A new student review of 2:32 a.m. by Emily Ford

ALex1x1 posted a new student review of 2:32 a.m. by Emily Ford. See the full review.

2:32am was a very interesting book to read. But there are two things that I did not like about it. The first is that I felt that the build up to everything took too long. And the second is that there are some missing quotation marks in the text.

 

A few things I did like about it were how the characters were so well written that one could became attached or even empathize with them. Another part was how creative and new this story was.

 

Even though I did not care much for the book, I would recommend this to others for its creative story line and for creating deep attachments to the characters.

A new student review of Drift by M. K. Hutchins

ReesaOnFire posted a new student review of Drift by M. K. Hutchins. See the full review.

A dangerous and thrilling world, Hutchins creates in Drift a novel that’s sure to transport you by the first chapter! Absolutely worthy of the award bestowed upon it—I give Drift 5 out of 5 stars!

Cleverly put together, Hutchins gives birth to not only a thrilling story but a magical world, intriguing characters, and nice big ‘ol pot of “thinking noodle soup”!  

Artfully crafted, Hutchins’s characters hit the nail on the head. Each one had sufficient motivation, growth, and closure. Each character accelerated the plot and gave their own opinions on it as it progressed, through not only words but actions committed and omitted. Every element of the book was placed there for a reason to be revealed at the end. With the plot itself, Hutchins could not have done a better job.

Simply scrumptious for an avid fantasy lover, Hutchins handsomely whipped together seeming incompatible elements and made them into a breathtaking world.  Tenjat’s world feels real and draws you in. Everything wielded together from characters to plot to description. Particularly the amount of the thought that went into this book was astounding.

Strong themes run rampart, and parallels to the world we live in today can be found.  This novel doesn’t contain the usual requirements to gain entry in “Mature Rating Club.” No sign of vulgarity or mature material here, only "thinking noodle soup" for the reader. Know that if you read this novel, be prepared to look deeper and to expect food for thought. Each one of us could learn a little something from the story Tenjat’s little Turtle Island and the people on it.

I am unbelievably impressed with Drift and will re-read it in the future. I hope to see more work from Hutchins, as I thoroughly enjoyed her debut novel, Drift. 

A new student review of Quarantine: The Saints (Book Two) by Lex Thomas

iamabooklion posted a new student review of Quarantine: The Saints (Book Two) by Lex Thomas. See the full review.

This book was really good and was a great sequel to The Loners. I really like how Lex Thomas made me feel like I was watching a movie when I read this book. It was fast paced and fun, and I loved the main characters, Lucy and Will. Lex Thomas did a really good job on the new characters that were added to this book. There were a lot of character developments, and the plot line was just mesmerizing! A few things I didn't like was the way the author made Lucy kind of weak compared to the other characters, but I loved her nonetheless. Overall, it was a great, thrilling read, and I would recommend it if you love horror or thrillers.

A new student review of Fury's Fire by Lisa Papademetriou

Lucy posted a new student review of Fury's Fire by Lisa Papademetriou. See the full review.

Fury' Fire, is an interesting book to read although not the best that I have ever read. To me, the beginning was too slow to recommend to anyone. Although if you continue reading, it might become interesting. 

A new student review of 77 Things You Absolutely Have to Do Before You Finish College by Halley Bondy

Dsun_ posted a new student review of 77 Things You Absolutely Have to Do Before You Finish College by Halley Bondy. See the full review.

Although this book is listed as nonfiction, I feel that it has comedy in it. The witty remarks make me feel like the author is actually talking to me instead of telling me what to do. Some of the things to do were very silly and some of them were something that someone could actually consider doing. Overall the book was just a fun read for me.

A new student review of Girl in Reverse by Barbara Stuber

dancechicka posted a new student review of Girl in Reverse by Barbara Stuber. See the full review.

Despite my reservations when I began reading, I really did enjoy this book.  Lily, even with her unique story and inner struggle, is a very relatable main character.  Her inner monologue shows us a girl that is strong and vulnerable, shy and outspoken.  She has a fiery streak that I really enjoyed seeing develop throughout the book.  Stuber did a very good job portraying the discrimination and intolerance that Asian-Americans faced at that time—being blamed for things that were happening thousands of miles away.   I also felt that Lily’s relationship with her parents and those around her was also very well-written.  It showed how the strain of the Korean War adversely affected almost everyone, even in their own homes and family circles.  The supporting characters were also of importance in this book—with Ralph, an ex-nun, and the janitor/Chinese cook Mr. Howard, the personality in this book abounded, even when things got serious.  The only thing that I could find fault with was Lily’s frequent pity-party sessions, which could get a little tiresome—but that may just be called being a teenager.  All in all, a wonderful read for anyone looking to brush up on their historical fiction and have a little fun along the way!

                “I hold my breath and flip the first picture over. It’s blurry, but I can see it’s a hand.  A pale, drooping hand, chopped above the wrist, with long, stiff fingers and a handcuff exactly the way Ralph described.”

                I would recommend this book for ages eight and up.  The vocabulary and plot is pretty simple to understand for younger readers, and the content is, for the most part, squeaky clean.

                Will Lily be able to uncover the secrets of her past AND take on the consequences?  Or will Lily find that she may have gotten in over her head?  Read Girl in Reverse by Barbara Stuber to find out!

A new student review of Caminar by Skila Brown

muffin posted a new student review of Caminar by Skila Brown. See the full review.

This book is written in verse (poetry).  It made the book very confusing and hard to understand.  The tone is serious often somber.  With war comes death and destruction and the author captures that feeling her poetry.  

The author uses short verses, which can seem be difficult to read.  It’s hard to get a sense of the characters and setting and connect on a deeper level.  I did like when the book talked about the soldiers playing soccer and doing other things with the citizens of Chopan. Overall, I did not really like Caminar by Skila Brown.

 

A new student review of Earth Star by Janet Edwards

erogers9911 posted a new student review of Earth Star by Janet Edwards. See the full review.

What a great book- one I will recommend to others! I really enjoyed how it took place in the future and how the technology was better than ours. I also liked the futuristic language the author created. This book is a sequel to Eath Girl, so make sure to read that one first.

A new student review of Vampyre Kisses by Elizabeth Kolodziej

lunarwolf posted a new student review of Vampyre Kisses by Elizabeth Kolodziej. See the full review.

I had a hard getting into the book at the begining. The reason is because the prologue really doesn't do much for the story, at least in my opinion. However, after reading the next few chapters; I was hooked on the the book. Some things weren't explained, but overall it was a great read. I would reccomend Vampire Kisses to anyone who likes paranormal romance. I found the use of mythology to be great, and a useful way to get people to learn things without doing boring research. Great writing, and amazing location detailsmake you feel like you're actually there.

A new student review of 31 Ways to Change the World by We Are What We Do

Queen_Ri posted a new student review of 31 Ways to Change the World by We Are What We Do. See the full review.

"31 ways to change the world" taught me so many new things. I always thought that to make a change you need to be big or have a group. "31 way to change the world" showed me it doesn't matter how small the action is, little things make a big difference. I loved this book. My favorite part was learning some sign language. I also loved action #4 and action #31. I believe that "31 ways to change the world" is a excellent book for any age category. 

A new student review of The Princesses of Iowa by M. Molly Backes

thudson36 posted a new student review of The Princesses of Iowa by M. Molly Backes. See the full review.

The Princesses of Iowa was a fantastic novel. From the very beginning I was hooked, and I found myself so engaged in Paige’s story. The word choice, figurative language and descriptive writing the author uses pulls you into Paige’s setting, feeling loss, pain and happiness when she does. The plot was well spread out, I never found myself getting bored with the content. The sentences seemed to flow together perfectly, causing me to never want to stop reading. The only negative comment I have after reading this novel is some parts could get a bit cliché and describes the stereotypical “popular girl”.  This is definitely a contemporary novel. Overall, I loved this book and would highly recommend it.

A new student review of Feral Nights by Cynthia Leitich Smith

MezokaCapturer65 posted a new student review of Feral Nights by Cynthia Leitich Smith. See the full review.

I really enjoyed this book, even though I don't usually like paranormal stories which involve romance.  I feel that this book did it very well.  I do have two minor complaints. In one case no reason was given for why a certain type of people would need money, and in the other case something was way too convenient for the character's story arch. 

The pacing of the story was good, I love the characters, and the concepts of how the author imagines these creatures are very interesting to me.  It entertained me the whole way through and there was nothing blatantly wrong with the story.  I highly recommend to older fans of supernatural stories.

A new student review of The Rule of Lorques: Lorque Exposure by Benjamin Stones

LegoLover posted a new student review of The Rule of Lorques: Lorque Exposure by Benjamin Stones. See the full review.

The first few pages are back story and not as interesting as the rest of the book.  By the middle of the first chapter, however, the excitement begins.  The author’s writing style is very compelling; once you start reading, it’s hard to put it down.  The plot is adventurous and dangerous at times.  As book 1 of a trilogy, it leaves you eager for the next books in the series.  I would recommend The Rule of Lorques: Lorque Exposure to those who are interested in books about alien invasions and the heroes that fight back against them.

A new student review of Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid

chinchilla97 posted a new student review of Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid. See the full review.

Let’s Get Lost was a very confusing read for me. Half the time, I really liked it, and then the other half, I really didn’t! The story involves a couple of teenagers doing the typical stupid things that teenagers do. However, most of them learn from the mistakes that they make, and they also learn what love really means, which is a valuable lesson. Overall, I think the idea is a neat one, but it could have been written in a different way.

A new student review of Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid

chinchilla97 posted a new student review of Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid. See the full review.

Let’s Get Lost was a very confusing read for me. Half the time, I really liked it, and then the other half, I really didn’t! The story involves a couple of teenagers doing the typical stupid things that teenagers do. However, most of them learn from the mistakes that they make, and they also learn what love really means, which is a valuable lesson. Overall, I think the idea is a neat one, but it could have been written in a different way.

A new student review of WhipEye by Geoffrey Saign

moseso posted a new student review of WhipEye by Geoffrey Saign. See the full review.

WhipEye is an exciting, awe-inspiring and attention gripping story anyone would enjoy. Geoffrey Saign does a remarkable job of combining magic and adventure. The story seems extremely real. The main characters are Samantha, Jake, and Charlie, the mysterious talking parrot. Based on the vocabulary and general theme of the book, ten through thirteen year olds would enjoy reading the book best. If magic and thrilling adventure stories are what you’re looking for, then this is the book for you!        

A new student review of The Brewster Boys and the Eve of Infamy by Stephen Dittmer

farmerboy posted a new student review of The Brewster Boys and the Eve of Infamy by Stephen Dittmer. See the full review.

     I was surprised to find (after I had finished the book) that this was the author’s first novel: I would have expected that the quality achieved here would require more experience, I can’t wait to see what comes next!

Writing-style

     The writing-style was good, well-balanced, and engaging, so engaging that once I started I could hardly put the book down!  It was well-balanced in that it was simple (in a good way) without being watered-down at all.

Plot-line

     The plot-line was incredible: not just your everyday, run of the mill super sci-fi time-travel adventure novel, this was a spectacular sci-fi time-travel adventure novel!  Not every author can put a half-crazed 21st century granddaughter of a NAZI atomic scientist in charge of a bunch of 1930s New York mobsters, give them a bagful of futuristic mad-science gadgets, and not make a comedy; but Stephen Dittmer makes it so believable that, after reading the book, you will find yourself looking over your shoulder constantly, just in case.

Character Development

     The plot starts off right away, so the characters have to hit the ground running, which gives the initial impression of poor development; however, they soon catch up, and after a few chapters I felt like I knew them really well.  

Dialogue

     Dialogue was well-written.  Comic relief was used fairly heavily, but not overly so.  

Conclusion

     I found the book to be a fine read, with a good writing-style.  The plot-line was original, yet believable.  The character development was good, as was the dialogue.

A new student review of First Visions: Second Sight Book One by Heather Topham Wood

swalia posted a new student review of First Visions: Second Sight Book One by Heather Topham Wood. See the full review.

I rated this book 4 stars, but it was more like 3 1/2. Though First Visions by Heather Topham Wood was an enjoyable book, it was also confusing at times. I didn't like that the point of view was in third person, because it often described the characters personal feelings throughout the book, in a way that is usually used in first person writing. Kate's character was very well developed, but other characters were hard to believe.  The author's descriptions of the setting were in-depth and it was easy to visualize the places Kate went. The book would have been more interesting if it had developed some of the other characters in the story. I also think that this book was more of a romance than any of the other genres it fit into. I would recommend this book to people age 14+.

A new student review of Looking for Jack Kerouac by Barbara Shoup

tbrayton posted a new student review of Looking for Jack Kerouac by Barbara Shoup. See the full review.

This book is one of a rare breed, as it combines a fantastic plot with a focus on a literary hero that has been much admired over the years.  It also gives light to the desire that so many young people have to escape the lives they are living for adventure and passion.  It provides an opportunity for those of us now with this passion to discover what is unknown to us to connect with someone with the same desire fifty years ago.  Extremely entertaining and intelligent, Barbara Shoup’s Looking For Jack Kerouac, has earned a spot on my bookshelf and in my heart.

A new student review of Being Sloane Jacobs

sumrsilentmusic posted a new student review of Being Sloane Jacobs . See the full review.

I picked up this novel tentatively because figure skating novels tend to go badly, but I keep reading them to find a good one. I was hoping this was one of the good ones. It wasn’t.

 

The main problem with figure skating novels is that the author who is writing the novel doesn’t really understand what the figure skating world is like. In Being Sloane Jacobs, the skating world becomes a caricature full of catty girls and judgemental people with a couple of skating phrases thrown in. Lauren Morrill doesn’t even bother getting the vocabulary correct. For example, Morrill says that Sloane Devon uses a camel spin to avoid her opponents while playing hockey. It would be impossible to perform a camel spin while playing hockey, and while it’s true that most people wouldn’t want to come near a skater doing a camel spin, I can find no possible explanation as to how it would help someone keep the puck.

 

I found the concept of this novel to be pretty contrived and unbelievable. First, I find it odd that neither of the Sloane Jacobs has friends in their respective sport who would be in camp with them or would at least recognize that it’s not the right Sloane Jacobs here. Second, it would be pretty impossible to be able to master a sport in a couple weeks the way that Sloane Emily and Sloane Devon did. Even though both sports involve skating on ice, hockey players have different skates than figure skaters do. It would take a while to simply get used to the difference. Additionally, the Sloanes literally met twenty-four hours before they trusted the other enough to switch their luggage. Either they’re extremely naive or unrealistically trusting.  

 

This book also had too much breadth and not enough depth. The author tries to deal with too many issues in one book, and as a result, everything was easily resolved and glossed over. I don’t think both of the Sloanes should have found love interests in this novel; it made it seem too perfectly balanced. It would have given the author more room to focus and develop one of the romances, to make it more multi-faceted. Instead, having two love interests makes it hard for the reader to keep them straight in her mind, and when the conflict comes, it feels as if the conflict exists to exist instead of a natural progression of the relationships. (Seriously, why did those two boys get so angry?)

By the end of the novel, I was told that both Sloane Jacobs changed, and both characters showed change, but I wasn’t exactly sure how they got there. I’m sure this will be a good book for a certain type of reader, especially readers who can look past the technical elements of skating as Morrill is pretty good at getting down the voices of her two main characters and the love interests could be called swoon-worthy, but I was not particularly impressed.

A new student review of The Sword of Danu by Christine Norris

Mattmopp42 posted a new student review of The Sword of Danu by Christine Norris. See the full review.

I thought that this book was an excellent read and very intriguing. The book was so action-packed that I couldn’t put it down! I would recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy or adventure novels.

A new student review of Seasons of Raina by Milissa Nelson

Tenaya posted a new student review of Seasons of Raina by Milissa Nelson. See the full review.

I enjoyed reading this book, despite the fact that there was a weak plot-line. It was mostly about Raina's day to day life which made for an easy but fun read. I would recomend this book to kids around 11 who are looking for a light read.

A new student review of The Books of Barakhai

jotaf posted a new student review of The Books of Barakhai . See the full review.

The Books of Barakhai is a great book.  I really liked that they made it two books in one so you get twice the books and twice the enjoyment.  Two of its weak points, however, are that it takes at least ten pages for it to really get going and it is a little confusing in some areas.  It has lots of good qualities, too, such as great character development, humor, and an interesting plot line.  My favorite character was Ben because he was funny and determined to get back to Earth.  The author, Mickey Zucker Reichert, took a risk that paid off nicely in this book.  I feel this book is for more advanced twelve year olds and up due to the maturity of some of the content.  If you like fantasy and adventure, mixed with a little sci-fi, this book is for you.

A new student review of Etched in Clay:The Life of Dave, Enslaved Potter Poet by Andrea Cheng

tkh2002 posted a new student review of Etched in Clay:The Life of Dave, Enslaved Potter Poet by Andrea Cheng. See the full review.

"Etched in Clay" was an absolutely amazing book. I have to be honest, when I first saw that it was a book of poetry, I wasn't sure it was going to be very interesting. Fortunately, I was proven wrong. Each and every poem in this book was so descriptive and passionate. I loved how there were different narators for the poems so that we could clearly see each side of the story. For example, some poems were written from Dave's point of view and others were written from the other characters perspective. Overall, I thought this book was a fantastic work of literature and Amdrea Cheng did a wonderful job.

A new student review of Three Bird Summer by Sara St. Antoine

iamabooklion posted a new student review of Three Bird Summer by Sara St. Antoine. See the full review.

The setting (Three Bird Lake) was a significant component toward the plot of the story. The descriptive writing was beautifully written, and it made me feel like I was right there next to Adam and Alice on their adventures. The main character's name is Adam, and it's also written from his point of view. Adam felt very realistic to me; he was shy and nervous. He was also my favorite character because his character really developed throughout the story. This book was a cute and quick read; I would recommended it if you love contemporary and adventure mixed with a bit of mystery.

A new student review of The Dark World by Cara Lynn Shultz

vbobrocks posted a new student review of The Dark World by Cara Lynn Shultz. See the full review.

Cara Lynn Shultz’s The Dark World is a fast-paced, emotional adventure of wild power, terrifying evil and blossoming love.  Readers will experience Paige’s every emotion and watch all of her adventures unfold with Shultz’s detailed storytelling.  The few major writing letdowns for this reader were the overuse of some coarse language that didn’t add depth to the novel, some rather insensitive sexual references and innuendos, and the feeling that the plot was a mix between high school drama and relationships and heavy duty fantasy demonslaying.  Many teens prefer just one genre; it was sometimes hard to tell which theme was more dominant, though both were enjoyable.  Overall, The Dark World is a fun, page-turning adventure that will appeal to junior high/high school girls in particular.

 

A new student review of Signed, Skye Harper by Carol Lynch Williams

Star360 posted a new student review of Signed, Skye Harper by Carol Lynch Williams. See the full review.

Signed, Skye Harper takes place in a small town during the hot, school-free months of the year. The characters all have their funny or emotional moments, but they mostly seem like cliches rather than real people. The romance between poor girl Winston and the rich boy, Steve, is sweet. However, it is also rushed and unbelievable. What does makes the book memorable is the rich bounty of 70’s references. It was easy to imagine Winston strolling to Piggly-Wiggly in bell-bottoms and flip-flops, getting a Sports Illustrated with Olympic hero Mark Spitz on the cover. Since the novel is told in a series of bite-size chapters, I was able to fly right through it. The down side of those little chapters was that there was not enough time for the reader to get used to the characters. However, the ending earns the book points for setting the reader up to believe one ending, then– bam!– another one comes along. Signed, Skye Harper earns a solid total of three stars for presenting a tale about love, family, and the power of dreams. 

A new student review of Why? by Joel Levy

Gwendolyn posted a new student review of Why? by Joel Levy. See the full review.

Broadening my knowledge of the universe that I live in is something of which I take great relish in doing. I like to think that I have always been an extremely inquisitive and curious individual, and I was quite pleased to be provided with the opportunity to read this book! It is my personal belief that as a human being who has the power to read, I am the only one who can truly administer the development of my education. I feel that this book promotes that concept. For as far back as I can remember I have mulled over many of the questions that are tackled in Why? but never knew or sought out most of the answers until now. It was an amazing feeling to be able to comprehend the explanations to matters that I didn’t understand. Most of life’s mysteries are actually less complicated than we think, and this book is perfect for anyone looking to expand their proficiency in science and nature. In a way, I think that this book is better than a science textbook or Wikipedia article, because I found that I understood the answers more thoroughly after reading them in Levy’s format. In doing so it helped me to be able to further research these topics and truly comprehend them, which I had difficulty doing beforehand. Why?: Answers to Everyday Scientific Questions equips the reader with a sentence long answer to each question, followed by a more in depth and detailed clarification which is sometimes accompanied by small drawings for further explanation. With its brightly colored and eye-catching exterior I think that this book is quite pleasing to the eye. I also thoroughly enjoyed the introduction, as it gave me a sense that Why? would be a greatly entertaining and a well-thought-out read. I think that most ages can learn something from this book because it gives universally descriptive explanations that could make sense to both an eight year old and an eighty-eight year old.  I fail to find any aspect that caused me displeasure while reading Joel Levy’s book. Overall, I think that Why? is great for those who possess an inquisitive nature, and for those who hope to magnify themselves and their education in all areas of life.

A new student review of The Summer of Shambles (Ondine Book #1) by Ebony McKenna

ReesaOnFire posted a new student review of The Summer of Shambles (Ondine Book #1) by Ebony McKenna. See the full review.

Summer of Shambles was quite enjoyable. McKenna wove a wonderful, whimsical story that takes the reader on a humorous journey. McKenna’s characters were loveable. McKenna took roles that could be mundane (side characters as an example) and gave them a most colorful and beautiful essence.

Adding to that note, McKenna’s writing style is among my favorites as of now. She writes with a lot of humor and small jokes. As I was reading this, I held a goofy smile on my face nearly the whole time.  McKenna showed great ingenuity in this book; the plot and characters were admirably written.

The only drawback I found while reading was that in the beginning it was hard to understand the timeline of the book. Even though McKenna placed several footnotes, maps and ‘informative tidbits’, I still found the exact location  of the plot implacable. Instead of the ‘informative tidbits’ being helpful, I thought them to hinder the flow of the story and rather wished that McKenna had used more descriptive tools to explain things.

A new student review of Broken by Tanille Edwards

princess2813 posted a new student review of Broken by Tanille Edwards. See the full review.

I do wish that there was more about Milan dealing with her disability. She's trained herself to sound "normal" when speaking, but I wanted to feel more of her struggle. It seemed like this was something she would have to deal with on a daily basis. Most of the time, I forgot that she was hearing impaired. But in all its a great book and is very easy to read and understand.

A new student review of Mistry by Moonlight by Claire Merchant

Lucy posted a new student review of Mistry by Moonlight by Claire Merchant. See the full review.

I believe that Mistry By Moonlight is an amazing book. I loved how the author made the plot, leading one thing to another. And I liked how the author started the story off with a nice preface allowing the reader to take a glance on what would happen in the story and made the reader want to continue to read on to find out what would happen next.

 

I admired how the writer added many supernatural beings (ex: werewolf, vampires and etc.) which allowed the story to become more interesting and surprising. Personally, I'm very interested in supernatural beings which may or may not existed and liked how the author added them to make the story more fictional and interesting.

A new student review of Edna In The Desert by Maddy Lederman

Queen_Ri posted a new student review of Edna In The Desert by Maddy Lederman. See the full review.

"Edna in the desert" is a great book if you're interested into a teen romance. Honestly, I don't like romance books, and did find myself day-dreaming in parts of this book. But, in many parts, I felt as if I couldn't let go of the book. I would recommend it to friends at the age or 13-15.

A new student review of Mr. Terupt Falls Again by Rob Buyea

kirstinhailey22 posted a new student review of Mr. Terupt Falls Again by Rob Buyea. See the full review.

Mr. Terupt Falls Again is a book with lots of action and adventures. I think it's good to read from 10-13 years old. This book teaches you about trust and forgiveness. I honestly love this book and recommend it for anybody who loves fun twists and mind-blowing adventures. 

A new student review of Feral Curse by Cynthia Leitich Smith

S.Ehlers posted a new student review of Feral Curse by Cynthia Leitich Smith. See the full review.

Feral Curse was a mediocre book. I enjoyed Cynthia Leitich Smith’s overall idea, but the ending result was not as thrilling as I hoped. In my opinion, this book was dragging along as slowly as a kid avoiding to eat their vegetables at dinner. Overall, I would not recommend Feral Curse to anybody as great book, but others may have their own opinion.

 

A new student review of The Giant (Bareknuckle) by Jonathan Mary-Todd

wallace.madi posted a new student review of The Giant (Bareknuckle) by Jonathan Mary-Todd. See the full review.

The Giant  by Jonathan Mary-Todd was an inspiring book overall, with extremely lifelike settings and dialogue. Some of the events were a little bit unrealistic, but they added to the adventurous nature of the book. Luc's journey was full of relatable emotions and endearing struggles, It seemed unlikely that he could be below the radar of all authorites as the story portrays him, and his background information is rather vague. However, I was immediately transported into his world and fully absorbed in his situation. I would recommend this book for mature young readers looking for a fast-paced adventure story.

A new student review of Deadly Delicious by K. L. Kincy

sschu5 posted a new student review of Deadly Delicious by K. L. Kincy. See the full review.

Deadly Delicious is a great book about how Josephine grows up in a world of magic and conjure. The plot is great, but the prologue is not very detailed so it is confusing until you get to the part in the book about it. Although Josephine is powerful not a lot of people appreciate her except for Quentin. In this way this book is awesome because it shows how she is growing up to be the person she is suppose to be. So this is a pretty good book.

A new student review of The Crazy Things Girls Do For Love by Dyan Sheldon

tweety16 posted a new student review of The Crazy Things Girls Do For Love by Dyan Sheldon. See the full review.

In my opinion the book was really great. The only thing that confused me was when it kept going to a different person and back on the next chapter because I just keep reading instead of looking at the next chapter. I like it because at the end it has a little humor.

A new student review of Caught Between Two Curses by Margo Dill

AlexaS posted a new student review of Caught Between Two Curses by Margo Dill. See the full review.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Caught Between Two Curses. I found it to be a quick, albeit fun, read, and I could relate to the realistic characters. I especially liked Julie’s family: her aunt and uncle, her grandmother, and her little cousin, Stevie. I loved the development of Julie’s family throughout the novel, and how they grew closer and stronger as a result of curse. Additionally, my favorite character overall was Julie’s best friend, Matt. He was a great love interest, immediately likable as well as cute and caring. Julie and Matt’s friendship was also awesome; I loved how open they were with each other. Furthermore, although I’m not a huge baseball fan, I liked how the author incorporated the real-life “Curse of the Billy Goat” with Julie’s fictional curse.

However, my main problem with Caught Between Two Curses was probably the curse itself. Although information was given on the origin of the curse, I would have liked more details about the magic surrounding the curse. Additionally, I found the resolution of the curse to be slightly anti-climatic and predictable. I also thought that Julie was a bit too focused on boys. She wanted to have a boyfriend senior year no matter what, even if she was in an unhealthy relationship. However, Julie grows a lot throughout the book, and ends up making wise decisions.

In sum, Caught Between Two Curses is a well-written, engaging read—even if it’s a bit predictable. I would recommend Caught Between Two Curses to anyone fond of cute romances, contemporaries, paranormal mysteries, or baseball. As sex is mentioned fairly frequently, I would also recommend that only people ages thirteen and up should read it. 

A new student review of Task Force by Brian Falkner

Crazyman5 posted a new student review of Task Force by Brian Falkner. See the full review.

Task Force was an interesting book, especially if you want action in a sci-fi setting. Point of view helps the story develop a good bit, and switching between characters really helps the point of view be told. There are a few characters who have very straight forward personalities, and lack back stories. This doesn't seem to hurt the overall plot line, however the book is far less cerebral then it could have been. I would recommend this to someone looking for a quick action read, in the ages of 11-13, and give it 4/5 stars, only losing a star for character development.

A new student review of Backwards by Todd Mitchell

AudreyCFarrell posted a new student review of Backwards by Todd Mitchell. See the full review.

"Backwards" was not an easy book to read. Not to say that the language was advanced, or that I didn't like it, or that it was a particularly long book. In fact, it is written relatively plainly, and is not really long at all. It was hard to read because it begins at the end, and so the whole story has the weight of the inevitable pressing upon it. The unavoidable future, being treated as the past. Todd Mitchell speculates through the story about the answers to some of life's unanswerable questions, and that is not an easy thing to put forth, let alone in a young adult novel. I think he did a wonderful job of it, nonetheless, and seriously doubt I will be forgetting "Backwards" anytime soon.

A new student review of Secrets and Spies: Plague by Jo Macauley

underwood_bcl posted a new student review of Secrets and Spies: Plague by Jo Macauley. See the full review.

I really liked this book because of the way the mystery was brought up and that  Beth was an actress. The illness that was going around London gave the book a little more spice. When one of the suspects dies because of the illness, I was surprised.  I thought that the suspect would be alive healthy and wanting to know everything that Beth had discovered. I was disappointed that the author used what I thought was inappropriate language in the book.  

A new student review of Lick by Kylie Scott

Mayo_whoa posted a new student review of Lick by Kylie Scott. See the full review.

Lick was a fantastic read! Held my interest throughout the enter way. Will read the rest of the series!

A new student review of Take Me On by Katie McGarry

lunarwolf posted a new student review of Take Me On by Katie McGarry. See the full review.

Truthfully I loved the story. The thing I didn't like was that they never really go deep into what happened to Hailey that traumatized her so badly. What I loved most about this story is the trials the characters go through. It shows the mental, emotional, and physical capabilites that anyone can go through, whether it's teenagers or adults.

Also, I loved how every chapter was either Hailey's or West's point of view. It gave a complete understanding for me and didn't leave me confused on whether we missed something important in the characters thoughts. This is a great read for anyone looking for a sweet, sad tale of life, hardship, and love.

A new student review of Taking the Reins by Katrina Abbott

EmilyFredricks posted a new student review of Taking the Reins by Katrina Abbott. See the full review.

 I very much enjoyed this book. I started reading it Sunday afternoon and I did not want to put it down. I had it finished by the next afternoon. Out of all of the books that I have read in the past I have no read a book that I was like this before. The plot and characters were all new and interesting. It was funny and very enjoyable to read. The book managed  to keep my attention.

The characters had me laughing the whole way through. There were many things that happened in the plot that made me laugh and that kept me guessing as what was going to happen next. There were also many things that shocked me because I did not think that it was going to happen the way that it did.

When the book ended I was very sad because I could have kept reading. I am very happy that there is a second one to this series and I will happily read it when I get the chance.
 

A new student review of The Here and Now by Ann Brashares

kaiyle posted a new student review of The Here and Now by Ann Brashares. See the full review.

I had pretty high expectations for this book since it was written by Ann Brashares (the author of The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants) and unfortunately this book fell short of those expectations.  The beginning was pretty confusing because you don’t know all of the details about the time travelling and the main character talks about a bunch of stuff that doesn’t really make sense.  I also thought the story was going to have more romance in it.  It’s weird because the boy that Prenna falls for has really deep feelings for her already and then all of a sudden Prenna feels the same way, so there isn’t a lot of development of their feelings.  The book also talks a lot more about technology than I would have expected.  The book wasn’t necessarily bad, but I think it was too short (the book is only about 230 pages) to develop all the ideas that Brashares is trying to include.

A new student review of Magic Tree House Fact Tracker #29: Soccer by Mary Pope Osborne Natalie Pope Boyce

cowboys1 posted a new student review of Magic Tree House Fact Tracker #29: Soccer by Mary Pope Osborne Natalie Pope Boyce. See the full review.

I did not know a lot about soccer before reading this book.  It was a great book to read while I was enjoying the World Cup on TV.  I felt much more prepared, and I think I enjoyed watching a lot more since I had the knowledge I gained from this book.

A new student review of Precocia: The Sixth Circle of Heck by Dale E. Basye

spickle posted a new student review of Precocia: The Sixth Circle of Heck by Dale E. Basye. See the full review.

 

The book had an interesting plot - funny, original ideas and names - and the premise was certainly not pedestrian! Two children stuck in the afterlife, sent all the way down to Limbo where a demon principal decides which circle of Heck they will go to.  Some parts of the book were a little awkward, and the entire story would have been perfectly fine without all of the crude parts.  Precocia, in a nutshell, was a semi-fluff book that I could easily read several times over without getting the point at all.      

A new student review of Scared Stiff: Everything You Need to Know About 50 Famous Phobias by Latta Sara

erh454 posted a new student review of Scared Stiff: Everything You Need to Know About 50 Famous Phobias by Latta Sara. See the full review.

To exemplify the contents in this book, I will give a highlight about Gephyrophobia, the fear of crossing bridges. In this section, I learned that "Gephyophobia" derives from the two Greeks words "gephura," meaning "bridge," and "phobos," meaning "fear." I also learned that this fear can come from the fear of heights as well as the fear of being trapped. Gephyrophobes, even at the thought of crossing a bridge, can have a panic attack. Usually Gephyrophobia can occur when a person experiences a traumatic event pertaining to bridges, such as witnessing someone commit suicide off of one. This is only a small chunk of this section, so wait to see what's in store in the whole book! I hope you enjoy this great read by Sara Latta.

This book is absolutely amazing. In the book, Sara Latta connects with readers in a very personal way and tries to make them feel comfortable. Some examples of her doing this is when she uses very informal language (not anything profane, though) to relax and "welcome" the reader and even connects the contents of her book to her own life while still remaining serious and informative. I believe that Latta achieved her goal with writing this book, which was to inform as well as entertain her readers. Certainly, she achieved this with me! I do not see any weaknesses in this book. It lists 50 famous phobias and contains as much information as possible for each one, just like Latta intended. As it can be inferred by my positive review on her book, I would highly recommend this book to anyone, from my little sister to the librarian at my school. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

A new student review of White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

tweety16 posted a new student review of White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout. See the full review.

I believe this book is awesome because it shows that a person who loves you would give their life for you. I kept wondering who was bad and who was good. I love the feeling of how the characters felt for each other and the adventure they went on. I cannot wait for the next book because I want to see what will become of the characters.

A new student review of WhipEye by Geoffrey Saign

cowboys1 posted a new student review of WhipEye by Geoffrey Saign. See the full review.

This fantasy story was so unique and exciting!  I had a hard time putting it down.  The author developed the characters well, and I felt like I became part of the story. 

A new student review of The Loch Ness Monster

bookgirl1289 posted a new student review of The Loch Ness Monster . See the full review.

I thought that The Loch Ness Monster was a great, fast-paced book. In fact, reading this book made me interested in reading the other two books by the same author (The Chupacabra and The Pacific Giants). There was a lot about Vanessa’s conflicted feelings about her mom’s death and her father’s new girlfriend, Lee. This does make the story more girl-oriented, though boys could read it, too. I would personally recommend this book for girls 12 and up. One of the things I especially liked about The Loch Ness Monster was that each chapter provided interesting facts about Loch Ness and the legend of Nessie (the Loch monster).

A new student review of Twisted (Volume 1) by Brittany Hawes

elisabeta posted a new student review of Twisted (Volume 1) by Brittany Hawes. See the full review.

Twisted is a debut novel by a talented author. The plot is clever, the premise intriguing, and the pacing steady. But I still found issues with Twisted that hindered my enjoyment of the book.

The characters of this novel were extremely stereotyped. Retro, the love interest, is the typical playboy jock, his sister an overly cute fashionista, the computer geek a complete nerd, and the love rival, Carma, a terrible Drama Queen. The only character with shades of grey was Lola. This makes the story unrealistic.

But let's return to the love rival, Carma. The addition of Carma turned a spiced, exciting spy novel to a melodramatic High School Musical parody, complete with locker fights and teacher gossip--extremely distasteful.

In fact, the actual spy action was limited. There were a few missions, but they were poorly executed--nothing close to the actual efficiency of modern espionage. The mission scenes lacked tense pacing and suspense.

Finally, the author's writing style. In a word, loquacious. The biggest issues seemed to be unnecessary modifiers--such as 'shouted loudly' or 'said happily and joyfully'--and the balance of sentence styles, which was completely off. There were too many complex sentences, and not enough simple or compound.

Overall, Twisted is a fun book, but not the electrifying read I'd expected. I'd recommend it as a light read.

A new student review of The Stepsister's Tale

XxtidaxX posted a new student review of The Stepsister's Tale . See the full review.

Honestly, I had a bit of trouble really getting into the book at first, but once I did, I couldn't set it down for the tiniest second. Every word grabs your attention and makes you start to wonder if the tale about Cinderella is really how it happened, or if it was all just a big misunderstanding. I would recommend this book for any girl to read.

A new student review of Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle

Love2read posted a new student review of Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle. See the full review.

I think this book was inspiring by teaching you to always follow your dreams. It has lots of twists and turns that make you want to turn the page. I recommend this book to readers who like fiction with a hint of adventure. Overall, this book was really great.

A new student review of The Chosen of Gaia

Anjel posted a new student review of The Chosen of Gaia . See the full review.

I liked this book a lot. It was a great combination of hi-tech, fantasy, and normal life. I felt like I was really there, that I was Albert and Ruth. I could see through walls and design my own funny pajamas! If I could, I would give this book a 9 star rating. I recommend The Chosen of Gaia to Pendragon lovers, those 10+, and people who like an action filled story.

A new student review of 77 Things You Absolutely Have to Do Before You Finish College by Halley Bondy

R. Mae posted a new student review of 77 Things You Absolutely Have to Do Before You Finish College by Halley Bondy. See the full review.

When you open 77 Things You Absolutely Have to do Before You Finish College, prepare yourself to be impressed. Simple, easy to read, and witty, the book informs you about college opportunities without drowning you in information. Each category contains eleven ideas that cover between 2-3 pages. Topics such as, Bring Your Roommate a Gift, Study Abroad, or Give Your Eyes a Computer break, are neatly laid out with important information and special tips. Some of the topics are funny, some are serious. With such a range of information and ideas, this book is for everybody who is attending college or plans to in the future.

This book is meant to help you have a fun and fulfilling college experience.The writing style flows easily with an even amount of facts and imagination. Cute illustrations decorate the pages. Websites are recommended and recipes are provided. Halley Bondy has created a masterpiece that will help many college students achieve the best college experience imaginable.

A new student review of The Fourth Wall by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo

McTower posted a new student review of The Fourth Wall by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. See the full review.

I thought this book was captivating from the start, and it remained that way. I absolutely loved it! While reading, I felt as if I was standing right there because the author developed the emotions very well. Sometimes when I closed my eyes, I could see everything that Marin was seeing. The vocabulary matched the intended age for the book. There were some parts that didn't make much sense, and you needed to read a couple times before understanding.

A new student review of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car

moseso posted a new student review of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car . See the full review.

 

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is an intriguing book. It is slightly slow in the beginning, the first two to three chapters are not attention grabbing. After that however, the book is unquestionably exciting! The setting is in England. Ian Fleming is the author and does an exquisite job on making the adventure realistic. Jeremy and Jemima are twins; Commander Pott serves as an inventor as well as the twin’s father. Mimsie is their mother. Overall, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a thrilling, magical and fascinating book that wll take you on an adventure!             

A new student review of Twisted (Volume 1) by Brittany Hawes

swalia posted a new student review of Twisted (Volume 1) by Brittany Hawes. See the full review.

Twisted is a great book that includes many of the aspects a good book needs. While I was reading the book I could visualize H corporation and what it was like to live there.  The author used very good words that were easy to understand, but also fit the book perfectly. Personally, I liked this book because it had mystery, suspense, action, and romance elements. I also liked that it was written in 1^st person because it explained how Lola felt throughout the book. The book had many spelling errors, and could have been more descriptive at times. Overall, the book was an enjoyable book that has may good qualities. I would recommend this to readers age 10 and up.

A new student review of High Time for Heroes (Heroes for all Times) by Mary Pope Osborne

Boomer123 posted a new student review of High Time for Heroes (Heroes for all Times) by Mary Pope Osborne. See the full review.

High Time for Heroes is a very good book. I am sad that the book had to end because I liked it so much.

 

At one point in their adventure Jack and Annie are asked to babysit a baby baboon.  The baby baboon leads them into a great deal of trouble.  When you read funny parts in this book it will make you smile.  

 

I knew Florence Nightingale was a world famous nurse, but I didn’t know that she went to Egypt before she became famous.  I also didn’t l know that her family didn’t want her to have a job.  

Now that I read this book, I am very interested in reading more about Egypt.

A new student review of Numbed!

blackbeauty posted a new student review of Numbed! . See the full review.

I thought this book was great.  After I finished the book, I let some of my siblings read it.  I saw how much they liked it because they couldn’t put it down.  Until I read the book, I thought it would be crazy because the cover looked weird.  I think people should not judge a book by its cover because when someone skips a book that has a weird cover, then they might also be skipping a fantastic story.  I found out it is best to judge a book after I read a chapter or two. 

A new student review of My Own Revolution

Star360 posted a new student review of My Own Revolution . See the full review.

My Own Revolution is an excellent example of historical fiction. The conversations between the four friends sounded real, not fake. I laughed alongside them and got worried when there was a new plot twist. While there was the quibbling and frustration that typically accompany friendship and dating, it was all relevant to the story. Never did I feel that the author was scrabbling for extra words to print on the page. In fact, I enjoyed reading about the characters and plot so much that I wish there had been a few more chapters to draw out the tension. A positive note about the story was how Marsden slipped in little bits of trivia about the times. It added to the local color, and you could tell that the author had done her research. For a smart, believable read that won’t leave you disappointed, pick up My Own Revolution.