Wolf Storm

Stefan is a budding actor starring in his first movie. The movie crew and cast are on location in Slovakia, Eastern Europe in an old ski resort in the Carpathian Mountains.  The resort had been closed for years.  It was located on a flat plateau halfway up a rugged mountain and accessible by a narrow switchback road cut through a cliff with the surrounding mountains making access difficult at best.  It is snowing, as the filming begins with Stefan coming down the space ship ramp holding the collar of a black trained wolf.  He sees a wild wolf by the snack truck. The trained wolf Boris growls, crouching as if he
plans to run after it. The snow turns into a blizzard.  The cast and crew take a break with many going into town for the evening.  Left with just a few comrads, Stefan and the trained wolves begin to explore the main building.  An avalanch causes havoc, covering some of the movie trailers, trucks and part of the resort.
Meanwhile the wild wolves are hungry.  They are coming.  The roads and phone lines are down. What are Stefan and his friends going to do to survive?  This is a survival story of friendship, wits and a good read for middle school.

Reviews:
Good Reads
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10468931-wolf-storm
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Wolf-Storm-Dee-Garretson/product-reviews/0062000322

Shadow on the Mountain

   Shadow on the Mountain is at once a gripping biographical novel and a suspenseful tale of real history as fourteen year old Espen and his friends are caught up in the Nazi occupation of Norway.  While this piece of historical fiction has fictional names this story is based on the real-life adventures of a Norwegian spy during World War II and there are actual people, places and events that are woven into the narrative .
   Espen begins his start as a spy when his teacher asks him to begin delivering underground newspapers that tell the truth about what the Nazis are doing in Norway and other places.  Some of his buddies are doing the same thing.  They form a kind of club with an escape hiding place up in the mountains, just in case they need to flee to Sweden.
   Espen moves up into the role of courier, delivering coded messages and supplies to Resistance members when he meets Tante Marie at Fox Farm.
   He travels on skiis and on bicycle when he is not walking.  Some of his friends will betray him.  He will also find new friends and love.  Some of his friends will side with the Gestapo and try to track him when they become suspicious.  Who can he trust?  What is his sister up to?  How can he protect his family? This is a thrilling novel and is a great read for middle school students.  It is also a terrific read for World War II units.
Reviews:
School Library Journal
http://www.slj.com/2012/10/books-media/reviews/pick-of-the-day/pick-of-the-day-shadow-on-the-mountain/#_
Kirkus Reviews
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/margi-preus/shadow-mountain-preus/
I have not found literature guides yet on this 2012 novel.

The Pale Assassin

The Pale Assassin by Patricia Elliott is a tale set in the opening days of the French Revolution in 1779.  Eugenie de Boncoeur and her brother Armand are under the care of their guardian who is an old aristrocrat used to iron clad rule.  Unaware that the guardian has contracted to marry Eugenie to le Fantome when she becomes 16 she lives in Paris society.  Le Fantome, a deadly assassin with revenge on his mind towards the Boncoeur family, is in contact with Robespierre, a lawyer, a key figure in the Revolution and has his spies about.   Armand is part of a secret group to rescue the king and must hide his sister from le Fantome lest he discover her when she becomes 16 and pursues the contract her guardian made.  A spoiled rich girl, Eugenie is used to outrageous privilege, but must face reality for there is no place in her country where she is safe.  The revolution becomes increasingly violent.  Eugenie is in the thick of surviving in Paris where she confronts spies, secret agents, double-crossing suitors, romance, and a suspenseful survival adventure. Living in poverty undercover, working as a milliners assistant she does what she can, learning to use her wits and endure.  The historical events are true with an outline in the back of the book; the author conveys the complex political realities of the times.  Many real people from the pages of history appear in the novel are listed in the cast of characters.  This is a historical and suspenseful read for grades 6-12.
Reviews
Kirkus
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/patricia-elliott/the-pale-assassin/
Teens Connect
http://ascplteens.akronlibrary.org/2009/11/30/book-review-the-pale-assassin/
Read Many Books
http://readmanybooks.blogspot.com/2010/03/review-of-pale-assassin-by-patricia.html

Never More

This is the last of the Maximum Ride series and worth every page.  The final novel begins with Angel perched on a rock cliff, wings spread out behind her.
She is a mess, dirty, scars, broken bones healing, and seeing future scenes she
does not fully understand.  Max and the rest of the flock of bird kids are dealing with clones created to divide them up, confuse them while other mad scientists are trying to capture them for their DNA.  It is a never ending business trying to save the world and escape the complex plots of scientists trying to own them through their experiments.  Their behavior raises many ethical questions. This novel has some unexpected twists as the last explosive event happens to change everything and the world as they know it.  Who can be trusted?  Who will be ready for the surprise ending?  Will there be a future? See other posts for guides, reviews, and posts on James Patterson.   My middle school students enjoy this entire series.  Here is a wish for more.  I recommend this for middle school grades and up.

Divergent by Veronica Roth is a futuristic science fiction survival story set in Chicago.  The reader will recognize many landmarks as the story progresses.  16 year old Beatris Prior is the heroine who will make some very life changing decisions for her life style and career path.  Something has happened to the great city and she must choose from 5 factions each with a unique code of government, ethics, culture and appearance. The faction will take priority over the originating family in an attempt to create a perfect society.  As she progresses through a series of tests she begins to discover she does not fit into one faction but several.  This is most dangerous as events will reveal in the story.  This is a suspenseful read for middle school students.

The sequel is the book Insurgent which takes up the story after Initiation Day and war has begun between the factions as a plot is discovered.  There are shifting relationships, grief, discoveries, twists, romance and more to delight and keep the teen reader hooked.
I look forward to the rest of this series for middle school and up.

The author Veronica Roth's web site:
http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com/2012/04/but-i-read-divergent-year-ago-your.html

Discussion Guide:
http://files.harpercollins.com/HCChildrens/OMM/Media/Divergent%20DG.pdf

Review
BookBrowse
http://www.bookbrowse.com/bb_briefs/detail/index.cfm/ezine_preview_number/6255/divergent

Novel Novice
http://novelnovice.com/2011/05/03/divergent-whats-your-faction-writing-contest/

Other

http://www.kindual.com/p/divergent/B004CFA9RS

Inheritance is book 4 in the series about dragons, elves, dwarves, and
humans.  The races of beings got along well until Galbatorix became an evil tyrant in the land of Alagaesia creating an evil empire.  Similar to the Hobbit there are special languages, varied geography, mysteries to unfold and
people with unusual powers.  This volume continues with the saga of adventure and surprises as Eragon, healed from a grievous wound by the spectral dragon of mysterious origin in an elven ceremony,  embarks on a campaign to recover lands taken in the war with the empire.  Arya is his faithful friend and warrior partner in many battles.  Eragon and Saphira, his dragon, continue to have their relationship grow.  As the story progresses new discoveries lead them to the ancient home of the dragons on Vroengard Island to the city of Doru Araeba.
They discover a city under many spells that lay in ruins but they also discover something incredible.  In the end as Eragon moves into his destiny the ending leaves something to be desired  with some loose ends still not resolved in the major characters.  What will happen to Arya in the future and will her friendship with Eragon deepen?  What will happen to the dragon eggs? What will happen to Eragon as he and selected elves help create a new dragon home and training for found dragons?  Will there be a book 5 down the road although  the author is not planning for one right now?  This is a great adventure fantasy for middle school students and up.

Book Review: Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

www.kidzworld.com/article/26314-inheritance-by-christopher-paolin

Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle

www.alagaesia.com/

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini - review | Children's books ...

www.guardian.co.uk/...books.../inheritance-christopher-paolini-revie...