Charlie's parents are kidnapped, and Charlie goes searching for them, traveling with a circus, and becoming the LionBoy for a lion act. But the lion tamer doesn't know that Charlie can talk to cats! Charlie and his lion friends decide to escape the circus and strike out on their own to find his parents.

What a fun book! Just a romping, rollicking adventure story with lots of layers to it. I read this book all in one day; it's an easy read and really captured my attention. The plot even surprised me a few times!

I love Charlie's character! His emotional ups and downs are perfectly timed to the pace of the plot, and give us a feel for his humanity, making him an interesting and endearing character.
I loved Charlie's parents right away too; such a quirky family with their own little language!
Even the villains are superbly written- creepy and petty and spiteful and sly. Just brilliant!

I was completely fascinated by the lions and all the circus people. I have never never heard a circus described in such an entrancing way. I felt like I was there, watching a real circus act. I actually laughed at the clowns... and I hate clowns! Especially reading about clowns... that's totally different from seeing them. Reading about clowns is not funny; it's just annoying. What kind of enchanting writing could actually make me laugh at clowns?!? I've been bewitched! haha!
I can see why the writing style (not the subject material) is compared to J.K. Rowling. It really sucks you into this other world and makes it real for you.

My only complaint about this book is that some of the plot developments are a bit too fantastical and coincidental to be believable. Granted, it's a book about a boy who speaks cat-language, but still... That made it a 4-star book for me, instead of the 5-stars I might have given it.

Can't wait to read the rest of this trilogy!

Update: Reading it for the second time is just as good! Loved it again!

Mega-Girl was a superhero in her teens, saving the world, until she discovered that the world is too big to really save in any permanent way. She wants to make a difference that really counts for something in the long run, so she quits doing the superhero thing and goes to college, to educate herself about the best way to help the world. Along the way, she connects with her arch-nemesis on a personal level, argues with her friends about her decision to quit, and finds it difficult to live a "normal" college life with her non-super friends and classmates. And when the supervillains start showing up again, will Mega-Girl make another appearance, or will plain Alison go back to class?

I enjoyed the philosophical and moral debates in this graphic novel/comic, especially since every character has a different view of the world, based on their own experiences, their super-abilities or lack thereof, and their own idealism of how the world should be. They are all such deep characters, with great backstories and internal struggles, good guys and villains alike. There's a real emotional connection there, and I love dynamic characters!

I liked that the plot keeps moving along with mysterious circumstances and underground intrigue. There's plenty of action and plot twists, both with superhero stuff and with Alison's personal life as well.

I did NOT like that there is some profanity in the book, which nearly ruined my enjoyment of it. It's not on every page, but it's often enough for me to feel uncomfortable reading, and I took off one star because of it. Could have been a 4 star book, but they had to use nasty language for no reason. Because of that, I'm not sure if I want to continue reading the rest of this webcomic, but I'm so invested in the characters by now, and I need those mysteries solved... I'll probably keep reading and just try to ignore the ugly words. C'est la vie.

I love maps at any time, and this atlas is full of amazing maps! It's got pictures and factoids and terrain and history, all with colorful lines and photos and interesting little details.
The first thing I did was turn to the page for my state, Georgia, and poured over the pages, finding my town, and looking for nearby national parks and monuments.

I like how the book is divided up by region- SouthEast, SouthWest, NorthEast, MidWest, etc... It makes it easy to find what you are looking for, and to see how states that border each other have a lot in common.

This book does a great job of packing a lot of information into each page without losing clarity or making the page feel jumbled. Because it's a paperback, it's lightweight and perfect for little backpacks.

Now I want to get the World Atlas too!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.

The mysteries of the Hunley submarine are finally being answered! But even more mysteries remain to be discovered in connection with this Civil War submarine wrecked outside of Charleston, South Carolina. Starting with the story of Lt. George Dixon and his miraculous survival at the Battle of Shiloh, and including the innovative vision of Horace Hunley, this book covers the history of the men who designed and commanded the H. L. Hunley "fish boat" until she sank in 1864.

This book is wonderfully written in a way that engages the reader, and keeps your interest through every chapter. I loved the colorful illustrations, photos, and diagrams in this book, which really brought the story to life. There are so many interesting little details about the history of the Hunley and how the shipwreck was found, brought up, and preserved. The writing is vivid and even witty at times. I found the whole thing fascinating!

I only wish there were more diagrams showing the inside of the Hunley and how she worked. I want to know about all the gears and levers and valves and stuff! This book left me hungry for even more information, so I guess I'll have to travel to Charleston and see the Hunley in a museum someday!

At the end of the book, there is additional information about the roles of conservators, archaeologists, and details about what they really do on a project like bringing up the Hunley and preserving the artifacts. It encourages the reader to make their own theories and discoveries if they want to pursue the same kind of research.

I liked that we don't just hear about the Hunley, but also see a snippet of Civil War history and how important the Hunley was to protecting a strategic seaport like Charleston. There were a lot of hopes put into the Hunley, and expectations that a working submarine would change the course of the war. I liked seeing how this one naval project fit into the larger picture of the Civil War.

I would recommend this book for readers ages 7-15. There is a lot of great information packed into this book, but it wouldn't go over the heads of little kids, and would still be interesting for teens and even adults to read. I loved it!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are influenced by anyone.

This book introduces the amazing abilities of various nocturnal animals with sharpened senses of smell, sight, and hearing, and also encourages readers to try out their own senses in the night. The illustrations are colorful and interesting, and each chapter gives practical advice about walking safely in the dark, how to find and observe nocturnal animals, and how to enhance your own 5 senses as you explore.

Each chapter focuses on one of the senses, showcasing an animal with a strong sense of sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste, and even awareness of the earth's magnetic field. I loved the focus on the science behind each of the senses, showing how the rods and cones in an owl's eyes are different from a human's eyes, explaining that frogs have a great sense of hearing because their entire body is like one big ear, and demonstrating the difference between the nose of a deer and the smaller nose of a human. There are clear diagrams and pictures that illustrate the science and biology of each animal's senses, and explain how that helps the animal to survive in the wild.

I love how the book is written almost like a story, describing the animals in their natural habitats, and revealing how they hunt, mate, and care for their young. There is a lot of information crowded into every page, but it is still fun and interesting to read, without feeling like a textbook.

I would recommend this book to readers ages 6-14. It would be so fun to read this as a family, and then take your kids out into the backyard to observe the night and listen for frog songs and try to hunt around as quietly as a fox. There are bunches of activities and night-time games included in the book that would be amusing for kids of any age.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

I really enjoyed this final book in the Lionboy Trilogy! Charlie is finally reunited with his parents, only to be snatched away again, kidnapped and taken to a secret Corporacy base. The lions are tracking him down, along with Charlie's parents. All his friends are coming to the rescue, but will they find Charlie before it's too late? And what about the evil Rafi, who has been a thorn in Charlie's side since the beginning? Is Rafi really as evil and corrupt as he seems, or is he just a lost soul who doesn't know any better? Charlie's friendship with the cats and lions will help in his fight against the Corporacy, but will it be enough?

I really appreciated that all the characters in this book have two sides to them. No one is entirely good or entirely evil. The good guys make mistakes, and they act selfishly at times, but they always recognize their errors and make up for it. The bad guys are certainly evil, but they also have strangely good qualities. Maybe they are horrible to humans, but treat animals well. They connive and deceive, but at the end of the day, they just want a cup of tea. Sometimes it's an odd mixture, but it keeps things interesting!

I was laughing at all the ridiculous and wild plot twists and strange animals and weird people! Sometimes the coincidences are entirely unbelievable, but in a world where a boy can speak cat-language, it somehow works.

Wonderful book!

Caradoc, a ruler in Albion, is violent and power-hungry, determined to defend his beautiful land from the encroaching Romans. His twin sons, Jachin and Boaz, are victims of their father's abuse and rage.

This was very difficult to read because of the graphic violence and disgusting sexual abuse throughout. There's blood and entrails and gore and decapitated heads everywhere.
Scene 1: An 11 year-old boy is molested in a Roman bath-house, and then kills his drunken attacker. Scene 2: An innocent Hebrew merchant and his teenage daughter are unjustly thrown into prison, where the father dies, and the girl is sold into slavery as a concubine after being visually violated by soldiers.
Scene 3: After she is sold, she is horribly abused by her owner/husband, and her newborn twin sons are taken to Druids to be sacrificed in a bloody ritual.
And that is only the first 80 pages!

I'm shocked to find that this book is being recommended for ages 10-18!! I was disturbed reading it, and I'm 35 years old. I would only recommend this for older teens and adults.

I'm sure that all the violence is a realistic and accurate representation of the historic times in Rome and Britannia, but it's not pleasant to read about. Especially not in such graphic detail. I could understand if these issues were addressed in a more gentle way, since some of the incidents are important to the plot and maybe to the historical accuracy, but I was actually getting nauseated reading some of the repugnant details.

The writing is adequate, although there are way too many characters to keep track of, and 90% of them are related to each other. The chapters are quite short, some only 2 pages long, so that sometimes one scene of the story is split up into 3 chapters. That makes no sense to me. It breaks up the pacing of the story in weird places.

I really wanted to like this book. But the subject material is not something I can enjoy.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story told through the travel journals of twin brothers, Gannon and Wyatt, as they explore the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta in Botswana. When the brothers hear about a lioness with cubs who has been wounded by a poacher, they trek into the wilderness with a native guide to find the lioness and give her some medical attention before the poacher tracks her down to finish her off! Searching for the lioness, they encounter a plethora of wild animals, and learn how to survive in the wild.

I really liked that Gannon and Wyatt are both very different people. Wyatt is more scientifically-minded with an attention to detail, and Gannon is more socially adept with an ability to make friends with all kinds of people. Together they make a wonderful team, and I love to see how they support one another, and tease and annoy each other in true brotherly fashion.

I'm not usually a fan of the journal-style writing, but it works very well for this series. And I'm not usually a fan of changing POVs, but the twins different perspectives bounce off each other and keep the story moving along, so it works pretty well.

There is comedy, adventure, and suspense mixed in with interesting information about the country, the people, the food, the culture, until you almost feel that you have traveled to a new land along with the characters! I love learning about new places around the world, especially since the information is really true!

I recommend these books for readers aged 8-15, and for anyone who enjoys learning more about the world!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.

Twin brothers, Gannon and Wyatt, are invited to the Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia, Canada, to search for the "spirit bear", a rare albino bear said to be the Spirit of the Rainforest. But when their parents go missing, the brothers must trek into the wilderness alone to search for their parents and uncover a plot to destroy the delicate rainforest ecosystem. They face danger from the predators of the forest, wolves, black bears, and grizzlies, and it will take all their wilderness survival skills to make it out alive.

I loved this second book in the series! There is even more action in this one, and the plot really keeps you in suspense! The writing is in a journal style, as the two brothers write about their experiences and adventures.

I liked seeing how the brothers get annoyed with each other, but ultimately respect each other, and take care of one another with true brotherly love. They have some great character development through the story.

The rainforest is so vividly described, and there are a lot of interesting facts about the area and anecdotes from the natives and explorers. There's so much good information in this book, but it's woven into the exciting story so that you don't even realize you are learning! And I loved reading about the survival skills the twins learn, because the reader learns right along with them.

I would recommend these books for readers aged 7-15, but anyone interested in travel, exploration, and adventure would enjoy reading them!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.