Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum by Stephen Prosapio
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

They’re not telling you everything.

Zach dreams of investigating Rosewood Asylum, the haunted facility in Chicago. As host for Sci-D TV’s Xavier Paranormal Investigators, Zach and his team go into haunted areas to learn the science behind the haunting and to exorcise any ghosts on the premises. But as Zach gets his wish of investigating Rosewood, his team’s unity is tested by adding the Demon Hunter team into the mix – the “catch” for getting access to Rosewood.

The large cast used in this book covers every range of person imaginable, blending together to increase the tension between the characters. Along with Zach, the reader finds out details of the haunting, the lies, the deceit, and the paranormal, all while trying to get to the bottom of the mystery of Rosewood.

While there were some predictable moments, they didn’t distract me from the story – I was compelled to find out the true reason of the haunting and what the characters were going to do about it, causing me to devour this book. It is a fast read with easy language and enough intrigue to keep you interested. Zach is a deep character, full of conflict and insight, though I do hope that further installments delve a little deeper into the characters, since they have been so well set-up here.

Mystery, ghosts, possession, personal conflicts and behind-the-scenes TV production, Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum is a fast-paced trip into the paranormal realm that will leave you asking: Who’s next?

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Rain Plays Barefoot by Jennifer Steen My rating: 3 of 5 stars Rain isn’t interested in the things that all of her other girl friends are suddenly doing: wearing make-up, shaving their legs and talking about boys nonstop. Much more interested in playing basketball than playing girly-girl, Rain upsets the status quo by joining the drum line. Being surrounded by boys gives Rain insight into the ‘boy-girl thing’ and brings her own feelings to the forefront when she meets Noah. As she struggles with her changing feelings, Rain finds an easy friendship on the basketball court with James, who helps show her she’s fine just the way she is. A delightful tale of coming into your own, dealing with new emotions and staying true to yourself, Rain Plays Barefoot is a great short story choice for young readers, who can quickly and easily relate to the main character. View all my reviews

Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble by D. Robert Pease
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Team Zarc!

Noah Zarc is about a 12 year old paraplegic boy who travels throughout space and time on a mission to repopulate Earth with animals from all suitable time periods. With his family – Mom, Dad, brother Hamilton and sister Sam – Noah pilots the ARC (Animal Rescue Cruiser) while trying to stop Haon from preventing the re-population of all the animals on Earth.

I must admit to judging a book by it’s cover but being totally wrong. What I thought was going to be a tad bit cheesy story about a young boy traipsing the universe was actually a wonderful story about a boy who doesn’t let his handicaps hold him back (except to get out of chores, that is!) I was skeptical about how quickly the cavegirl Adina learned not only English but also math and science concepts, but still felt she was a good addition to the Zarc family.

Full of action and adventure, Noah Zarc is an excellent choice for any young reader who just might learn a thing or two about what you can do if you try.

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Elizabeth Clansham by Catherine E. Chapman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In pursuit of fulfilling her literary promise, Elizabeth Clansham moves from London to Scotland, seeking the quiet solitude of the croft to motivate her to write her novel. Teaching English to both a group of students by day and older folk by night, Elizabeth finds herself among yet apart from the townsfolk.

The adage “write what you know” plays a cruel trick on Elizabeth – she finds she doesn’t “know” anything worth writing about, since she hasn’t experienced anything worth noting. It’s not until she finally admits to herself that she must reach out of her comfort zone to find experiences that would give her novel substance, she casts aside her stiff demeanor and simply starts Trying.

The author does a fine job of using dialog to bring her characters to life, yet Elizabeth is still a mystery for most of the story. Other characters, including Andrew, Lauren and Dorothy, provide valuable insight into the character of Elizabeth. While the ages of the characters are largely unknown, since the British school systems and customs differ from the American, the reader can still follow along with the complexities of youth. Elizabeth Clansham is a finely-crafted tale of social interactions, of love and of finding yourself, all tied up into small-town life in the croft.

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