A new student review of Ashes of Twilight by Kassy Taylor by Kassy Tayler

Ravette posted a new student review of Ashes of Twilight by Kassy Taylor by Kassy Tayler. See the full review.

This was a beautifully, and intelligently, written novel. It was definitely an enthralling read. I loved the character development and how the characters changed throughout the story. I also liked the plot and how the suspense never ceased. I also enjoyed reading about a realistic, and very creative, type of world where people are physically restricted. Lastly, I liked the character Wren because she was one of many who thought about the escape from the dome, yet the first to act on it; which made her admirable.

A new student review of Road Trip

Bunnyrabbit posted a new student review of Road Trip . See the full review.

  Gary and Jim Paulson bring the statement, "road trip," to a whole new level. On a route to save a border collie, Ben and his father travel through the west. Bringing along a troubled friend, a mechanic, and a unique waitress. But a strange car following them and a car on fire in the middle of nowhere bring this gang of misfits into a dangerous situation. Adding a new dimension to a father and son road trip offers many life lessons everyone can use. For example, how a family can be brought back together and new friendships made on just one trip. This action packed book will have you hooked and wanting more. 

 

A new student review of All We Know of Love

calicool123 posted a new student review of All We Know of Love . See the full review.

All We Know Of Love was strange, but in the best way possible. I was constantly intrigued and felt exited to turn the page to reveal more perfectly constructed text. The writing was very well put together and flowed very easily. Anyone who is in search of a great, easy read would enjoy this book. Natalie is a character that almost anyone could relate to, and I think we all have a little peice of Natalie's personality in us. Throughout the book I felt like I was taking the journey myself. 

A new student review of Whispers at Moonrise

Bookreader587 posted a new student review of Whispers at Moonrise . See the full review.

In my personal opinion of this book, the plot line was great, a little slow to start, but got moving pretty quickly. I do think that this book could have been written better for a teen novel. The vocabulary wasn't what you would expect, and it seemed like every character talked in the same way. For example, every character said the word "frigging' no matter their age, and it seems like an adult would not talk like that. Regardless, I got a great picture of every character and their personalities. I would also like to point out the relationships between characters. It seems that, as a reader, the entire book revolves around Kylie and how she solves all the problems for every character. There are other character issues, but if the issue is not solved by Kylie, or had advice from Kylie on the situation, the problem would not be resolved. It also seems like Kylie is too timid in some parts, and too aggresive in others, with little or no transistions between the two. Althought this book was overall pretty good, I found the writing immature for a young adult novel, but am excited to read the next book in the series.

A new student review of The Spare Room by Jenny Land

sschu5 posted a new student review of The Spare Room by Jenny Land. See the full review.

 

This was a great book! It was a book about a family that has problems during the civil war. I also liked how it is in the form of a diary; I think that was a cool idea. Background knowledge in this story really fit it together for a great story. I like how the story folded together throughout the book. I would recommend this book to others because of the excitement, the great plot, and the way it is also like a regular family today.

A new student review of A Girl's Guide To Fitting in Fitness

avolzer posted a new student review of A Girl's Guide To Fitting in Fitness . See the full review.

 

Overall it was pretty good but wasn’t what I expected. It said it would make exercise fun, but there was hardly anything that looked fun. I did like the part about dancing. The yoga poses and weight lifting were cool too. It said it wasn’t hard to get up early if you choose an exercise you enjoy. The ones they suggested were things like push ups and lunges. Those aren’t going to motivate me to get up. It had useful information about setting and keeping goals. The writing was easy to read and conversational. The purpose was to explain the benefits and reasons to exercise and share practical ways to begin being more healthy. The authors achieved their purpose. The part about setting and reaching goals was great. It was a motivational and practical book. It is good for beginners just getting started or for people who are already pretty fit looking for a challenge. It’s best for high school girls.

 

A new student review of Darkwater by Catherine Fisher

Feeder24 posted a new student review of Darkwater by Catherine Fisher. See the full review.

I thought that this book was interesting, but that it was rather confusing. There were mentions of magic, but the author did not elaborate on them and left the reader in the dark. I also didn't like the ending to the book. Throughout the whole story, the author made Azrael out to be an evil warlock who would do whatever he had to to get what he wanted, but then at the end, she portrayed him as a good person who did only what he promised and nothing else. I just thought that it was a little random and disorganized. However, it was well-written and kept me interested in the story. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy and mystery type books, but it will take some brain power to understand what is happening.

A new student review of Death, Doom, and Detention

R. Mae posted a new student review of Death, Doom, and Detention . See the full review.

 

Darynda Jones, who is an expert YA writer, happens to have a thing for cliff hangers. I was absolutely thrilled by Darynda's sequel to Death and the Girl Next Door. Of all the possible ways to antagonize me, she ended with a cliff hanger! Of course, I do really love a cliff hanger...

Lorelei proved to be an excellent MC once again, her epic humor and choice in friends was perfect. Brooke is still my favorite character, although I feel Glitch is just as oblivious as ever. The characters in Death, Doom and Detention really add to the story, fighting invincible monsters could get boring without some fun. I was impressed by the plot in Death and the Girl Next Door, but the plot in this one practically threw me off my feet. I love action.  I don't think you can ever have enough action in a book, but silliness really makes up for it where it is lacked. I think Lorelei could get into a couple more scrapes in the next book *crosses fingers*, but I will survive if she doesn't.

To sum it up, I continue to love Darynda Jones' beautiful writing, and I think I always will!

A new student review of The Geneva Project - Truth

ykhalfi posted a new student review of The Geneva Project - Truth . See the full review.

 

 

I found this book really good to read. It seems unfinished and that there should be a sequel..

It's so good it is destined to become a best-seller.

A new student review of Through the Skylight

sisto8 posted a new student review of Through the Skylight . See the full review.

I liked the book Through the Skylight because of the characters.  Each character got to narrate his/her own parts of the story.  Since there were six kids, one could get confused with all the different perspectives. The conflict was very interesting.  The story didn't turn out just the way I expected. The clues twisted and turned until the very end of the book. The language stayed on the age level;  there were very few bad words.  I recommend this book for people 10+. 

A new student review of Beneath the Heavens by Christine O'Neill

sabol posted a new student review of Beneath the Heavens by Christine O'Neill. See the full review.

Beneath the Heavens, written by Christine O’Neil, is a suspense-filled adventure story that kept me hooked down to the final line. When I first began to read I thought I would get lost in the multitude of characters but each was skillfully crafted so that I was able to follow the plot even between changes in perspective. In fact as the novel progressed I found myself getting deeply attached to each character and their idiosyncrasies. The clichéd yet heartwarming relationships that ensue among the characters and comical wordplay used, is just the frosting on the cake. O’Neil’s engrossing novel captures the very essence of a good story and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a juicy mystery to sink their teeth into.

A new student review of Diverse Energies by Malinda Lo Ursula K. Le Guin Paolo Bacigalupi

alphatauri posted a new student review of Diverse Energies by Malinda Lo Ursula K. Le Guin Paolo Bacigalupi. See the full review.

There were a few stories I really enjoyed, while others I'd hesitate to recommend to anyone anytime soon. "The Last Day," by Ellen Oh, opens the collection and was a standout as well. It's filled with action, and has got a fascinating world, a likeable protagonist, and an ending that you won't forget anytime soon. Meanwhile, the story that follows it, "Freshee's Frogurt," by Daniel H. Wilson, didn't really do it for me. Generally, I dislike it when novels are excerpted as short stories, and this one was no exception. The other few stories I really liked were "Uncertainty Principle", by K. Tempest Bradford, "Good Girl", by Malinda Lo, and "A Pocket Full of Dharma" by one of the best known writers in the collection, Paolo Bacigalupi. Overall, Diverse Energies is indeed, a diverse collection of stories with quite a lot of lesser known authors that readers will enjoy discovering! 

A new student review of Tempest: A Novel (Tempest Trilogy) by Julie Cross

Hickey posted a new student review of Tempest: A Novel (Tempest Trilogy) by Julie Cross. See the full review.

I thought this was a wonderfully written book. The second I picked it up and started reading it I was hooked. I thought the author did an amazing job with the plot development, but could have done a better job with having more vivid descriptions of some of the scenes. Everything included, I highly recommend this book to the average teenager who likes fantasy. 

A new student review of William and the Lost Spirit

ReesaOnFire posted a new student review of William and the Lost Spirit . See the full review.

 

Set in Medieval times in a feudal society, “William and the Lost Spirit” by Bonneval and Bonhomme takes the reader into a land of magic, science and folklore. This magical tale takes you to far off lands that reach the depths of young William’s imagination.  Although the art for this graphic novel was really great for the subject, and I give gratitude and respect to the artist for having the patience to draw every single board, the plot was disappointing. I was expecting a ‘coming of age’ story or a thrilling mystery from what I read in the summary. Unfortunately I didn’t get that. There were some ‘coming of age’ aspects in the story but it wasn't the main story.  The book was also a bit too strange for my taste. In my opinion, William’s ‘adventures’ or dreams were quite odd—even for a young boy of his background. Also another problem I had with this book is the main character. William doesn't seem to care about anything.  In the beginning, he doesn’t seem to care about his father’s death—he had a ‘let sleeping dogs lie’ persona almost—and at the end he doesn’t seem to want to hold his father’s killer accountable.

Needless to say, I had many problems with this book because in my opinion, a book—whatever type it may be—must have a good, some-what logical plot with developed or developing characters, and this particular book did not seem to have it.  Perhaps I am too harsh on this book and my ability to get into this book was just too weak—the fantasy didn’t take hold; but that still is a problem. Why couldn’t this book catch me and keep me in?

You may decide for yourselves, but for myself, I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would.

A new student review of Here Where the Sunbeams Are Green

TaurielOfMirkwood posted a new student review of Here Where the Sunbeams Are Green . See the full review.

This book was awesome! I loved it! It had mystery, adventure, and a little romance. It also had some Spanish, and I thought that was pretty cool. The author did a great job describing the scenes, and I could see them in my mind. Overall, this is a great book!

A new student review of Birdie by Tony Rosa

MIZZIQ posted a new student review of Birdie by Tony Rosa. See the full review.

For the most part this was a very boring story. I'd suggest taking your time with it even though it's small. There are meanings that you can take from it--whether the author intended them or not. I think that most people can identify with some parts of all the characters. The old man and Mark have a true friendship which is heartwarming. The story doesn't really leave you anywhere. It's more of a story of a kid learning to move on even though he makes mistakes. There's a few flashbacks which were interesting. I wouldn't particurly reccomend this book. It's a lot like the books I usually read so trying to beat some of my favorites are hard---all that to say I wouldn't NOT read it...I just think it was more of a debut book. (Not sure if it was or not.) So the story had meaning and some parts I throughly enjoyed. The ending was almost worth it....however I was glad it was so short.

A new student review of Lunch Lady and the Picture Day Peril by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

LegoLover posted a new student review of Lunch Lady and the Picture Day Peril by Jarrett J. Krosoczka. See the full review.

Krosorzka brings us another heroic tale from the school cafeteria, of the Lunch Lady and her sidekick Betty.  As always, “Lunch Lady and the Picture Day Peril” is full of nutritious lingo that will make you laugh and your tummy growl.  Once you start this adventure, you'll find yourself unable to put it down.  I liked how creatively the Breakfast Bunch came up with a plan.  What I really loved about this book is how Krosorzka not only writes lots of details but draws them into the background of nearly every scene.

A new student review of The Crimson Shard by Ravette

Ravette posted a new student review of The Crimson Shard by . See the full review.

It was a wonderful and very enthralling read. I enjoyed the details the author used to describe eighteenth-century London; it made it much clearer and easier to visualize. I also liked how  Sunni and Blaise enjoy drawing and art, because I felt that I could relate. I also really liked the characterization, because every character had a very distinct and different personality from one another.

A new student review of And Then I Found You: A Novel by pandagirl312

pandagirl312 posted a new student review of And Then I Found You: A Novel by . See the full review.

Arguably my favorite thing about this book is its organization. Instead of telling the story straight through, Callahan Henry jumps from place to place, year to year. She gives you a snippet of young Katie, present-day Kate, and present-day Luna. This really gives balance and structure to the story. The book kind of ended all at once; all the conflicts were resolved within the last pages. However, the story is one readers will enjoy.