“Museum of Thieves”
By Lain Tanner
For Ages 9 - 12
Can we keep our children locked away form the dangers of the world forever? This is one of the main questions in "Museum of Thieves," a magical fantasy with a touch of the creeps. Rated: 3.75
In the city of Jewel children are chained to their parents until they are 16-years-old. They are kept completely away from danger, risk and life. Consequently the children of Jewel never have the opportunity to develop their strengths, their gifts or learn how to live. When Goldie has finally had enough she runs away. Looking for a place to hide she ends up in the Museum of Dunt. She soon discovers that the museum is a living, changing magical place with dark secrets as well as light. The darkness is rising as the Fugleman (sort of like a the mayor) tries to take over the city by force, spread fear and rule a fascist regime. Only Goldie and a band of misfits who live at the museum can save the world. It's a dark tale with a fantastic landscape, a depth of social discussions and a discovery of virtues. Unfortunately a few plot details are never ironed out. Luckily they aren't major plot points and the adventure is entertaining enough to help you forget about them.
“Bran Hambric: The Specter Key”
By Kaleb Nation
For Ages 9 - 12
Like Harry Potter, Bran Hambric is an orphaned boy with magical powers in a magical world. Bran is trying to discover his family, his family secrets and possibly save the world. Rated 3.75
In “The Specter Key” Bran discovers a mysterious box left for him by his mother. When his best friend appears to be killed in a brilliant flash of light, Bran sets out to discover the mystery of the box. In order to do that he must first find an object called the specter key and rescue his best friend. "The Spectre Key" is full of fast moving action and interesting characters. The inventive settings and unique story add to the magic and make this book a worthy compliment to your Harry Potter collection. But be aware that you may be lost of you haven't read the first book in the series.
