3 More Down

It seems I'm always playing catch-up here. I have read three more books since I last posted. The first was So Much of Life Ahead by Dean Hughes. This was the last book in the Hearts of the Children series. I have laughed and cried throughout this series. It was wonderful. Mr. Hughes really knows how to create characters that you really care about.
The second book was Rick Riordan's book two of the Kane Chronicles, The Throne of Fire. Carter and Sadie Kane are brother and sister magicians. They follow the paths of the ancient Greek gods. In this book, the god of chaos, Apophis, is about to break free of his prison and destroy the world. It is up to Carter and Sadie to awaken Ra and save the world. But it is a perilous journey. They must first find the three sections of the Book of Ra, hidden throughout the world. Then they must take the book and descend into the Duat, the underworld, to find Ra and read the spell that will awaken him. On the way, they come across other magicians trying to stop them along with more gods and demons who are bound to kill them before they can get to Ra. Carter and Sadie must also decide if awakening Ra is the right thing to do. And if they decide to do it, will Ra be the God he used to be?
The third book I read was Princess Academy by Shannon Hale. Miri and her family live on the slopes of Mount Eskel. Her father and sister work in the quarry, but Miri isn't allowed to. She thinks it's because she's so small. One day, word comes from the lowlands that the king's priests have announced the Prince's bride will come from Mount Eskel. So a princess academy is set up for the eligible girls to instruct them on proper lowlander etiquette. Miri and the other girls don't like it very much at first. Olana, the tutor, isn't nice at all and gives out punishments for the smallest things. Then the girls turn the tables on her when Miri finds a secret about Olana. Olana changes her ways and the girls thrive on learning at the academy. After a year, it is time for the Prince to come and choose his bride. The night of his arrival, he is not very friendly. He is stiff and formal and leaves the next morning without choosing his bride. Unfortunately, as soon as the Prince's caravan leaves, bandits invade the academy and demand to know whom the Prince has chosen. They do not believe it when they are told the Prince didn't choose. A big snow storm comes and threatens to leave them stranded at the academy for the rest of the winter. Miri has to find a way to save herself and all the other girls before the bandits can take them away and/or kill them. Can she sing to the quarry rocks and make her father hear her? Will he understand she and the other girls are in danger? Will he be in time to save them? When will the Prince return and who will he choose as his bride? This was a good book and one I hope my daughters will read.