Hatter Madigan - Ghost in the HATBOX

Kids, students, and life-long readers,

Frank Beddor has finally released another book in his series The Looking Glass Wars.  Now before we get into this book, I highly recommend you give the previous series a read as what I refer to it as Alice in Wonderland on steroids.  I have been longingly waiting for another book, and the graphic novels that followed Hatter just didn't do it for me.

This side-series follow our beloved character and assassin Hatter Madigan a.k.a the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland.  But now we have taken a trip back in time to learn the backstory and childhood of Hatter.  This book has a Harry Potter feel as Hatter is entering Wonderland's Millinery Academy to see if he has what it takes to make it as Spade, Club, Heart, or Diamond.  It will not be an easy road for Madigan. He struggles with finding the right friends that he can trust and will hold the same ideals. Can he live up to his brother Dalton's expectations while also trying to forge his path and not be stuck in his brother's footsteps.

But there is something amiss at the school as they are starting to mix technology and magic in the form of caterpillar string to form a new training ground - the HATBOX - but it is not as it appears. Can Hatter and his friends stop the evil plot before it is too late?

AUTHOR: Frank Beddor

GRADE: 6-8

GENRE: Fantasy

The Testing

Kids, students, and life-long readers,

Another dystopian, sci-fi, thriller hits the bookshelves with The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau.  The United States and much of the world has been decimated by the Seven-Year War and the use of atomic bombs.  Our main character Cia has been raised on an outskirts colony near the Great Lakes. Every year top level candidates from around the country are brought together to take part in the Testing, and only the strongest can make it through to attend the University to possibly become leaders of the Commonwealth.

Cia is excited as she is chosen to attend along with a life-long friend Tomas, but before she leaves, her father warns her that the Testing is not all that it seems and she should, "Trust no one!"  Cia meets many new characters as she tries to make her way through all four levels of testing, but not everyone will pass.  The last test is a journey through the destroyed section of the Midwest where there are no rules, and only the strongest will survive.  Throughout this book, Cia will continue to second guess and struggle with trust and betrayal.

There are many plot items quite similar to Hunger Games, Divergent, and Maze Runner.  If you are able to look past this, it will hold your attention and leave you guessing to the very end of who is there to help Cia and who is her enemy?

AUTHOR: Joelle Charbonneau

GENRE: Sci-Fi Dystopian Thriller

GRADE LEVEL:  7-8