Three to Get Deadly

Three to Get Deadly is by Janet Evanovich. The third installment in the Stephanie Plum mystery series. Stephanie is out to bring in the beloved Uncle Mo, the candy store owner everyone in the "burg" thinks should be nominated for sainthood. But is Uncle Mo really so saintly? The body count starts rising and cars start exploding and Stephanie is her every so "Jersey Girl" self. Another great book in this series.

Ratings: 11th grade - 10 out of 10 - P (profanity) - V (violence) - AC (mature thematic content) - S (non-graphic sexuality).

Vampireville

Vampireville is by Ellen Schreiber. The third installment in the Vampire Kisses fantasy series. Raven and Alexander are back together. Can they save Trevor from Jagger and Luna who are trying to turn the soccer snob into a bloodsucker? This entry is as much fun as the other two. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Ratings: 7th grade - 9 out of 10.

King Solomon's Mines

King Solomon's Mines is by H. Rider Haggard. The story of Allan Quartermain famous African adventurer. If you've seen the movie, forget it. There are no women in this book. It is an adventure written for men by a man. Quartermain is bribed into taking a safari into unexplored Africa to locate a missing man who was looking for King Solomon's fabled diamond mines. The men face every deadly danger in Africa as they travel with the mysterious Umbopa who has a secret of his own. A must read classic work of historical fiction. 

Ratings: 8th grade - 10 out of 10.

And Then There Were None

And Then There Were None is by Agatha Christie. This fabulous mystery is also known as Ten Little Indians. It is one of my favorite mysteries by the goddess of mystery writers. Ten people with seemingly no connection are invited to an island by a mysterious host (Mr. U.N. Owen - unknown, get it). It turns out none of the guests even knows their host and then one by one they begin to die. Is the killer among them? Who is Mr. Unknown? Why is he killing them? Often considered one of the best mysteries ever written, be prepared for a surprise ending like none you have ever encountered. A fantastic read.

Ratings: 8th grade - 10 out of 10.

The Princess Academy

The Princess Academy is by Shannon Hale. 14-year-old Miri lives on Mount Eskel, a place a princess would never come from. One day it is announced that the prince will choose a bride from their village and all the young girls are taken from their homes for a year to attend the Princess Academy to learn the skills necessary to be a princess. Who will the prince choose? Does Miri really want to be princess? This is a charming realistic fiction story of families, relationships and the importance of home.

Ratings: 6th grade - 8 out of 10.

Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story

Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story is by Mary Downing Hahn. This is more a story of time travel than a ghost story. 12-year-old Andrew is dying of diphtheria when he falls through a hole in time and finds himself in 1990 instead of his own time 1910. He trades places with his great-great-nephew Drew, who happens to be his exact double. Will Andrew die? Will Drew ever return to his own time? This is a very enjoyable science fiction story of family and growing up.

Ratings: 6th grade - 8 out of 10.

Pharaoh's Daughter

Pharaoh's Daughter is by Julius Lester. This book is a retelling of the story of Moses from the point of view of his sister. It begins when Moses is found by Pharaoh's daughter and ends when he runs from Egypt after killing an Egyptian. The Egyptian scholarship in this book is stellar. You feel like you're actually there. Some Christians however, might find parts of this story disturbing. The writer is not writing from a Christian worldview, don't expect Charlton Heston and The Ten Commandments here. If this is not a problem for you, you will find this historical fiction enjoyable.

Ratings: 8th grade - 6 out of 10.