jbronderbookreviews

The Emerald Key by Mark Frederickson and Melora Pineda

Penny and Laci are headed for a mundane summer vacation until a mysterious journal unlocks a portal to another world and they find themselves face to face with a baby dragon.

In an attempt to send their new acquisition back to its home, the girls, along with two neighborhood friends, get sucked through to a mythical world. In this land, they must battle foes seen and unseen, pushing them to both their physical and mental limits. If they fail to stop the powers they’ve unleashed, it could not only destroy this strange world, but also annihilate their home.

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My Review

5 stars

It is the end of the school year and Penny is getting ready for her grandmother’s wedding. While searching for tablecloths in the attic, Penny and Laci find a journal, a ring and a jewel. They find that the journal leads them to another dimension, but this world is full of evil and those that want the journal and jewel. It is up to Penny and Laci to return the baby dragon to its mother and get themselves back home. But it seems their journal has been stolen.

Laci loves her books and can always be found with her nose in one. Penny is her polar opposite. Penny is not happy about her grandmother remarrying and doesn’t really like Roy or the pink dress she will be wearing. I loved how they find the baby dragon and get transported to another world.

This is a scary world where it’s hard to figure out who is going to help and who won’t. I loved the action, it was fast paced without skipping details. The description is wonderful and I felt myself right there with the kids.

This is a great story for mid-grade readers, teens and adults. I loved it and can’t wait for another story from Mark Frederickson and Melora Pineda.

I received The Emerald Key from eBooks for Review for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

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Death Thieves by Julie Wright

You’re dead, Summer Dawn Rae.

When Summer Rae is stolen from the moment of her own death and taken to a future where mankind is dying, it is with the hope that she, and other teenagers like her, can save it. But after only a short time in the future, Summer discovers a darker side to the altruistic reasons behind her abduction. She is determined to fulfill her purpose in a world gone literally mad, but can an ordinary girl save a whole world when she only cares about saving one person?

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Author’s Bio

Julie Wright (1972-still breathing) was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. She’s lived in LA, Boston, and the literal middle of nowhere (don’t ask). She wrote her first book when she was fifteen, and has since written nineteen novels–ten of which are traditionally published. Julie was nominated for the Whitney award for her novel Eyes Like Mine and won the Whitney award for best romance in 2010 with her novel Cross My Heart. She has been awarded the Crown Heart award for The Fortune Café. She is agented by Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger Inc.

She has one husband, three kids, one dog, and a varying amount of fish, frogs, and salamanders (depending on attrition).

She loves writing, reading, traveling, speaking at schools, hiking, playing with her kids, and watching her husband make dinner.

She used to speak fluent Swedish, but now speaks only well enough to cuss out her children in public settings.

She hates mayonnaise and the fickle comma.

Website

My Review

5 stars

Summer and her twin sister Winter are seventeen years old. Winter is the good twin with great goals and a hard working attitude. Summer is more mediocre and finds herself in trouble sneaking out with her boyfriend and such. One day Winter decides to cut class to have lunch with her boyfriend and finds herself facing a truck driving right for her. But then she is seeing the accident from a distance and a stranger name Tag is explaining that he can save her from the accident but he has to take her to the future. In the future, people are affected by a virus that leaves them sterile. Summer has the chance to be the savior for the human race.

I love how this story comes together. Summer loves her sister dearly and both have a history in foster care then with Theresa when she claims the girls. But Summer doesn’t really like rules. I love the interaction between her and Tag. He has his own baggage but cares for Summer. I loved the idea of a future where humans are sterile and the time traveling to save them.

This story did have a little bit of a lag but the paced picked up quickly. This is a great story. I cannot wait to read more from Julie Wright.

I received Death Thieves from eBooks for Review for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

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