REVIEW: Alien Nation by Gini Koch

Summary


First Lady, Kitty Katt-Martini, has negotiated the unexpected road to the White House fairly smoothly, all things considered. She’s foiled multiple bad-guy plans du jour. She spun the last attack so it blew back on the hateful aliens at the core of so many plots against them. She’s “Megalomaniac Girl,” and she knows how to think like the bad guys and figure out how to save the day!

But the Mastermind is still at large. Enemies from previous engagements are lurking, waiting to strike until they think they’ve been forgotten. And many humans around the world are still uneasy – if not downright hostile – about aliens being in charge of anything.

So when Kitty and the gang get the word that several previously unknown alien races are fleeing to Earth for asylum, there’s no guarantee that they’ll be able to triumph once again. So many things could go wrong. And if they can’t get things together on Earth, or manage the new arrivals smoothly, what’s going to happen when a ravenous horde of aliens follows the refugees with intent to devour everyone on Earth?

science fiction romance

Review


I have no idea how Gini Koch manages to churn out two 500+ page books a year in addition to her other writing, promotion, and personal activities! But I am so glad she does. These books are dense, chock full of action, sarcasm, humor, plots to foil and enemies to defeat. And I love every one of them!

This is book 14 in this science-fiction/romance/mystery/action series. I highly recommend reading them in order to get the most out of the character development and the “big reveals.”

My favorite aspect of this series is the characters. Kitty is one of my favorite characters of all time. She is sassy and smart. She defends the voiceless and the oppressed. She holds onto the hope that she can turn some of their enemies to the side of good – and she does. The cast around her is huge (another reason to read the books in order so you know who is who and how they connect to the main storyline), full of fantastic characters with their own well-defined skills and personalities. A lot of the humor in the stories comes from these relationships and the history between the characters, so the better the reader knows the characters, the more fun he/she has with the story.

This particular book is a celebration for long-term fans because some of the long-running plot lines seem to come to a satisfying conclusion. , Readers won’t know for sure, though, which enemies and plans are still in play until we see what happens in the next books in the series. Book 15, Alien Education, releases May 2, 2017 (release dates subject to change).

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Trouble Makes a Comeback by Stephanie Tromly

Summary


Digby returns! Zoe and Digby are back in this sequel to Trouble Is a Friend of Mine (5 ♥ – great book!). In the months since Digby left, Zoe has made some “normal” friends and started dating a football player. She’s determined to ace the SAT so she can secure a good “future.” And she’s completely left the adventures of first semester behind her! Sort of….

Then Digby returns. And where Digby is, chaos follows. Body guards, explosions, secrets and lies. Zoe will have to decide which life she wants – her new “normal” one or the Digby one.

Digby returns

Review


loved the first book in this series. In fact, I re-read it before reading this so the story and the relationships were fresh in my mind. The first book is fun, smart and fresh – magic. This one didn’t quite hit the same level for me. The main characters are still terrific. And I had to know what happens next, so I’m glad I read this. But instead of focusing on the overarching mystery of the series (Digby’s missing sister), this book spent most of the time on the “normal” vs. “Digby” dilemma and a mystery that is central to this story. A good mystery, but not the mystery I was expecting when I started reading.

The ending is a major cliffhanger for the overarching mystery. So book 3 is a must read for me.

If you haven’t read the first book, I highly recommend it. If you loved book one like I did, go into book two expecting the dynamics to be different and for this story to have a split focus and I think you will enjoy it.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Gallagher Girls Series by Ally Carter

Summary


The Gallagher Academy looks like just another boarding school for pampered princesses, but behind the walls, the girls are training to be spies. Cammie, Bex, Liza and Macey may seem like normal teenage girls, but they are trained for covert ops, breaking codes and sneaking in and out without a trace. They may just be students at the start of the series, but the missions and danger becomes more personal as the series comes to a conclusion.

Gallagher Girls, Book 1
Gallagher Girls Series, Book 1

Review


I decided to review this as a series because it’s been out for awhile. The series has received updated covers (pictured here) for the 10th anniversary.  You can see the covers for books 2-6 at the bottom of this post.  I read all 6 books (plus three short stories) in just under a week; I had to know how it all worked out!

The first book hooked me with how often it made me laugh out loud. I fell in love with the characters, especially the four core girls. Their relationships have realistic ups and downs, but in the end they will always have the others’ backs. The later books grabbed me as the mystery amped up with twists, turns and tension. This is the kind of series where you start to question every character – is this a good guy or a bad guy?

This is a great bridge series for kids who are still enjoying middle grade books but also are ready to stretch into teen material. There’s no language and the romance is limited to crushes and kissing. This is often labeled “clean teen” or “clean YA.” The story is strong and the characters are fantastic. If there were more books in this series, I would read them immediately!

Rating:  ♥♥♥♥

 

Gallagher Girls Series, Books 2-6

 

REVIEW: Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty

Summary


Looking for a book about creative kids? Ada Twist is an immensely curious child. Her family is not quite sure what to do with her curiosity and endless questions. If they can’t come up with a plan, soon, who knows what Ada might get into – or what might happen to the cat?!

Curiosity Books - Ada Twist, Scientist

Review


This book is dynamite! It is a celebration of curiosity and science as the means to find answers to our questions. Ada’s family is fantastic. I love how they grow alongside Ada, starting out worried and angry about the things she gets into. Then they start looking for ways to honor who she is and help her grow into her curiosity and her gifts.  The illustrations are beautiful and include lots of cool details to explore.

Rating:  ♥♥♥♥♥

There are two other books in the series that are also great!

Iggy Peck Architect Rosie Revere, Engineer