So, wow, I've been reading and blogging so much that my eyes hurt. That ever happen to anyone else? Mine get really red from the strain. I'm going to take a break here in a sec, but I wanted to mention a few things:

First, if you read my last review, you know that I'm going to be writing tests for the reading program at my kids' school. I'm really excited about this, probably pathetically so :) I just love the idea of encouraging kids to read, read, read. This program is something I would have just eaten up as a kid. Anyway, I mention it because you will probably see more YA/middle grade books on here than ever before. I mean, I've always read YA, but it looks as if I may be doing a lot more of it. So, just a heads up.

There are a lot of things coming up in the next couple months on BBB. Of course, there will always be book reviews. Some great author interviews are coming up as well - I'll be chatting with the likes of Kirby Larson, Catherine Ryan Hyde, J. Scott Savage and others. I will be posting an interesting interview with Beth Fehlbaum tomorrow, which has inspired me to write a post on censorship. I haven't finished it, but eventually it will go up. More book giveaways will also be coming. I wish I could say that I will be hosting my very own challenge, but things have been too crazy lately to even think about such a thing! Anyway, stay tuned. Good things are coming!

On a more serious note, I also wanted to say that it seems to be rough times for our fellow bloggers, from the whole Nie Nie thing to our own Amanda and Stephanie. Even though I don't know most of you IRL, I feel like I do, and my heart grieves when I hear about difficulties in your lives. If you lived close, I would rush over with a casserole, or better yet - a good book. I want you to know, though, that I truly believe there is a God who hears and answers our prayers. When I say I'm praying for you, I mean that very literally. It's the only thing I can do - I hope it brings some little comfort in trying times.

I'm still trying to catch up on all of your blogs. With my move and all that entails, I am woefully behind. However, I wanted to make you aware of some great giveaways and events that are going on. Of course, you've probably heard about most of them, since I'm usually the last to post this kind of stuff. I'm going to spread the linky love anyway! As always, if I missed a giveaway or fun even happening at your blog, leave me a comment. I hate to ignore any chance for free books!

Okay, here ya go:

Booking Mama is hosting two giveaways, one for Matrimony by Joshua Henkin, and one for Suspicious Minds by Christy Barrit.

Sam Houston is also giving away a copy of Matrimony. The giveaway ends on Friday, so hurry on over there.

Amanda is offering Saturdays with Stella by Allison Pittman. The contest ends on Friday at midnight, so hurry on over.

You've probably all heard about Natasha's efforts to raise money and awareness for Darfur. If you haven't had the chance to donate (or just haven't gotten around to it like slacker me), do it!

J. Scott Savage, who has been very grateful and gracious to us book bloggers, is having a release party on Saturday, September 13th from 12-3 at the library in Spanish Fork, Utah. There will be food, free stuff, giveaways, etc. Twenty percent of the proceeds from book sales will go to the library. If you live in Utah, go give him some support.

I got an interesting e-mail from Lynn Brittney, author of Christine Kringle. She is holding a contest for readers aged 9-90 to come up with a 1-page synopsis for the sequel to the book. The winner will receive $5,000 as well as his/her name on the cover of Brittney's new novel. How fun is that? Information is here. By the way, I tried to find the book at my local library to no avail, so I'm not sure how easy it will be to find. I don't even know if it's worth reading, but the contest sounds so fun!

Finally, run over to Amy's blog to find out what's going on with Book Bloggers Appreciation Week. Don't forget to vote for the finalists - I was excited to see that several of my nominations made it to the next level. She also has giveaways, a survey and other stuff. Check it out.

My eyes are really bugging now, so I better stop. As always, Happy Reading!

If you live in the same city as I do (and I know some of you do), you're probably aware that recent budget cuts have forced the school district to eliminate librarian positions. I've heard rumors that the most prevalent reading program in our elementary schools - A.R. - will also be phased out. As a bibliophile with two elementary-age bookworms, this makes me sad. Since we just moved, said bookworms are now attending a school that boasts its own "homegrown" reading program. It's low-tech (kids read books then take paper tests about them to earn points toward rewards), so it should be safe from budget reductions. However, it takes an army of parents to read books, write tests, file tests, grade tests, etc. I'm absolutely thrilled to be one of the soldiers.

So, last week when I went in to help, the lady who runs the library showed me her stack of books for which she needed tests written. I grabbed a few, but the stories in Gordon Korman's Kidnapped series are the ones that really grabbed my attention. Apparently, I'm not the only one so beguiled - the students have been requesting tests right and left for these books. After reading the whole trilogy, I can certainly see why. Although I had never heard of Korman before this, he's written a whole slew of action/adventure books. If they are as riveting as the three I read, I'll be visiting the K section of the children's library in the near future.

Book 1: The Abduction

The first book in the series introduces us to Aiden and Meg Falconer, two kids who were forced to live as fugitives after their parents were jailed on suspicion of aiding terrorists. Although I didn't realize this when I started The Abduction, their whole backstory is told in an earlier series. Anyway, now the kids are back home with their parents, living normal lives. Well, as normal as life can be after weeks on the run. It's a big adjustment for them to be forced to sit still in a classroom after their adrenaline-pumping adventures. At least they're safe and sound now. It's not exactly a peaceful life - there are still people out there who believe the Falconer's are traitors to the U.S. - but at least the kids can sleep in their own beds at night. Now they can put the whole trauma out of their minds and get on with their ordinary lives.

That's what they think until one afternoon when three strangers grab Meg, stuff her into a van, and race off. Aiden manages to get away, but he's appalled that he couldn't save his sister. When the FBI gets involved, none of the Falconers are overjoyed to see Agent Harris again. After all, he's the one responsible for wrongly imprisoning John and Louise Falconer in the first place. Competence obviously isn't the man's strong point.

Aiden's time on the run forced him to trust his instincts; fortunately, he hasn't forgotten how. When he sees an odd news story about a flag that has been forced off its pole, he knows it's a sign from his sister. Agent Harris is under enough pressure after being publicly humiliated by the whole Falconer scandal; he's not about to send men out to investigate Aiden's wild claim. Meanwhile, Meg's holding her own against her abductors. She even manages to slip a Help! note outside the warehouse where she's being held.

When a ransom note appears on a popular website, the FBI decides to try to lure the kidnappers out of hiding. Using Aiden as bait, the agents set their trap. Harris experiences another public humiliation when the plan goes terribly awry, placing two more kids in danger. In the end, Aiden finds himself looking down the barrel of a loaded gun. Will his bravery (stupidity?) get him any closer to his sister, or will all the danger be for naught?

Book Two: The Search

When the second book opens, Meg is bouncing around inside the trunk of her kidnappers' car. Location unknown. Destination unknown. A plan she read about in one of her dad's cheesy detective novels help her escape, but only briefly. The abductors find another cage for her, one they are sure she can't fight her way out of. Once again, they underestimate Meg. Using skills honed during her weeks as a fugitive plus more ideas from her dad's books, she tries to stay ahead of her sinister captors. Sometimes she succeeds, sometimes she doesn't.

Aiden's so sick with worry that even chess games with his best friend, Richie, can't keep his mind focused. He's ecstatic that bumbling Agent Harris is off the case, but the new guy in charge doesn't seem much more helpful. When Aiden reads a news story about a series of overflowing bathrooms along a rural highway, he knows it is Meg sending him messages. Agent Sorenson dismisses the notion. After a desperate call to Agent Harris, Aiden realizes he's on his own. If he doesn't follow the clues Meg is leaving him, no one will. Sneaking past the FBI agents guarding his home, Aiden begins his own journey, one that will have him hiding in chicken coops, crawling through the sewer and facing the razor-sharp knife of a veteran soldier.

As much as Meg hopes for rescue, she, too, realizes she will have to save herself. With help from a surprising source, she manages to escape, but only to find herself up against a brick wall. Actually, worse. Now, she's lost on an empty mountain with a blizzard threatening her survival.

On the homefront, John and Louise Falconer worry about both of their children, their only comfort coming in the form of blogger extraordinaire, Rufus Sehorn. The only communication from the kidnappers has been through his website. Unfortunately, very little is coming through. Can the FBI find their daughter? What about their son, who's being tracked by the less-than-efficient Agent Harris? After all they have suffered, are they about to lose their children, too?

Book Three: The Rescue

The final book in the series begins right in the middle of the action. Meg is stumbling around in a blizzard trying not to let herself succumb to the nasty storm. A telephone pole gives her an idea - a crazy idea gleaned from the pages of her dad's dumb detective novels. Dumb as it might be, her efforts attract the attention of Aiden and Agent Harris, who begin a mad search for any sign of Meg or her kidnappers.

The blizzard makes their search nearly impossible, and try as they might, they can't find Meg. When they finally stumble upon the kidnappers' hideout, Aiden and Agent Harris find help from the most unlikely of sources. They're hot on the trail as the abductors set up a ransom drop.

Tired of waiting for the FBI to find Meg, John and Louise Falconer turn to the one person who has supported them along the way - blogger Rufus Sehorn. He vows to gather the $3 million the kidnappers are demanding. Soon, the adults are sneaking by the agents watching the house, speeding toward the drop spot without any police backup. When they arrive at the abandoned mine, the elder Falconers receive a shock that changes everything about the whole kidnapping.

When all parties converge on the mine, it becomes a life-and-death showdown. With guns, a growling bear, and tunnels that could collapse at any moment, it's a dangerous situation for everyone. Who will be trapped in the deteriorating mine? Who will come out alive? What are the real reasons behind Meg's kidnapping? Most important of all, will the Falconers lives every be normal again?

My Thoughts - I can definitely see why kids like these books. The fast-paced, exciting plots kept me riveted. They are quick reads - each took me about 1 1/2 hours - which is a good thing because I couldn't resist racing through them to find out what was going to happen. The stories all offer twists, turns and thrilling cliffhangers, but they don't quite triumph over predictability. I enjoyed the various schemes the Falconer kids come up with, but they are all pretty far-fetched. I also think the whole idea of the kidnapping might scare some kids. When my 6-year-old asked to read the books, I told her no, because I think they would give her nightmares. Of course, the kids triumph in the end, mostly by using their own skills and intuition, but I just think the whole idea of a kidnapping is too frightening for my daughter. In addition, the books don't portray police and FBI agents in a very good light. I'm sure it's realistic in some ways, but it bothered me a little. Still, Korman pens a fun, action-packed adventure series that will suck in even reluctant readers.

Grade: B

(Book images from Barnes & Noble)