Imagine a world where being different is better than being ordinary.  In book two of the series, Sarah and Ben, along with their friends, embark on another paranormal adventure. Two weeks after solving a murder mystery in their home town, the kids are headed to summer camp. Little did their parents know, keeping them out of trouble would be way more difficult than anticipated. Once more, the ghost-hunting team of misfit kids are thrown into uncharted territory.  New alliances bring unexpected changes to their recently discovered powers and to the purpose of their group abilities, a purpose that surpasses all expectations and steers them toward a future they may not be ready for.  This will be a summer to remember and the beginning of a lifetime of self-discovery. My Review: In ‘the Wandering’ the kids Sarah, Steph, Ben, Mike, Marcus and Nate go into the summer camp, where their new found ghostly abilities amplify after meeting the camp director’s deceased son. They make new friends, Tia and Tyrone, who are quickly brought into their Spider Gang; it was as if they were meant to meet! Tia and Tyrone are twins, who since birth have had special abilities of their own and fit into the adventure seeking grew flawlessly. Nate gets to have a girlfriend, May, who somehow cancels out everyone’s powers when she is around, which at times turns out to be a good thing. The group’s abilities are – at times – getting out of hand and May is,… Read More »The Wandering (Spider Gang Mysteries #2) by Cristal Sipple-Underwood and Andrew Underwood

Imagine a world where being different was better than being ordinary.  Six misfit kids find themselves part of an unsolved mystery when Ben and his family move into a haunted house. Not only do they all find acceptance but unite together to become ghost hunters. By using their unique abilities and teamwork, they get one step closer to solving the case. They never imagined the magical transformation their lives would take. My review: Secret of 8 starts like any other children’s story would: with a new kid moving into the town, new friendships forming and an ancient mystery to solve. It concentrated on a group of kids. Thirteen year old Sarah, her younger sister Stephanie, almost fourteen year old Ben, his brother Mike and Nate. As Ben’s family moves into a haunted house the children take it upon themselves to discover the secrets of the past. The story was captivating. I wasn’t bored once. I was however scared several times and creeped out several more. As a proper mystery book, it made the hairs at the back of my head rise up and I contemplated hiding under the bed a time or two or putting the book (together with all of my computer) into the freezer – like Chandler from the TV show Friends did when it got scary. It really got scary!! The closet doors were moving without being touched. Lights were blinking and turning off. Children got locked up in cold dark rooms. Did I say, things moved… Read More »Secret of 8 (Spider Gang Mysteries) by Cristal Sipple-Underwood and Andrew Underwood

The world as you know it is a lie. For over a century, the mystic Wall has kept the magical society hidden from human eyes, guaranteeing peace and equality between humans and wizards. But in the shadows a war for supremacy rages. Jennifer Danvers is a wizard. When her friend and comrade-in-arms dies, a new heir to magic awakens in Alexander Kent, whom she must introduce to the world of magic. Neither of them suspects that the balance of light and darkness is out of control. An ancient evil is rising. It’s only goal: to shatter the mystic Wall and bring darkness upon the wizards and immortals. Powerful spells, dangerous artifacts, ancient catacombs and secret archives. Fight aside Joan of Arc, Leonardo da Vinci, Einstein and other immortals. My review: Finally there is a book with characters in their twenties that reads like a young adult novel! That is exactly what I have been looking for ever since I got out of my teens. I love young adult books, who doesn’t? But I don’t want to keep on reading about yet another 16 year old figuring out life. The Awakening is exactly what I needed it to be! Are the characters childish? Perhaps a little, but do we ever really grow up? I loved the constant bickering between them and so should you! I’m the same age as them and I can relate. The fact that you are in your twenties and called a grown-up doesn’t mean you always ACT… Read More »The Awakening (The Immortal Wizards, Book 1) by Andreas Suchanek