Tag Archives: Time Travel

Review: Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar: Surviving Middle School by I. M. Maynard

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, , , , ,
Roger Tarkington Surviving Middle School

Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar: Surviving Middle School
I. M. Maynard
Taft Publishing
Published February 1, 2021

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About Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar: Surviving Middle School

Fresh off achieving middle school greatness, 11-year-old Roger Tarkington sets his sights on something bigger than himself. He plans to use his magic calendar to help the powerless at Jefferson Middle School and turn the tables on the school’s powerful bullies.

Just call Roger a modern-day Robin Hood!

But Roger’s very first attempt could be his last, as he uncovers a secret at the school so big that even his magic calendar may not be able to fix things!

Is Roger’s plan to right the wrongs at Jefferson Middle School foolproof or foolhardy? Are some middle school wrongs impossible to be righted?

My Review

More goofy antics, time traveling adventures, and grand schemes begin immediately in this second book in the Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar series. This time, we get to know Roger’s best friend, E3, a bit better, as she works with him to solve a mystery about cheating on homework among the football players. She’s a smart girl, piecing together things that Roger sometimes overlooks, and pretty much keeping laser-focused on solving the case.

The story also forces Roger to recognize his dependency on the calendar and find ways to achieve his goals without solely using the calendar, which I thought was really cool. A couple of the people who he has “protected” end up being able to help him, too.

To be honest, though, I was a little disappointed with the Robin Hood theme. I kind of felt like Roger didn’t really GET Robin Hood. Robin Hood was about justice and protecting people who didn’t have the ability to protect themselves. Roger seemed to want to protect people he thought were cool from people he thought were annoying. He also has snarky nicknames for so many people, and I guess that got a little bit old after a while. It made him seem like a jerk sometimes.

He does learn some lessons about truth and justice, and his own misjudgments, though. I liked the way the mystery unraveled and the way Roger couldn’t solve everything on his own. All in all, this was a fun, goofy story that will appeal to fans of the first book in the series.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Most characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Roger holds hands with a girl.

Spiritual Content
A calendar gives Roger the ability to time travel to the date or event he’s touching on the calendar.

Violent Content
Some instances of bullying, including trapping someone in a locker.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog. I received a free copy of ROGER TARKINGTON AND THE MAGIC CALENDAR: SURVIVING MIDDLE SCHOOL in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Clifton Chase on Castle Rock by Jaimie Engle

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,

Clifton Chase on Castle Rock (Clifton Chase Adventures #2)
Jaimie Engle
JME Books
Published November 24, 2020

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About Clifton Chase on Castle Rock

History tends to repeat itself…sorta.

Clifton Chase just wanted life to go back to “normal” again. But things were starting to happen. Two kids showed up at school that looked just like the princes from 1485, Clifton thought he was being followed, and then a hob thrush showed up in his closet and stole the Arrows of Light. Clifton wanted no part in this adventure. Until he learned that someone he knew was alive. Dane the dwarf, a teenager in the eleventh century. Could Clifton make things right by warning Dane of what was to come?

The second in the critically-acclaimed Clifton Chase Adventure Series full of danger, magic, love, and friendship.

My Review

It’s been a little while since I first read about Clifton Chase and his adventures with magical arrows, but I still remember how much fun the concept was– that a boy is transported to a moment in history less commonly visited and has a chance to be a part of critical events. He makes life-changing friendships and learns a lot about courage.

So with all that in mind, I was pretty excited when I heard that Jaimie Engle was planning to release a sequel. She has talked about it as a possibility for years, so it was really exciting to see it become a reality.

I liked that though the story visits Robin Hood’s time and introduces some familiar characters from that story, the tale stays focused on Clifton. He faces lots of challenges and has to navigate difficult circumstances. One example is that he meets a younger version of Dane, his friend and mentor from CLIFTON CHASE AND THE ARROWS OF LIGHT, and desperately wants to warn him about something that happened to him at the end of the first book.

I think my favorite moment in the story is when Clifton decides to get Dane’s attention by trying to leap on him and pin him down, the way Dane did to him in the first book. It doesn’t quite work out the way Clifton planned, which felt so true to their relationship.

All in all, I thought this was a fun adventure story about courage and friendship.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Most characters are white or not described.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some obvious attraction between two older characters.

Spiritual Content
Clifton meets a Siren and depends on wisdom from Simurgh, a bird who once nested in the Tree of Knowledge.

Violent Content
Some brief battle scenes, no graphic violence. Brief mentions of death by hanging.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of CLIFTON CHASE ON CASTLE ROCK in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar by I. M. Maynard

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, Sci-Fi, , , , , , ,

Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar: The Quest for Middle School Greatness
I. M. Maynard
Taft Publishing
Published March 9, 2019

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About Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar

Meet Roger Tarkington.

The almost 11-year-old has a plan for middle school greatness. A perfect plan that—lasts for all of about five minutes. 286 seconds, to be exact.

It’s all ruined when Kyle-the-Vile Brossman appears unexpectedly on the first day of school. Making matters worse, Kyle pledges to make Roger’s year miserable, just like he did at Bellingware Elementary School.

Roger’s unlucky start to sixth grade turns magical when his calendar turns into a time travel portal that allows him to repeat days. Influenced by his Middle School Greatness Tip #31 (Don’t wait for it to happen, make it happen), Roger devises a new plan to use his magic calendar to beat Kyle, clearing his path to middle school greatness.

Foolproof plan for middle school success, right? Maybe in real life, but remember, this is middle school!

Will Roger succeed in using his magic calendar to standout at Jefferson Middle School and achieve middle school greatness? Or will he fall under the constant attacks from Kyle and the unexpected, everyday obstacles of middle school?

My Review

This is such a silly story– it’s a lot of fun to read. It does tackle the issue of bullying, showing Roger repeatedly picked on by his nemesis, Kyle. Mostly, though he seems frustrated and discouraged at times, Roger seems to bounce back and stay focused on his quest to gain popularity or notoriety in school.

In service of that quest, he does some selfish things to his best friend, and I wish that he had confronted those choices a little more fully. He does feel bad for letting her down, but doesn’t really seem to totally realize that he is living his life focused on achieving some kind of greatness and sort of assuming his best friend will be there to assist him whenever he needs her.

Other than that, though, it’s an upbeat story. I think fans of MY LIFE AS A POTATO by Arianne Costner will enjoy this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Most characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
A calendar gives Roger the ability to time travel to the date or event he’s touching on the calendar.

Violent Content
Some instances of bullying, including trapping someone in a locker.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of ROGER TARKINGTON AND THE MAGIC CALENDAR in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: The Eye of Ra by Ben Gartner

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,

The Eye of Ra
Ben Gartner
Crescent Vista Press
Published February 1, 2020

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About The Eye of Ra

Exploring a mysterious cave in the mountains behind their house, John and his sister Sarah are shocked to discover they’ve time traveled to ancient Egypt!

Now they must work together to find a way back home from an ancient civilization of golden desert sand and a towering new pyramid, without parents to save them. The adventures abound—cobras, scorpions, a tomb robber, and more! The two kids have to trust each other, make friends who can help, and survive the challenges thrown at them . . . or be stuck in ancient Egypt forever.

For readers graduating from the Magic Treehouse series and ready for intense action, dive into this middle grade novel rich with meticulous historical detail.

My Review

I feel like books about time travel to ancient civilizations are really nostalgic for me because I used to really love a movie like that when I was little, so I was excited to read THE EYE OF RA for that reason.

It’s a cute story– brother and sister with really different personalities find themselves tossed into life in ancient Egypt and trying to figure out how to get home. I liked that Sarah is the adventurous one and John is the more structured, introverted one. I feel like lots of stories would have had those personalities reversed, so I thought it was kind of fun to see it this way.

Disclaimer: I know very little about ancient Egypt and the construction of the pyramids, so I can’t really speak to the historical accuracy there. I did find it a little odd that the characters from ancient Egypt still spoke in a modern way and the relationship between the husband and wife as well as between the parents and children was very modern. That part of it felt a little more like a Fred Flintstone version of ancient life, if that makes sense?

I thought it was cool that John and Sarah meet someone in ancient Egypt who face one of the same difficulties they face (moving far away) and that it made them consider elements of the move that they hadn’t considered before.

The ending seemed a little abrupt to me. I would have liked the kids to have been more actively involved in solving the mystery. At the start, they’re very much taking ownership of locating the thief and solving the crime, and I liked that– I wanted that energy to continue through the end of the book.

Overall, I thought it was a fun read that would be enjoyable for middle elementary school readers, like maybe third to fifth grade.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 10.

Representation
Sarah and John are white and the other kids are Egyptian.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Reference to a kiss between Sarah and a boy.

Spiritual Content
References to Egyptian mythology – the god Ra and others.

Violent Content
Some situations of peril.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog. I received a free copy of THE EYE OF RA in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Evermore by Sara Holland

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Evermore
Sara Holland
HarperCollins
Publishes on December 31, 2018

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About Evermore
Jules Ember was raised hearing legends of the ancient magic of the wicked Alchemist and the good Sorceress. But she has just learned the truth: not only are the stories true, but she herself is the Alchemist, and Caro—a woman who single-handedly murdered the Queen and Jules’s first love, Roan, in cold blood—is the Sorceress.

The whole kingdom believes that Jules is responsible for the murders, and a hefty bounty has been placed on her head. And Caro is intent on destroying Jules, who stole her heart twelve lifetimes ago. Jules must delve into the stories that she now recognizes are accounts of her own past. For it is only by piecing together the mysteries of her lives that Jules will be able to save the person who has captured her own heart in this one.

My Review
I think I liked Evermore better than the first book in the series, which is a pretty rare occurrence for me. I liked Everless. I enjoyed reading it—found the concept of time as currency to be really fascinating. Partly, though, I just wasn’t a big fan of Roan. I kind of felt like Jules could do better in terms of a match who was her equal.

Some of the characters in Evermore really surprised me. Elias and Stef were my favorites. Stef because she was so scrappy and Elias for his loyalty and sense of humor.

I loved the flashbacks that showed Jules and Caro’s early experiences with each other and the way Jules’ recovered memories changed the story. It had a little bit of the feel of the movie Memento that way.

Evermore is a clean, original story with a lot to offer in terms of great characters and a high-energy plot. It’s got a little more content than Everless, so be sure to check the notes below especially for young or sensitive readers.

Recommended for Ages 13 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white or not physically described.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One instance of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between girl and boy. At one point, she kisses him while in her underclothes. One scene hints that they have sex, but no details of the event itself.

Spiritual Content
Jules is on her twelfth reincarnation as the Alchemist, who can control time. The Sorceress plans to kill her, and this time Jules won’t reincarnate.

Violent Content
Battles between soldiers and Jules. At one point, soldiers burn a village, killing civilians. Another man receives a critical sword wound.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Here and Now by Ann Brashares

Book Review and Content, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

The Here and Now by Ann Brashares
Delacorte Press

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Prenna lives a closely guarded life of secrecy, a tightrope walk between fitting in and remaining unnoticed. Twelve unbreakable rules govern her behavior. Those who break them meet accident or relocation. So when Prenna befriends Ethan, a boy from school, she risks everything. Then she discovers that her people, immigrants from more than eighty years in the future, aren’t trying to stop the terrible future from happening, as they once claimed. And her father, who failed to make the journey with her, didn’t abandon the family as she’s been told. If she and Ethan are to save them all, they must follow the careful trail of clues he left behind before her leaders find her.

The idea of this group immigrating to the US illegally, not from another country, but from another time, really fascinated me. Prenna’s whole life exists in this cult-like environment. She’s watched. Punished for every infraction. Carefully taught to follow strict behavior. She struggles to fit in well enough not to be noticed at school. But Ethan can’t stop noticing her. His determined friendship is immensely charming. The way he accepts her without making her feel odd or lame? So sweet. If you’re a ‘book boyfriend’ type, he’s one for the list.

I ripped through the first half of the book, staying up WAY too late to read. I was about to force myself to put it down and go to sleep when this crazy plot twist happened and totally blew my mind. Then… the second lost steam. There’s a long passage in which Prenna explains what happened to the world between now and her time. That intense plot element that left me gasping? It gets resolved, but in a weird way. I felt like it needed a bigger moment or something. There is a moment where things get dicey, but the issue was the something terrible was supposed to happen on a particular day. And the day hadn’t ended when everyone was like, Whew, that was close. So I was kind of like, wait!! It’s not over yet!! Only, I guess no one else felt that way? I felt like that diffused the momentum.

The way the story concludes left me thinking there must be a sequel. I can’t find any information saying there will be one, though. I liked the first half of the story much better than the second, but I felt like the end didn’t satisfy if there’s no further story to look forward to. C’est la vie, I guess.

Fans of time traveling stories should consider giving this one a read. I liked that it had those elements of cult-ish-ness and the immigration issue. Definitely presented issues surrounding time travel in ways I hadn’t considered before. There’s a little bit of preaching about how important it is to save the planet no matter how expensive or inconvenient it may be. I agree, so it didn’t bother me.

Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Sexual Content
Prenna and Ethan discuss whether they should have sex. They share a bed and the back seat of a car, but for sleep. (He does get a teeny bit frisky with her in the bed, but she shuts it down. They plan to have sex, but then decide against it for safety reasons.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Prenna finds a man who has been beaten to death. She and Ethan try to stop a man from brutally murdering a woman. He attacks them. It’s brief and not particularly gory.

Drug Content
Prenna’s leaders give her pills each day that they insist are vitamins.