Yestermorrow: Time Tripper by Stefan Petrucha

This book is about Harry Keller an average High school student. Who can go into another demention called A-time. Well I guess he's not so average. In A-time Harry can view people time lines the past, present, and future of people depending on the choices they make. In A-time Harry also decoveres Quirks bad events waiting to force there way into people time lines. Find out how Harry deal with Quirks in A-time in Yestermorrow Time Tripper.

Let me give it to you straight, this book is fantastic! It starts off when Harry Keller a High School boy learns that he can go into another dimension called A-Time. In A-Time he can see people time lines: the past, present, and future of people and the different choices they make. Everything is going great in A-time when he discovers creatures that he calls Quirks. Quirks are bad events in time that try to force their way into people's time lines. Most of the unfortunates events are minor for instance, drop your mail or have a cramp in your leg but Harry finds a huge Quirk, a suicidal Quirk on Todd Penderwhistle's future time line. On top of all of this, Harry is faced with a huge conflict in his own life- the same boy, Todd threatened to kill Harry earlier that morning. Harry is faced with a decision- Will he use his power to save his enemy Todd, or just say "Well that's too bad for him." This book is fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat during the entire novel. The author, Stefan Petrucha (who has written many popular books including some of the Nancy Drew series) does a phenomenal job of story telling what otherwise could have been a confusing A- Time. You may wonder if the book is so great why did you rate it nine out of ten, and not ten out of ten? The book is great, but there are a few moments where you just say to yourself this part is stupid. I read the advanced copy so the writer might have changed it. These few moments are not enough to ruin the book. This book ends how I think every book should... with suspense. This book is the first in what I think will be a trilogy the second book, Inrage (that I am anxious to read) is already out and the third book BlindSighted will be released Nov 30,2006 according to amazon.com. In closing, I highly recommend Yestermorrow: Time Trippers to teenage readers of science fictions. This book is a must read!

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Starkville, Mississippi USA

Vandal by Michael Simmons

Vandal by Michael Simmons is the story about Will Brenner, an average 16-year-old boy dealing with normal teenage issues. But one thing about Will’s life isn’t so normal. Will’s brother, Jason, has been a trouble maker for as long as he can remember. Jason has had countless encounters with the police, was been in juvenile detention once, and torments Will daily. The only person who seems able to control Jason is their little sister, Olivia. But in a fatal accident, Jason slams a van into the back of their family car, leaving their mother with a broken bones and Olivia in a coma. Now, Will must learn to cope with the sadness and uncertainty of the accident, Jason’s behavior problems, and all of the other worries that accompany being a teenager.

At first, I thought the book was slow-moving and very confusing because it skipped around a lot. But once I got into the book I found it was interesting and quite good. Simmons puts into words fears that teenagers experience; the fear of losing someone close to you , the fear of your crush not liking you back, and the fear that someone might not like you however hard you try. This makes Will is a very relatable character. Overall I thought the book was excellent, though very sad. It’s a great book for preteens to teenagers.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Erlanger, Kentucky United States

Dead Connection by Charlie Price

Dead Connection by Charlie Price is a mystery about the people surrounding a teen cheerleader’s death. Murray, a social pariah who has the ability to speak with the dead, hangs out in the local cemetery. Just as he finally makes his first friend in the caretaker’s daughter, Pearl, he begins to hear a new voice lurking around the graves. They are immediately convinced that it is the cheerleader trying to communicate with them. The only problem is finding her. Meanwhile Deputy Gates is trying particularly hard to discover the whereabouts of the girl and the circumstances of her case, when he meets Mr. Robert Barry Compton. Mr. Robert Barry Compton is truly a rebel with a cause, diagnosed with schizophrenia; he holds the answer to the fate of the teen, if only he could remember it! When he begins to remember what he witnessed, all the evidence leads to Vern Billup, a police man whose alcoholic abuse and skewed volition brings nothing but trouble and pain. As the story unfolds the truth behind the popular teen’s death is revealed but never expected.

When I picked up this book I was a bit confused by the myriad of characters and things to remember which were thrown at me in the early pages. However, soon each character became an old friend, and tidbits of their personalities, strange as they were, began to remind me of traits of my favorite people. The great thing about each character was their human nature, they weren’t infallible, they made mistakes, and they learned to live with the consequences. This was a classic tale of the oddball overcoming the odds and becoming a hero. It was the story of ordinary people and their ordinary lives; ordinary lives that captivate the reader so. The mystery thickened as insights and motives of each character were revealed. In the end, even if bits of loose ends remained, this book made me feel happy just to be an ordinary person, because I knew that everything would be OK for the characters that deserved it.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 15

Once Upon Stilettos by Shanna Swendson

Katie Chandler, the assistant at MSI, lives an unordinary life. She is one of the few employees at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc who can see magical illusions, spells, enchantments and more. Yet she doesn't have one magical bone in her body. As the newly promoted assisstant to Merlin, she is given some rather special jobs. When someone breaks into wizard Owen Palmer's office, she is sent to investigate the crime. When it is determined that someone in the office is sabotaging the company, it's up to Katie to find a clever way to find the culprit before they can get to her first.

I'm a fan of chick-lit, so I was immediately attracted to the title and cover of the book. As soon as I started to read this book, I could not put it down. I loved the twist with the magical elements. It definately added a little something different. I really liked the main character, Katie, as well. I will try to find the prequel to Once Upon Stilettos as soon as I can. This is a great summer read!

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, PA USA

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Narrated by a wise, non-threatening voice of, ‘the angel of death,’ The Book Thief by Markus Zusak tells the reader, “If you feel like it, come with me. I will tell you a story. I’ll show you something.” The something is an endearing, emotional journey not to be missed or soon forgotten. Through the main character Liesel Meminger and her love for books, The Book Thief is an honest account about the universal truths of the contagiousness of fear, childhood innocence, and the resilient power of people in the time of catastrophe - even while living through Nazi Germany. Living in the working neighborhood of a small town outside of Munich during WWII with an accordion playing foster father she adores, a Jewish boxer hiding in her basement she finds inspiring, and the undying love and childhood she shares with her best friend named Rudy, Liesel encourages her piece of the world with her fervent admiration and desire for books. Her spirit and strength, and Rudy, help fuel her desire by stealing books from where she can, from the mayor’s house, Nazi book burnings, and gravesites. She reminds the reader about the respect books deserve through their ability to medicate the soul even during bombing raids, the destruction of homes, and the loss of loved ones. The Book Thief is a book you will fall in love with. Markus Zusak has an artisan writing style. The thoughtful character development and engaging storyline are so carefully woven it’s almost breathtaking. Zusak is sensitive in providing small hints about the destruction and inevitable loss of life to come. Although still emotional moments, this foreshadowing helps prepare the reader. As such, this over 500-page novel is entirely appropriate for young adults and, the not so young, adults. The Book Thief is destined to become a true classic and find its place on bookshelves everywhere including yours.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10
Reviewer Age: 29
Reviewer City, State and Country: Arlington, Virginia United States

Come Back Jack by Gary Nei

All thanks to one little word, Jack Rabbit's life will never be the same. After losing to the tortoise in that oh so embarrassing race, Jack decides he wants to become a star. After searching for a way to become famous, Jack befriends a crow that tells him that he knows where Jack can fulfill his dreams. The crow takes Jack to Magicland where they meet the Magic Man. The Magic Man gives Jack an offer to become the star he wanted to be, but it will cost him a small price. Jack becomes a star when performing for the Magic Man, but is what he had to give to become that star worth it?

I think the author of Come Back Jack put in a lot of time and thought to create this wonderful book. I really enjoyed this book, but when I got to the last few chapters the book fell flat. The ending was pretty boring and the fighting scenes were continued way too long. I think the author could have made this book better by shortening the length of the fighting scenes and that he should have added more details to the ending to make it more interesting. There are cute, sometimes silly illustrations that were drawn by Heather Shellenberger throughout the book. I recommend this book for ages eight to twelve.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Upper Strasburg, PA US

Boys That Bite by Mary Mancusi

Sunshine and Rayne are identical twins, but they have completely different personalities. Rayne, obsessed with being goth and training to become a vampire, convinces her goody-two-shoes sister, Sunny, to go to a goth club. And that's where everything goes wrong. Being mistaken for her sister, Sunny is bitten by a gorgeous man, Magnus, who turns out to be a vampire. Sunny is shocked to discover that within seven days, she will be a full-fledged vampire. She desperately wants to return to normal person status, especially since she was just asked out to prom by the hottest senior at school. With Rayne's coaching, and Magnus's help, Sunny begins to understand the process of becoming a vampire while trying to find the holy grail, which is her only hope of turning back.

At first, I thought that this would be a cheesy vampire romance novel. But instead, I found this novel to be humorous, especially with all the pop culture references in today's world. The idea of turning into a vampire was uniquely refreshing as well; it was fun to read about modern vampires. The story was a quick read and I finished it in one day. I'd definately recommend this as a fun summer read. And I did not see the twist coming at the end and I cannot wait to read the sequel, which is coming out in December.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, PA USA

The Wizard Lord by Lawrence Watt-Evans

The Wizard Lord is the ruler of all the land of Barokan. He controls anything and everything from the weather, to keeping the peace by hunting down rouge wizards and other criminals. However, if he goes bad there are eight Chosen people (the Leader, the Seer, the Swordsman, the Beauty, the Thief, the Scholar, the Archer, and the Speaker) who when working together can remove the Wizard Lord, through persuasion or other, more gruesome methods. Breaker is the main character of this story. He, after months of rigorous training, takes over the position of Swordsman. During his travels, which he starts shortly after becoming one of the Chosen, he meets the Seer and the Scholar. Then they head out to find the other five chosen, because they found some “reasons” to remove the current Wizard Lord. Find out by reading The Wizard Lord.

I enjoyed every aspect of this book, except for the beginning, which starts out too slow. I think the author did a very good job at developing the characters and the plot, which made the story suspenseful and mysterious at the same time. This book would be enjoyed by almost anyone who likes fantasy stories. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Denair, California United States

La Linea by Ann Jaramillo

Papá and Mamá left seven years ago to cross la línea, the line. Miguel, a fifteen-year-old Mexican boy, has been promised several times that he can join them soon, and still, nothing has happened. Then he gets a note on his birthday saying to contact Don Clemente, a rich man known for helping people cross into Estados Unidos, the United States. Miguel is finally on his way. Unfortunately, he didn’t reckon on his sister sneaking out of the house and onto the train with him, carrying enough borrowed money to cross on her own. She is determined not to be left behind, and if Miguel refuses to travel with her, she will go on alone. Together, they face extreme peril in their attempt to cross the line. Will they make it? Will they finally see their parents again? Will they finally get to meet the twin sisters they’ve never seen?

Ann Jaramillo has created a compelling story filled with fear, danger, and the importance of family. The story of two teenagers who set out to find a better life, one that actually includes their parents, teaches readers young and old of the strength friends and family can bring and the determination people must have to improve their lives. La Línea shows us just how hard some people are willing to fight to reach a place where they know hard work will actually pay off. Vivid pictures and horrors are depicted throughout the book, as well as common Spanish phrases and a view of the life Miguel, his sister Elena, and their grandmother, have on their farm in the middle of a drought. This is definitely a novel to remember.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA United States

Monterey Shorts 2

"Monterey Shorts 2" is a collection of short stories written by authors of the Monterey Peninsula in Central California. Each of these wonderful stories takes place somewhere in the area of the Monterey Peninsula. The stories date back from the days of the gold rush to present time. Another interesting aspect of the book is that some of the stories refer to characters in another story. This helps tie key parts of the plot together and gives a better overall understanding of the stories. If you like stories of all varieties without a large time commitment, this is the book for you. "Monterey Shorts 2" gives you the thrill of a best-selling novel and the feel-good lessons of life with its many stories written by some of the best authors in the country.

I thought this book gave great insight to the reader about life in the Monterey Peninsula. There is an excellent variety of stories from psychological thrillers to the stories that send great universal messages. The stories incorporated a lot into the plot and storyline, but not too much to confuse the reader or detract from the main idea of the story. Many of the authors wrote more than one story in the book, and I was impressed with their ability to write high-quality work from vastly different genres. I thought the subtle details blended with the plot very well to keep the reader on edge at all times. This book will not bore the reader because of the many twists in each story along with the wonderful pictures the authors paint the reader. "Monterey Shorts 2" is one of the best books I have ever read, and I recommend everyone to read it.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Eden Prairie, Minnesota United States

The Invisible Detective by Justin Richards

A local drunk is found dead days after he claims to see a thing in a soldier uniform with metal claws coming after him. Fear not for The Invisible Detective is on the case. Using his wits and a little bit of luck The Invisible Detective and friends solves the case of the Ghost Soldier. Meanwhile in the present his grandson Arthur is trying to solve a mystery of his own, read how it turns out in The Invisible Detective: The Ghost Soldiers.

This book is a paranormal mystery book complete with evil scientist and of course ghost soldiers. It keeps you guessing through half of the book and repeatedly loses you through a lot of loops and turns, most of which are irritating. Then the author brings you back with a lot of minor clues and explanations. Then, it loses you again with its continuous flash backs, which ranges between 1936 and the present. It can be somewhat confusing. I think the author does a good job of explanations though they are rather tedious. By the end of this book you basically know what has happened in the previous books of the series. This book is slow and takes a while to get through, but it has potential. The story of Arthur Drake finding his grandfather's journal made in Arthur's own handwriting from years before he was even born is a very intriguing plot. I am interested to see how the series will end. I recommend this book to people that enjoy reading slow mysteries, and have the time to sort through this book.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6
Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Starkville, Mississippi USA

Emma's Secret by Veda Boyd Jones

Twelve-year-old Emma Farley worries if her family will survive the cholera outbreak that was caused by the terrible flooding of the Ohio River. Emma wonders if her dreams of becoming an animal doctor will ever come true, because in Cincinnati in 1832, girls have to become wives and mothers instead of having careers. Emma tries to keep her dreams and her family alive during this hard time. What will happen to the people of Cincinnati and how will they ever get this mess cleaned up? Find out in this exciting story called Emma’s Secret.

Emma’s Secret is one of the many wonderful books in the Sisters In Time series. Emma’s Secret kept me up all night long and I liked reading about this time period in history. Emma’s Secret is a faith-based book that shows you how sometimes when you believe in God, good things may really happen. I think that this story could be improved by having more adventure and additional things happen. I really enjoyed reading this book and I recommend it to kids ages 9-12.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Upper Strasburg, PA United States

Return to Quag Keep by Andre Norton and Jean Rabe

A group of adventurers, who have been whisked away from Earth to a magical land much like the one they play Dungeons and Dragons in, are forced to protect a caravan to pay off their debt that they made when they accidently started a bar fight. On their way to one of the towns, one of the scouts, Ingrge, captures a man who was following them. The man tells them he was sent here to, and why they were whisked away here after they touched the figurines. He also tells them that the only way to get back to Earth and to save Earth is to save a wizard locked in Quag keep. The band of adventurers try to make their way to Quag Keep, while encountering more and more dangers, that help them find out the truth of why they are here. Will the adventurers save Earth or even find their way home???

I thought this was a great book. I love fantasy books so this suited me well, and would be great for fantasy readers and Dungeon and Dragon players. This book was confusing, however, because this was the sequel to the first book, so I reccomend reading the first one before reading this. This book really intrigued me because it had a lot of mystery and suprises that really kept me interested. I also thought it was cool because the main characters were regular people like you and me. The authors are very good writers, and they kept me wanting to read more.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lutherville, Maryland United States of America

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Annabel Greene, a model, starred in one commercial as a girl who has everything. The irony is that she is, in fact, a loner. Annabel was once best friends with Sophie, the most popular girl in school. But something happened that caused them to separate. But Annabel doesn't like to think about that night. That's not the only problem she has to deal with. Her sister, Whitney, has an eating disorder and that fact is what started a fight between Kirsten, her oldest sister, and Whitney. Her mother tends to be unstable in dealing with problems. And Annabel wants to quit modeling but doesn't know how to tell her mother. When Annabel meets Owen, she gets a whole new outlook on life. Through music, he helps her deal with her problems and shows her how to confront them.

I thought this book was even better than previous Darah Dessen books. I could not put this book down until the very last sentence. I think that every girl can relate to this book in some way. She really was able to take serious issues and put them together to make a novel that wasn't too heavy, yet got it's point across. The hints of romance were nice to break up the seriousness of the novel. I highly recommend this novel and I will be looking forward to Sarah Dessen's next book!

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10
Reviewer Age: 19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, PA USA

Braced2Bite by Serena Robar

The book starts out with Colby, the main character, going through a normal day of life. Getting dressed, going to school, flirting with the cute jock, going to the football game, cheerleading, walking home because cute guy ditched, and then going to bed. Well, everything was normal until Colby started to go home, and bumps into a guy. Well the guy was a vampire and decided she should be one too. Now Colby's life is turned around. She has trouble getting up during the day, she can't eat regular food, she has to have a fang retainer because her canine teeth were pulled out, and she receives visits from the vampire inspecters and they tell her that she is going to have to argue for her life. Also everyone thinks she faked her attack, she doesn't have a date for homecoming, and the cute vampire she likes may want her dead. Colby's future seems bleak,but she is determined to live her undead life, even if that means killing her creater to do so.

"Braced2Bite" was an interesting vampire book. The author took a few modern ideas of the perception of vampires and added those ideas with her own, creating a new and original vampire community. The main character, Colby, situation was fun to read about. The attitude Colby had towards her life's sudden change was funny to read about. One moment Colby would hate being a member of the undead, and then the next moment she would find a reason that would make her love. From when Colby learned that she was a vampire to her finally finding out if she would live or die, the reader followed her on a journy full of adventure, friends, and the forever changing life of a teenage undead.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Tucson, Arizona U.S.

Mary Edwards Walker: Above and Beyond by Dale Walker

In this short biography of Mary Walker, Dale Walker gives glimpses into the history of medicine, the world of women’s fashions, prisons of the Civil War, and the beginning of the campaign for women’s vote. Mary Walker was born in 1832 in upstate New York to freethinking parents who insisted that the four girls work on the farm and wear clothing that allowed amble circulation of blood. Not only did she follow her father’s suggestions for attire, she also followed him into the medical profession and became one of the first female doctors in the Unites States. Her father was self-taught; Mary graduated from Syracuse Medical College in 1849 and began the difficult task of finding patients who would pay to see a woman doctor. What the Civil War began, she volunteered as a physician and fought hard to be paid as a physician, not a nurse. She worked to stop battlefield amputations and to incorporate sanitary practices. Known as much for her brash, unrelenting behavior as her trousers, she became fodder for Civil War tabloids. Captured as a spy, Mary spent four months in Confederate prison where she schemed for prison reforms including better food and medical care. She was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1865, had it rescinded 1917 when Congress decided that too many medals had been awarded without merit, and reinstated in 1977. Her life spanned the Civil War and beyond. She saw women’s roles changed from domestic work to physician. Just before she died in 1919, women were granted the right to vote.

Mary Walker is a terrific role model for today’s girls- feisty, responsible, hard-working and not at all concerned about the fashion police. Well worth reading.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 58
Reviewer City, State and Country: Timonium, MD US

How to be a Teen Fashionista by Chase Koopersmith

Have you ever woken up in the morning and found that you have nothing to wear? Well now, you can learn how to put together new outfits and make new clothes out of the same book! Make matches you would have never thought of and have fun doing it. It's all about clothes. Find the teen fashionista in yourself.

This book has such great capacity to be good. The title is intriguing and interesting. However, I do not think that the book contains enough things that were promised. The book only contains a few tips on what you should wear and a lot of it is bulked out with pictures. Admittedly, the pictures are very interesting, but they do not teach us about what clothes we should wear. It is the start to a very interesting topic but I think that it needs more.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Tucson, AZ USA

Fat Camp by Deborah Blumenthal

Camp.. One of the many things kids enjoy during the summer. But not for Cam. Her camp consists of nutrition classes and mini sized portions of food. Yes, a fat camp which her obsessed workout parents made her go to. She and her best friend, Evie, are separated and are forced to go to different camps. Now, she has to sleep in a room full of girls who only talk about food and how "fat" they are. She thinks it is all down hill from here but to her luck it's not. She meets a boy, Jesse, who she falls head over heals for. Now she has to juggle the love of her dreams, mailing her best friend, and dealing with the other girls at camp. Can she do it all and lose weight before the end of the summer?

At first, I was kind of bored of the book. In the beginning it only talks about her love of food and the 'hot' waiter. I thought it was going to be another book where girl goes to camp, makes friends, loses weight and looks amazing. Well, I was wrong. Yes, that does happen but it is more in-depth than I thought. After chapter 3 or 4, I really got into it. You see a girl dealing with social and emotional issues that many teenagers are facing today. At the camp, there are other girls who are also going through health issues such as bulimia and depression. Deborah Blumenthal did an amazing job of slowly breaking Cam out of her shell. The ending was somewhat of a surprise. I kind of knew what was coming but there was more that I would have ever guessed. Overall, I thought it was an astounding book.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Villa Hills , Kentucky USA

Time's Memory by Julius Lester

Josiah, a white captain of a slave ship, agrees to help Amina, a black slave on one of his ships, in order to calm a storm. Amina is pregnant with Ekundayo, the spirit, or nyama, of her dead father. Josiah sneaks Amina off of his ship and takes her to his home, where she gives birth to Ekundayo as a young man. But Ekundayo dies shortly after and his nyama is transported into the body of Nat, a slave on a Virginia plantation. Ekundayo now must learn to live with the struggles of slavery, the forbidden love he shares with Ellen, the white plantation owner's daughter, and the brutal uprising led by Nat's father. Ekundayo also must complete his mission; he must find peace for the nyama before they destroy the land. Only after Ellen dies does Ekundayo find a solution-to share the stories of Time's memory.

Time's Memory by Julius Lester was a wonderful book with an interesting plot. Lester mixes the traditional West African religion with the spirituals of the slaves. The beginning of the book is a bit confusing and abrupt but quickly picks up and becomes a page-turner. A theme throughout the book is the sadness and pain caused by slavery and death. But the epilogue adds a happy ending to the story. This book is great for anyone who likes to read historical fiction.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Erlanger, Kentucky United States

Open Ice by Pat Hughes

Nick Taglio has been on the ice his entire life. He loves hockey and is the best player on his team despite his three concussions he has had. His life seemed perfect until his fourth concussion. After the concussion, he can never play hockey again. How could Nick give up his entire life just because of a little concussion?

This book surprised me, in both good and bad ways. The situation that Nick is in is greatly emphasised through both his actions and words. Readers can understand the personalities and faults of every character in this book. Some of the dialoge of the characters were inappropriate and may not be suitable for young children. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a realistic-fiction book and to anyone who enjoys sports.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, Pennsylvania United States

The Sea Singer by Craig Moodie

The Sea Singer by Craig Moodie is about a young Viking named Finn and his journeys as a stowaway on Sea Sword, Leif the Lucky’s mighty ship. When the story begins, Finn and his mother are on their farm. Finn’s two brothers and father have set out to go a-viking, in search of a distant, unexplored land. Finn is left behind to tend the farm. Unfortunately, years pass and Finn’s father and brothers have not returned--in fact, not one sign of them has been discovered. Twelve-year-old Finn is growing restless on the farm. He is tired of tending the flock and wants to go voyaging with his father, like his older brothers did. Day after day, he keeps watch for the return of his father and brothers. One day, Viking captain Leif the Lucky’s ship sails into the harbor and docks there. After replenishing the ship’s supplies and food, Leif’s crew is ready to set sail. Finn, desperate to find his father--and some adventure--stows away on the ship. When Leif finally discovers Finn, it is too late to turn back. And too late to turn from the mess they are sailing into!

The Sea Singer is a decent, enjoyable book. It starts a bit slowly but really sparks about midway through. It gives interesting details about Viking life, and many of the characters are real historical figures, such as Leif Ericsson and Bjarni Herjolfsson. The Vikings’ journeys to “Wineland” and their encounters with the “Skraelings” are based on the actual voyages of Ericsson and Herjolfsson to North America--many years before Christopher Columbus arrived there. I would recommend this book to most kids ages 9-12 who enjoy adventure stories, and especially those who enjoyed the book Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 11
Reviewer City, State and Country: , NY USA

Follow the Blue by Brigid Lowry

Follow The Blue by Brigid Lowry is a quaint tale of a suburban girl living in Perth, Australia. Bec has always been a levelheaded girl; she looks out for her two younger siblings, helps her world-famous mother in the kitchen, and maintains her school work. After her father, who has recently suffered a mental breakdown, returns home, her mother and father decided to take a long vacation to promote her mother’s new book. This is when Bec decides to live a little. With the aid of a new housekeeper and the love of her siblings Bec meets new friends, has a party, and dives into the crazy world of guys. Throughout the novel, Bec discovers that there is a whole world out there, waiting for her to explore it.

This novel was written in a friendly style, you feel as if Bec is telling her story to an old friend, you. It has a great plot foundation; however I did not feel that the author raised it to its potential glory. Bec is an easy character to identify with but her adventures weren’t as thrilling as one might hope. It was a quick read but in the end I didn’t feel like Bec had changed much. I felt that it ended too abruptly and that Bec hadn’t had a great adventure, instead it seemed like it was only the beginning of exciting things to come. Bec was still mulling over her feelings and opinions as it ended, however, Bec did receive some excellent advice from her housekeeper, Ms. D. Her messages of wisdom are easy to understand and can be used in all aspects of life. It is a nice story of an average girl, but it leaves one feeling a bit confused.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6
Reviewer Age: 15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Erlanger, Kentucky America

Community Spirits by Jonathan Pearce

Community Spirits: Infestations on the Spectral Plane Summary: Not everyone would make the connection between believing in ghosts in being truly in love. Joseph Oliver Kuhn, second-year student in Criminal Justice at Chad County Community College and potential private investigator, does. From the first appearance of Stara, a vision in a gauzy green gown, until the final poof of smoke from the former Dr. Parker, his hometown Balona is populated with ghostly visitors. What do these visitors have to do with true love or journalism or the advance of digital cameras? As Joseph tries to make sense of the strange events, another wrinkle appears. Disappearing goats, poetry-reading chauffeurs, and korndog eating citizens play big parts in unraveling the mystery of true love and falling statues. Put aside logical thinking and get ready for a trip through a hometown wackier than Mayberry.

Looking for fun and goofiness? Is your brain fried after school? Pick up Community Spirits and watch your spirits soar. Enjoy the ride. This book is more fun than a barrel of swirling orbs. R

Beth Edelstein
Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 58
Reviewer City, State and Country: Timonium, MD US

Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz

In the sixth Alex Rider Adventure, Alex is recovering from his encounter with a sniper who had been sent to kill him. In the hospital, he meets Paul Drevin, son of multibillionaire Nikolei Drevin. While in the hospital, kidnappers come for Paul. The kidnappers are part of Force Three, a group of eco-terrorists who are angry that Nikolei Drevin caused the extinction of several species of birds during rocket launches for his latest project, Ark Angel, a space hotel. However, Alex defends Paul against Force Three and prevents them from kidnapping him. Rewarding Alex for protecting his son, Nikolei Drevin invites Alex to spend some time with Paul and him in their extraordinary homes, leading up to the launch of one of the most important pieces of the space hotel. Alex finds that Force Three, Ark Angel, and Nikolei Drevin are not what they seem to be and despite Alex’s refusal to once again become involved in the world of deception, and spying, he finds himself working to defeat “the biggest criminal in the world.”

I generally find that books in the Alex Rider series tend to get a touch too repetitive. However, in ARK ANGEL, although it did have some parallels to other books in the series, Anthony Horowitz successfully threw twists into the plot that set the book apart from its predecessors. I also congratulate Mr. Horowitz on the great amount of research he did on topics covered in the book. He even threw in some physics, explaining rotational inertia and some nice examples of Newton’s Laws! The setting for the end of the book was very unique and gave the book an exciting ending, but I wish that Anthony Horowitz did not put Alex Rider in so many life or death situations. I enjoy the creative ways Alex Rider slips away from his enemies, but it starts to get a little old when I find that for the third time in the book Alex has dodged a bullet that passes centimeters over his shoulder. ARK ANGEL as a whole has more positives than negatives and definitely is an enjoyable book that Alex Rider fans will love as a great addition to the series.

S C
Age: 15
Maryland, USA

Defining Dulcie by Paul Acampora

Dulcie's father, a janitor, just died. Her mother decides to move her and Dulcie cross country to California from Connecticut. As soon as Dulcie steps foot in CA, she knows that's not where she belongs. She steals her mother's truck and makes her way back to Newbury, to her grandfather and her home. Dulcie's grandfather, Frank, lets her come back and work for him, without pay, as punishment for worrying her mother when she left. Frank has already hired another helper, Roxanne. Soon, Roxanne and Dulcie become friends. When Dulcie and Frank discover the truth about Roxanne's relationship with her abusive mother, they have to figure out a way to help her.

When I first picked up this book, I thought it would be a sad story about death and moving on. It was sad, but the novel also had a feeling of hope and looking towards the future. Aside from death, Defining Dulcie also dealt with serious issues like abuse. This book was pretty good, especially for a debut novel. I'll be looking forward to reading more books by the author.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA

M or F? by L. Papademetriou and C. Tebbetts

M or F? by Lisa Papademetriou and Chris Tebbetts defies the format of most typical high school romance stories. Like many, it combines a story of friendship with a story of romance. Frannie falls for an attractive guy that her best friend Marcus actually approves of. His name is Jeffrey Osborne and he’s all too perfect: popular, smart, gorgeous, and sincere. Frannie even has the opportunity to speak to him online. Here’s the twist, though: Frannie gets too queasy to talk to him by herself. So instead, her gay best friend does the talking for her. Eventually, while things are getting hot, Marcus gets out of control and starts chatting with Jeffrey without Frannie knowing. This tests Frannie and Marcus’s friendship, and makes both of them struggle to learn which is stronger: friendship or love?

It was a pleasure to read M or F? and I recently recommended it to friends of mine who are members of our school’s GSA. Not being able relate to Frannie’s struggle of deciding whether Jeffrey is falling for her or for her “brain twin,” Marcus, shouldn’t stop you from reading the book. No one I know escapes fights with friends over what type of relationship is most important. Organized into chapters from both Frannie and Marcus’s perspectives, it is easy and enjoyable to hear both sides of the story for once. As your eyes latch onto the neon-colored cover, your natural paranoia and compassion will latch onto Frannie’s mind in this realistic high school setting.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Farmington, CT USA