Reviews written by Joanne Mumley

Take a handful 1980s John Hughes teen flicks throw in some snarky British humor and a load of zombies and you have the "funtastic" thrill ride of Undead. I love Kirsty McKay's writing style. The story is fast paced and easy to read. Bobby, our narrator, is...

The Kill Order takes place thirteen years prior to the initial time setting of The Maze Runner. This is before Thomas and the Glades, even before WICKED was created. This is the story of Mark and Alec and their group of survivors after the Sun Flares. For...

This is Not a Test is not your average zombie book. It is action packed and leaves you on the edge of your seat, yet the zombies tend to lurk on the outskirts of the story- tiptoeing in the shadows of the story. This Is Not a...

I started reading Monument 14 in the morning and finished it by the end of the day. It definitely hooked me from page one. The voice of Dean is honest and descriptive. Monument 14 takes place in the near future when a apocalyptic event has turned the country upside down...

Imagine a world where war is not only fought in space, but also virtually. A world where video games like World of War or Medal of Honor are closer to reality. In this world natural resources are saved, lives are not lost. But with this new type of warfare comes...

The novel is slow moving at first but wow does it pack a punch. It takes some time to get used to the narration as it switches back and forth between first and third person. This can be a major obstacle for some readers. I often found myself putting...

Jaide and Jack Shield are TroubleTwisters and possess strong powers, powers they can't always control. This lack of control takes these powerful siblings on an all new adventure in Monsters. The Evil Jaide and Jack trapped back behind the closed portal has taken a brand new form....

Having not read the first book The Dark Isle I was hesitate to start this one. The Witch's Revenge started off slow, but I was pleasantly surprised. Even without the background of the first book, it was easy to understand the plot, although it did take me some time to...

Having taught writing at the secondary and college level, the most frequently asked question is, “What do real authors do?” Just Write: Here’s How by Walter Dean Myers answers just this question. Walter Dean Myers is straight to the point providing a relative quick read at 170...

Guy Langman may be the smartest guy in school (though people don't know it),he might be the funniest ( it doesn't matter the girls never laugh at his jokes). But without a doubt he is definitely known as being the laziest.He doesn't like to work too hard and he loves...

Jaide and Jack Shield are TroubleTwisters and possess strong powers. Unfortunately, they don't know it yet. While they try to figure out what is going on, The Evil arrives. Jaide and Jack are responsible for defending our world against it. This is fantastic fantasy series...

My students and I had a countdown to the date Insurgent came out in bookstores. It was definitely worth it! Insurgent delves deeper into the faction filled world Veronica Roth created in Divergent. The factions are at odds with one another as Insurgent starts where...

Based on his real life experiences, Jack Gantos writes about growing up in the 1960s. The narrator, Jack, starts off his summer having to help an elderly neighbor write obituaries. It is here he learns about history; Eleanor Roosevelt, World War II, and the history of Norvelt. ...

I Am a SEAL Team Six Warrior is based on Wasdin's memoir Seal Team Six. It tells a story of a man who overcame many obstacles in his life, never letting the words "You can't" stop him. Wasdin overcame a rough childhood. Nothing that would be described...

Michael Grant does not disappoint in the 5th book of his series Gone. The children of the FAYZ have faced a lot; mutations, unmentionable hunger, the plague, and the wrath of the Darkness. But is this end of the FAYZ or just the beginning... a darker more terrifying start...