Moon Dust (eBook) by J.E. Nicassio

Moon Dust is a sci-fi adventure that begins when Samantha Hunter is the only survivor of a car crash that claims the life of her mother and younger brother, Cody. Although her car accident wounds are healed by a mysterious stranger, Samantha is haunted by the knowledge that the accident was her fault. When she and her father move to New Mexico, it is a chance to get away from the bittersweet memories of her family, and start over new. However, the arrival of a pale, dark haired stranger into her life changes everything. The stranger, a boy named Lucien, introduces Sam to the hidden world of real-life aliens. Romance and adventure follow Sam in her new life as she works to decipher her complicated alien-human relationship, and to discover what connects her to this strange alien boy. 

The plot of Moon Dust moved at a fast, exciting pace, and the details of Sam and Lucien's world were interesting and detailed. Sam was very realistic as a character, but Lucien did not make a lot of sense to me. The story lacked clarity, and even at the end of the book I was not able to understand even the surface of alien politics.

Another problem I had with Moon Dust was its similarity to many currently popular teen novels. With the love interest being an alien in lieu of a vampire, the plot could have been wildly different than that of Twilight, but I couldn't help but notice the many parallels- Lucien's skin changes when he is in the sunlight, a blood transfusion heals Sam but leaves her part alien, and Lucien eats only raw meat.

All in all, Moon Dust is an alien love story aimed at teenage girls, and I would recommend the book to fans of Twilight and others looking for a quick read. I would not recommend Moon Dust to those who prefer getting the whole story, or those who are looking for a unique plot.

There is some sexual content.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Harleysville, Pennsylvania USA

Keeper Of The Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

Sophie Foster is a 12 year old misfit. But all that changes when she meets a strange boy named Fitz who has the same special talent Sophie has: They can both read minds. Join Sophie on her adventure in a new world as she tries to find who she really is, and what she really is. If you like suspense, action, emotion, and magic you should definitely read Keeper of the Lost Cities.This book was amazing! I'd have to say it was the best Flamingnet book I have read yet. I didn't want to put it down. The book made me think of things in ways I'd never have thought to. Each chapter got better and better and better. The characters were developed so strongly. I want to give this author a round of applause.Reviewer Age:10Reviewer City, State and Country: Charlotte, NC United States of America

Sophia's War by Avi

You’ve probably heard of the famous spy Nathan Hale, but have you ever heard of Sophia Calderwood? When Sophia witnesses the execution of Hale, she finds herself horrified by it. So horrified, in fact, that she makes a pledge to help the American cause in the Revolution. Soon Sophia becomes a spy and discovers a plot involving a traitor in the American army. Will she succeed in thwarting the plot, or will she end up being executed herself?

With so many novels written about the American Revolution already, I worried that Avi’s latest effort wouldn’t bring anything new to the table. Instead, Sophia’s War turned out to be a breath of fresh air in a crowded genre.  The book strikes a perfect balance between factual and fictional characters. Sophia is a courageous and resourceful character that we truly care about. Meanwhile, the supporting characters, whose names you may recognize from history textbooks, are just as interesting and multilayered.  The antagonist is especially memorable, and is skillfully portrayed as a human, rather than just another one-dimensional villain.  The historical background is full of detail; it’s clear that Avi did his research when he wrote this book. The plot is the part of the book I enjoyed the most, and perhaps the best aspect of the book. It’s both believable and suspenseful, and nearly every chapter ends with a cliffhanger. I simply did not want to put the book down; in fact, I finished it in a day! Fans of Laurie Halse Anderson’s Chains or just books about the American Revolution in general will enjoy this book, and Avi’s fans will certainly not be disappointed. Even ten years after his Newbery Medal winner was published, and over seventy books later since he was first published, Avi is still going strong.     

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Great Neck, New York United States

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Seraphina is 16 years old. Her old tutor is a dragon, and she is currently assistant to the court composer. She gives harpsichord lessons to the princess Glisselda, so she lives at the palace, for convenience.  She also has scales around her waist and left wrist, as well as strange mental powers. The reason? Seraphina is a half-dragon, and her dragon tutor is her uncle. Thrown into the maelstrom of confusion at court after the death of Prince Rupert, uncle to Glisselda and her cousin/fiance Prince Lucian, Seraphina must search for the truth. Many Goreddis, her country's people, suspect a dragon, as Prince Rupert had lost his head, and it was never found. People were antsy enough about dragons under a treaty that some suspect is false, but the Ardmagar(ruler) of the dragons is due for a visit. He is coming to honor the 40th anniversary of the treaty. With the help of Prince Lucian and her Uncle Orma, and several other half-dragons(which aren't supposed to exist)that she's collected along the way, Seraphina must prevent as many deaths as she can.

Dragons, check.  Palace intrigue and gossip, check. Music, check.  Controversial saints, check. Assassination attempts, check. Prince Charming, sort of. Half-dragon girl, of course.  This is definitely not an ordinary sort of book.  That may be my favorite thing about it, as well as some of the things mentioned above. I absolutely loved the saarantrai, dragons able to become humans, hoarding knowledge in place of gold. The quigutl were also fun, almost human cousins of saarantrai that go begging for metal to make little figurines. The story starts a little strangely, but once I got into it, it was hard to put down. The writing has a lyrical quality, with a bright thread of humor throughout. This book reminds me of the Inheritance books by Christoper Paolini, one person set to bring two separated worlds together, joining them in a common cause. Rachel Hartman's debut novel is truly magnificent.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lake City, IA USA

Summoning the NIght by Jenn Bennett

Summoning the Night is about a female magician who has gotten caught up in a mystery concerning her demon boyfriend and his son. In the book Cady, the female lead, goes on a hunt for a person found in a supposed myth. This demon she is trying to find is called the snatcher, due to the fact that he steals demon children to perform a crazy ritual. This ritual will open up the world of humans to the world of demons and no one will be safe from the demons any longer. When the snatcher steals Cady’s boyfriend’s son, Jupe, Cady must take on a quest to take down the snatcher and save Jupe. Jupe’s life is in Cady’s hands.

I really enjoyed this book because of its adventurous storyline and the fact that you can never guess what is going to happen next. This book intrigued me because it never stopped sending surprises toward the reader. I stayed up late every night not wanting to put the book down due to the cliffhangers provided at the end of every chapter. This book is best for people who like adventure, fighting, and fantasy. This book is definitely one I would recommend to many of my friends. This book drew me in and wouldn’t release me until it was over. It is a very well done novel by Arcadia Bell.

There are some references to sex and sexual behaviors in this book. Possibly not suitable for children.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Charlotte, North Carolina United States of America

Keeping Secrets (Sadie's Montana) by Linda Byler

Sadie is a spirited young woman living in an Amish community. She has finally come to terms with her simple life when several startling events change this outlook. From mysterious orphans to the return of a former flame, Sadie's life is far from mundane. She regularly encounters danger, especially since the horses are being shot and she continues to ride. In the end, Sadie must come to terms with her own hopes and dreams and must also face the dark secrets of those closest to her.

Linda Byler's novel, Keeping Secrets, proved to be a slow and difficult read because of the poor plot and inferior writing style. The main character, Sadie, was frustratingly predictable and lacked relatability. I found myself struggling to finish the novel and at times put it down for days on end. I have not read the first novel in the series, which made the dialogue and characters a little difficult to keep up with. I would recommend this book only to those interested in the life and culture of the Amish.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Bayside, WI USA

Aloha, Mozart by Waimea Williams

Maile Manoa has been blessed with a beautiful voice and an insatiable thirst for music. However, the options for musical growth are almost nonexistent in Hawaii, and she must sing to provide for her family. Unsatisfied with the same Hawaiian songs she has sung all her life, Maile becomes determined to travel to New York, in search of opera and stardom. Funds run low quickly, and jobs are unforthcoming and forbidden, as the wrong gig could potentially ruin a future career. Maile quickly discovers that singing is not solely a career, but a lifestyle in which appearance is everything. When her voice teacher recommends a move to Salzburg to save money and grow musically, will Maile be able to succeed amongst a city torn by the previous World War II and budding Cold War, but held together by music and tradition?

Aloha, Mozart was an extremely unique read focused on music and success amongst young adult books typically far more action packed. It was actually very refreshing, and Maile, the main character was extremely relatable. The contrast between the different cultures and locations in the book: Hawaii, New York, and Salzburg, made Aloha, Mozart extremely interesting. I especially enjoyed the method Williams used in incorporating the different languages and vernaculars in the book.  While certain parts of the book could be slow at times, Maile’s character development was enhanced by the political and romantic subplots. Overall, Aloha, Mozart was a fantastic read, especially for readers interested in music.

 

 

Content:  1

Rating:  7

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Colleyville, Texas US

 

Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin

It's been almost a year since the Yellowstone Super Volcano erupted and Alex Halprin journeyed across a snow and ash covered battlefield to Illinois.  A couple months after he arrived at his aunt and uncle's house, they receive news about the whereabouts of Alex's parents.  Alex and his girlfriend, Darla, decide to travel back into Iowa to find his parents and bring them home to safety.  However, shortly into their rescue mission, Darla and Alex are separated.  He is left making this treacherous expedition on his own and is tasked with making two rescue missions, saving some unexpected guests, and evading gangs, cannibals, and death.

Ashen Winter was a pretty decent book, but I think the first book in the trilogy, Ashfall, was better.  This book got a little dry at certain points, and it was just a long read.  Also, this book goes more into the "darker" effects that the eruption had on people, such as gang violence, prostitution, corruption of the government, etc.  Mike Mullin added in new characters, which I liked (Ben is my favorite), and he really showed the changes in the characters from pre-eruption to post-eruption. These changes are seen in the main characters as well as characters that only appear for a page or two. I liked how all throughout the book you can see Alex's mental struggle to decide what is moral and what isn't. A lot of people in his life think that because of this new world, all the rules are different. Alex doesn't believe that, but he struggles with it sometimes, and that makes him more relatable.  I would recommend this book to anyone you likes dystopian and apocalyptic action books.

I don't remember what the recommended age is for this book, but I feel at should at least be 14+.  There are several occurrences with graphic violence, and because there is prostitution of young girls within the gangs and military, there are some graphic descriptions related to that, as well as derogatory language.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Brownsburg, Indiana United States of America

The Curiosities: A Collection Of Stories by Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton and Brenna Yovano

In 2008, Tessa Gratton, Brenna Yovanoff, and Maggie Steifvater joined forces to create the website merryfates.com. They created the website for one purpose, to expand their writing horizons. They decided to each write a story and not re-write or revise it once it was posted.  After those stories received quite a few followers and fans, Tessa, Brenna, and Maggie decided to keep going. They added more stories, and now they have over 250 on the website. In this book, you can find thirty of their favorites. Some of them are wacky, some are crazy, and some are down right insane. But they all have one thing in common: they will make you curious.

This is a marvelous collection of thirty stories. They will make you think, they will scare you, they will fascinate you. And most of all, they will make you curious. While there are some bad stories in this volume, it is still a welcome addition to my personal library. I shall re-read my favorite stories in the years to come as I wait - not so patiently - for a sequel to this amazing book.

While most of the stories in this collection are pretty tame, some include very graphic depictions of violence and very difficult concepts that are hard to understand.



THE VAMPIRE BOX BY TESSA GRATTON
Rating: 3

Summary: When Nicole finds out there 's a vampire living in her basement, she 's not really frightened. But her parents are. Will she decide to let the vampire stay or let him go?

Opinion: This short story is only 10 pages long. There are a ton of useless descriptions and WAY too many flashbacks for my liking. But without those things, all you' d have is a two-page story. And most of those two pages would be dialogue with absolutely no action whatsoever.
This is a bland story. The characters are immature and unrealistic. I don t understand why the authors would choose this as the opening story for their book.



A MURDER OF GODS BY MAGGIE STIEFVATER
Rating: 9

Summary: When Helen meets Grin, she knows something is wrong about him. Something 's just not stable. When fire ravages the teacher 's lounge, Helen wonders what, or who, could' ve caused it. Could it possibly be Grin?

Opinion: While this story DID sport some minor curse words, I actually enjoyed it. It had minimal descriptions, and the characters - while being children - show a seriousness and maturity you 'd normally find in a young adult. They are realistic and enjoyable to read about.



THE POWER OF INTENT BY BRENNA YOVANOFF
Rating: 2

Summary: Harper is invisible. But she d doesn 't want to be. All she wants is a date with Colin. And when she finds out she can do magic, she tries a spell on Colin. Just a simple one. One that will make him go out with her and take her to the prom. But will this spell make her life better? Or just plain worse?

Opinion: I loathe love-sick girls. I really do. Needless to say, I hated the main character of this story. Wimpy, pathetic, and so in love that it makes her blind.  Little does Harper know, she is in for a serious consequence. And it 's the worst kind possible.  This is a blah story but still has a good life lesson to learn.



A HISTORY OF LOVE BY MAGGIE STIEFVATER
Rating: 10

Summary: Emma feels like a lady-in-waiting to Daphne. Andy feels like a man-servant to Apollo. Daphne and Apollo seem to be madly in love, but when Daphne suddenly changes something about herself what will Apollo think? And how will it affect Emma and Andy?

Opinion: While I am wary of most teen romance, I found this one to be quite refreshing. The characters are exquisitely realistic and believable, the plot is engaging and funny, and the one major twist in the storyline is extremely enjoyable. I enjoyed the laughter that this story brought with it.



GIRL RAISED BY WOLVES BY BRENNA YOVANOFF
Rating: 9

Summary: Hadley is on the lacrosse team, but all she wants is to be perfect. Like Valerie. Valerie is one of the most popular girls in school, but she s missing something. She feels like there 's a hole in her heart that can never be filled. Like a wish that can never come true. A desire that will never be quenched. Someone made her feel this way. And she almost thinks she hates that someone. Almost.

Opinion: This story doesn't have one word of humor. And yet, I love it. I honestly thought I was watching this story happen before my eyes, and that' s all thanks to the author, who perfectly described the emotions and thoughts of the two characters. The girls in this story are perfectly flawed, so you can feel their pain, anguish, and fear.  You have a feeling you know what they' re going to do before they even do it, and when they do it....your assumptions are completely incorrect. These twists and turns are a great edition to the story.  This story will keep you guessing from beginning to end.



DATE WITH A DRAGONSLAYER BY TESSA GRATTON
Rating: 8

Summary: Vera just happened to slip her name into the drawing. No. She 'd NEVER be picked. Not in a million years.  But she was.  And now she has to go out on a date with a dragonslayer.

Opinion: This story is interesting in the single fact that while it takes place in our world, it' s twisted. It 's a world where Norse Mythology is reality.   Gods and goddesses and mythological creatures really do exist.  The plot of this story is pretty much non-existent. I 've honestly read better. But what this story lacks in plot, it makes up for in its characters. Though perfect and flawless at first glance, these characters slowly grow into lovable and realistic additions to the story.



SCHEHERAZADE BY BRENNA YOVANOFF
Rating: 10

Summary: She comes home from work, tired and ready to go to bed. It has been a long day. She goes into the kitchen, and drops her bag on the counter. She glances over to the open windows. Wait. Open? She' s certain  she closed them before going to work. And now they' re wide open, rain spilling through them and soaking the counter tops. She scans the room for anything unusual.  That 's when it hits her.  Her knives. She glances over, frantically looking for what she fears to be true. The sharpest one is missing.

Opinion: This story may only be 6 pages long, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in suspense. This murder mystery is an amazing short story with characters so real they leap off the pages, and a plot-line so think, twisted, and suspenseful that after reading the last page, you' ll beg for more.  After reading the last word of this story, you' ll want to flip right back to the beginning and read it again.



THE SPIRITUAL TABLE BY TESSA GRATTON
Rating: 6.5

Summary: Morgan trusts the wizard like she trusts King Arthur. But on a cold and windy night, someone tries to kill her. Has her trust been placed in the right person?

Opinion: This is a twist on the original legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. I do not like King Arthur stories of any kind, but this one I kind of liked. It' s a far cry from the original.  In this story, Morgan, Arthur, and the wizard are SO different, it' s almost like they; re different characters. Some supporting characters seem weak and unrealistic, but for the most part, the main characters are life-like and believable.  The plot is excellent, and I enjoyed reading it very much.  However, there are far too many unnecessary elements to this story. The descriptions are too long.  There are too many needless discussions, and the action is bland, not intense. It almost seems as if you 're simply sitting in front of a screen watching the action happen in front of you on the most boring channel on the planet. Truth be told, I 'd rather be IN the action than WATCH it.



THE MADNESS OF LANCELOT BY BRENNA YOVANOFF
Rating: 2

Summary: Asher lost his love. Viv lost her town. Together they set off to swim their sorrows away. But what they find at the bottom of the lake doesn't exactly push sorrow away from them.

Opinion: A boring and completely bland story. The only redeemable part of this train wreck is the twist.  This twist, unfortunately, comes at the VERY END of the story.  The main character is just so paper-thin and unrealistic. She 's just...childish. The supporting character, Asher, is more believable than the main one! And he is pretty unrealistic as it is!  The plot and style of writing is bland solely because 90% of the story consists of descriptions.  As for the title...it doesn't even have anything to do with the story! Lancelot isn't even mentioned in this story, nor is anyone even related to the King Arthur legends! Why Yovanoff would name this story the way she did is a mystery to  me.



THE WIND TAKES OUR CRIES BY MAGGIE STIEFVATER
Rating: 9

Summary: Eoine was the woman' s seventh son.  Even though she loved all her children, she loved Eoine the most. Her children were all hard workers, but Eoine was the most quiet.   He didn't squabble, didn't make noise.  He was so content that he didn't need to be loud. That all changed when her husband started the beatings. Each child received at least one a week, and the beatings would last for hours. Every child had it bad, but Eoine had it the worst. 

When King Arthur came to their home and told them he needed someone quiet and gentle to take care of his hounds, the woman agreed to let him take Eoine.  After a year of being without her son, the woman began to have doubts. Would her son ever return to her? Would she never see him again?

Opinion: Yet another twist on the King Arthur legends, this tale has a melancholy feel to it. Steifvater does an amazing job making the reader feel pity not only for Eoine, but also for his loving mother. The characters are so life-like and realistic, the setting and plot so beautifully created, how could one not feel sorrow?  This piece of writing, though sad and sorrowful, is a beautiful addition to the many stories that grace the pages of this book.



AUBURN BY BRENNA YOVANOFF
Rating: 3.5

Summary: When Auburn needs a ride home, he comes and offers her one. But as they' re driving, Auburn realizes that he 's not taking her home. She begins to doubt her decision. Did she really choose the right person to trust?

Opinion: The plot is almost non-existent; the characters are flat, uninteresting, and unbelievable; and the setting is a Mosh Pit.  The ending was the best part but leaves you with the message that letting someone take you away is perfectly fine. Overall, it's a horrid story that I will most likely not be reading again.



THE DEADLIER OF THE SPECIES BY MAGGIE STIEFVATER
Rating: 9

Summary: Jamie hates Andrew. The only thing they have in common is Annette, who is Jamie' s best friend and Andrew' s fiance. One day she mysteriously goes missing. And when Jamie and Andrew find her, it 's anything but a happy reunion.

Opinion: I abhor zombie stuff. I've never enjoyed books about them, and the movies are always unnecessarily graphic and...just too unrealistic for my taste. This is a story about zombies. And yet, I loved it.  The ending, while gruesome, was amazing. It wasn't the average ending to a zombie tale, and that was exactly why I enjoyed this so much. The characters were believable and as realistic as anyone in a zombie novel could be. The plot and vividly horrific scenery were part of what made this story seem so real.



PUDDLES BY TESSA GRATTON
Rating: 9

Summary: Izzy loves puddles. Tiergon loves pushing Izzy into them. Izzy wonders why Tiergon hates the puddles. Can't he see how wonderfully magical and amazing they are?  One day Izzy runs into the woods after a heavy rain, scouting out the perfect puddle to sit and stare into. She finds one and situates herself next to it. She slowly glances down and stares at her own reflection.
What happens next will change her life forever.

Opinion: While this story is extremely short, the characters are very well-created. They seem life-like and realistic.  There really is no setting or plot, but this story still has a moral at the end, and a wise one at that.  This short story is a perfect addition to this collection, and I m glad the authors decided to include it.



THE BONE-TENDER BY BRENNA YOVANOFF
Rating: 7.5

Summary: Noah has helped heal people since he was little. Brendon has picked on everyone since he was little. When Brendon breaks his leg right before soccer season starts, will Noah choose to help his enemy?

Opinion: The characters are quite life-like, and the action is amazingly clear and different at every turn. The plot is engaging, and at many points you feel pity for Noah and for all the other innocent people who get hurt.



DEATH-SHIP BY TESSA GRATTON
Rating: 1

Summary: She sits there...waiting for him to come home. But he never will. She knows that he' s gone. Dead. Sailing new waters where she cannot go. She sits there. Waiting. Just waiting at the Death-ship.

Opinion: Possibly the worst story in the collection. The plot is non-existent, the characters are depressing, and there are WAY too many descriptions. While reading this, I actually wanted to skip over it and read the next story. I wanted to stop reading it and throw the book against the wall just to make the depressing story come to an end. But of course I didn't.  I honestly don 't understand why Gratton would even include this story in the collection. It's completely horrid, and I will not be reading it again.



THE LAST DAY OF SPRING BY MAGGIE STIEFVATER
Rating: 6.5

Summary: Mark wants to know why everyone is so afraid of the Papillons. They only live for three days, they love children, and they have such sparkling personalities. So Mark decides to talk to one. Will the Papillons be as scary as people believe? Or will they be as magical and beautiful as Mark believes?

Opinion: This is a very sad story. And while it has a melancholy feel to it, I enjoyed reading it. The characters are very well-created. The setting and plot are magnificent. But at it's heart, this story is saddening. It's an awful reminder how we, as humans, judge so quickly without even knowing what we' re judging.



CUT BY BRENNA YOVANOFF
Rating: 3

Summary: Snow White longs to be beautiful, just like her stepmother. But her stepmother hates her and wants her gone. When the stepmother gets her hands on a pair of scissors, what will happen to Snow White?

Opinion: This bland, confusing take on Grimm' s Snow White is absolutely horrid. It is frightening, but not in the way that it should be. The fear is not really scary due to the confusing plot and point of view. If these things had been fixed, this story would 've been the thriller it was meant to be. The characters are flat, doing things without any reason.  Honestly, this is the worst Snow White inspired story that I've ever read.  The only reason I rated this as I did was because of the amazing ending. It was something I'd never dreamed the bland, tasteless characters would do.



PHILOSOPHER S FLIGHT BY MAGGIE STIEFVATER
Rating: 5

Summary: Parmander is a crazy Philosopher. I am his assistant. He tells me to fly to the Tower. But the Tower is death. My master surely doesn't wish me dead.  Right?

Opinion: This is yet another take on the steampunk genre. I generally dislike this genre, with the exception of older authors like Jules Verne. And yet, this story is alright. There are elements I enjoy in this story, and the characters I like as well. But the star of the show, the insane Parmander himself, is a weakling. The professor is a psychotic genius. He' s a bulimic, and he has strange notions and ideas that will NEVER work. He almost seems unreal and yet real enough to keep you reading.  The plot is confusing, but not so much that you have trouble figuring out most of it.



ASH-TREE SPELL TO BREAK YOUR HEART BY TESSA GRATTON
Rating: 7

Summary: Melea was created for one purpose, and one purpose only: To make Mister Curran fall in love with her. And when he' s least expecting it, she is to kill him.  But Melea has started to doubt her purpose. Was she really created just to kill?

Opinion: I normally dislike love stories, but I quite liked this one. While confusing at times, this story is a beautiful example of what love can do. The characters are believable and well-rounded; the plot is excellent; and while the setting is practically non-existent, the story doesn't really need it.



RAIN MAKER BY MAGGIE STEIFVATER
Rating: 10

Summary: Dominic knows that the world has gone crazy. No one buys bottled water. Oceans are overflowing. Floods ravage his town. He' s stuck inside all day, not being able to come in contact with anyone - not that he' d want to. Dominic thinks he 's seen everything, but when the pouring rain doesn't stop for months, that 's when the really crazy stuff begins to happen.

Opinion: This end-of-the-world story is one of my favorites out of the entire collection. With vivid and realistic characters and slightly wacked-out scenarios, I enjoyed reading every word of this story.



DUMB SUPPER BY TESSA GRATTON
Rating: 9

Summary: I set the table for many guests, though only I plan to actually eat anything. I am silent. Since the dead cannot speak, why should I?  I wait for my guests to arrive.  Slowly and surely, each one does. But someone' s missing. Where is Travis?

Opinion: A different look at ghosts and Halloween, this story is actually very well-written. Most of the time I do not enjoy ghost stories, as I find them horribly unbelievable. But with this story, ghosts are portrayed in a different light. They are shown as young and youthful, not old and frail, not weaklings only attracted to humans because they live.  The characters are believable, and the plot is interesting.



NEIGHBORS BY BRENNA YOVANOFF
Rating: 10

Summary: She sits, staring at the sky with a forlorn look on her face. She wants a friend. Then Abby moves in across the street. She has finally found someone, but is Abby really someone she can call a friend?

Opinion: I shall repeat myself. I've never enjoyed ghost stories. And yet, I adore this one. The characters are so vivid that they seem to leap right off the pages; and the plot, while saddening, is superb. I honestly wish this story was longer, as I want to see what happens next.



COUNCIL OF YOUTH BY MAGGIE STIEFVATER
Rating: 8

Summary: Matt and Raphael have just taken over the United States of America. There 's not a person alive who 's over forty. With a teeming and restless crowd pounding at their door, what will Matt and Raphael do?

Opinion: This story is the shortest in the collection. It' s only three pages in length, which is tiny - even in short story terms. I really wished it was longer, with more details and a better plot-line, but as it is currently is still very good. Due to the length of the story, none of the characters are 100% realistic, and there 's really no
setting or plot.



THE SUMMER ENDS IN SLAUGHER BY TESSA GRATTON
Rating: 3.5

Summary: Riana loves Fourth Wind - her horse - almost as much as she loves her boyfriend Rhune. When Fourth Wind is chosen for the yearly sacrifice, what will Riana do?

Opinion: While the first page of the story is so superbly written that it draws you in, the rest of the story falls flat. It 's hauntingly strange, almost life-like in its aspects of fear and horror. But good descriptions couldn't really add anything to this story, and these aren't good descriptions. They' re just down-right confusing. The characters are all barely believable, with the exceptions of Riana, Rhune, Fourth Wind, and the devils and ghosts. The plot, while simple, is portrayed in a gruesome, bloody, and confusing way. If the first page of this story wouldn't have been as good as it was, I would've rated this story with a 1.



BLUE AS GOD BY BRENNA YOVANOFF
Rating: 10

Summary: She just wants some fun: some excitement in her life. So she heads off to a Hollywood party. While there, she meets a director. He tells her he can maker her a star. She spends the night with him, and ends up locked in her room - completely and utterly trapped. She wants to escape. She starts to wonder if trusting that director was such a good idea.

Opinion: In this retelling of Bluebeard , the heroine fights back instead of accepting her fate and ultimately, death. I actually loved the original tale of Bluebeard , and while this one has its differences, it' s still very well written. The characters are believable, as is the plot and circumstances.



THOMAS ALL BY TESSA GRATTON
Rating: 9.5

Summary: We are all called Thomas. I am one of us. I can tell when a fairy enters this world.  I can pick a waterhorse out of a crowd in seconds. I am called Thomas. And I am one of us.

Opinion: This is a confusing story at first glance. But when you focus and try to understand, the meaning becomes clear. The characters are quite amazingly crafted so that each and every one - the psycho murderer included - are so life-like that they leap off the pages. The setting is a compliment to the characters, so beautifully and richly created that it seems as if I've actually  been there. The plot in itself is compelling, making you want to keep reading. The only complaint I have about this story is the length. It' s much too short. It needs to be longer, as I want to find out what happens next.



HEART-SHAPED BOX BY MAGGIE STIEFVATER
Rating: 9

Summary: York is dying. He needs a heart-shaped box called a Locket. The Locket will keep him alive. Even though he' s a millionaire, he could never afford one. But his best friend, Jude, might be able to.  With York running out of time, will Jude be able to get him a Locket?

Opinion: This story is one of my favorites. The characters are so vividly described that they seem as if they' re real. The plot and setting are too awe-inspiring to even put into words.
Overall, a great - but sad - story.



BERSERK BY TESSA GRATTON
Rating: 8

Summary: Luta lost her family to a troll attack.  Rein lost his family to a mysterious force. When their paths cross, will they choose to stick together or go their separate ways? To survive and live or be lost forever?

Opinion: This story s plot is what all plots long to be:   mysterious, yet cunning.  Bold and daring. Violent, yet sad. The characters are life-like and realistic, and go well with the plot.
I only have two problems with this story.  The descriptions are much too long, and the violence is way too life-like and gruesome.



LAZARUS GIRL BY BRENNA YOVANOFF
Rating: 1

Summary: Rosa found the girl in the woods - dead as a doornail and hanging from a tree. When Rosa meets Bryce, she finds that he 's interested in the dead girl. Rosa decides to show the girl to Bryce. But something's loose in the woods. Will Rosa and Bryce survive their dangerous journey?

Opinion: This is the most confusing thing I've ever read. The ending doesn't make sense, nor does any part of the plot. The characters are paper-thin and unrealistic. It' s not THE worst story in the book - due to the very well-written first paragraph - but definitely one of the worst.



ANOTHER SUN BY MAGGIE STIEFVATER
Rating: 7

Summary: Imagine a world where fire doesn't go out. Not with water, not with extinguishers, not with rain, hail, snow, or retardant. Not even with the help of firemen. That's the world we live in. That s the world we re going to show you.

Opinion: Up until the very last page, this story is excellent. The main character is the only one who' s realistic, but he 's really all that matters in this particular story. The setting is great, and the plot is good. But then you read the last page, and nothing adds up. Nothing makes sense.  It doesn't add up. The ending doesn't resolve questions. It adds to them.


Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Yucaipa, CA USA

Alexandra's Secret

Alexandra's Secret


Missiles, betrayals, and spies, oh my! You'll get all that and more in Annie Laura Smith's new novel, Alexandra's Secret. Set in the mid-1940's, right when World War 2 is just heating up, eighteen year-old Alexandra Cockrell has just graduated from the American Office of Strategic Services (it would take a couple days training just to be able to say the name) otherwise known as the OSS. Graduating youngest in her class, Alexandra doesn't expect to be assigned to a high-profile mission until the OSS discovers that an important military document has been lost. If the manuscript falls into the hands of the enemy, the entire war could be compromised. With older, more experienced agents otherwise occupied, the OSS chooses Alexandra to carry out this vital mission, due to her impeccable memory, glowing physical record, and bilingual abilities. As she sets out to Belgium to try and recover the text with nothing more than a hint of where it might be, Alexandra is putting herself and everyone who helps her along the way into mortal peril. With the outcome of the war on her shoulders, will Alexandra be successful in her quest for the article? Or will she even make it out alive?

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Jason Norris is in quiet a situation himself. Just shot down by enemy planes, Jason is in the middle of nowhere, lost, hungry, dirty, and would really like a to use a decent bathroom. If that doesn t seem bad enough, while he was busy trying to parachute safely out of his flaming fighter jet, he somehow misplaced a key file that his superiors said should never EVER be lost. In a nutshell, he's having quite a day. With the manuscript now lost, he can only hope that it doesn't fall in the wrong hands. As Jason travels across who-knows- where, can he find a source of safety before the Germans find him instead?

The B-17 spin increased dramatically as Lt. Norris scrambled toward the bomb bay and the escape hatch&.The wind buffeted him, and slammed him up against the fuselage before he fell free into the night.

Ok, so when I first read the back cover of this book, I was super excited. War, danger, intrigue, and a boy and a girl, which practically screams ROMANCE! Sadly, everything in this book was the exact opposite of what I had hoped it to be. I know I like a story to be fast-paced and thrilling, but the book moved a little too fast, which completely buried the sense of anticipation. There characters would be in a new place every few pages, which didn't give the plot time to elaborate on the setting or individual emotions. I also didn't connect with the novel all. It was just like Smith was going through the motions of writing a book, plot, setting, problem, and solution. It was really hard for me to get immersed in the novel, and actually feel like I was there. And, for all you lovers of the romantic side of reading, there was some romance. Some. I just felt like that was kind of rushed, too. One thing I did like about this book was all the information I collected about World War Two. Smith definitely did her research. All in all, I was a little disappointed in this book, and certainly felt like Smith could do better.

One of the Spanish soldiers grabbed Jason by the arm before he could raise his pistol. Other soldiers entered the room, and surrounded him.



I would recommend this book for ages 8 and up, because of the World War Two lingo and some sensuality. This wasn t really a bad book for profanity though it was clean-cut and mostly innocent.

Will Alexandra be successful on her quest for the key manuscript that could change the course of the war? Will Jason be able to get to safety and notify the U.S. of his whereabouts? Or will the enemy find them both first?

Age 12, Leopold, Missouri USA

52 Days of 52 Reasons to Love Jessica Brody and Her Books

1 of the 52 Reasons to Love Jessica Brody and Her Books….for 51 other reasons, visit Lili’s Reflections (August 20th), Book Soulmates (August 22nd) and Y.A. Love (August 23rd), and stay tuned for more!

Jessica's favorite summer Olympic event is couch lounging for which she would have an Olympic gold medal! But she loves Gymnastics.

About 52 Reasons to Hate My Father (FSG, July 2012)
Being America’s favorite heiress is a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it.

Lexington Larrabee has never to work a day in her life. After all, she’s the heiress to the multi-billion-dollar Larrabee Media empire. And heiresses are not supposed to work. But then again, they’re not supposed to crash brand new Mercedes convertibles into convenience stores on Sunset Blvd either.

Which is why, on Lexi’s eighteenth birthday, her ever-absent, tycoon father decides to take a more proactive approach to her wayward life. Every week for the next year, she will have to take on a different low-wage job if she ever wants to receive her beloved trust fund. But if there’s anything worse than working as a maid, a dishwasher, and a fast-food restaurant employee, it’s dealing with Luke, the arrogant, albeit moderately attractive, college intern her father has assigned to keep tabs on her.

In a hilarious “comedy of heiress” about family, forgiveness, good intentions, and best of all, second chances, Lexi learns that love can be unconditional, money can be immaterial, and, regardless of age, everyone needs a little saving. And although she might have 52 reasons to hate her father, she only needs one reason to love him.

52 Reasons to Hate My Father Excerpt: http://www.jessicabrody.com/books/teen-fiction/52-reasons-to-hate-my-father/about-the-book
52 Reasons to Hate My Father Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YjWYB327yHc
The Making of the 52 Reasons to Hate My Father Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRuX1LkvDlw&feature=youtu.be

Lazarball: Book One of the Anumal Empire Series (eBook) by Darren Jacobs and David Ayres

Lazarball: Book One of the Anumal Empire Series written by Darren Jacobs and David Ayres sets itself in the future. The human race is long gone, replaced by the new dominant race, the anumals. Created using a combination of human and animal DNA, anumals come in many shapes and sizes, or rather, in many breeds. Clinton, our protagonist, is a feline; a lion. Having lost his parents, Clinton is now responsible for his little brother Raion. As if that weren't enough, his family is despised and the two brothers have been forced to live in the village slums and scrounge for food. All Clinton wants is to win the Lazarball tournament, so he can use the prize money to get himself, Raion, and his father's old friend, a gecko named Arkie, away from Wooburn to a place where no one's ever heard of them and they have a fighting chance. Little does Clinton know that he's destined for things much greater than simply Lazarball.

This book is phenomenal. The story is insanely creative what with the human-animal creatures (I love that they're called anumals). The Anumals behave like humans. They share our flaws and they also share our strengths. Despite his name there are those still willing to show kindness to Clinton and despite a corrupt government there are still a few willing to fight for the Right. There are also plenty happy to sell out for personal gain or treat Clinton like trash because his last name is Narfell. I guess really what I'm getting at here is that the true beauty of this book is that despite the fact that Clinton Narfell is a lion-human thing the reader can still connect with him. He is not totally alien. Reading this story I really felt for and connected with Clinton. I even grew to love his brother. This book is exciting, emotional, and fun and I definitely recommend it.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: El Paso, Texas United States

Witch World by Christopher Pike

Jessie never expected anything out of the ordinary to happen when she and her friends went to Vegas for the weekend after graduation. She didn' t expect to meet Russ, who was enchanting and strangely amazing at blackjack. She didn' t expect for the love of her life to come back to her with strange reasons for leaving. In the night lights of Vegas, Jessie is launched into a new world, where people with powers are everywhere. But she didn 't expect to be a part of Witch World' s biggest conspiracy. Will Jessie make it out the way she was before or will she become a new person completely?

The concept of this book was really good. The characters were developed very well. You could easily see Jessie' s struggles throughout the whole book. I also really liked that this was written in first person. This  aspect helped the book a lot. This book will keep you guessing the whole time. The only part I did not like was how the world was shown to Jessie, it was confusing. I recommend this book to people who like magic and adventure. This book has quite a few innuendos and cuss words.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Denver, CO United States

Child of the Mountains by Marilyn Sue Shank

Lydia Hawkins is a 12-year-old girl living in the mountains of West Virginia. Her whole world gets turned upside down when her brother, B.J. passes away and her mother gets put in jail for an unfair reason. When she gets sent away to live with her grumpy uncle and crazy aunt some weird things happen. Lydia figures out some family secrets that change her entire life. If you like suspense, tragedy, and standing up for what s right, Child of The Mountains is the perfect book for you.
I really enjoyed this book. This book teaches kids to appreciate what they have and that not everything will go their way. It also teaches them to realize how many gifts God has already given them. The emotion written in the book is so powerful and moving. Each chapter is filled with suspense. I could hardly put it down. I would go upstairs to clean my room and then stay up there for an hour just reading my book. This is not the kind of book I would normally read but I'm glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

Reviewer Age:10
Reviewer City, State and Country: Charlotte, NC United States

Ashes of Twilight by Kassy Taylor

Wren MacAvoy is a coal miner. She is a lower class shiner forced to work in order to maintain the royals luxurious way of life. Coal keeps the giant fans running, along with everything else because Wren s world is a giant dome. The royals and everyone else were sent here long ago, in the hopes that they could protect and preserve the bloodline of the royals after a giant comet struck the earth and set it ablaze. As far as anyone inside the dome knows, the outside is still engulfed in flames but the dome s coal is running out, and conditions are worsening. Wren has always thought there was something more outside the dome, and she is even more certain after her good friend, having attempted to escape the dome,  gives her his dying words The sky is blue. Is there really hope for a better life outside the dome? Wren is determined to find out.Ashes of Twilight is a great dystopian romance/adventure, with twists that keep you entertained and a familiar theme rebellion against a controlling society presented in a unique way. . . for the most part. I found a few uncanny similarities to other books, but they were small and maybe they were just coincidental. Other than that, I enjoyed Ashes of Twilight. I would recommend it for a middle teen crowd. My final verdict: a good read.Some of the romantic scenes are questionable for younger readers.Reviewer Age:12Reviewer City, State and Country: Tigard, OR USA

Wooden Bones by Scott William Carter

This book is about a boy named Pino.  He carved a lady puppet and it turned alive.  Angry neighbors all wanted their deceased ones back.  Pino ran away with his father, Geppetto.  They had many adventures that had good and bad consequences.  But every time Pino used his magic to create something from wood, his hand turned into wood.  What will Pino and his father do?Pinocchio s story is back, except this time, he can create wooden people.  I liked this book because of the characters.  They were trusted and realistic.  I find the book has strong words and plenty of excitement.  If you like to have an adventure in a book, this is the book for you.  I don t recommend it for people under 10.Reviewer Age:12Reviewer City, State and Country: Leesburg, Virginia USA

The Adventures of Benjamin Skyhammer (eBook) by Nicole Sheldrake

Benjamin Skyhammer goes relic hunting for a relic collector on his home planet Pingala. While he relic hunting he meets creatures that also want this relic for its magic powers. When he gets back home he is thought to be a Retrograph Sorcerer . He goes to find the real Retrograph Sorcerer but learns that she was killed. He goes back to Quansity to find the ceremony is sabotaged because all magic is replaced with technology.


This book was excellent. I wish the author would write another book in the series so he could expand on the story. It was too good for just one book.  I loved the relic hunting parts, they remind me of searching for treasures in ancient Egypt ,one of my favorite time periods.
Reviewer Age:11Reviewer City, State and Country: Glen Burnie, MD USA

Mary of the Aether (eBook) by Jeffrey Aaron Miller

Mary of the Aether is a thrilling book, centered around a teenage girl who discovers that she' s not as normal as she thought. Before turning 14, Mary had lived a completely boring life, with some unexplained moves between states and houses, along with not knowing anything about her mother. But when she discovers Aether, and the magic she has within her, everything changes, and she finds out more of her past than she ever hoped to know. Sadly, after discovering the power of Aether, or magic, Mary also finds out that there are magic-craving demons after her, willing to kill her to get what they want. Using all her strength and courage, Mary will have to either destroy the demons or have the last remains of Aether leave the Earth. Join Mary on an exciting adventure as she works to save the remains of magic in this adventure and action-packed book!

I found this book to be absolutely brilliant! After the first couple of pages it really picked up, and I could hardly put the book down as I felt like I, myself, was in the book alongside Mary! Mary of the Aether carries a tone of mystery, as the puzzle is never quite finished, but it does include all the right details at the same time. The book is perfect for the selected age group, but also has some brilliant words and dialect. Mary of the Aether may not be the next Harry Potter, but it is very good! This book uplifted me as I found that it portrayed the message that if you believe in yourself and work hard, nothing is impossible. I would most definitely recommend this book to others, and I found it to be a pleasure to read!

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Middlebury, CT United States

My Beginning (eBook) by Melissa Kline

In the book My Beginning by Melissa Kline, the world has changed as we know it. The main character, Ivory, has been raised in an institution for children after the world was plagued by a deadly virus. The children are taught their entire life that they must remain inside institution walls at all times or risk catching the virus and dying. Inside, one of the most important rules is that boys and girls must no t mingle. For Ivory, that has never been a challenge, until Aiden the mysterious new boy who catches her eye, is transferred to her institution after his was overrun by the plague. They soon begin to fall for each other and meet in secrecy, but when they are discovered lurking in the broom closet they are both severely punished. Their options suddenly become clear: stay away from each other forever or run away. They choose love and run from the institution, soon discovering not everything is as they were told. Over the course of the story, we follow Ivory and Aidan as they fight to find a way in the world for love, and fight off the all controlling evil. They prove love really does trump all.

In the book My Beginning, Melissa Kline tells an inspiring story where love can defeat all evil. It is a long story, with a twist in the middle you would never guess. I thoroughly enjoyed it and believe that any teenage girl interested in Sci-Fi will instantly fall in love with it. Ms. Kline keeps you on the edge of your seat with little interludes throughout. I couldn't wait to reach the ending of Ms. Kline's story, since I was anxious to figure out how Ivory and Aidan overcame to mounting obstacles laid in their path. It comes to an overall pleasing ending that you may not have expected from the beginning. I can't wait to recommend this book to my friends the moment the opportunity arises, and I would recommend this book to every teenage girl, even those hesitant to dive into Science Fiction.
The book made a few references to sex and violence.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Glendale, Arizona United States

The Pack by L.M Preston

A century in the future, scientists on Earth decide to launch a project where they observe criminals and others for 5 years and if they approve of them, they are sent to Mars as a 2nd chance or to be groomed for the upscale police force, or the Security Force Elite. Shamira, the daughter of two members, becomes blind at a young age due to an unfortunate accident. Despite her setbacks, she tracks down villains and make them pay, while still being a good sister to David, her younger brother. She goes to Earth to regain her eyesight and when she comes back, it is worse than she imagined. Shamira must solve the case of why Monev, an evil organization, is kidnapping kids and she can't do it alone.

I've always liked mystery books, TV shows, and movies. I mean, my favorite TV show is Psych! Add a little sci-fi and suddenly, it is unique. The casual way LM Preston slipped in things like," she lived in the dark most of her life", or "since they were part of the Elite team", almost like she was explaining something to a friend and wrote down the conversation. Even the cool technology found its way into the rhythm of the book. It was a fairly interesting and fun to read, in fact,my only problem with the book was the way some of the names were cliche. Why was it called the Pack, anyway?

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Leawood, Kansas United States

Thou Shalt Not Road Trip by Antony John

When 16-year old Luke Dorsey's book, Hallelujah, becomes a bestseller, his publisher decides to send him out on a book tour. Sounds good, right? Well, come to find out his chauffeur is going to be his crazy, unpredictable, older brother Matt. When Matt decides to liven up the trip, things start to go downhill. Without Luke knowing, Matt makes a few tweaks to the driving plan, so that they're driving on the legendary Route 66, and he decides to add a few companions: his girlfriend Alex and her sister Fran, who happens to be Luke's ex-crush/crush (he hasn't quite decided) . Soon this book tour turns into a journey about finding yourself and then staying true to yourself. Add a little site-seeing, a little faith, and a lot of humor, and you get Thou Shalt Not Road Trip.

Ok... I had VERY high expectations for this book since I loved Five Flavors of Dumb, by Antony John, and I have to say I don't think it lived up to all of my expectations. First, let me say the road trip didn't go so smoothly. The first 136 pages were quite bad, so much so that I didn't know if I wanted to finish the book. Now saying that, I'm glad I did because it got a lot better,but only because Fran became more of a prominent character. That's what really saved the book for me. Let's just get the first 136 pages out of the way. In those pages it was quite boring and you start to wonder if there's really a plot. The characters aren't well developed and don't have enough depth. That does change after page 137 but Fran really is the most well put together character and I have to wonder if the book should have been from her perspective. Now this might be because she reminds me of Piper from Five Flavors of Dumb, but still...


Also, there is a lot of language throughout the book (look in warnings for full description) and a vivid scene of self abuse on page 92 (also in the warnings). For the next warning I'm going to be very, shall we say vague, in how I say this, but it definitely needs to be addressed. So here goes. On pages 133 through 135 there's an interview hijacking. The interviewer is a local frat guy. It starts by slamming abstinence and ends with an inappropriate discussion about masturbation. Overall it was very crude, disgusting, and thoroughly disappointing. This is the worst part of the book in my view, and as I said before I am seriously disappointed in Antony John because that did not have to be in the book.


On to the second part of the book, pages 137 and on. I definitely think that the characters got stronger and the plot got rolling. There were a lot of good things, especially the realization that Luke made about himself, others, and his book. Luke grows and learns that disappointing people is part of life if you want to stay true to yourself and your beliefs. Now for the bad part. There's a lot of lying and Luke does dig his own grave a few times by lying. Even though the lying is wrong, I think it made the book more realistic. In the end when everything came to light Luke had to deal with it and learned that telling the truth would have been a lot easier and he would have hurt a lot less people. It also showed how much freer he felt when he told the truth. The end was not a fairy tale ending. It ended with him on the road to forgiveness, not at the end of the road. So, I felt that it was much more realistic.


Overall though I have to give it a 5 because it's right in the middle for me. The first part is not worth your time and had some negative things in it, but the second part was funny and pretty good, still having some negative things in it but to a lesser degree. Therefore, right down the middle.

1 goddamned
8 crap
4 Damned
13 hell
10 freakin'
1 for Christ's sake
12 screw
10 heck
1 son of a bitch
2 God
2 oh my God
1 oh God
1 dick
2 pissed
1 ass
1 dang

WARNINGS: There are several scenes with underage drinking and talks about sex. In one scene Fran is drunk and sticks a needle through her ear (there's a lot of blood). I already told you about the radio interview in the review. Oh and a possum gets run over.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Sharpsville, IN USA

Here (eBooks) by Ella James

Strange, mysterious and captivating are all words I would use to describe the story Here. In Here Milo is like any other girl with good friends and nice clothes. Milo lives on a large wind farm in Colorado and has just recently taken over her dead father s deer tracking project. All alone in her cold tree stand is when she met him. Within a matter of minutes he turns Milo s world upside down. And when Milo s life has been spun a complete 360, others around her get spun out of control too. In the middle of it all though, Milo still carries that feeling that there' s something that he isn' t telling her and that there 's something she ought to tell him.

I really enjoyed Here a lot more than I thought I would. As soon as I started it I got sucked in and didn 't want to put it down. The mystery was excellent and kept me entertained the entire way through. In my opinion the ending was a little disappointing but satisfied me enough to be done with the book. I think the characters were very realistic and well-developed along with the plot. Overall, I was very happy with my choice and would like to see more published works from this author in the future.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Hopkins, Michigan United States

See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles

Fern lives in a family of five. She is 12 years old and feels like no one cares. Her mom is always off meditating and her dad is always making new commercials for the family restaurant, Harry's. When a tragic accident rips Fern's family apart, Fern blames herself. Can she help get her family back together?

Personally I did not like See You At Harry's. As I read it I thought boring all the way. I am a big fan of adventure books so See You At Harry's was not my style. It was a serious book with no humor. There was not a vertex in the plot and the book never urged me to pick it up and read it. I did like how the author wrapped up the book though. People who like drama books would enjoy See You At Harry's. It's definitely a tear-jerker. I would not recommend this book to any of my friends although I like how the author describes the characters.

I gave it a 2 because it talks about being gay,so you should be able to ask if you don't know what that is.

Reviewer Age:11

Reviewer City, State and Country: Uniontown, OH USA

Scandalous! by Hallie Fryd

Have you ever been at party and heard a group discussing a shocking new event, but were unable to join in because you were fuzzy on the details? This book is your cure. Scandalous! is a comprehensive guide by Hallie Fryd which explores the particulars of a century of outrageous scandals. It includes fifty events, which are broken down into an easily digestible format. Scandalous! is basically all you need to sound intelligent at your next party.

I m usually not one for nonfiction, but I really liked Scandalous! The format, which breaks each scandal into an easily read format, is very conducive to actually remembering the events. For each incident there are well placed boxes with the major people involved, quotes, a picture, related events, and other helpful additions. I really liked that each event ended with an insightful section called Why We Still Care, which I found to be very helpful in seeing the cultural impact of the incident. The book covers a lot of ground, starting with a 1906 murder and ending with the 2000 Gore-Bush election. I can honestly say I walked away with a ton more knowledge, even about familiar events.


For reviewing purposes I read it in long blocks, but I think the best way to enjoy it would to be to read a scandal or two here and there, because reading it for an hour like a novel can get a bit tedious. I think it would be a good book for the coffee table or bathroom, because of the simply divided sections. Overall, if you want to become more informed on the most infamous scandals of the last century, this book is a great choice

This book is recommend for 14+ but some may find some of the stories about kidnapping, crimes against children, or murder a bit unsettling.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Tigard, Oregon United States