Olympus Academy, she worries about fitting in and dealing with her dad (Zeus). Luckily, she meets the Goddess Girls and finds the best friends she’s ever had.

Athena, a super smart 12-year-old girl has been who has been living with her foster family since she was a baby, finds out that her father is Zeus and he has invited to attend school on Mount Olympus with other gods and goddesses. 

Athena has to deal with issues that a lot of girls face everyday like starting a new school, making new friends, balancing the pressures of school work with other activities, being embarrassed by your parents and bullying. There is also the local heartthrob (Poseidon) that many of the girls have a crush on but Athena is smart enough to see how self-centered he is and not worth her time (yay Athena!).

Athena the Brain is also great book to give pre-teen girls a loose introduction to Greek mythology. I really liked how the authors worked actual mythological events into the modern storyline and made it work very well.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to pre-teen girls who like sweet stories with a bit of magic. It's cute, has really positive characters and positive messages. I am looking forward to reading the other books in this series!

Content: Clean read.

My Rating: Really Good!

Book Review: Found

Title: Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Release Date: April 22, 2008
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing
Pages: 320 pages
Genre: Science Fiction, Middle Grade
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: An unidentified airplane appears out of nowhere. When the aircraft is boarded, its only occupants are babies; once they are removed, the pilotless plane vanishes. Jonah and Chip, now teenagers, discover that they were among the "airborne orphans." Rather than forgetting the past, the two boys decide to venture into it, risking their survival to right the wrongs of time.

Jonah and his friend Chip, both adopted, receive ominous letters in the mail telling them they are one of the missing and that people are coming back for them. At first they think it’s a prank but working with Jonah’s sister, Katherine, they dig deeper and find themselves at the center of a mystery and cover-up that may lead to them finding out who they really are and where they came from.

Found is a fast paced middle-grade book that both boys or girls can enjoy. Jonah is a likable, well adjusted 13-year-old who has a loving relationship with his parents and a typical love/disgust relationship with 11-year-old Katherine. Jonah likes his life and is not really interested in finding out about his birth parents or the circumstances behind his adoption.

Chip, on the other hand, is a bit of a brat but you get the impression that his behavior stems from the difficult relationship with his absentee parents who prefer to buy him things than spend quality time with him or effectively communicate with him. Because of his relationship with his adopted parents, Chip is driven to find his birth parents and Jonah, out of a sense obligation to his friend, joins him to find answers. Believing the letters have something to do with their adoptions, Jonah and Chip along with Katherine unravel the mystery and find out more about themselves than they bargain for.

Found is fairly easy to read and I would recommend it to younger teens or tweens who are reluctant readers. The mystery moves the story forward, the science fiction elements are not unique but are done in a fresh way and the action, especially at the end, adds to the excitement. The book does end with a cliffhanger, so be prepared to get a copy of the other books in the series, Sent, Sabotaged and Torn for your young reader as well. Torn will be available on August 23, 2011.

Content: Violence

Review of The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper

Release Date: Originally published in 1973
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pages: 230 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade
Rating: 2 stars
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: Will Stanton discovers on his 11th birthday that he is no mere boy. He is the Sign-Seeker, last of the immortal Old Ones, destined to battle the powers of evil that trouble the land. His task is monumental: he must find and guard the six great Signs of the Light, which, when joined, will create a force strong enough to match and perhaps overcome that of the Dark. Embarking on this endeavor is dangerous as well as deeply rewarding; Will must work within a continuum of time and space much broader than he ever imagined.

Review:  I have read some really good middle grade books and hoped I would love this classic as well, unfortunately, I did not. The book was slow and confusing. I still don’t understand how the folklore elements, the Hunting of the Wren and the Wild Hunt, tied into the core story of the Old Ones and the never ending battle between good and evil. Additionally, Will’s explanation of how parts of us, the things we think and believe, exist on another level outside of time made no sense to me. The story lacked cohesion and did not flow very well.

To be fair, The Dark is Rising is the second book in a series but they are all supposed to be stand alone books. Maybe the plot would tie together a bit better if I read the other books, but this one was hard enough for me to get through, I just don't think I can read the rest. I know The Dark is Rising is a classic and there are tons of people who love it but it is not for me.

Content: Some violence.

Review of A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull

Release Date: March 15, 2011
Publisher: Aladdin
Pages: 464 pages
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Young Adult
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC from Publisher

Goodreads Summary: Jason Walker has often wished his life could be a bit less predictable--until a routine day at the zoo ends with Jason suddenly transporting from the hippo tank to a place unlike anything he's ever seen. In the past, the people of Lyrian welcomed visitors from the Beyond, but attitudes have changed since the wizard emperor Maldor rose to power. The brave resistors who opposed the emperor have been bought off or broken, leaving a realm where fear and suspicion prevail.

In his search for a way home, Jason meets Rachel, who was also mysteriously drawn to Lyrian from our world. With the help of a few scattered rebels, Jason and Rachel become entangled in a quest to piece together the word of power that can destroy the emperor, and learn that their best hope to find a way home will be to save this world without heroes.

Review: Even though I have heard great things about his Fablehaven series, this is my first book by Brandon Mull so I was not sure what to expect. The story starts out a bit slow and I was tempted to stop reading, but it picks up fantastically in the middle and continues that fast pace until the end. I am so happy I gave it a chance. This is a fun, action packed adventure that would appeal to both boys and girls and especially to reluctant readers.

Both Jason and Rachel’s characters are well developed, smart, brave and resourceful. The secondary characters are equally well developed and so very interesting. Mull’s world building in amazing! As I read the book, I could really picture Lyrian.

There are several fight scenes, some with fatalities, so if you have a younger reader, you may want to be aware of this. While there is fighting and violence, the book is not gory.

Even though I am recommending this book to a tween and teen audience, I am an adult and I loved it! The story does ends with a cliffhanger, and I am eagerly looking forward to the sequel coming out next year.

Quick comment about the cover. I received the book as an electronic ARC so could not fully appreciate the cool holographic cover until I saw it in Barnes and Noble this weekend. It adds so much to the magic of the story!

Content:  Violence