cat's corner

Charlie Benjamin and his friends are back in Dean Lorey's MONSTER MADNESS: NIGHTMARE ACADEMY, BOOK 2. Unfortunately so are Level 5 Nethercreatures Verminion and Barakkas as they continue their quest to bring the remaining named (Slagguron and Tyrannus) out of the Nether and into the human world by weakening (and ultimately killing) the Guardian to a gateway between worlds. It's up to newly upgraded Addeys Charlie, Theodore, Violet, Leet Facilitator Brooke, and Professor Pinch to venture inside the fourth ring of the Nether in search of a cure. Enemies don't always come in giant, scary packages though. Sometimes they work inside the very agencies for which we fight and sometimes an enemy is the person standing right by your side...

MONSTER MADNESS is a great book to younger readers suffering Harry Potter withdrawals. While the characters might not be quite complex enough for older teens, Charlie and company are an engaging trio full of bravery and gusto. Lorey's background screen writing translates to steady pacing and key descriptions that allow you to easily picture scenes as they unfold in novel form. So grab your hot chocolate, a warm blanket, settle into a cozy chair and enjoy an afternoon or two in Charlie's world.

Originally posted at TeensReadToo.com.