Book reviews

I've been busy reading, so I thought I would share a few book reviews here.

If Life Were Easy, It Wouldn't Be Hard by Shari L. Dew

For a brief little book, it packs a good-sized amount of stuff in here. I liked the anecdotes from her own life that she shared. I also liked the reminder that life is a test - but it's an open book test, and we are supposed to ask for the answers.

My favorite quote - "A change in behavior is not enough--we must have a change in nature." 4.5 stars

Dragon Spear by Jessica Day George

Creel is just about ready for her wedding day, when a relaxing trip to visit her dragon friends Shardas and Velika turns into a desperate attempt to help avert a dragon war. I loved reading more about dragon culture and the ending was great. What a fun series, and I love Creel.

Fablehaven 5: Keys to the Demon Prison by Brandon Mull

Seth and Kendra and their friends are ready to help them defend the world against the demon invasion. I don't want to give away too much, since this is just out and I'm sure that there will be a lot of people who haven't read it yet. In the last book, Seth and Kendra's parents were kidnapped by the Sphinx, and it was up to them to figure out how to get them back. They also needed to find a way to prevent the Demon Prison from opening. No spoilers, but let me say that they are not everything goes according to plan.

This is a great series, full of action. It's written for a little younger age than Harry Potter, but there are plenty of great themes in here. Mull is not afraid to put his characters through some tough things and not everyone survives. I loved the twist at the last book, and this one is also a very strong story. I may be a little generous in giving it 5 stars, but I was on the edge of my seat reading and shooed my kids away so I could finish the last two chapters in peace. Recommended for fantasy fans, and especially good for kids.

Happy reading!