Cool Summer Read #12:

Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
 
"The Alchemyst" and "The Magician" by Michael Scott (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, ISBNs 9780385736008 and 9780385733588, $8.99 and $16.99, for ages 12 and up)
 
Irish author Michael Scott writes exciting, magic-filled fantasy stories that are a great choice for readers who like a good series like the Percy Jackson, Artemis Fowl, or Fablehaven books.
 
Twins Josh and Sophie Newman are enjoying their summer vacation until the bookshop where Josh works is robbed by stone-faced Golems, magical clay men brought to life by the hidden science of alchemy. The robbers' prize is an ancient book called the Codex, which contains the secret recipe for eternal life and valuable instructions for turning cheap metal into gold.
 
The bookstore's owners, Nicholas and Perenelle Fleming, have used and protected this one-of-a-kind book for centuries, but the enemy behind its theft, the nefarious Dr. John Dee, plans to use the Codex's powers for evil. Sophie and Josh find themselves pressed into service to find the stolen treasure, and quickly, because without its special formulas, the immortal Flemings are aging one year for every day that passes. Their time is running out.
 
As foretold by prophecy, the twins are the only ones with a chance of stopping Dee and his dark allies. With the Fleming's expert help, and a few pages torn from the Codex, they begin to unlock their own inborn special abilities: they can control the winds, travel through mirrors, and hear echoes of the deep past (though Sophie is *a lot* better at all this than Josh is) and much more. With confidence and luck, they might just be able to save the world and rescue their rapidly aging friends!
 
Review by Mark David Bradshaw, July 24, 2008

 

 

Cool Summer Read #11: Kiki Strike
 
"Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City" and "Kiki Strike: The Empress's Tomb" by Kirsten Miller (Bloomsbury USA Children's Books, 9781599900926 and 9781599900476, $7.95 and $16.95, for ages 9 and older)
 
The Kiki Strike books are a smart, exciting blend of Nancy Drew and Indiana Jones, and they star a crack team of six fearless, talented girls with expert skills in chemistry, kung-fu, computer-hacking, and disguise. The girls call themselves the Bank Street Irregulars, and together they explore secret sunken cities, seek out fabled lost treasures, and solve New York City's most puzzling mysteries.
 
The stories begin when Ananka Fishbein sees a sinkhole open up near her parents' New York City apartment. Ananka pokes inside and discovers that New York rests atop a hidden shadow city of twisting passageways and forgotten rooms. She also soon meets Kiki Strike, a pale, mysterious girl who seems to know much, much more than Ananka does about this forgotten underworld. Ananka and Kiki gather allies and set about investigating the shadow city and the unknown enemies hiding there and planning to attack the city above.
 
Each chapter of thrilling adventure is capped with Ananka's training tips for all aspiring sleuths: She instructs readers on how to detect a lie, on what essential equipment one must always carry (duct tape and bubble gum for starters), and most important, on how to disappear and always seem innocent in public (after all, no one expects a girl to be knee-deep in mystery and danger).
 
Kiki Strike is perfect for fans of the "Mysterious Benedict Society" or of Ally Carter's spy-school stories "I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You" and "Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy." They offer adventure, suspense, bravery and smarts, and their stand-out characters will become a young reader's favorites.
 
Review by Mark David Bradshaw, July 17, 2008
 
P.S. Check out the Kiki Strike Web Site. It's spooky and very cool: http://www.kikistrike.com/

 

Cool Summer Read #10: Artemis Fowl
 
"Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox" by Eoin Colfer (Hyperion Books for Children, 9781423108368, $17.99, for ages 9 and older)
 
The hilarious, bestselling Artemis Fowl series mixes James Bond-style gadgets with magic, espionage, and fantasy to relate the adventures and exploits of young Artemis Fowl II, a child prodigy and criminal mastermind bent on rebuilding his family's lost fortune. Chasing that goal, Artemis and his able assistants--loyal bodyguards and butlers--swindle gold from fairies, outwit Russian crime rings, and save secret worlds from total destruction.
 
In the brand-new sixth book, "The Time Paradox," Artemis finds a cure for his ailing mother's deadly disease: it's a special chemical found only in the brains of extinct African lemurs, and Artemis himself was responsible for wiping the species out. To have any hope of saving his mom and righting his wrongs, Artemis must seek the help of fairy allies who hold the secret of time travel. But surly fairies won't be his only adversaries: if he travels back in time, Artemis will also face his wiliest, craftiest, most conniving opponent ever--his own younger self!
 
If you're new to this smart, fantastic series, start with the first book, "Artemis Fowl," or with "Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel," which tells the same story in a comic-book form perfect for younger or reluctant readers. The super-spy action, goofy comedy, and very cool gadgets are guaranteed to hold readers' full attention.
 
Review by Mark David Bradshaw, July 10, 2008
 
P.S. "Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox" will be released TUESDAY, JULY 15. Pre-order now and get a bookplate signed by the author. Just call (316) 682-1181.
 
SUPER P.S. And as a special treat, come to Watermark next Tuesday, July 15, at 7:00 p.m. for an exclusive live broadcast by Artemis Fowl author Eoin Colfer. He'll perform his one-man comedy show and reveal secrets and inspirations behind the writing of his internationally popular series. Bring the whole family for dinner and the show!

 

Cool Summer Read #9: Quantum Prophecy

Super heroes & sci-fi action

 

"Quantum Prophecy 01: The Awakening" and "Quantum Prophecy 02: The Gathering" by Michael Carroll (Puffin & Philomel, 9780142411797 and 9780399247262, $7.99 and $16.99, for ages 9 and older)
 
Fans of Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider books, NBC's "Heroes," or James Patterson's Maximum Ride series will get a kick out of the action-filled Quantum Prophecy books by Irish writer Michael Carroll. They contain as much excitement, suspense, and heroism as any blockbuster this summer.
 
The first book, "Quantum Prophecy: The Awakening," shows us a world where kids study super heroes in school, where every year they celebrate Mystery Day to remember the day ten years earlier when all of the Earth's super-humans disappeared in a giant, world-threatening battle. No one knows what happened to those special, heroic men and women, and no one ever again expects to see anyone with such awesome powers--but a few young kids continue to hope.
 
When Colin's friend Danny begins moving at lightning speed and Colin discovers that he can bend steel and hear for miles, he realizes that the time for heroes has come again. The world's superheroes were never really missing: they were in hiding, powerless, but they passed their abilities on to their children, and his and Danny's parents were among the most powerful ever. Together with their new friend Renata--the youngest survivor of the earlier age of heroes--the two boys must protect their families, foil the plots of a new wave of super-villains, and work to stop a disastrous prophecy that predicts that one of them will become the worst villain the world has ever known.
 
In the brand-new second book, "Quantum Prophecy: The Gathering," Colin, Danny, and Renata's continue fighting crime while facing a tricky new challenge: someone has leaked their secret identities to the world, putting their families in danger and putting the three young heroes on the run. They're not sure who they can trust, but they know that it will take all their powers and skill to make it through.
 
These books are fun, quick-paced adventures that will appeal even to reluctant readers. Begin with "Quantum Prophecy: The Awakening" then continue with book two, "The Gathering."
 
Review by Mark David Bradshaw, July 3, 2008

 

Cool Summer Read #8: Blue Bloods

Another great series for "Twilight" fans!

“Blue Bloods” and “Masquerade” by Melissa de la Cruz (Hyperion, 9781423101260 and 9781423101277, $8.99 each, for ages 14 and older)
 
This series is a beach read with fangs. In New York City, the teenage children of the rich and the powerful are beautiful, glamorous, and maybe just a bit *too* perfect. Schuyler Van Alen was born into this world, but she doesn’t fit there, and now that she’s turned fifteen, everything is going strange around her. She’s been invited to join the most prestigious--and secret--charity group in the city, the New York Blood Bank Committee, and once inside, she learns the twisted truth: it’s made up of vampires, and she *is* one of them.
 
The Blue Bloods, as they call themselves, have odd and incredible abilities, and they’ve moved behind the scenes for centuries. As the first book unfolds, Schuyler has to navigate their chic and glitzy world, trying to decide whether she can still have a red-blooded human best friend, and attempting to learn the truth about her mysterious family tree (which seems to have had most of its branches lopped off). Most important of all, she has to choose who to trust and who to fear when other young Blue Bloods begin to turn up drained and, surprisingly, dead.
 
In book two, “Masquerade,” Schuyler sets off to Italy intent on tracking down a long-lost relative who might be the only person able to shed light on the Blue Blood’s shadowy mortal enemies. She looks for answers in the streets and canals of Venice while back in Manhattan, the Blue Bloods are preparing for their crowning annual event, the ultra-exclusive Four Hundred Ball. It will be a night that no one, assuming they survive it, will ever forget.
 
This is a fun, fashion-conscious series that mixes Gossip Girl and The Clique with the supernatural suspense of "Twilight" and "City of Bones." It's Gothic chick lit, perfect reading for sunny summer days and stormy summer nights. This series contains depictions of underage drinking (blood and alcohol, in fact) and is recommended for teenaged and older readers.

Review by Mark David Bradshaw, June 26, 2008

 

P.S. Book three in the Blue Bloods series, “Revelations,” will be released just before Halloween. If you crave it, you can pre-order now.

 

Cool Summer Read #7: Eoin Colfer's Airman

From the author of Artemis Fowl

"Airman" by Eoin Colfer (Hyperion, 9781423107507, $17.99, for ages 9 and older)
 
Eoin Colfer is best known for his hilarious Artemis Fowl novels, which follow a young criminal mastermind who bubbles over with devious plots and gadgets. Colfer has also written "Airman," an awesome new adventure book set in the 1800s on a scrap of a wild island off the coast of Ireland; it's the home of rich diamond mines, fearless sharpshooters, and a young boy meant for the skies.
 
Conor Broekhart was born to fly--or rather, born flying--while his parents sailed above Paris in an experimental balloon airship. When the ship was shot down, his folks (a dashing father and a brilliant scientist mother) managed a death-defying landing atop the crown of the newly made and not-yet-assembled Statue of Liberty. From that exciting beginning, Conor goes on to join the great race to construct the world's first true flying machines, all while helping to protect his home islands from the threat of wily diamond-stealing villains.
 
"Airman" mixes history with science fiction and pure, joyous, edge-of-your-seat adventure. It's filled with bold characters, like clever Conor and his brave best friend Princess Isabella, and it delivers a boatload of daring rescues, wicked betrayals, and hairs-breadth escapes. Colfer writes a rousing, out-sized story that will captivate readers devoted to Artemis Fowl, to the "Eragon" books, or to Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series. It's a perfect summer read.
 
Review by Mark David Bradshaw, June 19, 2008
 
P.S. Eoin Colfer's new Artemis Fowl novel comes out Tuesday, July 15. Watermark will mark the occasion by hosting a live showing of Colfer's one-man show at 6:00 p.m. Plan to come for the fun. (We're now taking pre-orders for "Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox." Don't wait!)

 

Cool Summer Read #6: Wicked Lovely

More great reads for "Twilight" fans!

"Wicked Lovely" and "Ink Exchange" by Melissa Marr (HarperTeen, ISBN 9780061214677 and ISBN 9780061214684, $8.99 and $16.99, for older teens & adults)
 
Melissa Marr creates a world of faery magic and teen romance that immediately appeals to fans of Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" and Cassandra Clare's "City of Bones." Each of her novels focuses on a strong young heroine who's pulled into the battles and intrigues of dangerous faery courts that exist right alongside our modern world of cell phones and skyscrapers.
 
In "Wicked Lovely," Ash is able to see the goblins, sprites, and small everyday faeries that run invisibly through her hometown. It's a gift and a curse that becomes almost unbearable when a new boy enters her school. Ash can peer right through his illusion to see his true face: the face of a Faery King. This newcomer, Keenan, is convinced that Ash is destined to rule beside him as his Summer Queen, but Ash already has Seth, her best friend and almost-boyfriend, and she knows that faery lords are fickle and not to be trusted. But when Keenan's mother, the deadly Winter Queen, decides to destroy Ash and Keenan both, her malice pushes everyone involved to make difficult, irrevocable decisions that will change the faery world forever.
 
Marr's new novel, "Ink Exchange," goes deeper into faery struggles alongside Leslie, a girl whose desire to ignore problems at home leads her to focus on a mysterious new tattoo that gives her a curious link to Irial, the King of the Dark Court faeries. While Irial claims to love Leslie, he also uses their link to siphon negative emotions from the human world to feed his many creepy minions. Caught between Irial and Niall, a faery who wants to protect her and to thwart the Dark Court, Leslie must choose her own path and decide for herself how best to face the darkness in her life.
 
These are gripping, delicate stories of hot emotion and cold steel that will delight eager readers of dark urban fantasy. Both books include brief mentions of underage alcohol use, and "Ink Exchange" depicts illegal drug use as all, making them best suited to older teens and adults.
 
Review by Mark David Bradshaw, June 12, 2008

 

Cool Summer Read #5: Fablehaven Great for "Percy Jackson" readers

“Fablehaven: The Grip of the Shadow Plague” by Brandon Mull (Shadow Mountain, 9781590388983, $18.95, for ages 9 and older)
 
Readers of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson should investigate the mysterious reports from the Fablehaven Fantasy Preserve, a hidden sanctuary for mythical creatures tucked away in the deep woods of modern America. In the first Fablehaven adventure, sister and brother Kendra and Seth Sorenson discover that their reclusive grandparents are the secret caretakers of this magical preserve and all the fairies, nymphs, elves, and dragons that live within its boundaries. It’s a whole new world for the two to explore!
 
In this brand-new third adventure, the magical inhabitants of Fablehaven are going dark and becoming more dangerous than ever before. They’ve been infected with a Shadow Plague that turns their mischief to evil and threatens to destroy the preserve’s careful balance forever. Wise, quick-thinking Kendra and brave, fast-talking Seth must act swiftly and use all their hard-won knowledge of magic in order to cure their friends and help their Grandpa keep the great dream of Fablehaven alive.
 
Author Brandon Mull was a big hit at last fall’s Kansas Book Festival, and his Fablehaven books have been attracting a growing legion of fans. Mull builds a clever, fascinating world of hidden parks, secret caretakers, and magical creatures that young readers (and their parents!) will love exploring. With its spirit of adventure and exploration, Fablehaven is perfect summer-vacation reading!
 
New readers should begin with the first two books, “Fablehaven” and “Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star,” then follow Leah and Seth’s continuing adventures in the brand-new “Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague.”
 
Review by Mark David Bradshaw, June 5, 2008

 

Cool Summer Read #4:

The Mortal Instruments series

Perfect picks for "Twilight" fans

“City of Bones" and "City of Ashes” by Cassandra Clare (Margaret K. McElderry, 9781416914280 and 9781416914297, $9.99 and $17.99, ages 14 and older)
 
Need a great way to soften cravings for the next “Twilight” book? Just sink your teeth into Cassandra Clare’s “Mortal Instruments” series, which mixes teen romance with suspenseful urban fantasy. When city girl Clary Fray witnesses a supernatural murder in a Manhattan club, she suddenly discovers she has the power to see magical creatures--werewolves, faeries, vampires, more--and she’s quickly pulled into a secret battle between the monsters and those who hunt them.
 
In this new second book, “City of Ashes,” Clary has to balance her allegiances between her regular-world best friend (Simon) and her fellow monster-hunter (the dangerous Jace)--all while tracking down the mysterious power that’s preying on the magical children of New York City. Clary also has to answer for herself two pressing life-and-death questions: why did her mother flee from magic so many years ago, keeping her past a secret from Clary, and whose side should her daughter be fighting on now?
 
Join Clary as she flirts with danger (and with dangerous flirters), uncovers huge revelations about her family roots, and grows into her role as a Shadowhunter who protects both the magical and non-magical worlds from evil. It’s breathless fun. Loyal “Twilight” readers are flocking to this series, and one of Watermark’s teen readers confessed that not only could she not bear to put this new book down, she happily read it through twice!
 
A new reader should begin with the first book, “City of Bones.” After that, she’ll be on the hunt for the new “City of Ashes.”
 
Review by Mark David Bradshaw, May 29, 2008
 
P.S. The paperback of Stephenie Meyer’s second book, “New Moon,” comes out June 10, and the new fourth book, “Breaking Dawn,” is due out August 2. Call us now at (316) 682-1181 to pre-order either, and mark your calendar for Watermark’s August 1 release party.

 

Cool Summer Read #3:

The Atherton saga
 
“Atherton: Rivers of Fire” by Patrick Carman (Little, Brown Young Readers, 9780316166720, $16.99, ages 9 and up)
 
The “Atherton” series is a perfect pick for readers who are eagerly awaiting “Brisingr,” Christopher Paolini’s “Eragon” sequel, or who’ve already devoured Rick Riordan’s “Battle of the Labyrinth,” the newest book in the “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series. It more than matches both those sagas in building a big, fantastic world and using it to tell an edge-of-the-seat adventure story.
 
Atherton is a floating clockwork island, a grand experiment constructed by a seemingly mad scientist for an unknown purpose. Edgar is a plucky young boy who believes he can discover the secrets of Atherton by climbing the island’s treacherous cliffs and finding someone who can read to him the mysterious book left by his missing father. Edgar is brave and quick, but Atherton is quicker: even as the boy begins his journey upward, the island is busy falling down, collapsing into itself, and Edgar is the only one with even a hope of finding out why.
 
In this new second book, “Atherton: Rivers of Fire,” Edgar and his friends Isabel and Samuel defend the island’s people from strange creatures called “Cleaners,” which act like Atherton’s immune system and relentlessly attack anything alive. Edgar also takes up the quest to find the mysterious Dr. Harding, who made Atherton in the first place and who delivered all its inhabitants there by unknown means. It’s a smart, engrossing fantasy adventure with a grand, thrilling conclusion in which all of Atherton’s secrets and surprises are finally revealed.
 
New readers should start with the excellent build-up of the first book, “Atherton: The House of Power,” then return for the big finale of “Atherton: Rivers of Fire.”
 
Review by Mark David Bradshaw, May 22, 2008
 
P.S. Pre-order your copy of Christopher Paolini’s “Brisingr” in the bookstore now, and you’ll be at the head of the pack come September. Call (316) 682-1181.

 

Cool Summer Read #2:

The Pain & the Great One chapter books

“Cool Zone with the Pain & the Great One” by Judy Blume (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 9780385733069, $12.99, 128 pages, for ages 6 to 10)
 
The Pain’s real name is Jake, and he’s a first-grader. The Great One is his sister Abigail, who’s in the third grade. Together they star in Judy Blume’s newest chapter book, which tells short stories about their many adventures at school. The book is laugh-out-loud funny, and Blume perfectly captures the friendship and rivalry between two affectionate, but competitive, siblings.
 
When Jake loses a tooth at the school bus-stop, the Great One promises to keep it safe for him all day long--for a cut of his tooth-fairy money, of course. When a bully steals Jake’s new magnifying glass, Abigail again flies to his rescue like Superman’s sister. (“Does Superman have a sister?” the Great One asked. “I don’t know,” Jake told her. “But he should.”) And it’s the Great One who steps in on show-and-tell day when an out-of-control dog makes off with Bruno, Jake’s favorite stuffed elephant. (It was quite a surprise because, as Jake says, “Elephants have no natural predators.”)
 
For his part, the Pain is the only person who remembers to use the Great One’s new name after she decides to trade in tired old “Abigail” for fresh, snazzy “Violet Rose” (“the girl with two flower names”). In fact, he continues to use her new moniker even long, long after she gives up on it herself. (He really can be a pain sometimes.)
 
The “Pain & the Great One” stories are stand-out chapter books, perfect for fans of Clementine or Junie B Jones. Start with this book or the earlier “Soupy Saturdays with the Pain & the Great One” and look for a third volume to follow in August.
 

Review by Mark David Bradshaw, May 14, 2008

 

Back to Reviews

Cool Summer Read #1:

Percy Jackson & the Olympians

"The Battle of the Labyrinth: Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 4" by Rick Riordan (Hyperion, 9781423101468, $17.99, for ages 9 and older)
 
Packed with action and magic, the "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" series follows a group of modern-day kids as they battle mythical monsters and embark on legendary quests. Each summer, Percy goes to a secret summer camp to learn to be a hero, just like the heroes of Greek myth, and it's now up to him to save the world from an approaching clash of titans--the original Titans!
 
In this newly released fourth book, Percy and his stalwart friends must defend their hidden campground from an invasion, then navigate the twisting underground maze of the Labyrinth. Of course, where there's a Labyrinth, there's bound to be a Minotaur, but Percy, Annabeth, Rachel, and Grover have more savvy and more magical weapons than ever before.
 
Riordan got his start as a thriller writer, and this series is filled with exciting adventure, action-movie-style humor, and lots of clever details from Greek mythology. Young readers will love the quick pace and the thrills, and along the way, they'll learn all about Zeus and Mount Olympus, Medusa the Gorgon, the Pegasus, and more. These books are especially appealing to younger fans of Harry Potter because they're all about youngsters who attend a special school and discover that there's a secret magical world alongside our own.
 
With four books already available, this series will give an avid reader a lot to enjoy. New readers should begin with book one, "The Lightning Thief" and go from there. Once they start, they'll want to read them all--and probably a good collection of Greek myths, too.

Review by Mark David Bradshaw, May 8, 2008