Casa Azul: An Encounter with Frida Kahlo by Laban Carrick Hill

The simultaneous stories of Frida Kahlo following her divorce to Diego Rivera, Maria and Victor Ortiz in their search of their mother in Mexico City, and the wresting match between El Corazon and El Diablo are told by Laban Carrick Hill in Casa Azul. Fourteen year-old Maria and her nine year-old brother Victor board a bus from their small village to go to Mexico City after the death of their grandmother. Maria seeks not only her mother but also the independance she was denied in her village. They meet Oswaldo, the accomplice of the wanted thief Oscar soon after arriving in Mexico City. Although Maria does not trust him, Maria and Victor enjoy adventures together and view Mexico City froma vantage point that few visitors ever see. Maria tells Victor of the matches of El Corazon and El Diablo, famed in Mexico when they are feeling down to keep him excited and entertained. However, this simple story turns out to dictate a lot to each of the characters in Casa Azul. Frida Kahlo's childhood home of Casa Azul is not only magical with her paintings talking and giving advice, but also caring with Fuland and Chico, her monkey and cat. Their animated conversations keep the reader entertained. This episode of art history gives the reader, whether an art lover or not, an intimate look at a famous artist often put in the backgound because of her famous husband Diago Rivera. The satisfying ending makes the novel well worth reading.

Laban Carrick Hill does an excellent job of personifying the name, Frida Kahlo, that students often read in textbooks. The parallel stories especially add to the drama because the reader is constantly wondering about what is happening to the other characters until they finally all meet each other. Casa Azul is a page turner not only because of the depth into which each story is told but more so because of the switching view points. Similar to historical fiction telling the stories of figures of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, Hill's art fiction draws the reader into the history a lot more than a textbook would and definitely gives a more personable account of a famous person. I doubt that Casa Azul will become a best seller but it is definitely worth reading whether one knows anything about Frida Kahlo or not. I wish the author would have included more historical facts about the Mexican Revolution istead of just hinting at it.

Flamingnet Reviewer Age: 17

Flamingnet Reviewer City, State and Country: Kansas City, MO USA

Framed! by Malcom Rose

In a futuristic Britain, Luke Harding is the youngest Forensic Investigator ever. On the day he is certified, Luke is assigned to a case that is too close to home. A student at the school he attends is murdered with an arrow, and the only fingerprints on the arrow are Luke’s! With his robotic sidekick, Malc, Luke is equipped with everything he needs to deal with a world where people are ‘paired’, cats and dogs are all but extinct, and people with white skin are jeered and teased. Luke must prove himself innocent of the series of murders that all point to him.

I enjoyed the book. Malcom Rose is clearly qualified to write the book, as he is a forensic teacher. The scientific facts are laced masterfully with an entertaining story. The only thing that the story lacks is character emotions. Though the development is fine, and we know exactly the disposition of each character, the feelings of the character leave a bit to be desired. All in all, the book is very good and certainly worth reading.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Flamingnet Reviewer Age: 12
Flamignet Reviewer City, State and Country: Greencastle, PA USA

Anthem by Ayn Rand

Equality 7-2521 is not like the other brothers. For one thing, he has a head quicker than most. He desires to become a Scholar and question all things. In the society of Equality 7-2521, the worst transgression is to prefer. Nothing is superior. Everything is all the same. Equality 7-2521 makes a huge discovery, but keeps it to him, for it is Uncharted. If the Council found out, he would be severely punished for breaking the law. There he discovers the secrets of the Unthinkable Times and satisfies some of his hunger for knowledge. He meets Liberty 5-3000, a girl, and falls in love without the Council of Eugenics assigning them together. Both of them escape to the Uncharted Forest and realize the power of the one Unspeakable Word.

It was a book that definitely made me think. However, the plot is very similar to that of The Giver. It also contains some elements from The White Mountains. Ayn Rand gives many of the modern-day concepts and items obscure and unclear names.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 12

Alice On Her Way by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Alice, a fifteen year old living in Maryland, only has a couple of goals in mind for her near future: getting a date to the Jack of Hearts dance because she and Patrick broke up; going to New York with her friends on their school trip; and getting her driver's license when she turns sixteen. When Sam Mayer, a photographer on the school newspaper with her, asks Alice out, she finds him perfect. Everything goes well with her and her best friends Elizabeth, Pamela, and Gwen until their trip to New York. More of their problems surface and changes are realized. All this takes place in front of a backdrop of her church class "Our Whole Lives" that her Dad signed her up for. Although she dreads going to it in the beginning, she looks forward to it and realizes its importance towards the end.

Like many books written for teenagers today, Phyllis Naylor's Alice on Her Way portrays a teenage girl trying to get along in the world. Naylor's laid back style of writing makes the book relatively quick read. Although this book is not really original in its plot and approach to teen-agers, there is a lot of positive in it. I doubt Alice will make it to the top of the best-seller lists but it is a fun read. Alice can be compared to Meg Cabot's Mia but it is a lot faster paced and Naylor takes a totally different approach to presenting her plot. Overall, Alice on Her Way is worth reading in some spare time.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 5
Reviewer Age: 17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Kansas City, Missouri USA

Chopstick

Chopstick is the story of Paige Winsome and Kate Kennedy, who both love music. Paige needed a guitar and Kate emailed her back about one she would sell her. When they met up at their dads' same work place, Rainmaker, one of the the largest employers in Snake River Valley, Paige buys the guitar from Kate and invites her to Two Trees, a Chinese resturant and she accepts. When they are done with their meal, they decide that they should have something that symbolizes their love of music. Kate looked around a minute and discovered they could each wear a chopstick in their hair as the symbol and that's how their friendship began. Each girl is in the same singer-songwriter contest to compete for the four dollar prize so that they can give it to charity, as they find out later. Will this contest ruin their friendship or make it better? Find out in this awesome book called Chopstick, the second book of the Friends For A Season series. There are four books in this series and there's a website too at http://www.friendsforaseason.com.

This book is on fire! You will think so too as soon as you start reading Chopstick. I will admit at first it was a little hard to understand until I figured out that Chopstick alternates from Paige's to Kate's perspective the whole way through this book. Each girl is telling the story of their own life and how they meet up with one another and become the greatest friends anyone could ever have. Now if you ask me I think this book sounds awesome and it really is. I think you definitely should buy this book if you like books about competition.
Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10
Flamingnet Reviewer Age: 11
Flamingnet Reviewer City, State and Country: Upperstrasburg, PA US

Princess in Training: Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

This book is the sequel to Princess in Pink. In this book, Mia has more important things her mind. By important we mean, running for student council against Lana, dumping snails in the Bay of Genovia, and the most important thing of all, doing IT with Michael. With a fantastic show of understanding and smarts, Mia blows the student body away. Michael is an understanding boyfriend and they work it out. Now you may ask, well, what about the snails? Well, you'll just have to find out in Princess in Training.

I think that Meg Cabot has done a good job in portraying Mia's life again. Mia is like a typical high schooler even though she is a princess and faces problems we could face someday and that makes it easier for readers to relate to her. All the song titles and movies are also modern enough that we know them.Each chapter relates to the next and some are even just 5 words long! Also, Meg puts some fun little activities that Mia did into her diaries and you can do it too. As the books progress, Cabot starts putting more adult material in it. I recommend this book for older kids. A very well written book.
Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Flamingnet Reviewer Age: 12
Flamingnet Reviewer City, State and Country: Tucson, Arizona USA

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

Liz had an okay life. She was going to get her learner's permit in about a year, she had a prom coming up, and she had a pretty nice family. Then, one morning she wakes up to find herself on a boat! She meets all sorts of strange characters on the boat. Such as Curtis Jest, a member of her favorite band, Machine, and Thandi, a girl who claims to have been shot in the head. Liz is positive she's dreaming. Liz gets a letter, telling her to visit the Observation Deck. When she gets there, she gazes upon her own funeral. Then she gets it. This isn't a dream. She's dead. Liz struggles in her first year in Elswhere. But, she makes friends, gets a job, and makes peace with her death.

I loved this book! To me, it represented that every cloud has a silver lining. Liz was a great character, sometimes bratty, but nevertheless, she was very sweet. I also loved this book because I love dogs. It would be cool to be able to talk to dogs for a job. After reading this book, I decided that when I die, I would like to go to Elsewhere.

Alice Macleod, Realist at Last by Susan Juby

"Alice Macleod, Realist at Last," Susan Juby's latest novel, continues the adventures of Alice Macleod, a self-proclaimed outcast who was home schooled for ten years before attending a public school. This is the third installment in a highly successful series which also includes the
books "Alice, I Think" and "Miss Smithers."

The book begins during the summer before seventeen-year-old Alice's senior year and her world seems to be falling apart. Her mother has been jailed for protesting the building of a toxic plant. Her boyfriend has recently moved to Scotland with his parents. Her empathetic counselor Bob has been temporarily replaced by the detached Ms. Deitrich. To top it all off the family's home-based candle making business has been snuffed out leaving Alice and her father in need of some fast employment.

And that's just the start of Alice's troubles.

This engaging story is told in the first person through pieces of Alice's diary and snippets of her tentatively titled screenplay "Of Moose and Men" where she has cast herself in the lead. The narrative devices skillfully convey Alice's unique outlook on life, but it might take several pages for new readers to warm up to her voice. Her sense of humor is quirky and often times quite dark. Alice's previous exploits are occasionally alluded to during the course of this novel, but reading the first two books isn't mandatory in order to thoroughly enjoy this one.

Alice is the kind of character that readers will find charming. Potentially sensitive topics (such as Alice's mother's incarceration) are dealt with in a non-offensive and light-hearted manner. However, the book contains sexual content that may not be suitable for younger readers. This is a funny and entertaining book for ages twelve and up.

Reviewed by Amy Vance for Flamingnet Book Reviews
www.flamingnet.com
Preteen and young adult book reviews and recommendations

Ariel by: Grace Tiffany

"Ariel" by Grace Tiffany is a re-creation of William Shakespeare’s "The Tempest". Ariel is a powerful spirit who does not possess a physical body. However, she can shift shape, control people’s minds, create other spirits, and show images in the air. In the beginning of the book, Ariel starts out as a dream that belongs to a sailor named Jasper. A storm has swept Jasper onto an island. Over time, Jasper starts to go mad. He starts praying to his dreams and calls the spirit Ariel out of them. Jasper finally dies of his madness, but Ariel lives on. One day, a pregnant woman named Sycorax washes up onto the island. She and Ariel help each other to survive. Finally, Sycorax is about to give birth to her baby. She asks Ariel to help her, but Ariel cannot because she is only a spirit. Angry, Sycorax prays to her god, Setebos, to trap Ariel. Setebos turns Ariel into an ant and sticks her inside a tree! To find out what happens to Ariel, and Sycorax, read on for yourself!

"Ariel" is an enchanting book. Many interesting characters show up on Ariel’s island, including Sycorax’s “monster” son, Caliban; Prospero the farmer and his young daughter, Miranda; Alonso the king of Naples and his son, Ferdinand; Prospero’s “evil” brother Antonio; and Ariel’s three spirit minions—Acrazia, Nous, and Fantasia. At some points Ariel is a little slow, but other parts are exciting and read quickly. Readers who like "Treasure Island" and those who like Shakespeare’s stories would like Ariel.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 11

Reviewed by: GS

Tackling Dad by: Elizabeth Levy

Cassie was the star of the pee-wee football team a few years ago. Many things have changed since then, such as her parents getting divorced. Now she only visits her dad on weekends. When she and her best friend Molly make the new football team, will Cassie ever get her parents to sign the form to allow her to play in the games? If they do let Cassie play, will she ever get the respect she wants from the boys on the team? How much longer will Cassie be able to stand Serena, her new step-mom(Mrs. Tofu Queen), who gets worked up over almost everything? You can find out in this terrific book called "Tackling Dad".

This book was a page-turner and and I enjoyed spending the time to read it! At first I didn't know how this book would be since it was about football and I don't like football, but this book turned out to be excellent. The things the characters said in "Tackling Dad" were very funny. I recommend "Tackling Dad" to pretty much anybody who likes to read funny books, but especially if you like football.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 11

Reviewed by: CMy

Under the Persimmon Tree" by Suzanne Fisher Staples

The year is 2001. Afghanistan is in the middle of a war between the Taliban and the US-backed Northern Alliance. The story follows two extraordinary people: Najmah and Nusrat. Najmah, whose name means ‘star’, has lost almost all of her family to the fighting. Her only remaining relative is an uncle, whose sole aim is to steal the land that her father wanted her so much to protect. Najmah has no choice, but to accompany a family of travelers, as they are the only people, it seems, that care about her. The other main character is a woman by the name of Nusrat, an American living in Peshawar, Pakistan. Her school for refugee children under her persimmon tree keeps her mind away from her husband, who is working in northern Afghanistan as a doctor. Through a perilous journey, Najmah comes to live with Nusrat, and their lives entwine, as Najmah studies under the persimmon tree with other children who have seen more hardship in their young lives than Nusrat has seen in her entire lifetime.

This book was an amazing testament to those who must give up their lifestyle and possessions to warfare and hardship. "Under the Persimmon Tree" gives a face to all those who surrender all individuality to the western media, and are just masses of people in their eyes. I could not put the book down. I received the book on a Friday evening, and was done by Saturday morning. The way Suzanne Fisher Staples writes is both knowledgeable and empathetic. Her firsthand experience of the change of Afghanistan from a cultural center to a barren wasteland translates very clearly into the amazing and true-to-life storyline. Ms. Staples lived in Afghanistan from the time before the Soviet Invasion that changed the country forever to the time of the Taliban takeover. The ending leaves readers to wonder, and yet a sense of closure is within a close grasp. Under the Persimmon Tree is an essential to anyone with family members fighting in Afghanistan, who follow events there, or just want to learn about the war that seems to have disappeared out of our media spotlight.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10

Reviewer Age: 12

Reviewed by: CS

A.D. 62: Pompeii by: Rebecca East

A twenty-first century woman named Miranda is stranded in A.D. 62 Pompeii as a house slave of a wealthy family. True, that's what she came to do, get an up close and personal look into the lives of first century Romans. However, with no way to get back home, it looks like she'll be there forever, or at least until Mt. Vesuvius covers the entire city with 20 feet of lava, mud, and ash. Slowly through the help of storytelling and music she makes her way up the ladder of slaves so instead of scrubbing floors and cleaning chamber pots she is playing her flute for guests at dinner parties. Soon she finds her self attracted to the master of the house, but love between a slave and her master is absolutely unheard of. Truly a different kind of love story.

The beginning was good, the middle was a bit slow, but the end was TERRIFIC! The beginning was packed with detail about her surroundings. The middle was the day to day life of a slave with the same thoughts, ideas, and actions repeated over and over. The end was filled to the brim with action and plot. The book also tends to deal with rather mature ideas. Set some time aside for the end because you won't want to stop until you have finished the last page.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewed by: KA

Nasty Book by: Barry Yourgrau

This book is as collection of stories. The stories are comical, creepy, gorey, scary, gross, and nasty. Some of them have a mission to scare you, while others just live up to the name "nasty". They are all good for a sleepless night.

This book was okay. The author did a good job on making up nasty stories. Many of them were too unbeleivable. They weren't that nasty, becuase I know some of the events couldn't happen. However, some of them really sent the hair on my neck rising.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6

Reviewer Age: 12

Reviewed by: RC

Orphans of Chaos by: John C. Wright

"Orphans of Chaos" involves five children, Amelia, Quentin, Victor, Colin, and Vanity, who are living in a British orphanage. As time goes on, the children discover unusual, unbelievable things about themselves. They can do incredible things like walk on air, unlock bolted doors, and reach into the fourth dimension. It becomes evident that they are not humans at all, but rather supernatural beings whose memories and powers have been stripped away from them and who have been trapped within the boundaries of the orphanage. Where are they from? Who has confined them here, and why?

Like a master chef sprinkling seasoning over a dish, Wright has flavored his fantasy with hints of science, mythology, and mystery. The plot was enthralling, and the characters multi-layered. As the story progresses and questions from previous chapters are answered, new questions arise, keeping you spellbound from cover to cover. There were a few parts in the book, usually pretty short, with scientific concepts that went a little over my head, but they did not detract at all from my enjoyment of the book, and might make it more fun to read through a second time. I thought this book was very well written, and genuinely regreted to set it down once I was finished. I'd love to read the sequel. It is a good read for most young adults who like fantasy.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewed by: SV

Dustin Grubbs, One Man Show by: John J. Bonk

In his first novel "Dustin Grubbs, One Man Show", John J. Bonk examines the intersection of dreams and reality in middle school. The hero, Dustin Grubbs, wants to change the world through his stage performances. Unfortunately, Dustin has no acting experience since his mother does not approve of the theater because his father deserted the family three years ago to become a stand-up comic. When sixth grade teacher Miss Honeywell proposes a play, Dustin ignores his mother’s expected disapproval and pursues his goal. Then reality sets in. Calamity becomes the star of The Castle of the Crooked Crowns as a fire drill stops the show. On the day of the rescheduled performance Dustin manages to get locked in the boys’ bathroom. When the janitor finally rescues him, his entire class and new student TV child star Jeremy Jason Wilder watch him appear from the stall. A public bathroom rescue should be the worst event ever, but it isn’t. A broken piano isn’t the worst either. Neither is Principal Futterman’s giving the starring role to Jeremy. The worst part is when Dustin almost let his fascination with Jeremy damage his friendship with Wally Dorkin, Ellen Mennopi aka LMNOP, and the other kids at Buttermilk Falls Middle School. Although few middle school students have TV stars in their school, many have dreamed of the friendship of an unresponsive someone and will identify with Dustin’s attempt to understand friendship, trust, and loyalty. John Bonk has created a believable middle school atmosphere with its puns, alliteration, and bathroom humor. Readers may welcome another visit to Buttermilk Falls when the sequel comes out in 2006.

John Bonk has captured the drama of middle school with its emphasis on friendships and peer pressure. The characters are believable and a little goofy, just like middle schoolers. I liked visiting Buttermilk Falls Middle School and wonder what the kids will be up to in the sequel. I would recommend this book to folks with a sense of humor.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

This book was reviewed by a Graduate Student

The Lace Dowry by: Andrea Cheng

When Juli and her mama go to Halas to order an elegant lace tablecloth for Juli's dowry, she finds a new friend named Roza, otherwise known as the best lacemaker's daughter. They return every two months to the lacemaker's shop to check up on the progress of the tablecloth and to make payments on it. Juli's mama doesn't want her having a friend from the country. So when her mama finds out Juli and Roza have become friends, Juli's mama forces her to go to dance class instead of going to Halas with her. Juli is afraid that Roza might go blind like her (Roza's) mama and she decides to help her. How, you ask? Well, instead of using the money her mama gave her for white dance shoes, Juli uses it to buy something that she thinks will help Roza not to go blind from making lace, but will Juli ever see Roza again to give it to her? Find out in one of the greatest books ever, called "The Lace Dowry".

I loved this book so much that I wished it would never end. The Lace Dowry is set in 1933 in the city in Budapest. This book has magnificent characters that are interesting to read about. I enjoyed reading this book very much because it had a wonderful plot and the setting was unusual. This book also has a moral question: Is it ok to tell lies and steal to help someone else who is in need? Everything about this book is awesome, and I recommend "The Lace Dowry" to everybody.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10

Reviewer Age: 11

Reviewed by CMy

His Oldest Friend by Sonny Kleinfeld

When Elvis started volunteering at the nursing home, it was to keep out of trouble. He was a poor, Hispanic young man living in a not-so safe neighborhood in New York City, and everyday just trying to stay alive. But when Elvis is hired look in on Ms. Oliver, a resident of the home, their weekly check-ups gradually turn into daily visits, and a rare and strong relationship is formed. While Elvis brings light into Ms. Oliver's dull world at the nursing home, she gives him the strength and wisdom to better his life day by day.

His Oldest Friend is not a book that I will pick up again any time soon. Though Kleinfield is a renowned journalist, when it comes to books geared for young adults, his work is not up to expectations. The story itself is a bit cliché, an elderly person enlightening a troubled youth and vice-versa, but also, the use of vocabulary did not seem to fit the age group the book was written for. By the time the book was over, I not only didn't particularly care what became of the characters, but I wasn't able to absorb any points that Kleinfield was trying to make with this story, which left me feeling that I went through the trouble of reading the book for nothing.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 4

Reviewer Age: 15

Gulliver Zone by: Stephen Baxter

In the world of "The Web" series, people are hooked up to the internet by using suits that take their minds to the web. Sarah is one of the many users on the Web, and on world peace day takes a friend and her annoying little brother on a trip to the Gulliver Zone, a virtual magical kingdom. However, after meeting a small race of people called lilliputians, Sarah and her brother are shrunk down to the lilliputian's size. Now Sarah, George, and a lillputian named Cefven must go to the castle of the sorceress, grow back to normal, save her friend, and save a race of people from an evil tyrant before they are all stuck in the Gulliver Zone.

"The Gulliver Zone," set in a not so distant future, begins and ends as a great book. The plot is really good and it made me not want put the book down. The premise for the book, though not original, makes a lot of sense and the writer did a good job of playing that out.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 14

Reviewed by: RF

Poppy's Return by: Avi

When Poppy's sister, Lily, unexpectedly arrives in Dimwood Forest with bad news that her family's and friends' home will be destroyed, Poppy decides to go back to her old home and try to save Gray House. How will she manage taking along her bratty teenage son, Ragweed Jr. (a mouse) and his best friend, Mephitis. When Poppy returns to Gray House, will she accept her father's plans for her, and will she be able to stop the bulldozer from wrecking the house? If not, what will happen to all the mice that live there? Find out in this amazing story of "Poppy's Return".

I thought this book was exciting to read. I didn't want to put it down when it was time for bed but I had to. The book had amazing characters with many different personalities. This book was a real page turner but I only gave it an eight because of the weird stuff Ereth (a porcupine) says. The illustrations were drawn by Brian Floca and are detailed black and white pictures. I really liked the ones that had Poppy in the picture; she's a really cute mouse. The plot was interesting, and my favorite character was Ragweed Jr. because he did hilarious things. I recommend this book for kids ages 8-12 because the language is fairly easy.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age: 11

Reviewed by: CMy

The Foretelling by: Alice Hoffman

This novel is a coming of age story centered around the life of a young Amazon queen-to-be, Rain. It tells of her relationship, or lack therof, with her mother, the Queen of the Amazon women, and all of the things that are expected of her as the future Queen. The novel starts with Rain being absolutely sure of what she wants and the course that her life should take. Throughout the novel, however, she slowly begins considering what life can be like outside of the never-ending war that is the empire of the Amazon women.

The overall idea and plot of the novel is both original and creative while tying in themes that most young adults can relate to. Alice Hoffman also did a good job of using symbols consistently throughout the novel. Although the novel is exciting because of its originality, at the same time you finish it with a feeling of incompleteness and sadness-- as if the entire journey you have taken with Rain is pointless. Although Rain does age in the novel by many years, the content of her thoughts seem to remain the same. Had the author not written that she had gotten older, I would not have thought so. Besides this fact, I do feel that the novel is interesting and worth reading, just don't expect to finish it feeling as though you have taken a meaningful journey along with the main character.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6

Reviewer Age: 15

Reviewed by: ACC

The Printer's Devil by: Paul Bajoria

It all starts when the Printer's Devil is making wanted posters of an ugly convict named Cockburn. Mog Winter had stayed up late one night after printing 100 copies of the poster. Once done with that, the orphan had to deliver a bill to one of Mr. Cramplock's customers (he's Mog's employer). The man who is to receive the bill's name is Mr. Flethick. Mog finds Flethick in his room with several other men smoking and speaking of things like "The Sun of Calcutta" and "The Bonsun". Before you could blink and eye Mog is whisked away in a grand adventure involving thieves, camels, deception, and a mysterious past.

I thought that "The Printer's Devil" was good, but definitely a book you might want to use a notecard as a bookmark to keep track of who's who. At times it can be dreadfully confusing as to who's doing what and how they're involved in the first place. I thought the writing was inconsistent at times. One chapter would be smooth and the next it would take a while to catch up with the plot line. It was almost as if you missed something important. Warning: When reading this book be prepared for the weird little twists and turn that could utimately change the plot for somthing totally different. Assume nothing.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewed by: KA

Worlds of the Golden Queen by: David Farland

David Farland takes you on an adventure through amazing worlds, where there is knowledge on how to expand life, create new creatures/lifeforms, and so much more. But throughout the thousands of worlds there is suffering of people, for the Golden Queen Semarritte is dead, and now the Dronon are in control of the worlds. The Dronon are nasty creatures who have created chaos throughout the worlds. But there is hope to overthrow the Dronon by means of Semarritte's clone, Everynne. On the way to regain control of the worlds Everynne comes across three people, a bodyguard named Gallen, an orphen named Maggie, and a bear named Orick. Gallen, Maggie, and Orick live on what is known as a backwards world, where the tecnologies of the other worlds have been rejected by the original people on the backwards world, and so when they agree to help Everynne they have no idea of what kinds of things or people they will find on their adventure. Throughout Gallen, Maggie, and Orick's journey they find good and bad worlds and people, that always tests what they believe in . The only thing certain about this adventure is it will change them all forever.

I loved "Worlds of the Golden Queen." it was a great book with characters you easily could like. The bad guys in the book you hated, but felt bad for them because of the fact that they were convinced that what they were doing was going to make the world a better place. The best part of the book, in my opnion, was the first time Gallen, Maggie, and Orick meet Everynne. I liked that part the best because that is when Maggie, Gallen, and Orick's life changing adventure begins.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewed by : VR

Steel Magic by: Andre Norton

Avalon is Earth’s guardian. If Avalon falls into the hands of evil, Earth will soon follow. When Greg, Sara, and Eric are transported to Avalon by a hidden door in a castle and learn how close Avalon is to destruction they know they have to help. With the aid of a steel knife, fork, and spoon, they set off in search of three missing talismans, the protectors of Avalon. Without these iron objects in a land where iron is deadly, the war against evil is sure to fail. Each of them must conquer their individual fears to rescue the sword Excalibur that belongs to King Arthur, the Horn that is Huon’s, the Warden of the West, and the ring that circles Merlin’s finger. If they don’t succeed, Avalon will fall, and Earth, as they know it will be no more.

Magic is real in Andre Norton’s book, Steel Magic. The imagery is vivid throughout the book, and fear is always present and always in different forms. Young readers will adore this thrilling adventure. Andre Norton has created a new fantasy world.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewed by: SMo

The Adventures of a Notorious Youth: Capt. Hook by: J.V. Hart

Just like the title promises, this book is all about the youth adventures of Captain Hook. He goes to a school called Eton where he becomes infamous. Roger (nicknamed Jolly Roger) becomes James' best friend, James falls in love with a Sultana, and he creates total havoc at Eton. All the while, he had his loyal spider, Electra, by his side. As the book progresses, James makes a dramatic exit from Eton and gains his ship, the Jolly Roger. With his ship and friends by his side, James sets off in search of the perfect island he has always dreamed of.

This book was very interesting. It explained a lot about Captain Hook and how things came to be how they were in Peter Pan. The ending was a bit vague but you can connect it with Peter Pan and figure out what happens. The book has a lot of vivid word choices and the plot twists and turns a lot. Some parts of the book are a little disturbing so this book is better for older kids. Perhaps when you are done with this book, your outlook on Captain Hook will change.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age: 12

Reviewed by: AW

Out of Time by: John Marsden

"Out of Time" by John Marsden has multiple plots to it, but the main one is about a boy named James who sneaks over to Lab 17 every night, where Mr.Woodford makes extrodinary scienctific inventions. One night James sees Mr. Woodford's newest invention, a time machine, but the following night when James goes into Lab 17 he finds Mr. Woodford dead. However, temptation rises and James takes the little time machine home with him. Now that James has the power of time, will he use it to help the lives of others or will he use it for his own personal gain? He must decide for himself before the opportunity is lost.

"Out of Time" has some good aspects in it, like its multiple plot lines, interesting main story, and great theme. However, the multiple plot lines fail to even remotely go together. The ending is highly disappointing and how the author changes from one plot to another in a paragraph-like structure is a complete flop. Again, the book is an interesting idea, but Mr. Marsden does not make it work.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 4

Reviewer Age: 14

Reviewed by: RF

"Your Name in Print" by: Elizabeth Harper and Timothy Harper

"Your Name in Print" is about how you can improve your writing. Throughout the book, you are taught how to find subjects to write about, tactics you can use to help yourself write better, and examples on how hard work and determination can help your writing. You also learn in this book how you can get your work known to the public. "Your Name in Print" will help teach you how to write anything from school reports to books.

"Your Name in Print" was an interesting book. The most interesting parts of the book for me was when you would learn about how some writer started out. The book did have useful tips on how to help improve your writing, and good ways on how to come up with ideas to write about. It also taught you a lot about how to start out in writing, and move up to doing bigger things. The book did having some parts in it where I was daydreaming while I read it, but other than those few parts, I was really into what I was reading.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewed by VR

Girls Dinner Club by Jessie Elliot is a story about three high school girls of very different backgrounds bonding together to uncover the mysteries of love, friendship, and the art of cooking. Elliot successfully creates a relationship between the book’s characters and the reader. It’s an entertaining tale of the recipes of life, however too advanced for the targeted audience, who may not be able to see beyond some of the titillating details. Best friends Junie and Celia welcome classmate Danielle to join them for dinner one evening after working on a school project. The casual meal turns into a weekly tradition where the girls try their hand at lavish, mouth-watering cuisines while developing an unbreakable sisterhood union. Individually, the girls each have problems they are desperately trying to overcome. Junie’s yearlong relationship comes to a screeching halt when she becomes unsure of the direction it is taking, and then she becomes tempted by Danielle’s hunky twenty-one-year-old cousin. Celia’s sheltered world is turned upside-down when her father brings home a new woman and her annoying or wait, maybe her mystifyingly charming nephew. Life hasn’t been easy for Danielle being raised by mom, grandma, and big sis Christine especially when bad boy Steve resurfaces as a "changed man." The lack of parental guidance throughout the novel is evident when the seventeen-year-olds either have no curfew at all, or defy the 11:00 p.m. weeknights and 12:30 a.m. weekends set for them. Together the trio battles decisions of sex, underage drinking, cheating boyfriends, and sneaking around behind their parents' backs. The content is not appropriate for 12 and below. I would not be comfortable with middle school readers being exposed to issues like sex, underage drinking, and defiance of family rules. However, this behavior is perfectly acceptable according to this book.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6

Reviewer Age: 24

Reviewed by: NY

Click Here by: Denise Vega

In this book, a girl named Erin is going through some major changes in her life. She is seperated from her best friend, Jilly, who have always been in the same class together. Now, in middle school, the two girls are seperated into different 'tracks'. Erin is learning how to get on with life by herself, since she has always relied on Jilly to make decisions for the both of them. Erin lets out her feelings on a web-site meant for NO ONE to see. When something terrible happens to Erin, she has to learn how to fix her mistakes.

I didn't really like this book. I found that I did not enjoy the author's style and Erin's personality . She kind of reminded me of a more modern, female Charlie Brown. Only she wasn't as hopeless.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 4

Reviewer Age: 12

Reviewed by RC

The Wandering Schoolgirl by: Gary L. Gallegos

Sixteen year old Breanna Cota is spending a week over a her uncle's place with a few friends planning on going to an anime convention. Not seeing why her friends want to go she goes along anyway. At the convention Breanna gets her photo taken, but instead of a regular photo this one takes her to an actual anime world and plops her right in the middle of a battle between evil world leaders and the resistanse. Here she meets a cast of interesting people along with her talking pig backpack. After going back to the real world, Breanna describes the world she's seen and creates a team out of her friends, and her uncle, to save the anime world.

To start off "The Wondering Schoolgirls" is one funny book. It is full of anime puns used as great comedy. The plot is as most animes, but there is a spin so everyone can enjoy it. Huge anime fans may not find this book great, but they might still get a kick out of seeing how their favorite anime characters are compiled into this one book. I can't wait for the next book in the series

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 14

Reviewed by: RF

The Stupendous Dodgeball Fiasco by Janice Repka

The story begins at the marvelous Windy Van Hooten Circus, where Phillip Edward Stanislaw, the protagonist, is just trying to fit in. There he cleans up animal poop during one act while the horse rider, Helga, rides her horse around the ring. The end to his current circus career comes when he tries to find a boy in the stands while Helga is doing her act. Without Phillip there to clean up the poop the horse slips in its own droppings, ruining her act. When she talks to his parents he decides he wants to leave the circus. So off Phillip goes to stay in Hardingtown, Pennsylvania, The Unofficial Dodgeball Capital of the World, to stay with his Aunt Veola, his mothers sister, and his Uncle Felix. When he arrives at school the next day, he discovers that being an average kid in Hargingtown is pretty hard when the school bully, B.B. Tyson, doesn't like you very much. In his first dodgeball game he escape getting hit by climbing the rope hanging from the ceiling. After school he goes to his aunt's workplace where she is a security guard. At the snack bar Phillip meets the blind cashier, Sam, and they become friends. During the next few weeks at school, Phillip sprains his wrist and tries to petition against dodgeball, but the petition has to be approved by the Student Body President. The bad thing is B.B. is the President and he doesn't stand a chance. When his wrist is better he has to play dodgeball again and B.B. breaks his glasses he decides to sue her, and while he is at it he sues the Dodgeball Factory. When Sam makes up his mind to become his own lawyer, he puts every thing at stake in court. Can Phillip hold on to his lawsuit when a huge problem occurs?

I found this book a hilarious look into the life of a kid trying to fit in. This book had an excellent amount of detail all the way through. I think this book is great for its age level. Janice Repka is a great author and I look forward to reading more of her books.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age: 12

Reviewed by GH

Little Darlings by: Sam Llewellyn

Little Darlings, written by Sam Llewellyn, is the story of three naughty children, Daisy Darling, age 12, Cassian Darling, age 11, and Primrose Darling, age 10, and their life changing adventure. Their mother left when they were young. They live with their father and stepmother, but don’t interact with the parents at all. Instead of having their parents take care of them, they have nannies. With Daisy’s nanny-hating skills, Cassian’s engineering skills, and Primrose’s deadly cooking techniques, the Darlings manage to scare off eighteen nannies, putting them on the nanny blacklist, which makes it nearly impossible to find a nanny. The parents’ last chance at finding a nanny turns out to be a group of criminals who dress up as nannies to steal pieces of their fellow worker’s bear, which the Darling residence has a piece of. Without intending to, the children end up on the ship where the criminal nannies live! With the permission of the captain to stay on the ship, the children become right at home. Cassian works on the engineering of the ship, Primose gets right at home in the kitchen, perfecting her cooking skills, and Daisy begins training the criminals how to become proper nannies, so they won’t give up their true identity. The criminals and a group of builders compete to find missing pieces of a stuffed bear that was divided in the past to receive an award from the ship’s chief. The Darling children help the criminals disguised as nannies. Unfortunately, both the builders and the criminals each find three pieces of the bear and are forced to a challenge. The challenge is a fight with one chosen person on each side. The winner receives the entire bear, and the loyalty of the former King of Iceland. Find out how the Darling siblings, Daisy, Cassian, and Primrose, use their skills to aid the criminals and learn the true story about their mother.

If there was ever a more surprising and uniquely interesting book, I would be in shock for days. Little Darlings, written by Sam Llewellyn, is a great book to read if you like unexpected turns in a plot, mysteries being solved that you hadn’t even thought of, and three mischievous children saving themselves and their close friends and family in the most unique and humorous ways possible. You might get confused about the plot and who everybody is in the beginning, but DO NOT STOP READING the book, because soon enough you will be so into the book that you won’t be able to put it down. There has never been a character in a book so creative and interesting to read about as the youngest sister in the Darling family, Primrose. Primrose takes over the story with her mischievous charm and well described baked treats. The most unexpected ending I have ever seen occurs in this book. The adventures of the characters don’t stop until the very last paragraph in the book. It is amazing how well the ending caught you by surprise. This book made it to the top of my favorite book list with its highly unique style. In the most creative way possible the book teaches you to enjoy your family and make the best of your childhood memories, because some families, like the Darling family in Little Darlings, don’t interact at all. In fact, in some families the children never see their parents and their parents don’t notice whether the children are at home or not! There were plenty of vocabulary words appropriate for the age group it was written for, but there were a few too many slang words by the criminals. The way the plot twisted and turned made it so you could read Little Darlings many times and be surprised each time. It was nice that the author solved all the mysteries and questions. The only thing I would change in the book is the way that some of the sentences dragged on, making it confusing to follow along with what was happening in that particular sentence. Despite this, Little Darlings is one of the most exciting books ever written.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewed by MP

Shenandoah Whispers And Echoes by Tom Orrell

Tom Orrell’s "Shenandoah Whispers and Echoes" is a narrative embedded within an account by Steven Dickenson, a Virginia newspaperman that was given an old journal. Dickenson, interested in the journal, agrees to read through and prepare for publication the diary of James Randolph Wise of Staunton, Virginia. Wise, born a decade preceding the Civil War, writes a vivid account of his and his family’s life through the upheavals faced by common people during and after the Civil War. Wise’s moving tale progresses through the first 47 years of his heart-breaking life where tragedy upon tragedy rules his life; his brother, Shelby, dies fighting for the Confederacy, Union troops destroy his father’s farm as General Hunter destroyed the Shenandoah Valley, and both his beloved wife and sister die during childbirth. Eventually his parents die, leaving home alone. However, his father, before passing on, tells him of gold that his brother hand found in the California gold rush years before. Locating the gold, Wise pays debts and sells the farm to move to town and make a life with the masonry he loved to word with. He makes a successful business and marries Beverly, a widow living with her mother. Wise is happy for a couple of years until tragedy strikes again. Left alone once again, he decides to travel the country, meeting people and expanding his horizons. Infused with enthusiasm upon returning home to his beloved Staunton, he returns with a positive outlook and truly helps Daniel Jefferson, a former slave who also lost his family. Wise becomes a philanthropist, living a life of giving for satisfaction.

Tom Orrell’s presentation of Shenandoah Whispers and Echoes reveals history, especially the Civil War, in a manner people in any age can relate to. The novel is a quick and easy read that really impacts both through the tragedy and the positive outlook shown by James Wise. The ending really satisfied me and made the novel worth reading. Wise serves as a good narrator because of his constant telling of what went on around him and the opinion of others, a really important part of any historical novel. I enjoyed this view of the famous Shenandoah Valley and learned a lot from the book, both historically and about humanity. I look forward to reading more of Tom Orrell’s work.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age: 17

Reviewed by SAs

The Green Futures of Tycho by William Sleator

The Green Futures of Tycho, written by William Sleator, is a book about the adventures of an eleven year old boy, Tycho, and a mysterious egg–shaped gadget he found while digging a garden. Tycho’s parents, Bobby and Judy, named each of their four children after a famous person in a particular field, hoping that there children will grow up to join that field. Tycho, 11, was named after the famous Danish astronomer, Tycho Brahe. He is expected to become an astronomer, but he has many other interests he would like to pursue as well. When Tycho was pursuing his interest in gardening and plants by making a garden, he stumbled upon a strange devise that he thought was just a piece of metal, but something inside him told him to take it. His siblings came to him so they could see what he found, but Tycho refused to show it to them and accidentally pressed the top of the devise, causing him to disappear from sight. Tycho had disappeared in the morning and did not show up again until it was dark out. Knowing that this egg-shaped piece of metal was special, Tycho started to examine it to find that it was a time travel device. Tycho used the egg to his advantage by going into the past and changing some events that had haunted him for many years into good memories for himself. Using the egg, Tycho decides to see what he will turn out to be in the future because of his many interests. Each time he goes to the future, he is in a different career, but the one similarity in all of his futures is that he has become a horrible man, not only to his family, but to the world itself. Frightened of his future, Tycho tries to find out how what he can do to fix the mistakes he will make in his life, and in the process he learns that life is all about chance. An example of how chance controls your life is that if you were to stay at a party five minutes later than you wanted to and someone new came in, you could hit it off right there and possibly find the person you will spend the rest of your life with. If you hadn’t stayed at the party, you would never have met that person and your whole life would be different. Knowing this, Tycho decides to go into the future to find out what he can do to save himself from the horrible future he has seen. Soon, Tycho learns that the time travel devise is the cause of the potential horror of his future. Unfortunately, it might be too late to fix his future. Tycho has to be strong, brave, and extremely smart in attempt to find a way to make it so he never saw the egg and to be able to safely return to his time.

The Green Futures of Tycho is an excellent book. I would recommend this book to anyone, even an adult. You may think that the book starts off a little slow, but after the first four pages, you won’t be able to put the book down. One of the many great aspects of the book is how the characters are named after well known people so that they will join the field of whomever they were named after. It is interesting to think of yourself being put in the position of one of the characters. You would have a career chosen for you that you would have to pursue; otherwise you would disappoint your family. My favorite character was Tycho, because you could see the different changes in his personality after each journey through time. Another reason Tycho is my favorite character is because he has many different attitudes in each potential future, and you can figure out what kind of a person he will end up to be in twenty years once his life is back to normal. The ending of the book is my favorite part of the book because of the way the author grabbed your attention by adding unexpected action into the story. If I were asked how this book compares to any other science fiction book that I have read, I would say that The Green Futures of Tycho is definitely one of the top 5 books in the science fiction category. The Green Futures of Tycho is a pretty easy book to read, but it still contains plenty of appropriate vocabulary for many different ages. This book teaches you that life may rely mostly on chance, but you can make the decisions that will lead chance in your favor. William Sleator’s style of writing is what grabs you into the book. The surprises that the author puts in the book are placed and written so perfectly that when they come, you don’t even expect it. No matter how many times you read the book, the surprises still come unexpectedly. There was just enough detail in the book that you could picture the story perfectly, but still be able to add some of your own creativity into the story. When the book was over, you could picture what would happen next because of how well the author described the entire story. The only change I would make in the story is having Tycho go into the past a couple more times to play practical jokes on his friends and family. The Green Futures of Tycho is one of the greatest books ever written. Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewed by: MP

Revenge of the Wannabees by Lisi Harrison

Alicia Rivera, tired of being second-in-command to Massie Block, decides to start her own clique. Encouraged by her friends from dance, she creates her own clique fashioned off Massie’s GLU (girls like us) clique, and vies to become the most sought after girl. Massie becomes desperate once her inner circle starts to fall apart. She will do anything and everything to continue to be the most popular girl, while her ex-best friend will do the same to stay afloat. Kristen and Dylan, both current GLU’s have sticky secrets that are used to pressure them from one side to another. While Claire Lyon, the new girl, tries to fit in. Lies, betrayal, and manipulation fuel the plot of the third Clique novel.

Revenge of the Wannabees is a very realistic novel. I can see some of this middle school drama actually happening. The scenes range from sad to humorous. Although the girls are 7th graders, at times they seem much older. This is a really fun book to pass the time. All the conflict and drama keeps the reader entertained. Lisi Harrison really makes the reader look forward to the next book in the series.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10

Reviewer Age: 15

Reviewed by: LH

The Sledding Hill by Chris Crutcher

Eddie Proffit lost everything. In the same week both his father and his best friend died. As his best friend comes back as a ghost and “haunts” him by giving Eddie advice, he finds condolence in a book written by an author whose other books were banned. He did not choose, however, to read it, as it was assigned. Now the Reverend Tarter is trying to get the book banned and Eddie will have to do some serious detective work to beat Tarter’s allies on the school board.

This review will be from two points of view, that of the fantasy fan and that of the realistic fiction fan. I am both. From the perspective of the fantasy fan, the book was well written, but not very exiting. The only actions besides verbal ones were when both of the people died. In retrospect, the book had great characters, but not as many plot twists as I would have liked. However, in my individual opinion, this book was great. I loved the fact that the author, Chris Crutcher, put himself into the book. This book doesn’t really talk about mature issues, but it mentions them quite frequently. The Sledding Hill also has a large vocabulary, so you need a good reading level. I thought the last chapter was awesome, but the very last few paragraphs were hard to understand. For the fantasy fans—skip over this. For the realistic fiction fans—buy it and read it 3 times. This is my fourth favorite book of all time!

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10

Reviewer Age: 11

Reviewed by: JMc

Secret Agent by Spizman & Johnston

Every day for six years after work, Kyle's dad has gone into his room and worked on writing his book called Love In Autumn. Now Kyle's mom has had enough and she goes and kicks Walter (Kyle's dad) out of the house. Why? Because an un-published book does not make any money, which Kyle's mom needs to support the family. So Kyle figures if he can get the book published his parents might get back together, but he is going to need some help. So he recruits his friends Tyrone, Chad, Ruben, and Lucinda, who by the way has a mad crush on Kyle, and Kyle does not have a clue about it. Anyways Kyle and his friends do many interesting "spy like" things like following around one of the biggest editors in the world, pretending to be some one else, sneaking into restaurants, and going into a tofu candy bar. What happens in the end? Does Kyle and the spies get the book published? You will have to find out in “Secret Agent”.

”Secret Agent” had a good plot, but it just wasn't written very well. It took me a while to get a grip on the story and every once in a while it would go back in the story plot, which was very confusing for me. Also the characters weren't really developed except for Ruben. Overall, I really did not enjoy this book, and I would not recommend it to other readers.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 4

Reviewer Age: 14

The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney

This book starts out with a boy named Thomas Ward. He is the seventh son of a seventh son. Then the local spook takes him into apprenticeship. The Spook’s job is to “protect farms and villages from things that go bump in the night. Dealing with ghouls, boggarts, and all manner of wicked beasties”. During his training he meets a girl named Alice and his life goes downhill from there. Including accidentally resurrecting an evil which! Can the spook teach Thomas enough to stay alive?

This is an extraordinarily well-written book for a debut. The ending of this book makes you want to find out what adventures Thomas goes through next. I can’t wait for the next book to come out (whenever it does). I believe it could become a high-selling book and series.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 12

The Witch's Boy by Michael Gruber

This was a stunning fantasy book. It has aspects of many classic fairy tales enwrapped into this book. It starts out with a witch finding a baby boy in the middle of the woods. Though this is not a normal baby boy, he is deeply scarred and deformed. The witch calls him Lump, for the lumps and scars the cover his body. “Charming creature something like a pig, something like a bat. Aren’t babies supposed to be pretty?”. His nurse is a bear and his tutor is a demon. The Author has formed a world of beauty, cruelty, hate, legend, and wonder.

This was an ok book. He mixes the fairytales well into the story, unlike some books. The way he creates the hate towards Lump because he looks different is a reminder of what goes on in the world today. This is the only book of its kind I’ve ever read and that makes it worth the read. Some parts of this book are deep and sorrowful, while others are happy and cheerful. I counted ten fairytales in this book. How many can you find?

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age: 12

Reviewed by: EH

Nice Girls Don't Get Rich : 75 Avoidable Mistakes by Lois P. Frankel, PhD.

If you’re a girl who has little or no conception of how to move in the financial world, 'Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich' by Dr. Lois Frankel is for you. Dr. Frankel’s book is packed with information on how to invest, protect your finances, and maneuver successfully in the financial world. The author, a woman herself, explains to women that being ‘nice’ in the financial world just doesn’t work. Financial success depends on stopping yourself from being a pushover.

There are many ‘how to’ financial books available today, but it is doubtful that there are many similar, in either quality or style, to ‘Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich’. A financial book designed to help women; ‘Nice Girls’ possesses both clarity and attractive formatting, unlike the multitudes of dry books available on financial matters. Though ‘Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich’ is very helpful and informative, Dr. Frankel’s book contains some questionable advice and immoral content, and is thus recommended for only some teens. ‘Nice Girls’ has the potential to be a great help to all young (or old) women seeking to succeed in the financial world.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 17

Reviewed by: AK

Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Three girls, Birdie, Leeda, and Murphy are thrown together at the Darlington’s Peach Orchard for spring and summer break. Birdie has lived on the orchard her whole life and is an extremely shy and unassuming 16 year old. Leeda is her well-to-do cousin. Murphy is a girl from school, doing community service for her transgressions. As the book progresses, the reader gets to know each girl as an individual. As the end of summer approaches, the girls’ bond tightens and the orchard starts to fall apart. Birdie learns about the world outside her safe haven, and both Leeda and Murphy experience the joy of having real friends to lean on for the first time. When tragedy strikes the three friends successfully endure it because of their close, tight knit relationship. Through love, friendship, rivalry, jealousy, and hardship, these three friends face it all and still manage to have the best summers ever.

”Peaches”, by Jodi Lynn Anderson gets off to a slow start. The first few chapters of the book gave off an aura of stereotypical girls (the wealthy popular girl vs. the bad girl image vs. the shy home-schooled girl in the background). But as the plot develops, the girls each become their own individuals. The reader becomes each character as they go through their lives in a first person narrative. Although it is difficult to get through the first part of the book, the rest is a fast read. If you have the patience to wait it out, “Peaches” is ultimately a great book similar to “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”, by Ann Brashares.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age: 15

Reviewed by: MAs

The Nobodies by N.E.Bode

”The Nobodies”, sequel to “The Anybodies”, is a fantasy novel. The star of the novel, Fern, is an “Anybody.” That is, she has the power to shake objects out of books into the real world and transform herself into, well, pretty much anything. Fern’s “friend” Howard loves spray starch, math equations, and wristwatches and is the “most boring kid” Fern knows. He also happens to be an Anybody. In this novel, Howard and Fern are sent off together to Camp Happy Sunshine Good Times, a camp for Anybodies. Fern can’t wait to get to camp and meet other Anybodies; Howard, who hates being an Anybody, is dreading it. When they get there, they discover that Camp Happy Sunshine Good Times is not exactly what Fern expected. The camp counselors are very mean and bossy to the campers. When Fern finds out from another camper that Happy Sunshine Good Times used to be fun, she decides to take matters into her own hands. Can she defeat whatever is controlling the counselors and master being an Anybody? Read it for yourself to find out!

Opinion: The characters are funny and lovable. The author uses witty jokes and keeps the reader going. The book teaches a good lesson about friendship and family. “The Nobodies” is interesting and fun to read, but I did feel sort of lost sometimes and felt that if I had read the previous book, “The Anybodies”, I would have been more aligned with the plot. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good story about magic and adventures at camp, and I would suggest reading “The Anybodies” first to get familiar with the characters.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 11

Reviewed by: GS

Warriors: The New Prophecy #2: Moonrise by Erin Hunter

The four cat clans and their forest homes are being destroyed by two-legs(a.k.a. humans). Their only chance of survival lies with four chosen cats. These cats, accompanied by two others- Stormfur and Squirrelpaw- go on a mission to try and rescue the clans. While crossing over the mountains, they meet a Tribe of cats. The Tribe cats declare that Stormfur was sent to them to save them from Sharptooth- a mountain lion who has been picking off the Tribe cats one by one. In the end, one cat will not return home.

This is the second book in Erin Hunter’s Warriors: The New Prophecy series. Moonrise is interesting from page one. While it has a little more romance in it than book one, it is not soppy. The ending is action-packed and unexpected, and it is the best part of the book. When you finish reading this, you will want to go immediately to the next book.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewed by BP

The Dark Hills Divide by Patrick Carman

The Dark Hills Divide is about a 12 year old girl named Alexa Daley. Alexa is a small skinny girl that loves to explore everything. Her dad is the mayor of Lathbury, a small town. Every summer, Alexa and her dad leave Lathbury to go to Bridewell. Bridewell is a town surrounded by walls that protect them from a monster in the Dark Hills behind the walls. One day Alexa was exploring the Bridewell castle where she was staying. She finds a small door behind a chair that turns out to be a tunnel through the wall to the Dark Hills. Alexa meets all the animals that live in the Dark Hills that suffer from the wall because they got separated from family and friends. She finds a stone that lets her talk to the animals. Alexa realizes that the walls aren't protecting them from a monster; they are the monsters. She solves the mystery behind the walls and finds out why they are there in the first place. The walls were originally prisons and the prisoners built a wall so that one-day they could trap the people inside and overthrow Bridewell.

I liked the book because of the mystery. Alexa Daley is my favorite character. She is smart and brave. The book is slow at first, but it gets a lot better. The mystery and idea are very interesting. I really liked the talking animals and how they help bring down the wall.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 11

Reviewed by AJ

Dragon Blade:The Book of the Rowan by Andre Norton & Sasha Miller

Ashen NordornQueen and Gaurin NordornKing are enjoying peace at last, after the defeat of The Great Foulness, a mighty ice dragon. Their infant son has been crowned Bjauden NordornPrins, and though the land still has a lot of healing to do, things are looking on the bright side at last. Unfortunately, things are about to take a huge turn for the worse. When Ashen discovers a mysterious letter in the false bottom of one of her gifts, she realizes that the assault of the Ice Dragons is not over. According to legend, only the Dragon Blade, which was forged from the scales of the Mother Ice Dragon’s mate when he was killed, can subdue her, and until she is subdued, she will continue to produce offspring that will attack the lands of ice and snow. Can Gaurin defeat the mother Ice Dragon without the Dragon Blade? Can Ashen get to her husband in time to give him the map to the Dragon Blade and the Mother Ice Dragon’s lair before it is too late? And can their friends defeat a new ancient evil that threatens the lands while Ashen and Gaurin are away?

Dragon Blade is an unbelievable book. Prophecies and Ancient legends, love, magic, hope, and the strength and courage to attempt the unthinkable are interwoven throughout the story to make it a huge success. The imagery of the piece is unbelievable, making you not only see everything that is happening but feel it too. Fantasy, mystery, and romance readers will all love this book because it is written in such a way that even if you are a romance reader who dislikes Fantasy, or vice versa, you will still love the book. Norton and Miller have done a wonderful job creating this masterpiece.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewed by: SMo

Gypsy Prince: War Horse by Tom Townsend

In the book, Gypsy Prince, an innocent horse is thrown into WWII. He was not prepared, but he adjusts quickly in training camp. Gypsy Prince thinks all of the drills are like games. When he really goes into war, he learns otherwise. He goes from a Nazi warhorse to a food cart puller. He even goes to the American side for a little. Gypsy Prince continues wandering, until he finds some trace of his old, peaceful life.

I loved this book. I thought it was kind of like Black Beauty. A horse goes from owner to owner, meeting up with his past now and then. It was great. I enjoyed hearing what war was like for Gypsy Prince. However, I didn't like that the horse was on Germany's side, although I guess he really wasn't for the ideas of the Nazis.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age: 12

Reveiw by: RC

Gypsy Prince: War Horse by Tom Townsend

In the book, Gypsy Prince, an innocent horse is thrown into WWII. He was not prepared, but he adjusts quickly in training camp. Gypsy Prince thinks all of the drills are like games. When he really goes into war, he learns otherwise. He goes from a Nazi warhorse to a food cart puller. He even goes to the American side for a little. Gypsy Prince continues wandering, until he finds some trace of his old, peaceful life.

I loved this book. I thought it was kind of like Black Beauty. A horse goes from owner to owner, meeting up with his past now and then. It was great. I enjoyed hearing what war was like for Gypsy Prince. However, I didn't like that the horse was on Germany's side, although I guess he really wasn't for the ideas of the Nazis.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age: 12

Fresh off the Boat by: Melissa De La Cruz

Vicenza, known as V, hates being called “FOB” (Fresh Off the Boat). A recent Filipino immigrant, she misses her lavish lifestyle in Manila and has a difficult time fitting in with the wealthy girls at Grosverner, her private girls school. Vicenza is hard pressed to admit to her limited means financially and wants a social life like Whitney Bertoccini and her clique, the most popular girls in the freshman class. Refusing to see her life as it is leads to treachery and deceit as V emails Peaches, her best friend in Manila, with fanciful information about her life in San Francisco. Her emails tell of what she wants, Claude Caligari, while her narration shows the reality of her initial disappointment in America. V tries to become someone she is not in her attempts to gain popularity, even though her new friend Isobel accepts her as she is. She looks past Paul, a guy who spends his breaks with her in the Sears cafeteria her mom runs, until she realizes, almost too late, that it is actually him that she likes and understands.

Melissa de la Cruz tackles the ever-repeated story line of girl wants boy but does a pretty good job of keeping it from sounding trite. Fresh Off the Boat qualifies as a "page turner" in a way similar to other young adult books narrated from a teen point of view. The inclusion of emails to Peaches at the end of chapters adds a great deal to the narration because it adds insight into Vicenza’s desires. Fresh Off the Boat reminds me of the Samurai Girl series by Carrie Asai but is a much shorter and condensed account. The role of Whitney Bertoccini, the popular girl, is totally cliché but overall Fresh Off the Boat is worth reading for fun, perhaps as a stress reliever among other activities. Vicenza's prince, Paul, is a very likeable character even though he is in the background for most of the narration. The author, to mix things up a bit, could have avoided some of the overused ideas in setting up her characters. It is a book I can see made into a movie, such as Meg Cabot’s Princess Diaries.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 17

Spy High Mission Five: Blood Relations by: A. J. Butcher

Things are turning for the worst for Ben Stanton. His grades are dropping. Final exams are very soon, and it seems like Ben may not pass. Also his relationship with Lori is almost destroyed. Ben needs something to prove himself again, and lucky for him, there is a new mission. Soon he wishes he wasn't in this mission because some of the suspects are Ben's family members. As they lead more and more to his family, Ben is very upset with his life. He also loses his last pride... his leadership, as the leader of bond team. But Ben has to fight through all of this, and try to find out what a temple is doing to young orphans, who are getting "transformed" somehow.

This book was very exciting. At almost all points of the story there was suspense and action. Every corner another obstacle would come up. I was reading for hours trying to find out how the plot would unveil. This was a great book, and it also talked about life and challenges.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 10

Reviewer: MY

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Ginny receives 13 little blue envelopes from her recently dead Aunt. These envelopes soon direct her on a wild ride through Europe to not only have the experience of a life time, but to discover something about her self and to solve the mystery of what her Aunt really wants her to do. One problem: there are rules to this chase. 1) She can only bring what fits in her backpack. 2) No guide books, phrasebooks, or any kind of foreign language aid, and no journals. 3) No extra money that includes debit/credit cards traveler’s checks etc. 4) No electronic crutches (No laptop, no cell phone, no music, and no camera.) She also can't talk to people in the US by phone or Internet. Because she can only open one envelope at a time she has no idea where she'll be going next. On the way she finds love, adventure and learns a lot about life.

I enjoyed the variation of writing. There was some romance, humor, adventure, mystery and just plain good realistic fiction. There was something for everybody, but there was not any fantasy. Although, I must say that it was mostly chic literature. Every book has its ups and downs. In this book the unexciting parts were few and far between, but they immediately are followed an extremely exciting scene, which made them seem better than they really were. At those points you almost wanted to put the book down and get a snack, then come back in a few minutes to start the building up to excitement again. Good thing that there were only two or three of those parts.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Review by KA

Measle and the Dragodon by Ian Ogilvy

“Measle and the Dragodon” is about a boy named Measle, whose parents are wizards. Measle's parents work as Wrathmonk hunters for the Wizards' Guild. Wrathmonks are evil, pale, small creatures that are followed by rain clouds and practice magic. The reason they are so dangerous is that they are insane. One day, Measle's mom is kidnapped outside a supermarket. Measle is sure that Wrathmonks kidnapped his mom, but when he goes to ask his dad who the kidnapper is, his dad doesn't even recognize that Measle is his son. Measle knows that Wrathmonks are dangerous, but they don't cause amnesia. So he begins to investigate. He finds evidence that the Wrathmonks and whoever is aiding them are hiding at the Isle of Smiles (an amusement park). So, with the aid of lemon jellybeans that turn him invisible, an auto piloted car, night-vision goggles, and his faithful dog, Tinker, Measle sets off for the Isle of Smiles. Can Measle go up against the Wrathmonks and the Dragodon and his giant pet dragon, Arcturion, to rescue his mom and restore his dad's memory? Opinion: This book is a great fantasy adventure. Measle is a charming character. The author uses creative figurative speech to describe objects and characters. This makes the characters interesting and the story fun to read. All readers will love Measle's dog, Tinker. I loved this book and think Mr. Ogilvy should write a sequel. I'm looking forward to reading the book that came before this one, “Measle and the Wrathmonk.” Readers who liked the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud would probably also enjoy this book. Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

The Lampkins by Eve Bunting

“The Lambkins” is a story about a lonely woman and how she manages to make a family, even without her husband, Magnus the Magnificent. Mrs. Shepherd, the lonely woman, had a dollhouse that Magnus had made for her. The dollhouse was an exact replica of her real house. It even had electricity at one point! Needing to fill her house with dolls, Mrs. Shepherd decided that she could help real kids in the process. Whenever Mrs. Shepherd found a kid who was an artist of some kind, whether it was in writing, music, painting, acting, or singing, who had a struggle to continue with their passion, Mrs. Shepherd would kidnap them. She would cleverly trick the child into reaching for something in her trunk, then, suddenly, she would give them a shot to make them as small as a doll. Mrs. Shepherd would place the doll-sized kids, who she called “Lambkins”, in her dollhouse, but only four at a time to allow for each kid to have their own room. When one of the Lambkins died, another kid would be kidnapped and shrunk to doll size. The Lambkins were McNamara Chang- a baseball player who wanted to write, Tanya Roberts- a foster child who played the violin, Lupe Sanchez- a four-year-old girl who was taken because Mrs. Shepherd wanted a little girl to act, and John Ponderelli, a singer who died and was replaced with the main character, Kyle Wilson, a painter. There was also a dog named CH Pippy (CH stood for champion). These four kids and their dog try to escape many times, but fail every time. After months, they get the chance for an escape when there is a leaking pipe. Mrs. Shepherd had to call a plumber to fix the pipe, and the Lambkins were positive that she would show him the dollhouse. They painted, “Help. Mrs. Shepherd kidnapped us. We are hidden in her house”, and they listed their names. Unfortunately, Mrs. Shepherd saw the note before the plumber came and decided that she had to get rid of her present Lambkins and get new ones. Luckily, the Lambkins were able to knock her down with a stone to escape. Finally, they escaped to the neighbor’s house and were in safety for the first time in months.

The book, “The Lambkins”, is one of my favorite books that I just couldn’t put down. With the help of a great plot, this book was almost perfect. Even the beginning was interesting, as opposed to containing a long, introductory build up, which is hard to find in books. Every aspect of the book was entertaining, especially the characters. My favorite character was Mrs. Shepherd, because of her surprising personality. You never knew whether she would respond to an action kindly, with a giggle, or angrily, with a beastly roar. The character, Mrs. Shepherd, made the book a never-ending surprise. Everyone would enjoy the characters in this book. The ending of this book brought a definite surprise. The plot in the end just kept turning and turning, so you wouldn’t be able to guess what was going to happen next. When I saw the Lambkins plan failing with only a few pages of the book left, I thought the story would end with no solution to the problem. It was a shock to see how well the writer kept the suspense throughout the book, and ended it so quickly, without sparing great detail. If I were to compare this book with another science fiction book, like “Running Out of Time” by Margarot Haddix, I would automatically say that “The Lambkins” by Eve Bunting is better in many ways. The ending to “The Lambkins” was excellent, and so was the plot of the story, but unlike “Running Out of Time,” it was not the type of book that would be read over and over again. “The Lambkins” introduces new vocabulary, such as the word “retch”. The dangers of being allured by strangers are definitely well described. You are also able to learn some of the vocabulary easily because the words are defined within the book for explanation to one of the characters, the four-year-old Lambkin. The way the author grabs the reader into the book is amazing. Her writing makes you feel like you’re there, in the book. You can feel the fear and eagerness of the Lambkins to get out. There is just enough detail in the book to make you understand the struggles of the Lambkins. Unfortunately, I was hoping to find out more of what happens to the Lambkins after their escape, but it is also nice to leave the aftermath to your imagination. “The Lambkins” is an excellent book that makes you eager to read the author’s other books.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer: MP

Warriors: The New Prophecy #1: Midnight

The forest is home to four different clans of cats. However, they are all in grave danger. Their only hope lies with four chosen cats, one from each clan. These chosen cats are given a prophecy through a dream, and although they are from rival clans, they must learn to work together to defeat an unknown enemy or face a terrible fate - the destruction of all their clans.

This book is a wonderful story for young and old. It is a little confusing in the beginning and the plot is slow to develop. However, the further you read, the clearer and more addicting it becomes. The end is a real surprise. After reading this book, you find yourself wanting to immediately pick up the next book in the series to find out what will happen next. If you have not yet begun this series, this book is a great place to start.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewed bt a Flamingnet Student Reviewer (www.flamingnet.com)

A.D. 62: Pompeii by Rebecca East

Miranda, a Harvard scholar volunteers for a time travel experiment back to the ancient days of Rome. Equipped with only a signal device implanted in her arm to return home and a wooden flute, Miranda is whisked back to Pompeii where she is given the opertunity to study ancient life as a slave in a wealthy household. Although promised that she'd be able to return home at any time, Miranda soon realizes that she is trapped in the ancient world. As she works her way from a laborer to a musician and storyteller of the household, Miranda falls deeply in love with her Master. Eventually her intelligence and spirit earn his adoration in return. Miranda learns to love her new life in Pompeii, earns the respect of her fellow Romans, and gets the biggest reward of all, a loving husband.

A.D.62:Pompeii was a magnificent book. It kept me reading until the very last page. I loved the heroine of the story, she was very likeable. The author painted a very good picture of ancient life in Pompeii, I felt like I learned a lot of history, but the history made it all the more real. The ending of the book was perfect, not your typical happily ever after, it was unexpected, but still cheerful. I think the author could have done more with the women's rights part of the story. The title and cover were very deceiving. It looked like an average history book, but it wasn't at all like that. Overall, I think that this was a great story. It is so unique, that is why I really loved it.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10

Reviewed by a Flamingnet Student Reviewer

Sign of the Raven

Tom isn't pleased when his mom's recovery from cancer takes him from his home to his grandmother's. Soon memories of Tom's first visit to his gram's begin to surface. What did he see in the basement? What did he hear down there? Now, he thinks he's seeing the raven on the neighboring pub sign move! Is Tom going insane, or are strange things happening? Stranger still is Tom's gradual discovery of "the gap", a portal in time that allows Tom to travel back to the year 1717 where he stumbles into a group of prisoner circus attractions. According to Tom's new friends he is their only hope of getting their deceased friend, the giant, to his wanted resting place, but should Tom trust them?

Hearn's novel is excellent. In my opinion, I agree with Hearn's placement of the secret Tom discovers early on in the book. On the other hand, others might think it was given away too early. I could go on and on about the ending to Sign of the Raven, but talking about it might give it away. Understand this, if you don't understand the ending read it over until you do! It is hidden well, but it is easy to give away. This novel was spectacular the whole way through, and I've never read anything like it, so I declare it my favorite book of all time even with some English sayings and passages that are difficult to understand.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10

Jay by W. Royce Adams

Four years have passed; more than can be imagined has changed. Jay, now sixteen, is a hobo living a life on the tracks. Having nowhere to live after the death of his mother, the only remaining member of his family, he must ride the freight trains to escape a foster home. After being caught by the bulls, or Freight Train Police, he needs to be more careful on the tracks. The bulls robbed him; he was left with no money, food, or weapons to defend him or to cut food. He hops a train to escape the bulls and jumps on a flatbed car. He tries to hide under a tarp so he is not seen, and in the darkness of it, he feels a leg. “Hey!” is all that is said. A hobo, called by the name of Liberty Two, is the leg’s owner. They are introduced to each other and they are astonished to find that the two of them are the same age. They befriend and start out a life of hobos.

Jay, the sequel to Me and Jay, is a very good piece of children’s literature. This book is not as graphical as Me and Jay, so it is a book that a child can read without getting frightening images in his head. From the ending to Jay, it is obvious that a sequel to Jay is in order. Jay, the sequel to Me and Jay, should be a book on everyone’s bookshelf because of the unforgettable characters, their friendship and shared adventures.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewed by a Flamingnet Book Reviewer

Autobiography of My Dead Brother by Walter Dean Myers

When Jesse meets his friend Rise, they become more than friends. But when Rise leaves his side and orders shootings and deals blow, Jesse gets out of Rise's company. As more and more tragic events happen, Jesse, an aspiring artist, continues drawing. But when he compares his drawings of Rise with memories of his past, Jesse starts questioning this change of persona. Little does he know that tragedy will soon be present once more.

Autobiography of My Dead Brother was the best book I have read this year. The beginning was slow and boring, but that soon changed. I enjoyed the emotion poured into the book and I almost cried at several parts. The "blackcent" was accurately portrayed. The ending especially tugged at my heartstrings. Despite the young-looking cover and "cartoony" art style, this book is very mature with a lot of violence. I just can't believe how emotional this book was.

RATING (out of 10): 9

Flamingnet Reviewer: Josh McLucas

Dragon Blade By: Andre Norton and Sasha Miller

Nordon rulers Gaurin and Ashen have thought that the Great Foulness is over. However, when they get a present for their new son, they find out that they were wrong. The Ice Dragons they faced in the war were just babies, and the mother still lives. Gauring immediatly sets out to destroy the Mother Ice Dragon, hoping to find a certain sword that will help destroy her. After Gaurin leaves, Ashen finds new information about the Dragon Blade. She rides out to try and find him and give him this new piece of information. Meanwhile things back in Nordornlands aren't going to well. A huge troll is attacking and destroying everything in sight. Ashen finally catches up to Gaurin just in time. The next day they battle the Mother Ice Dragon. Even with the legendary Dragon Blade, will Gaurin be able to kill the dragon?

This book was very exciting and full of adventure. You switch off between the Nordornland affairs and the Mother Ice Dragon affairs. Normally it would be confusing, but with this author it wasn't. There was a mystery involved also. You never know a huge part of the story until the end. This book had me reading hours at a time. The author had a great flow of words, which kept me intrigued.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10

Review by: MY

Sam I Am By: Ilene Cooper

In this book, a boy named Sam has a very diverse family. His dad is Jewish. His mom is Christian. His grandmas are very religious, and don't appreciate the other religion. Sam is very confused about his religion, and trys to talk to God. He doesn't get the answers he expected. Then Sam's class starts learning about the Holocaust, which greatly upsets him. Meanwhile, Sam is acting like any other teenage boy. He is fantasizing about going out with a girl (he eventually gets his dream), who everyone else thinks is snobby.

This book was all right. I liked it because I can relate to Sam because my household has two different religions in it, and I think that other people could also relate to Sam in this way. The book had faults though. There were parts where it could have ended, and I would have been pleased. It just seemed to keep going on and on.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6

Review By: RC

Trick of the Mind By: Judy Waite

This book is about the lives of two teenagers, Matt and Erin. Erin is a magician and loves being one. Matt is a sensitive boy, who is considered by basically everyone he knows a stupid troublmaker. Then one day Matt and Erin both go to the castle, a popular hang-out place, Erin goes to the castle to put on a magic show and Matt goes to see the girl of his dreams. At first sight of Matt, Erin sees love, and at first sight of Erin, Matt sees a very good magician, and nothing else. Matt starts to hang-out with Erin out of pity, and Erin, in hopes of getting Matt to like her teaches him magic tricks. But when life at home takes an unexpected turn for the worse for Matt, he runs away, and finds the only way of survival for him is to use the magic tricks Erin taught to him. During Matt's time on the streets, he starts to learn of a special talent he has. However, Matt is in deep trouble at home, and the only person who can defend him is Erin.

I thought "Trick of the Mind" was a very well written book that had many surprises in it. The parts after Matt ran away really shocked me, and those parts really showed you what the characters in the story were like when they were under pressure, caught off guard, or had their feelings hurt. When those things happened, you would get more insight into what Matt and Erin were really like. The best part of the book, in my opinion, would have to be the ending, mainly because it never explained what would happen to Matt or if the police would believe Erin. The book left you to imagine what would happen next. The only thing that I didn't like about the book was the fact that Erin kept falling for Matt and then how that love she had for Matt ended up hurting her. The book really shows you that things aren't always as you want them to be no matter how much you try to make them that way.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Review by: VB

Small Eternities by Michael Lawrence

What if there actually are realities existing at the same time as ours? What if that one choice you made so long ago created another world of simultaneous but slightly different events that overlaps your own? And what if you somehow found a way to cross over to that parallel universe and meet someone on the other side?

That's exactly what happened in the first of Michael Lawrence's trilogy of novels, "A Crack in the Line," where Alaric and Naia – two teens with the same parents, same house, and only slightly different lives – accidentally and irreversibly switched places. In the sequel, "Small Eternities," each is living the other's life, and they're the only ones who remember the way it used to be. Three months after they switched, Alaric is happier than he's ever been, but Naia is barely learning to survive. At the same time – but in a different time – a young boy named Aldous unknowingly moves along toward a fate that seems inevitable, existing only in a "small eternity," a short time in 1945 right before he dies. Or does he? Because Alaric and Naia have met up again, within this small eternity, and anything they do can change the future of the past.

Sound confusing? It is, at first. "Small Eternities" asks a lot of its readers. You might have to re-read a few pages every now and then, or go back and check something you thought you noticed a couple chapters ago. In fact, the moment I finished the last page I just had to start again with the first page, reading with a new understanding.
This isn't some lazy summer read, but it's definitely worth the extra work. This is a book to read with a couple of friends; a book that inspires discussion; a book that you'll have to set aside a few hours to finish because you won't want to have to put it down; a book that definitely deserves praise.

Rating (0 - 10): 9

Reviewed by Beckie Sheffield for Flamingnet Book Reviews
www.flamingnet.com

The Ranger's Appentice by John Flanagan

Will's life is a complete mystery. Other than the fact that his father died a hero, he knows nothing about his parents death or life. Hoping to follow in his father's footsteps, he asks to get into the Battleschool. Unfortunately, he gets refused. As he is about to steal a paper that could possibly change his life, he learns something that will. The Baron and Halt (the Ranger) catch him, but that's not the reason for their interruption. Will shall have to face his fears in order to become a Ranger's Apprentice.

The Ranger's Apprentice was an extremely well-written story. The descriptions of objects were excellent. I enjoyed the freshness of the character's personality. The clashes of that sort were exceptional. I can't seem to place critisism on any specific part, so the book was consistently good. I think the only bad things were the extremely slow first 75 pages and the annoying British spelling and lingo. You need a VERY extensive vocabulary to get through it. I would have preferred a more in-depth look at the final battle. With all that said, this was one of my favorite fantasy books yet.

RATING: 8

REVIEWER NAME: Josh McLucas

The Waterless Sea

Calwyn and her other chanter friends are out on a routine
run. Their job is to put an end to piracy. Heben is a captive on a
pirate ship. His goal is to find chanters that can help him free his
twin siblings. They meet.

Calwyn has never been herself since Darrow left. When Heben
comes to her and her friends with his request for help, she can hardly refuse.
Maybe it will take her mind off Darrow for a while. She has no idea
what she is about to begin. Rescuing chanter children is no easy
matter. Especially when, as Calwyn eventually finds out, one is
being held in a palace and the other is in the lair of the iron chanters.
Darrow knows he has to help her. He knows what it is like to live in
the Black Palace and the dangers that come with it. When Calwyn
rescues the children and, using new-found powers, begins the healing
of Merithuros to prevent a war, she doesn't realize what she is about
to lose. Her worst fears might have become reality after all.

The Waterless Sea is suspense through and through. Fantasy,
love, danger, and friends intertwine to create a masterpiece. Kate
Constable paints vivid pictures in your mind. She shows you
everything, even the character's expressions and feelings. You feel
as if you are three different people all at once. You feel different
emotions; you see different things, and yet it's as if you aren't in
the least confused by it. It seems natural. The Waterless Sea is so
different from any other book that the reader almost expects the same
feelings the next time he/she picks up a book. You love the tons of
different feelings running through you, and yet you hate them too. You
want something to happen; you're sure it's going to; every sense in
your body encourages the words to be as they want them, but it is
never as you want. Something different and unexpected happens each
time. When you come to the end of the book, which is by no means the
end of the adventure, you reread the end again and again, unbelieving.
You almost feel like if you read it again, it will change, but it
never does. Readers will have a hard time waiting for the third in
the Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy.

Reviewed by a Flamingnet Student Reviewer