A new student review of Gray Zone by Veronica Tabares

leah0304 posted a new student review of Gray Zone by Veronica Tabares. See the full review.

This book dealt with a serious conflict of cyberbullying and just bullying in general. However, the main character, Autumn, was kind of annoying at times, with her ‘in the mind’ pep talks and lack of confidence. There were some parts in the book that didn’t really fit in with the story. For example, the part about the stalker was random, and it did not have a whole lot of purpose with the actual storyline. Another example was the part about the math teacher’s car being stolen and then placed in the middle of the classroom. Besides these examples, the book was pretty good. This is because it was well written and you always wanted to know what was going to happen next. I recommend this great read!

 

A new student review of The Drowning Shark by Stormy Sweitzer Will Swanepoel

author10 posted a new student review of The Drowning Shark by Stormy Sweitzer Will Swanepoel. See the full review.

The Drowning Shark is a great adventure story that was fun and enjoyable to read. Most of the book centers around Sierra, with only a few supporting characters, but Sierra is quite easy to connect to. On one hand, she seems like a normal, likeable person. On the other hand, she is well-traveled, intelligent, brave, and spirited.

Definitely a quick read, this book is hard to put down. Its fast pace and intricate plotline pulls the reader into Sierra’s story. If you like exotic locations and a spy novel vibe, this book is for you.

I recommend The Drowning Shark for readers between the ages of 9 and 14 who enjoy adventure, international settings, an inspiring heroine, and an environmental message.

A new student review of There's a Zombie in the Basement by Stan Yan

Jowill posted a new student review of There's a Zombie in the Basement by Stan Yan. See the full review.

I loved this story and thought it was so creative!  The story reads like a Dr. Seuss book, with all the sentences rhyming.  It is fun, creative, and has wonderful illustrations! A young child could easily retell this story just by looking at the pictures. It's a perfect bedtime story!

A new student review of The Candy Store by Michele Poague

1231713 posted a new student review of The Candy Store by Michele Poague. See the full review.

This story unfolds like a beautifully orchestrated movie.  The author describes the characters, the scenes, and the theme in vivid detail.  At first it seems a slow read, but it gives the reader a chance to develop the mental movie, and for it to blossom fully.  The time loop was very interesting. At times you want to tell Jett that ...wait... you don't want me to give it away, do you?

A new student review of Adam Undercover, The Consortium Directive (SERIES) by Aaron Foster

jotaf posted a new student review of Adam Undercover, The Consortium Directive (SERIES) by Aaron Foster. See the full review.

I loved this book! The amazing blend of action, adventure, and suspense kept me wanting more from start to finish. I loved how the author, Aaron Foster, was able to make this book so completely realistic. I felt like I was right there with Adam as things were happening. When something happened that wasn’t really fair, it made me think of how I would respond if I were one of the characters. It was also great that the author built on the characters so much more from book one, which meant that we got to see more of their fantastic personalities. 

The storyline flowed really well; there weren’t any spots where the book got slow or boring.  Fast cars, cool gadgets, powerful enemies, and the element of danger will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last. I would recommend this book to anyone who has read the first book or to anyone ages 12 and up.

A new student review of Silesia: The Outworlder by S.K. Valenzuela

Tabethar posted a new student review of Silesia: The Outworlder by S.K. Valenzuela. See the full review.

I enjoyed reading such a refreshing story, so different from the usual fantasy adventure. I admired Sahara’s fiery spirit, bravery, and determination, which provided a nice dramatic foil with the more level-headed Jared’s contrasting characteristics. The story held enough suspense to keep the reader interested, without needing constant action to make it enthralling. There were some improbabilities in the plot, but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. I await the second book with curiosity. 

A new student review of Forbidden Forest: The Dragon Holder by Wilson Feliz

Kevinhamster posted a new student review of Forbidden Forest: The Dragon Holder by Wilson Feliz. See the full review.

Since I’ve never read a book in this style of fantasy, I eagerly await the next book.  The reason I chose this book is because I liked the sound of the title; I like stories of dragons.  I would probably give this book 5/5 stars although it is has some gruesome parts where lots of people die. Because of this, I recommend it to more advanced readers.  The plot of the book is pretty well done, though I felt some parts of the story were not necessary.  I felt like there was too much focus on the side characters which seemed added for length, and only gave a little to the story plot.  The main character, Liam, was written well and I could picture him going on adventures with his dragon, Shade.  The Dragon Holder is also a lot like the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini, so if you enjoy that series, try it!

 

A new student review of Goggles Gone Strong: Mighty Monday by S.M.W. Claw

Joshchipmunk posted a new student review of Goggles Gone Strong: Mighty Monday by S.M.W. Claw. See the full review.

When I first read Goggles Gone Strong, Mighty Monday, I loved it immediately!  I liked how the Blue family interacted with the island and its people while trying to figure out not only why they were on the island, but also what their big safety goggles were for. I liked how S.M.W. Claw wrote the book so it feels like you are with Calypso, the main character, and you are learning with her.  I definitely recommend this book for all, but I think kids between the age of 8-15 would like it the most.  There were  many things I liked about this book, such as the way S.M.W. Claw put the time and place Calypso was at before every chapter, how the book started with the Blue family trying to keep everything in running order at their shack in the middle of a jungle, and above all, how the book is different than many other books in that both reader and characters learn together.  

A new student review of Two for Joy by Gigi Amateau

OrcaGirl posted a new student review of Two for Joy by Gigi Amateau. See the full review.

I think the phrase, “One for sorrow, two for joy”, fits every part of this story perfectly! While Jenna and her mom are driving to see Tannie, they count crows by saying the phrase:  “one for sorrow, two for joy, three for girl, four for a boy, five for silver, six for gold, seven for a secret never to be told”. Jenna’s mom sees only one crow, which represents sorrow.  Jenna however spots one, two, three, four, five, six, and then seven crows. When Jenna’s aunt moves in with them it seems everything is a big mess of sorrow and frustration, but at the family meeting it turns out there is a secret never to be told!  In this case, that is to ask for help when you need it. I think this book is wonderful for youngsters who might have younger siblings and feel like there isn’t enough love to go around. Just remember there is always more love, the more people there are to give it to!

A new student review of The Liberation by Marissa Shrock

Gracie posted a new student review of The Liberation by Marissa Shrock. See the full review.

I really enjoyed the book when I could actually imagine the different parts. This story always had excitement. You wouldn’t be able to wait for the next page, or chapter. Marissa Shrock weaves the story so well that every page was a surprise. As the story kept going, it got more intense. All the facts fit together closer to the end. Even though it is the second book in the series it was easy for me to understand it. But I am guessing that without reading the first book it may be harder to understand the storyline. Though the first part of the story was okay, the last part was amazing. There were so many happy endings and surprises. There were some surprises I didn’t like entirely and I wished were changed, but they fit with the story very well. It had everything a good story needs. It also reminded me of the Divergent series. I loved it and I think you will to. 

A new student review of The Secret of Goldenrod by Jane O'Reilly

hawkreader10 posted a new student review of The Secret of Goldenrod by Jane O'Reilly. See the full review.

"The Secret of Goldenrod" was a great book! I was so absorbed in Trina's story that I didn't want to put this book down. With the exception of the magical ball and talking doll, the plot felt very realistic. The detailed descriptions of the mansion painted a picture in my head and made me feel as if I was there. I really liked how the author used flashbacks to combine Trina's story with the story of the family who lived in Goldenrod a century before. I found "The Secret of Goldenrod" to be a very fast and entertaining read and would strongly recommend it to anyone from 5^th grade through middle school.