Mark of the Thief Series by Jennifer A. Nielsen

SYNOPSIS:  Nic is a slave, in ancient Rome, forced to work in mines, choosing to undermine his taskmaster, all while trying to protect his sister.  His father died a cursed death when he was very young.  What he finds one day while mining changes him forever.  Was it luck that led him to the bulla, and the magic within, or was it more of his curse?

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  While I didn't enjoy this series as much as Jennifer Nielsen's The False Prince series, Nic is quite similar to Sage.  Fans of Sage will probably enjoy this series as well.  There is plenty of excitement and danger, but I was missing some of the sly cleverness from The False Prince.  That being said, the series was entertaining, and I would recommend it to fans of Jennifer Nielsen's work.

AUDIENCE:  Teens

RATING:  PG with some violence.

STARS:  2 1/2

BOOKS LIKE THIS:  Alanna Series, Percy Jackson Series

100 Cupboards by N.D. Wilson

SYNOPSIS:  Henry is staying with his aunt and uncle when he makes a mind-blowing discovery.  There are cupboards hidden behind the wall in their house!  What he finds in the cupboards makes his heart race with excitement and fear.

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  I had a really hard time getting interested in this story.  The idea of a room full of cupboards which lead to other places was a little hard for me to digest.  In addition, the story was dark and a little gruesome in parts, so I would recommend it to pre-teens and older.

AUDIENCE:  Pre-teens, Teens

RATING:  PG with violence and disturbing imagery

STARS:  1 1/2

BOOKS LIKE THIS:  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Secret Garden

Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan

SYNOPSIS:  Stephen has never been seen by anyone.  So when the new girl in his apartment complex interacts with him, he's completely shocked.  As they get to know each other better, she becomes as intrigued by him as he is with her.  She knows that she will need to help break his curse.

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  This was an intriguing story.  The main character is likable, and even though the subject matter is quite unrealistic, it's told in a way to make it believable.  It was romantic, without too much sensuality, so I'd recommend it for teens and older.

AUDIENCE:  Teens and Young Adults

RATING:  PG13 for some sensuality and language

STARS:  3 1/2

BOOKS LIKE THIS:  Ella Enchanted, Goose Girl

PERSEFoNE Series by Michelle Gagnon

SYNOPSIS:  Noa Torson wakes up to find herself in a hospital bed, with a cruel scar across her chest.  She has no recollection of how she got there, and even worse are the side effects of whatever has been done to her:  her eating and sleeping habits have gone completely haywire.  She uses her hacking skills and the community at her disposal to try to find out what is going on, before it is too late.

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  This is an exciting and fast-paced trilogy.  However, I sometimes felt that it was dragging along, with pitfalls and speed bumps that seemed somewhat unrealistic and detracted from the flow of the plot.  However, it would be a fun read for teens looking for something exciting and action-packed.

AUDIENCE:  Young Adults and Teens

RATING:  PG13 for sensuality, violence, and language

STARS:  3

BOOKS LIKE THIS:  The Adoration of Jenna Fox, Wither

The Heir Series by Kiera Cass

SYNOPSIS:  In this continuation on The Selection series, America's daughter Eadlyn has grown up in the unrest resulting from the elimination of the castes.  Although she has spent most of her life ignoring the problems of her people, as the future queen, she must now face them.  She has been advised to do a selection of her own, and she grudgingly agrees, fully intending to eliminate the participants quickly.  However, she soon finds out that the selection might have more to offer than simply a distraction for her people.

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  Although I did like The Selection series, I was growing irritated with America by the end of the series.  Eadlyn seems to have inherited all of her mother's most irritating qualities, and it was very hard to like her as the protagonist.  However, for fans of the series, these novels stay pretty true to the style and storyline.

RATING:  PG13 for mild sensuality, some violence, and adult topics.

STARS: 2

BOOKS LIKE THIS:  Princess Diaries, The False Princess

SYNOPSIS:  Eadlyn's problems have only gotten more serious since her mother's health problems began.  Now she is convinced she must do more than simply provide a distraction for her people.  She believes she needs to end the unrest once and for all.

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  Although Eadlyn has become less of a spoiled brat since the second book, she still doesn't seem to be a robust and complicated character to me.  I think the sequel improved on the first book, but still fell short of the mark.

Chomp by Carl Hiaasen

SYNOPSIS:  Wahoo Cray is the son of an animal wrangler.  He's always been more or less proud of his dad and his unique skill set.  However, since his dad's accident, things have been hard for their family.  When they get offered a substantial sum of money to provide animals special effects for a television program, they're not in a position to refuse.  When the star of the show proves to be more unruly than the animals, however, things start to get even more tricky.

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  I think this book would be fun and exciting for pre-teen readers.  There is plenty of action and suspense, but it is all age-appropriate.  There's also a healthy dose of drama, however, so I'd save it for pre-teen readers and above, and choose another book for story time.

AUDIENCE:  Pre-teens and Teens

STARS:  3 1/2

BOOKS LIKE THIS:  Death Cloud, Artemis Fowl

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

SYNOPSIS:  Claudia's father is the warden of Incarceron, a vast prison which is a world unto itself.  Finn knows nothing except the prison, and wants to escape to the stars which seem more like a vision than a memory to him.  When they find they can communicate, they will stop at nothing to get Finn out.

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  This was a dark but exciting story, and I found it quite entertaining.  Although their was a bit of violence and dark imagery, I feel it was appropriate for teenagers.  I would recommend it to those who enjoy dark adventure stories.

AUDIENCE:  Teens

RATING:  PG13 for dark imagery and Violence

STARS:  3

BOOKS LIKE THIS:  Leviathan, Cinder Series