Domino 29 by Axel Avian

368 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Wizard

Colt Shore attends a training academy for the organization F.A.L.C.O.N., Free Alliance for the Lasting Cooperation of Nations, which is not affiliated with any specific government. As exotic as that might seem for a fifteen year old boy, Colt feels ordinary when compared to his perfect-in-every-way older brother, Dixon, who died at the age of twenty-two before Colt was born. But in one singular moment his life is catapulted from the mundane to downright adventurous and life threatening when the first of twenty-nine dominoes falls. Lucy and Victor aren’t his real parents and his older brother, Dixon, is in fact his dad who was killed on assignment. As an active agent, Colt’s mother turned him over to the care of Dixon’s parents and away from all the danger typical of active agent work. Reeling from the shock of it all, Colt discovers that one of the most admired field agents at his academy is his mother, Amber Coltrane. He’s given no time to process this new information as he is rushed into active duty by Mr. Waverly, head of F.A.L.C.O.N. His mission is to protect a brother and sister pop singing group on a USO tour after receiving a kidnapping threat. Active agent Colt Shore is equipped with all sorts of Bond worthy gadgets including a poison injecting ring, and a watch complete with GPS, call scrambling, panic button, flashlight, laser cutter, sonar plus the ability to run a car by voice command. This alone is any boy’s dream. Add to that a mind blowing car chase ending with an escape through a holographic wall to HQ, subbing for the drummer in a rock concert, being chased from Afghanistan to Germany where a daring rescue takes place. A nice nod to "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." in naming the big boss Mr. Waverly. Count this as a definite winner in the boy-turned-spy genre and let’s hope there will be more Agent Colt adventures. This is an ideal choice for fans of the “Alex Rider” series by Anthony Horowitz.

 

 

Day of doom by David Baldacci

272 pgs.

Target audience: Middle Reader

Rating: Wizard

 

The Vesper and Cahill families are at it again and with Baldacci at the helm of the last volume, the pulse pounding pressure may be to much for Dan and Amy Cahill to overcome. Seven Cahill hostages have been taken by Vesper One with the promise of their release in return for retrieving a series of bizarre ransoms. Once the Cahills find the last clue they realize that the Vesper’s plan is more diabolical and heinous than they had originally thought and could destroy millions of people. The race against time splits the group into two directions. One to find the hostages in the Cascade Mountains and Dan and Amy to D.C. to head off Isabella, suspected to be Vesper Two and finally meeting up under the Rocky Mountains for the hair-raising standoff between good and evil .The squabbling for control within the Vesper camp and the strained loyalties among the Cahills creates an emotional frenzy making the book hard to put down. It’s up to the few remaining Cahills to decipher the clues, solve the puzzle, find their missing friends and save the world. The author injects a healthy dose of history, geography and geology into the storyline. The “39 Clues” series is akin to a kid’s version of the classic movie, “It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world,” and will have readers glued to the page right up until the exciting conclusion.  (This book provided for review by Children's Lit - www.childrenslit.com).

 

Viva Jacquelina! by L. A. Meyer

360 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

In this tenth volume of the “Bloody Jack” series, Jacky Faber is on assignment for British Intelligence. Her mission is simple: proceed to Spain and spy on Napoleon and the French for the crown. However nothing is ever simple when it comes to Jacky, adventurer and mischief maker extraordinaire. After she becomes separated from her travel companions and arrives in Spain alone, she makes her way to the Iberian Peninsula where she is to translate for the commander of the British Forces. The Peninsular War against Napoleon leaves Jacky alone again and far from Madrid. Armed with her trusty shiv, fiddle, seabag and her wits, Jacky finally comes to Madrid and secures a job as an assistant and model for the famous painter, Fransisco Goya. Jacky’s usual spunky charm and jaunty flair places all the male students at studio Goya under her spell. The one female student, Carmelita is not convinced and in a jealous rage betrays Jacky to the now underground Spanish Inquisition. The non stop adventure and hijinks don’t let up even at the end. Will Jacky ever make it to China to reunite with her true love, Jaimy? In the immortal words of the famous Jacky Faber, “…I didn’t have much money left, but, hey, I had my fiddle and my wits. What more did I need?” Readers will delight in this fantastic, historical romp filled with songs, love, battles, disguises, betrayal and will greatly anticipate the subsequent volume. (Book provided for review by Children's Lit - www.childrenslit.com)

 

Revenge of the scorpion king by Tony Abbott

103 pgs.
Target audience: Ages 7 to 10
Rating: Wizard

 Owen, Dana, Jon and Sydney know that in order to save the elementary school and their beloved hometown of Pinewood Bluffs, they must do whatever it takes to stop the Norse trickster god, Loki, from bringing the battlefield aboveground. Stowing away on Loki’s sledge seemed like a good idea until they arrive somewhere they’ve never been, the dark and mysterious Babylonian branch of the Underworld. The powers of Orpheus’ magical lyre, one of Loki’s armored gloves and a copy of Bulfinch’s Mythology may not be enough to fight the trickster god. Loki is recruiting heavily from the Underworld. Among his new soldiers are the Fire serpent, Scorpion King, Birdman, the Mammoth, and the seriously creepy Thornviper. This volume continues the non-stop adventure and action of its predecessors. Mythology was never so much fun as this. For kids chomping at the bit for Percy Jackson, the Underworld series of books is the perfect teaser. A glossary at the end completes the mythological picture.
(This book provided for review by children's lit - www.childrenslit.com)