Alphabet of Dreams

By: Susan Fletcher

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Pages: 304

Published: 2006

Told in: First Person

In a nutshell:

Mitra and her young brother, Babak, are Persian nobility in hiding. Mitra dreams of finding their family in Palmyra, while Babak dreams for whoever’s item of clothing he sleeps with. With this strange ability and the king’s men after them, Mitra and Babak find themselves with three wise Magi who depend on Babak’s dreams of stars to lead them to a new born king in Bethlehem.

What you may enjoy:

This is a great perspective of the Christmas story without the book being about Christmas. The book has a historical fiction feel to it that keeps it from being religious. And if you like determined female characters disguised as a boy, this book is for you. It’s a creative take on the wise men that moves steadily along.

What you may NOT enjoy:

Mitra is not a very likable character. She doesn’t make rational decisions and is a bit whiny. The story is aimed at young girls, somewhat predictable, and at times a little slow. If you’re looking for a stunning, take your breath away kind of read, this is not it. For most, this book falls in the average to mildly enjoyable category.  

Warnings:

Violence and Disturbing Images:

Girl is drugged; boy convulses; boy falls and splits chin open; boy torture, implied and mentioned; family massacred, implied and mentioned; girl slapped; girl nearly stabbed; men fight with knives, non-graphic; babies killed, mentioned and mildly graphic.

Sex and Nudity:

Girl mentions physical attraction; girl begins her menstrual cycle

Language and profanity:

G*d

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Christmas Jars

By: Jason F. Wright

Genre: Holiday, Inspirational Fiction

Pages: 128

Published: 2005

Told in: Third Person

In a nutshell:

Hope, a young journalist who hopes to make it big, comes across the perfect front page story when she is the recipient of an anonymous gift―a jar of change. Hope tracks down the family who started the tradition and grows connected with them as she learns just how special the Christmas Jar really is.

What you may enjoy:

This book will make you see the good in the world. It is a story meant to move, inspire, and humble you. It is a little story for the lovers of Christmas Hallmark movies. It is a happy story with your typical happy ending. The characters are generous and good, instilling a desire to know people like them.

What you may NOT enjoy:

The story is cheesy and underdeveloped. Don’t read this if you want to read something deep or realistic. The characters are two dimensional and the story is exaggerated. Some of the descriptions and details are disjointed or unnecessary.

Warnings:

Violence and Disturbing Images:

Man beats wife, mentioned several times; woman dies of cancer; man dies of a heart attack; woman is robbed.

Sex and Nudity:

None

Language and profanity:

None

The Reckoners Series: Steelheart, Firefight, and Calamity

By: Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Teen, Dystopian

Pages: 386, 416, 421

Published: 2013, 2015, 2016

Told in: First Person

Note: This critique is for the series as a whole; however, the warnings section is specific for Calamity. The warnings for Steelheart and Firefight would have a similar feel. You may request warnings for the two books in the comment section below.  

In a nutshell:

After Calamity appeared in the sky, ordinary people began gaining super powers. They were called Epics. But Epics are not the heroes, instead they seek for power and destruction, tearing the world apart. David has studied Epics most of his life and joins the Reckoners, a small group of people who are intent on taking down the worst of the Epics. But not is as it seems with Epics or with David’s new group of friends, and the more David learns the more questions he has.

What you may enjoy:

Do you like dystopian? Do you like super heroes? This series is Marvel meets dystopian. But a dystopian that ultimately ends WELL. There is hope for the future. The world built is fascinating and unique. There is action a plenty coupled with a light humor. And lots of plot twists. The characters are not all stereotypical and mesh well together.

What you may NOT enjoy:

The action and fighting may be too much for some people; there is a lot of gun talk. Some of the humor (David’s metaphors) can get old. If you’re a Sandersonite, this book is a whole different level. It’s not his normal stuff and if you expect it to be, you won’t like it. Also, there are some who complain that the series end is rushed and weak.

Warnings:

Violence and Disturbing Images:

Body parts in jars, mildly graphic; boy climbs in a case of body parts, non-graphic; robots blown up, non-graphic; boy shot in leg, non-graphic; people killed, mentioned; body disintegrates, non-graphic; girl burns herself multiple times, non-graphic; man orders people shot and killed; man threatens to kill hundreds of people; people fall from building getting injured and killed, mentioned; woman shot and killed, non-graphic; two men shot and killed, mentioned; people crushed by exploding debris, implied; woman shot and killed, mildly graphic; boy sprains ankle, mentioned; boy breaks both legs, non-graphic; girl sticks her arm in a fire, non-graphic; battle between a man and girl, mildly graphic; boy shot at multiple times, crowd of people shot at; bystanders killed, mentioned; woman crushed, graphic; man stabbed, mildly graphic; man’s arm cut off, non-graphic; battle between multiple people, non-graphic; boy beaten, graphic; man receives cuts and bruises, non-graphic

Sex and Nudity:

Boy and girl kiss, mentioned; boy and girl kiss passionately, mentioned; boy sticks tongue in a girls ear, mentioned

Language and profanity:

D*mn, H*ll, made up words replace profanity

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For Biddle's Sake

By: Gail Carson Levine

Genre: Children’s/Young Reader Fantasy

Pages: 104

Published: 2002

Told in: Third Person

In a nutshell:

Parsley is taken to live with the evil fairy, Bombina after her father is caught stealing parsley out of the fairy’s garden for her. Bombina’s specialty is turning things into toads. When she sees Parsley smiling at a young prince, Tansy, she grows jealous and decides to turn him into a toad, but instead the curse falls on Parsley. Now Parsley must discover how to become human again, while Tansy goes on several quests to earn the right to the throne.

What you may enjoy:

A light, fun read, this book is great for beginning readers. It’s not too long and has several pictures throughout it. It is silly and simple, a book that is not meant to be taken too seriously.

What you may NOT enjoy:

This book is predictable. It’s silly. Some things don’t connect or make logical sense. In some ways the story feels rushed and the characters are not fully developed.

Warnings:

Violence and Disturbing Images:

Several people turned into toads, mildly graphic and mentioned; toad thrown, non-graphic; boys wrestle, non-graphic; flea bites king, non-graphic.

Sex and Nudity:

Girl kisses a toad twice, non-graphic

Language and profanity:

None

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