Fledgling is a young adult fantasy novel about a mixed human elf. With the elf and the human nation at war Jaevid does not fit in with anyone except his mother. With her death, at twelve, Jaevid is shipped off to live with his human father. Yet the stars align, and through a series of events Jaevid becomes a Dragonrider.

This is the first book in a four book series. It is a lot of character introductions with some good action to keep the reader engaged. The plot is a pretty classic tale, yet it is done in a way that is engaging and makes you want to keep reading. It would be appropriate for late elementary school and up. As an adult I still enjoyed it immensely.

The writing starts off a little choppy. There are way to many extra commas and the word placement was weird. Do not be put off it does not last past the first chapter. The rest of the writing is beautiful. The characters are engaging and distinct. Each character has their own distinct voice and personality, although it is all highlighted through Jaevid's perception.

A Questionable Client is a short story in the Kate Daniels world. While not written first, it is the prequel to Kate's world narrating when Kate meets Saiman. Since Saiman is a major figure in the rest of the series this is an important story to have. The great thing is that you can read it for free off of Ilona Andrews webpage.

The story itself was a bit anticlimactic. The writing was fine. The characters were as good as in the books. The plot was just not as flushed out as I would have expected. I completely admit that this is due to all the hype of this meeting. It is mentioned in every (nearly every) book. I just expected more. Honestly, there was not all that much more then had been said in the books.

This is actually the only Kate Daniels short story that I did not add much to the world. Maybe it would have been different if it was written from Saiman's perspective?

Magic Strikes is the third book in the Kate Daniels series. I find the third book in the series is extremely important. It seems to be the point in a series when it is decided if things will end or continue on. If the series is continuing on then it is extremely important that the third book shows a lot of growth and reason for the reader to continue.

In my opinion the third book in the Kate Daniel series is better than the first two books. At this point most of the characters have been introduced. They are familiar, yet they are still mysterious. The relationships still feel new going into this book. By bringing everyone together in the Midnight Games the main characters become connected. It is a connection that you feel will last with them throughout the series.

This is the book where relationships truly begin, both love interests and family interests. Kate can no longer hide who she is.

The third book is really the book that tends to decide if you are committing to a series or bailing out. This book will make you commit. I would recommend you have the fourth book ready to start reading.

This is the first book written by Sandhya Menon. I loved her first book so much I had to come and check this book out - even though it is more YA. I have to admit that I am very over YA. Nothing is more annoying then a teenager who’s world is ending because they do not have a cell phone.

From Twinkle, with Love is about as YA as you can go. The main character, Twinkle, is obsessed with her social standing. She is insecure and trying to find herself. During the book she has drastic behavioral shifts, but her personality stayes grounded through the book. The book also has a very neat happy ever after feel to it as well. I live with three teenagers. This book was like adding a fourth teenager into my life.

I suppose it should tell you how talented Menon is that I loved this book. Her writing is beautiful and her characters are real. I may be annoyed by teenage drama - but that is because it felt like real teenage drama.

I really enjoy how Menon explores the identity of Twinkle. She is such a dynamic personality balancing her social status, her racial identity, her socioeconomic status, her gender, and her love of film making. All of these aspects are represented as a dynamic and interchanging personality. It really is genius. It is because the YA genre has such brilliant writers that I keep reading it - teenage drama and all.

When Dimple Met Rishi was everywhere. I heard so many good things about the book that I had to pick it up. I found it on sale and bought it and then it sat on my shelf for a few months. Thankfully I managed to actually pick it up and read this book.

Menon has a gift for creating such dynamic characters. The summer before heading off to college Dimples wants nothing more then to go to an elite coding course. She is overjoyed when her parents agree to pay for it. Although, she is less than thrilled when she finds out they agreed so that she would meet Rishi who just happens to be the boy she is arranged to be married to.

Dimple is caught between the world of her mother that is filled with makeup and marriage and her world of computer programming. This is a story about growing up and reevaluating your perceptions on life. It is done with exceptional writing and amazing story telling.

Wonder is a book that I have been meaning to read for a while. Then they made it to a movie and it bumped up a little higher on my list. Finally I remembered to place it on hold at the library and read it.

This is middle school fiction about August, a ten year old boy (does New York really start middle school in fifth grade??) who has a differently structured face. He sees himself as a typical ten year old. The world sees a monster. The story is told through several different view points. There is August, a few of his classmate friends, his older sister, her boyfriend and best friend.

On one hand I really enjoyed the different perspectives. While August sees himself as ordinary those around him see him as extraordinary. They give a different perception to the situation. I also really enjoy how it was pulled off. One perception flowed into another continuing on the story and adding something else to it.

On the other hand I really did not enjoy having different perspectives. Why could not August tell his own story? Why was his view point not enough? Why couldn't he come to see how others saw him. In the end did he really grow at all or just those around him? Also, why was Jacob (his sister's boyfriend) written in all lowercase with no punctuation. I mean, I know why it was. Jacob most likely had Turrets Syndrome. This was one way to represent this. However, no other character had their writing change. August was ten and as his texts shows his spelling was that of a typical ten year old. Yet his narration did not portray that. Was the author trying to say that Jacob thought that way? It did not seem a positive or constructive way to portray this differences. There could have been so many more positive ways to show this. For a book about acceptance this seems like a poor way to highlight someone else who is different.

The book itself is well written. The narration style was intriguing and in another book I think it would be fascinating. However, I am really not thrilled with how it was used to portray Jacob and limit August's own growth. It all comes to nothing when August's response to receiving a reward at school is it is just another award given to the kid with special needs. It seemed to short change everything that had happened in the book.