Bookworm to Badass: a Silly & Serious LitRPG by Dustin Tigner

Bookworm to Badass: a Silly & Serious LitRPG by Dustin Tigner, 524 p.

"Sarah snuffed it, expired, breathed her last breath—also known as died, if you need it spelled out—in the most unlikely of places . . . At the library. But do not fret! This is perfectly normal. What is not normal, however, is the persistence of one’s soul after shuffling off this mortal coil.

To break the Cycle is strange and wrong and perverse. It goes against the very nature of existence: that which lives must eventually be recycled (responsibly). Lucky or unlucky, Sarah finds herself Cycle-broken and very much alive, depending on how strict you wish to be with that definition. This is heaven! A wondrous, magical place full of the fantastical. But no amount of reading about adventurers in far-off lands could prepare her for . . . this.

Turns out, heaven has a return policy better than Costco. And souls are terribly expensive. If she doesn’t win the forthcoming contests, she is to be flushed back to the Primordial Sea of Souls, back to the Cycle to eventually be reincarnated as whatever the RNG gods have in store for her. A slug, most likely. Bookworm to Badass is a LitRPG story with a female lead. There are game mechanics, original character classes, skills, and loot. Join Sarah on her crazy and hilarious adventure into a new fantasy world where she learns to swear, kill cute monsters, and fight for her survival."--Goodreads blurb

This was my first LitRPG book, though I've been wanting to read one for quite a while. What a great story to be my first! It was funny, had good pacing, and great world-building. The audiobook narrator was fantastic and kept me engaged. The ending left of a surprising cliffhanger that leaves the potential for another book, and if that's the case, I will pick it up for sure! I'd be interested to see Sarah's adventures continue. 3.5, but happily rounded to a 4 (so probably about a 3.8).

 

Pass Go and Collect $200: The Real Story of How Monopoly Was Invented by Tanya Lee Stone

Pass Go and Collect $200: The Real Story of How Monopoly Was Invented, 40 pages

If you play the game Monopoly, you have to read this book.  Even though it is a children's book, adults will find this interesting too.  The book covers the entire history of the creation of the Monopoly game.  Lizzie Magie actually created the first game board in the late 1800s because she did not like how landlords treated their tenants.  Charles Darrow was the marketer and salesman who refined it and made all the money off it.

The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye

The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye-399 pages

Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip-smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love…or be killed himself.

As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear—the Crown’s Game is not one to lose.

Scary School by Derek the Ghost

Scary School by Derek the Ghost (aka - Derek Kent) - 258 pages

Derek the Ghost is going to give you the inside scoop about Scary School -- a school for monsters and regular children.  This is an exciting year as Scary School has been selected to host the Ghoul Games.  But there's a new twist this year.  The winners of the Ghoul Games gets to eat the losers. . . .

This is the first book in a series by Derek Kent.  I thought it was pretty good book.  I enjoyed the various students -- monsters and regular kids.  I will definitely recommend this to kids at the library.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, 352 pages
Book 1 of the series

Ender Wiggins is a third. Bred when his brother and sister failed to exhibit the traits the military was looking for to end the war against the "buggers". Born to be intelligent, Ender is whisked from his family at a young age to become a soldier. Every moment of his life is filled with games and military training until he no longer thinks like a boy. Ender faces daily challenges due to the extreme pressure he is placed under by his superiors -- including his superiors purposefully setting up Ender to be hated among his peers. It's no different from the intense bullying he received at the hands of his older brother, Peter, but Ender starts to show strain at the constant jostling he receives while in the academy. Somehow Ender rises above his mistreatment and becomes the commander the military was hoping he would be. Yet not everything goes as planned and the final show down truly becomes Ender's game.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein - 291 pages

Kyle Keeley loves to play games.  He's not athletic like his oldest brother.  He's not smart like his middle brother.  But he is good at playing games.  So when ther eis contest for a lock-in in the new library developed by the famous game inventor Luigi Lemoncello, he has to find a way to win.  Luckily, he does.  That's when the games begin . . . for they have to win the game to exit the library.  And they only have 24 hours to do it.
I loved this book.  It is a true ode to libraries and librarians.  The whole book is filled with book references and jokes.  It is also filled with games and riddles for both the characters and the reader to figure out.  I would suggest this book to all kids, librarians, and children's book lovers.

MSCHMITT-- Otis Loves to Play by Loren Long 12

 MSCHMITT-- Otis Loves to Play by Loren Long 12

Otis the friendly tractor loves to play and the animals love to play with him. In this quick story readers are taken a his daily adventures of ring around the rosy, follow the leader, and of course a rest to get ready for more play!

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, 391 pages.                                                     Catching Fire follows Katniss and Peeta after they have won the Hunger Games and are living a privileged life with their families, including Gale, her"cousin".  Tensions and suspicions flare of uprisings throughout the districts.  President Snow has not been very happy with Katniss and the manner in which she has carried on since the games.  There is more then one surprising twist in this book.  I really don't want to spoil the book for the few who still have left to read it, but found the twists are shocking enough to let out loud gasps.  The ending is enough to make me rush to finish book three which I am sure I will complete in the next month. Great read for ages teen to adult.



The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, 374 pages

I put off reading this book, and I am not sure I would have read it if I hadn't heard it was coming out as a movie. Also, not to mention, it was a book everyone was talking about. Like most parents, when I heard it was about kids killing each other until there was one survivor, I did not want to read this book.  It was nothing I was interested in, but I have a young son whose classmates were reading it and thought if he was going to read it, I should read it first.  For the price of $6.79 this book was well worth the money.  Although the book was not as graphically violent as I thought it would be, it had violence in it that could give a preteen nightmares.  Katniss is a strong role model who takes care of her family and who since her father's death, is a survivor and a fighter.  The friendship between Peeta and Katniss that starts to look like young love makes me want to read the next two books to see if it is about the Hunger Games or the relationship between the survivors of District 12.  Suzanne Collins has cleverly written a book to appeal to both adults, young and old, and preteens and teens.  I am glad I read this book as it also reminded me of an adult trilogy I recently read the first book of, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  Hats off to the strong female heroine.  We have someone to cheer for.  My money is on Katniss all the way.

Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, 918 pages

I finally gave in and read it to see what all the fuss was about.  Is there really anything left to say about it?  My best description of the series is George Orwell meets Survivor if instead of getting voted of the island you get killed by your fellow competitors.  I found them an enjoyable read.  I appreciate that the books feature a teen girl hero that isn't all about clothes and social climbing.