Bet you thought I was gonna tell you something cool, like I went to Europe, or I met the Doctor and went to Raxacoricofallapatorius. (Yes, ...

Other Dimensions I've Traveled To This Week

Alexa Mintah

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Bet you thought I was gonna tell you something cool, like I went to Europe, or I met the Doctor and went to Raxacoricofallapatorius. (Yes, I had to look up how to spell that, though I can pronounce it). But nope! I'm just gonna tell you about the books I've read this week. Which, of course, are other dimensions in their own right.

First up, Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson.

Description is from Goodreads: A hero with an incredible talent...for breaking things. A life-or-death mission...to rescue a bag of sand. A fearsome threat from a powerful secret network...the evil Librarians.

Alcatraz Smedry doesn't seem destined for anything but disaster. On his 13th birthday he receives a bag of sand, which is quickly stolen by the cult of evil Librarians plotting to take over the world. The sand will give the Librarians the edge they need to achieve world domination. Alcatraz must stop them!...by infiltrating the local library, armed with nothing but eyeglasses and a talent for klutziness.

My review: 5 stars out of 5. This book was fun, hilarious, and action-packed. I loved the characters from the beginning; they were just so quirky and endearing. The Talents were hysterical, too, and I loved how Talents that seemed entirely useless ended up being crucial to the plot.

Plus, I think I have Sing's talent (he can trip and fall to the ground) but it never seems important whenever I trip and fall. But who knows? Maybe someday it’ll come in handy, and I’ll find out I’m a Smedry! Now wouldn't that be cool.

This was a great read for anybody who loves the sarcasm of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and the fun and adventure of Percy Jackson. I loved it!

Next, we have Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins.

Again, the description is from Goodreads: Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

My Review: 4.5 stars out of 5. Great book! Funny with a likable, though occasionally clueless, heroine. Plus, it was full of magic and mystery (two of my favorite things), and this book has the honor of being the first time I ever truly liked a vampire! It took me a couple of chapters to really get into it, but Hex Hall was definitely worth reading.

Third up, we have Love Thy Neighbor: The Tory Diary of Prudence Emerson by Ann Turner.

It's a Dear America book, and my description is coming from (where else?) Goodreads: In Greenmarsh, Massachusetts, in 1774, thirteen-year-old Prudence keeps a diary of the troubles she and her family face as Tories surrounded by American patriots at the start of the American Revolution.

My review: 5 stars out of 5. I really liked Prudence and her family. They were so sweet, and, though this is a historical novel, they felt real. Relatable. Plus Pru and her questions about the world kinda reminded me of me.

Another thing I really liked about this book is that Pru and her family are Loyalists or "Tories." It's extremely rare that you get to read anything about the Revolutionary War from their side, particularly if you live in America (which I do). As my Mom likes to say, "He who wins the war, writes the history books." Since the Americans won the war, they get to paint the Tories in whatever light they want. I'm not saying the Loyalists were saints or anything, but they were more than just a bunch of evil, rich people who didn't want to give up their money to fight against the king. They were real, everyday people, with real, everyday lives, hopes, dreams, fears, and family. This book went far deeper than most do when it comes to the Tories, and I really enjoyed reading about how life might've been for them back then.

And last but absolutely not least: Akiko in the Castle of Alia Rellapor by Mark Crilley!

Unlike the others, this is actually the last in a series, or at least the end of this particular adventure, so I'm not going to give a description or a review. However, I will say that even though it's technically for more elementary to middle-school aged kids, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading about Akiko, and would recommend the series to anyone interested in inter-galactic space travel - whether your 8, 18, or 80. Also 5 stars out of 5. So, yeah, I enjoyed it.

Well, that's right about it! As you can see I have a rather wide range of reading tastes. Particularly considering I’m currently reading a contemporary story about a teen father and next on my list is kind of a sci-fi thing about a ring that'll let you time-travel... Just can't put me in a box I guess ;)

For more book reviews, check me out on Goodreads. I'm Alexa Skrywer on there, too!

Hope you liked and see ya'll next week!

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