"Snakehead Invasion: An Up North Adventure" by G.M. Moore

The book Snakehead Invasion by G. M. Moore promises to keep the reader interested as each adventure unfolds.  This Juvenile Fiction is the third book in the series called An Up North Adventure.  The setting takes place at the lakes of Northern Wisconsin where we follow Griffy and Pike through many dangerous situations.  The boys become entangled in a mystery that can ruin the lake and the livelihood of everyone on it.   

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the great outdoors and the sport of fishing.  This book goes into gory details on how to dissect a fish which is sure to interest boys.  It is fun to follow the strange events that take place in The Lost Land Lake while we enjoy figuring out if Griffy and Pike can solve the mystery.  G. M. Moore has captured the art of telling an exciting story through this series. (reviewed by M.Hicks)

Other books in the series reviewed here on Reader's Review Haven are:

• Ancient Elk Hunt
• Muskie Attack

"Red Sky At Morning" by Steve Wilson

ISBN: 978-1-61808-035-6
White Feather Press

About the book: When Marine Lieutenant Michael Neill is ordered to the former Soviet Union, his assignment is to verify nuclear disarmament. But before his mission begins, he suffers both a personal and professional loss—an American reconnaissance plane is attacked by a Russian fighter, and a Navy pilot is killed. Ironically, the dead airman is Neill’s good friend and former Naval Academy classmate. After the incident, Neill’s mission changes.

The President’s National Security Advisor wants Lieutenant Neill to investigate Russian stealth technology, in addition to his original assignment. Photographic evidence—and the lack of radar images of the attacking aircraft—lead the American intelligence community to conclude that something new has been developed in the skies over Russia. The National Security Advisor believes that Neill’s friendship with a high-ranking officer in the Ukrainian Air Force is the key to establishing Red Sky at Morning—the existence of new aviation technology that could upset the balance of power between East and West.

However, ultra-nationalist forces are at work. After arriving in Eastern Europe, Neill quickly uncovers a conspiracy of terrorism secretly instigated by the Kremlin. Government leaders in Moscow will stop at nothing to rebuild the Soviet Union as they try to force the breakaway republics back into the fold.

Review: Red Sky at Morning by Steve Wilson is a great read.  The story is compelling and exciting.  The characters are well developed and interesting to become involved with.  The writing style is easy and fluid making the book hard to put down as you begin to be drawn in by the drama.  There is a good mix of romantic interest as well as lots of excitement and intrigue as the characters evolve and the story line unwinds. 

I enjoyed the many different connections between the characters.  There is a slight reference to Christian living that I found to be a nice addition to the story.  The events, although fictional, contain a strong link to realistic events that could possibly happen.  I would highly recommend this book  to readers looking for intrigue and excitement.

 Read the first chapter.

Author:  Steve Wilson is a multimedia designer and has worked in advertising for over 25 years. He is a prior service Marine and now serves as a senior NCO in the Air Force Reserve. He has deployed to Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan, in addition to tours in the United States, Germany, and the Pacific, and has visited the former Soviet Union multiple times. He lives in Florida with his wife. Red Sky at Morning is his first novel. Purchase

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy of Red Sky at Morning was provided by the author to facilitate our honest review with no expectation nor requirement of a positive review.

"Finding My Place – One Girl’s Strength at Vicksburg" by Margo L. Dill

This delightful and insightful historic fiction tells of thirteen year old Anna Green and the trials she and her family faced during the Civil War when Vicksburg was under siege. The book is written from Anna’s viewpoint and gives insight into how a young girl might have perceived what was happening during this time of conflict.

Though a fiction, the writer has been true to the historical accounts of what the citizens of Vicksburg had to endure when the city was being barraged with artillery fire. Caves were dug out and became home to many as their houses were no longer safe to indwell. The basic provisions of food and clean water were scarce, and the story relates the lengths to which the people of Vicksburg had to go to simply survive. Anna and her family had to endure an especially difficult tragedy in the midst of what was already a very difficult situation.

In the end, Anna proves to be a girl who has grown in confidence and courage and finds inner strength that heretofore she had not realized she possessed.

I highly recommend this book to middle school aged readers as an excellent means of learning about our country’s history during this tragic period of the Civil War while enjoying a story full of suspense as well as incredible heroism. (reviewed by J.La Tour)

Author: Margo L. Dill -Join me on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Editor-911-Margo-L-Dill/346210516982

• Finding My Place, middle-grade historical fiction,White Mane Kids, October 2012 - To view lesson plans, writing prompts, historical facts, and more, go to this spot on this blog: http://margodill.com/blog/category/finding-my-place-by-margo-dill/
• Maggie Mae, Detective Extraordinaire and the Case of the Missing Cookies, picture book, Guardian Angel Publishing, TBD
• Lucy and the Red Ribbon Week Adventure, picture book, High Hill Press, Publication date TBD

"Vietnam Free-fire Zone Book 3" by Chris Lynch

About the book: Four best friends. Four ways to serve their country.

Morris, Rudi, Ivan, and Beck are best friends for life. So when one of the teens is drafted into the Vietnam War, the others sign up, too. Although they each serve in a different branch, they are fighting the war together -- and they promise to do all they can to come home together.

Rudi is perhaps the most concerned about whether or not he'll be able to keep that promise. After all -- and he'd be the first to admit this -- he's not the most capable guy. He's not smart like Beck, or brave like Ivan. He lacks the strength of Morris's moral convictions. (from Barnesandnoble.com)

Review: This is the third in a series about a young marine in Vietnam. The setting of book three is toward the middle and end of the war.

Rudi is a marine who thrives on the adventure and “belonging” he finds as part of the Marines. He has to deal with many difficult situations but finds security in submitting to his superiors. Through his experiences in Vietnam he grows and conquers many fears. 

Vietnam is a well written book giving the reader a view of some of what a Marine faced during the war. The book does not concern itself too much with the policies of the war but more with the story of one Marines’ views and struggles. (reviewed A.Freeman)

Author: Chris Lynch is the author of numerous acclaimed books for middle-grade and teen readers, including the Cyberia series and the National Book Award finalist INEXCUSABLE. He teaches in the Lesley University creative writing MFA program, and divides his time between Massachusetts and Scotland.

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy of Vietnam: Free-Fire Zone was provided by Scholastic in order to facilitate an honest review. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer and there was no imposed obligation to render a positive review.

"The Amazing Mr. Franklin or The Boy Who Read Everything" by Ruth Ashby

ISBN: 978-1-56145-306-1
Hardcover $12.95

About the book:  Everyone knows Benjamin Franklin was an important statesman, inventor, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. But did you know he started the first library in America for the public good?

Ben Franklin was always a "bookish" boy. He was born in 1706, the seventh of ten children of a candlemaker. The first book he read was the Bible at age five, and then every printed word in his father's small home library. Ben wanted to read more, but books were expensive. He wanted to go to school and learn more, but his family needed him to work. Ben Franklin had lots of ideas about how to turn his love of reading and learning into something more. First he worked as a printer's apprentice, then he set up his own printing business. Later he became the first bookseller in Philadelphia, started a newspaper, published Poor Richard's Almanac, and in 1731, with the help of his friends, organized the first subscription lending library, the Library Company.

Review:    Ruth Ashby writes a delightful account of the life of Ben Franklin.  She weaves the events of his early life into the details of his growing up and becoming an adult that would influence the world.  Her style is easy to read and she does a superb job of incorporating the historical information pertinent to the time. 

I particularly like the part at the end of the book that is set up to focus on the accomplishments of Mr. Franklin through the different areas that he pursued. Interesting anecdotal stories fill the pages and keep the story interesting and compelling to read.  Young readers will learn history. (reviewed by C.Delorge) 

 For grades 4 - 5th (ages 7-10). Pages - 144. Categories:

• History
• Nonfiction
• Biography and Memoir
• Early Reader

Author:  Ruth Ashby is the award-winning author of dozens of nonfiction and fiction books for juvenile readers. She lives in New York.

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy of The Amazing Mr. Franklin was provided by the Peachtree Publishers on behalf of the author to facilitate an honest review. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer and a positive review was not required.

"Redemption" by Bryan Clay (Olympic champion) with Joel Kilpatrick

ISBN: 9780849948275
Hardcover: $24.99

About the book:  This is the story of the most unlikely Olympic decathlete in history. Despite size and stature, Bryan Clay is the defending champion of the 2008 Olympic gold medal and winner of the 2004 Olympic silver medal in the decathlon. His journey is as inspiring as it is gritty, as troubled as it is triumphant.

Far more than just a sports memoir, Redemption details the drudgery, devastation, and ultimate conversion that led Bryan to become a world champion. “[God] had a plan when I believed that dreams never came true because, in my life, they never did,” says Bryan. Through a remarkable series of events and devoted prayers of his mother, Bryan’s life was turned around into a victorious narrative of truly being redeemed.

Review:  Bryan Clay’s story is inspiring as well as sobering.  As a parent it reminds you that your actions and reactions do affect your children in ways you sometimes don’t realize, and it gives you hope and faith that God is in control no matter what.  God has a plan for each of our lives even when we don’t trust Him and follow Him.  

Bryan Clay lays his life out for all to see.  He shows you dark side of his youth, the faith of his mother, the struggles of his family and the grace of God through it all, not just his trip to the Olympics and 10 steps to his gold medal.  This book is its own medal to all the youth workers, teachers, and individuals who invest in our children’s lives.  You never know what kind of influence you may be to them and on who they may become.

DISCLOSURE:  We were provided a complimentary copy of Redemption by BookSneeze on behalf of the publisher Thomas Nelson and the author in order to facilitate our honest review. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer. There was no obligation to render a positive review.

"The Shape of Mercy" by Susan Meissner

About the book: Leaving a life of privilege to strike out on her own, Lauren Durough breaks with convention and her family’s expectations by choosing a state college over Stanford and earning her own income over accepting her ample monthly allowance. She takes a part-time job from 83-year-old librarian Abigail Boyles, who asks Lauren to transcribe the journal entries of her ancestor Mercy Hayworth, a victim of the Salem witch trials.

Almost immediately, Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived and died four centuries ago. As the fervor around the witch accusations increases, Mercy becomes trapped in the worldview of the day, unable to fight the overwhelming influence of snap judgments and superstition, and Lauren realizes that the secrets of Mercy’s story extend beyond the pages of her diary, living on in the mysterious, embittered Abigail.

My thoughts:  Abigail, a wealthy elderly woman, hires Lauren Durough, an English major at the state college, to transcribe a three hundred year old journal written by her ancestor Mercy Hayworth. 

Mercy endured the notorious Salem witch trials, and Lauren's transcriptions of the journal reveal the horror and helplessness that Mercy felt when her innocent neighbors and friends were accused and convicted of being witches without any true evidence.  Eventually Mercy is also accused by a jealous neighbor of being a witch because she wrote fanciful  stories and loved a young man in the village.  During the trials Mercy trades her life to save another.

Mercy's experiences cause introspective Lauren to reconsider her own life and relationships with Abigail, her college roommate, and her friend Raul.  She realizes that she judges people by what they have or don't have.  Instead she desires to "see people for what they are on the inside" before she comes to any conclusions.

Mercy's final sacrifice teaches Lauren that the choice is hers.  Consequently, Lauren chooses to make a difference in the life of someone else.  Readers will enjoy the resourceful plan that Lauren attempts in order to aid Abigail during a difficult time in her life.

The author Susan Meissner uses the three generational realistic characters in the book to enable the reader to reach the conclusion that "we tend to judge people based on notions rather than truth, and without stopping to consider if we even have the right to judge them at all".

The Shape of Mercy combines historical fiction with modern realistic fiction to write a thought-provoking tale of fear, mass hysteria, jealousy,and finally the right choices.  Certainly readers will be ready to evaluate their own lives after absorbing the lessons in this engaging book. (reviewed by S.Fuqua)

Read an Excerpt

About the author: Susan Meissner is an award-winning author whose books include The Shape of Mercy, Lady in Waiting, and A Sound Among the Trees. She is the wife of an Air Force chaplain and a mother of four young adults. When she’s not writing, Susan directs the Small Groups and Connection Ministries program at her San Diego church.

DISCLOSURE: The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner is published by Waterbrook Press. A complimentary copy was provided to us to facilitate our honest review. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer.