Wee Reads: Camp Red Moon by R. L. Stine

Ever since Finn was born, and even before then, we would read to him. We wanted to show him reading from an early age. Now he loves us to read the same books, over, and over, and over. But it is the sweetest thing, when he likes to pick out a book and climb into our laps. 

Camp Red Moon by R. L. Stine

  

Creepy fun for ages 9-12!
Camp nights or camp frights?
Every sleepaway camp promises memories that last a lifetime. But the memories from Camp Red Moon might give you nightmares!
The campfire appears to dim when the moon turns blood red and strange creatures prowl the forest.
Do you find a total lookalike at camp? Is it coincidence or is he a shapeshifter trying to take over your life?
Why don't your competitors at the robotics competition seem exactly...human?
And why do campers do anything to avoid Cabin 6?
The master of the scary story, R.L. Stine, has handpicked a staff of storytelling counselors - Dan Poblocki, Ellen Oh, and Justin Reynolds - to help him tell the creepy campfire stories that swirl around Camp Red Moon.
No matter how bright the campfire, get ready for some CHILLS!

Do you like this book?
Yeah! I really liked it because of the monsters in Camp Red Moon. It didn't really scare me but the stories were really good and creepy!

What's your favorite part of the book?
I liked the one with the werewolf! I really like werewolves! I like to howl like a wolf and I like how they're like dogs and cuddly but scary too!

I really liked the last story where the monster took over the boys life and became like him! That one did scare me a little bit because I don't want to lose my life!

What do you think of the cover?
I love it! It has a werewolf on it and red is one of my favorite colors!

This was one of Audible's free books of the month in October and I had gotten it for me to read, but Finn ended up listening too and he loved it! It was actually what got him into listening to audio books. Now he doesn't want to stop!
This is the first Wee Reads that has an actual chapter book and wow, he's getting big! 

Back to the book... This was a really fun read that has three short stories in one. A werewolf story, a robot story, and a story about a monster that steals people's appearances and lives!

This one had a lot of sound effects and a full cast, so it was a lot of fun to listen to. The stories were short but still a bit creepy. Definitely a perfect book for kiddos who want something kind of scary but not over the top. It's R.L. Stine and most of his kids ones are great. I grew up on his books and I feel like this one was classic Stine. 

This one says ages 9-12 but Finn is 6 and still loves it, and I'm 26 and loved it. 

Similar Books...

Robert Lawrence Stine known as R. L. Stine and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American novelist and writer, well known for targeting younger audiences. Stine, who is often called the Stephen King of children's literature, is the author of dozens of popular horror fiction novellas, including the books in the Goosebumps, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, The Nightmare Room and Fear Street series.
R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children's author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.
Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA's Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.

Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Shiver

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publishing Date: August 1st, 2009

Pages: 390
Audio Length: 10 Hours and 43 Minutes

Genre: Young Adult Supernatural Romance

Series: Wolves of Mercy Falls

Source: Book

 

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without.
Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again.
Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

What made me pick this book up: 

I originally read this years ago, so who knows. Probably the cover.

What did I like about the cover: 

I love the colors and the wolf silhouette. And the cool part is the print in the book is the same color as the cover (Blue for this one, green for the next, red for the last one)

What made me read this book: 

Again, I read this book years ago. But this time around, I wanted to start the series over because I never read the last book. It also matched a task for the challenge, so great timing.

What did I like the most: 

So the book starts off with a pretty intense scene that just makes you want to keep going. 

The main character is sweet, smart, and strong. I am in love with Sam, completely. Her two best friends are great, even if they aren't in the book much, and I absolutely love Isabel. She starts off awful, but honestly she makes up for it so much. 

This is a very interesting take on werewolves. 

And the love in this book is so wholesome and sweet, it makes you want a love like that.

What didn't I like: 

It is pretty sad at parts, and even though I read this book years ago, I didn't remember any of it, and it still had me holding my breath quite often. 

The thing I dislike the most, I think, is that even though technically they have known each other for years, it still feels so much like insta-love. I mean, they didn't technically meet for a long time, because he was a wolf. And he even explains in the book, that when they're wolves, they lose the human part of them, they really don't remember who anyone is. Yet, when they actually meet as humans, they instantly love each other. 

I guess I'm just done with insta-love, that's why I don't like many young adult romance books. It's so fake.

Would I read the rest of the series/more from this author?
Oh absolutely! I'll finish the whole series eventually.

Just as amazing as I remember!

“What do you eat?"
"Baby bunnies." She narrowed her eyes, so I grinned and said, "Adult bunnies, too. I'm an equal-opportunity bunny-eater.” 
― Maggie Stiefvater, Shiver

New York Times bestselling author of The Shiver Trilogy, The Raven Cycle, and The Scorpio Races. Artist. Driver of things with wheels. Avid reader.
All of Maggie Stiefvater's life decisions have been based around her inability to be gainfully employed. Talking to yourself, staring into space, and coming to work in your pajamas are frowned upon when you're a waitress, calligraphy instructor, or technical editor (all of which she's tried), but are highly prized traits in novelists and artists. She's made her living as one or the other since she was 22. She now lives an eccentric life in the middle of nowhere, Virginia with her charmingly straight-laced husband, two kids, two neurotic dogs, and a 1973 Camaro named Loki.

Review: Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

Title: Bloodrose
Author: Andrea Cremer
Publisher: Philomel
Publishing Date: January 3rd 2012
Pages: 406
Genre: YA Paranoral Romance
Series: Nightshade #3
Source: Audio

  

Calla has always welcomed war.

But now that the final battle is upon her, there's more at stake than fighting. There's saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay's wrath. There's keeping Ansel safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers' magic once and for all. And then there's deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is. In this remarkable final installment of the Nightshade trilogy, international bestselling author Andrea Cremer crafts a dynamic novel with twists and turns that will keep you breathless until its final pages.

I was so sad to get to the last book of this series. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the book but I didn’t want it to be over so I tried to take my time. I couldn’t I rushed through it as fast as the audio would let me. I loved this last book. It was a bitter sweet end to a wonderful journey.

There isn’t much to say about the book’s plot. Readers have seen what’s coming. Nightshade started it and Wolfsbane prepared for it, now Bloodrose will end it. The final showdown, the final battle between Keepers and Searchers, each with wolves by their side. Loyalties have been changed and the packs divided. Now it is time to end it all. Calla will finally have to make a choice between Shay and Ren and become alpha.

I loved the ending to this series. Well at the time it was the ending to the series. Now there is a fourth installment. I am happy about that but I am not sure which direction the book will take us. Bloodrose had a pretty closed ending, and ending I thought was fit for the series.

This book definitely had my emotions all over the place. I was sad, happy, excited, confused, irritated, frustrated and so much more. The same beautiful writing style, the same awesome storytelling skills, and of course some really cool characters. I really wasn’t sure what the ending would look like and I never expected what I got. For sure the book was full of surprises and shocks.

I must say that I think Calla frustrated me the most in this book. By the third book, she should know what she wants and make up her mind. The playing with both boys hearts really had me at wits end. I loved both boys. I started out liking Shay and Hating Ren… then I put up with Shay and I started to feel for Ren… in the end I loved them both. They both had their great qualities, their weaknesses, and a place in my heart. I knew in my heart who Calla should choose but it didn’t make it any easier for me. Sometimes I really thought Calla didn’t deserve either one of them. In the end Calla figured it all out and redeemed herself in my eyes.

The other characters in the book are really the best characters for me.. Conner, Bryn, Ansel, and so many more. I love them all. I grew so close to each and every one of them and it broke my heart every time they were hurt. Andrea Cremer does not shy away from hurt, pain, broken hearts, and even death.

I think this was a wonderful ending to a great story

A roller coaster of a ride, so many twists and turns and heartache and joys. Loved it!

Review: Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

Title: Born at Midnight

Author: C.C. Hunter
Publisher:  St. Martin's Griffin
Publishing Date: March 29th 2011

Pages: 398
Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance

Series: Shadow Falls #1
Source: Audio

  

One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart. 

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…

Slowly getting through my long list of TBR, this one has been on my list for a long long while. I have had the book sitting on my shelf, I just never had the chance to fit in my schedule. Finally I did and I am very happy to have finally started this wonderfully talked about series. I really really liked this book. It was a bit slow in the pacing at times for me but there was a lot of building of relationships and laying of puzzle pieces to create a very mysterious paranormal story.

Kylie was in the wrong place and the wrong time and ended herself up in a heap of trouble. Kylie's parents believe that she needs some help dealing with their divorce and that is why she is acting out. They send her to a camp for troubled teens that Kylie's counselor recommended. In only takes a short bit before Kylie realizes she is in a camp for paranormal teens not troubled teens. She is told she herself must be a paranormal but Kylie is positive she is not. She would rather believe she is just nuts or has a brain tumor. What Kylie doesn't expect is to make some great friends, fall for two gorgeous boys, and undercover some dark deep family secrets.

This was wonderfully written story. I am so excited to start another paranormal story that has some of the great aspects of a paranormal read with a very fresh story line. The plot is only just started in this book and it seems to me that its only going to get better. I am happy that all the books are currently available and I can just keep on keeping on and read all about it. 

The story is definitely one worth reading. The pacing was a bit slow for me at times, but the author did a wonderful job of building the characters and the story. I am just a little bit ADD and when the pace slows I have a bit of a hard time with continuing. I am glad I did though. It really picked up towards the middle and the story went from good to great. So many secrets, so many stories, so many great characters.  Every time I thought I had things figured out the story took another turn. It was great. 

The characters were pretty awesome. I liked the main character. She was in denial for most of the book but she was pretty level heeded, in fact that is probably why she was in so much denial. She was way to level headed to believe anything paranormal existed and she may be one of them on top of that. I also liked her roommates very much. I loved Della and Miranda, their constant bickering was a real comediac act. They were both really loyal characters. I love loyal characters. 

The love story wasn't the entire focus,which was good for me. I love romance in my books but I do get tired of them being the total focal point. It is still very important to the story and a big part of Kylie's new life but there was so much more going on. There was a bit of insta-love but not the oh my I can't live without you type of insta-love but the kind of insta-love that is clearly insta-attraction. There is a love triangle of course and argh when will these stop. I really don't think it was needed in this story but it's there and I do love both boys already. I know this triangle is going to break my heart one way or the other. Lucas is the brooding bad boy full of passion and Derek is the sweet can't resist you kind of boy. I really did fall for both of them. I am hoping there will be a clear winner for me later on in the books. 

It was a great read and I will for sure carry on with this series.