A new student review of Lowriders in Space by Cathy Camper Raul The Third

O.B. WAN posted a new student review of Lowriders in Space by Cathy Camper Raul The Third. See the full review.

Lowriders in Space was a good book for people who like cars. I liked that it was kind of unpredictable what would happen next or what they would say next. My favorite part was when something unexpected customized their car. It looked cool before, but after, oh man, it was pretty awesome! The book was written in Spanish and English, but there was a glossary and little bubbles on the bottom of the page telling the reader what the Spanish translated to in English. I would recommend this book to people who like cars and want to learn some Spanish.

A new student review of The Option by Herman Brown

Turbo21 posted a new student review of The Option by Herman Brown. See the full review.

It is a good book.  I like how it explains the consequences of drunk driving.

A new student review of Nameless (The Anonymous Chronicles) by Angela Welch Prusia

masha posted a new student review of Nameless (The Anonymous Chronicles) by Angela Welch Prusia. See the full review.

I think Nameless was a very good book. It was well written and illustrated social problems (hunger, violence etc.) very accurately. The plot and characters were very real and also relevant. Every person had their own personality and problems and each person illustrated a different way to deal with things. Throughout the novel the characters grow and expand, learning to accept each other and expand their horizons. It is a book that has depth and humor as well as problems that need to be solved. 

A new student review of The Kingdom Lights by Steven VS

hopeeilo11225 posted a new student review of The Kingdom Lights by Steven VS. See the full review.

This book was a good read with some great plot twists. One thing I didn't like about it was that the setting was hard to visualize. I also didn't like that the characters had basic personalities and nothing was really special about them. Also, the writing was a little dull sometimes. However, I thought it was great that there weren't any scenes that dragged out, but instead got to the point. There was a surprising twist at the end and I loved it. Overall, the book was interesting and I enjoyed reading it. I will most likely suggest it to a friend.

A new student review of A Rat and A Ransom by Yvonne I Lee

bookgirl1289 posted a new student review of A Rat and A Ransom by Yvonne I Lee. See the full review.

Being a rodent-lover, I was immediately caught by the title of this story. I found it to be a delightful, adventurous tale. Though intended for younger readers, it is a very cute, quick read for older audiences, too.The language and descriptions were quite good and the characters were very likable and realistic, especially Mask. The only thing that I did not like was the ending. I don’t want to give anything away, but it felt as if the author got tired of writing the story and wrapped it up as quickly as possible. The ending was terribly unfulfilling; I felt the author could have added a short epilogue tying everything up in a more satisfying way. However, A Rat and a Ransom was an engaging, fast read that I enjoyed.

A new student review of Firstborn

spickle posted a new student review of Firstborn . See the full review.

What’s not to like? Well-written, developed characters, a great plot in general.  I hadn’t expected the story to be from the point of view of a magpie, since it is about wolves, after all.  But that plot twist made the book even more special and unique.  There were some graphic parts, with no restraint in mentioning blood and describing kills, but if anything, that added to the book, giving the feeling that the world they now live in - Yellowstone park - is a hard, tough place to be.  This is a book that I’m definitely keeping to read for years to come.  

A new student review of NEBADOR Book One: The Test by J.Z. Colby

Sweetfable posted a new student review of NEBADOR Book One: The Test by J.Z. Colby. See the full review.

There was so much I really enjoyed about this book; it was truly a blast to read. I found many of the characters to be very likable, especially Ilika, Sata, Mati, and Kibi. Some of the slaves that he did not choose were quite rude, but thankfully they were only present for a short period of time. The villain, who was a priest that wanted to arrest Ilika, did not appear as much as villains usually do in stories, but I liked that it was not overwhelming when he did appear.

It takes a good portion of the book for Ilika to determine where he can find the companions he is seeking. Once he does, the preparations to test them require even more time. Thankfully the author always kept things interesting so I was never bored. The reader is kept in the dark for a long time about what the young man’s true intentions with the slaves are, and the exact details of their journey. Even by the end, there are still many unanswered questions.

There was a test that Ilika gave to the slaves to see who would be the best fit for his crew. The cool part about this is that the reader is able to join in and do the test as well by looking at the diagrams shown on the page. The test was very fun, but I will admit that at even some points I was unsure of what the correct answer was.

It was so great to see these slaves become free. I saw them as individuals, with their own unique personalities, who could be extremely smart and talented. I liked that there was not always a surprise around every corner, much like how things are in normal life. Also, things stayed at a good pace, and thankfully never became too predictable.

It was fun to review the topics Illika discussed when teaching his students. For younger readers, they may learn a lot, just as the ex-slaves did. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series, and look forward to more by this author.

A new student review of Adventures with Waffles

Etar posted a new student review of Adventures with Waffles . See the full review.

I really liked the humor and jokes and there were good ideas throughout the book. It was a pretty quick read for me though so I would recommend it for people younger than 13 or 14. But overall it's a good, funny book.

A new student review of The Originals: The Rise by Julie Plec

pavannah posted a new student review of The Originals: The Rise by Julie Plec. See the full review.

This book was a page turner because it was driven by action, as opposed to actual thought.  It is a plot driven book that is an easy read that can be completed in one night due to its reading style; which can seem lacking for an avid reader.  However, this book would be enjoyable to fans of the television show because of the usage of the same characters and the same problems that the characters face in the shows.  Which, to be frank, was obnoxious.  Television show writers should not transition into books if they utilize the same characters because it only creates a lack in development and hinders the books possibility, if only because it seems as though the author is writing the book as if it was to appear on tv, rather than a thought-provoking book that was meant to be a book.  

As a fan of the show I was excited to read this book because i was hoping it would give me a deeper insight into how the characters developed into how they are in today's show, but was disappointed by its lack of character development and its utter reliance on the already determined characters, attitudes, and consistent problems that the characters always seem to be facing. Yes this book could keep me reading, but it was only due to the numerous events that made the reader need and want to know if the problem was resolved. It was a one time read and should not be a series due to its total lack of character development, due to the author's attempt to hook fans of the show in. The characters have the same personalities as in the show, which not only limited the books possibilities but hindered it as well.  I would recommend this book for fans of the show for a quick one night read, but other than that I would avoid it due to the disappointment in the lack of a stronger plot and characters.

A new student review of Adam Undercover, The Presidium Files by Aaron Foster

Ayden.i posted a new student review of Adam Undercover, The Presidium Files by Aaron Foster. See the full review.

This book was very well written and interesting in the way it showed you the thoughts of Adam and his experiences.  I could hardly put it down.  This was such a great book because the main character was so relatable to teens while also showing how extraordinary kids can be.  I would recommend this book to fourth graders and above.  The descriptions used in the book were so vivid that it made you laugh if it was funny and wince with pain if anyone was injured.  The only thing I would have liked to see that I didn't was more information about machines.  I gave this 4/5 stars because it kept me on the edge of my metaphorical seat and had plenty of funny moments.

A new student review of Changing Michael by Jeff Schilling

emmadedr22247 posted a new student review of Changing Michael by Jeff Schilling. See the full review.

Changing Michael is a well-written novel with many interesting characters and plot twists. There are, however, a few critiscisms I would have to give it. Firstly, the main character doesn't seem to feel any form of guilt. Matthew was causing problems for people throughout the entire novel, but never seemed to feel any remorse. While this would have been alright in some cases, Matthew didn't paint himself as an unfeeling person. The way he explained himself made it seem like he had a conscious, and that he would feel bad at least occasionally. Him not feeling guilt took away a little bit of his relatableness. The next thing that I didn't like was nothing to do with the plot, but that there were a few spelling and grammar errors. While these are just minor mistakes, and everybody slips up once and a while, these mistakes make the book a bit harder to read. It wasn't a huge problem, but should probably be fixed. My last critiscism about Changing Michael was about the character Wanda's personality. It might not have necessarily been a problem with Wanda herself, but that her personality was a bit hard to understand. The way Matthew talked about her, it seemed like Wanda was a girl who was almost like Matthew, not wanting too much social interaction with anyone at school. However, when she spoke to Michael, it almost seemed like she was changing personalities. She talked to him a good deal, and even showed interest in some of the things he talked about. Matthew didn't want to associate with Michael too much due to his interests, so him hanging out with Wanda despite her similar interests confused me a bit. I only got more confused when Michael told Matthew that he and Wanda had talked together for about an hour. I was just as confused as Matthew, who said it couldn't be true, because Wanda never talked to anybody for an hour. 

Despite those critiscisms, Changing Micheal was still a very good novel. One thing I did like about the book was it's realisticness. It felt like this could be a real situation with real teens, and felt relatable enough that I kept feeling throughout the novel that it actually happened. I also liked how it showed a very wide range of characters. Some books tend to make all of their characters too similar, to the point which ends up making the book a bit boring. This novel, however, had a lot of characters with diverse personalities, which helped make it more interesting. Another thing I liked was that the characters seem to have growth in maturity and their personalities change a little. In the beginning of the novel, Matthew is a self-centered and entitled. Towards the end of the novel, he slowly seems to start caring about the people around him, even seeming to want to be a part of their lives, even if only a little bit. We can see this especially with Chrissy. I also liked that Matthew had a very brutally honest side to him. It added in some comedy, especially when you didn't expect it. Lastly, I liked that the characters in the novel weren't perfect, and had enough character flaws. Not too many, which would have made them seem too much like drama queens/kings, but enough that they didn't seem perfect (which no human is).

Changing Michael is a novel that I would recommend to many of my friends. It gave some laughs, while doing a good job telling an interesting story. I would give it 4/5 stars, and it would be a good book for teens ages 12-14.

A new student review of Daisy to the Rescue: True Stories of Daring Dogs, Paramedic Parrots, and Other Animal Heroes by Jeff Campbell

sisto8 posted a new student review of Daisy to the Rescue: True Stories of Daring Dogs, Paramedic Parrots, and Other Animal Heroes by Jeff Campbell. See the full review.

I really enjoyed this book!  The stories were so full of details that I never finished reading a story with unanswered questions.  The illustrations fit very well with the book.  The explanations about the psychology behind why the animals did what they did were easily understood.  The set up made it easy to find each of the stories and look up the references.  All in all, the author did a terrific job!  I recommend this book for all animal lovers and non-animal lovers 12 and up!

A new student review of The Tale of the Wulks by V. K. Green

jotaf posted a new student review of The Tale of the Wulks by V. K. Green. See the full review.

V. K. Green wrote a great book full of adventure, mystery, and magic. The Tale of the Wulks was filled with epic, well-described battles as the characters undertook their journey to prevent Lord Vanko from taking over the world. I really liked that the author, who has autism, related autistic traits to the readers as assets rather than deficiencies. The descriptions were really great. Something else I liked about the book was that the author brought together old mythical creatures and new ones to form a book that turned out magnificently. A part in the book that I liked was when Jack tricked a troll into thinking he was another one of Lord Vanko's servants, too, in the hopes of saving one of his friends. However, something I did not like was that at the beginning of the book the characters were not fully defined; I got them mixed up a bit during the first 70 pages. Luckily, they were described more completely as I read further into the book, which made it easier to recognize each of the characters. I can't believe this book was written by a high schooler, especially since it was over 600 pages long! V. K. Green's debut novel is very insightful. I think this book would be most enjoyed by ages twelve through seventeen. 

A new student review of The Brilliant World of Tom Gates

Zack-Is-Swag posted a new student review of The Brilliant World of Tom Gates . See the full review.

I would recommend this book to others. It was a quick read. I couldn’t put it down. The book has a funny theme it appeals to all different types of humor. The author did a good job developing the characters. It was a good read for someone who wants an entertaining story. The book has no explicit content and is good for all readers over 8 years old.

A new student review of Six Million Accusers: Catching Adolf Eichmann by D. Lawrence- Young

ihatezombies posted a new student review of Six Million Accusers: Catching Adolf Eichmann by D. Lawrence- Young. See the full review.

   There were two things that I found took away from the story.  First, was that it seemed to be a slow starter, and the other thing was that sometimes I would be a bit confused on what character's point of view the story was being told from. I did really appreciate that it really lets the different feelings of the Israelis who either were in concentration camps, or had family members in concentration camps, be known. It was very good at conveying the message that in the real world with real spies and secret agents, there is no room for mistakes in the operation and that there frequently is not a way to miraculously save the day after messing up. There was no joking at the vital moments; all the characters understood the repercussions that catching their target would bring.

A new student review of The Secret Ingredient by Stewart Lewis

thudson36 posted a new student review of The Secret Ingredient by Stewart Lewis. See the full review.

I think The Secret Ingredient by Stewart Lewis is a great, contemporary book.  It has a unique storyline that kept me interested throughout the whole story. The main character, Olivia, is very well developed and I enjoyed learning about her personality and her many quirks. I appreciated how most of the characters were unique and relatable.  One of my favorite things about this book is how there is another ongoing story that Olivia is creating, after she finds the cookbook that belonged to a woman named Rose. Finally, I also liked how passionate Olivia was about cooking and found myself absorbed in what she was making, even though I'm not interested in cooking myself. Overall, I thought this was a great novel and would recommend it to anyone looking for a light, contemporary novel.

A new student review of The Originals: The Rise

mail4chase@yahoo.com posted a new student review of The Originals: The Rise . See the full review.

The Originals was a fantastic story. My attention was held the entire time I was reading and I felt a connection to each of the characters. Plec did a great job explaining the characters backgrounds and personalities, so I could fully understand their actions and decisions. This book actually got me hooked on the TV show The Vampire Diaries (little embarrassing fact seeing as I am a 16 year old guy) and now I am excited to start watching the show based off this book. The whole concept of the story was very interesting and I was glad to have more knowledge about some of the more prominent characters in The Vampire Diaries. I enjoyed how she mixed action, romance, and drama into one book. I would definitely recommend this to a wide array of readers. I can't wait for the next one to come out.

A new student review of Ship of Dolls by Shirley Parenteau

moseso posted a new student review of Ship of Dolls by Shirley Parenteau. See the full review.

This book is extremely entertaining and will have you on the edge of your seat until the end. The setting is Portland, Oregon in 1926. The main character, Lexie, is eleven. Even though she is fictional, the way the book is written truly helps you feel and understand what she is feeling. Lexie seems realistic and is easy to relate to. When she writes the letter, her perseverance is obvious and sets a good example of what everyone should do. Written for girl ages 10 to 13, Ship of Dolls will definitely become one of your favorites!  

A new student review of Diary of a Part-Time Ghost by Vered Ehsani

tkh2002 posted a new student review of Diary of a Part-Time Ghost by Vered Ehsani. See the full review.

This book was pretty good. I thought the story line and intentions of the book were good, but there were many details missing. The one that stood out the most to me was character development. Kali, the main antagonist, was hardly developed at all. I felt as though he just came out of nowhere, like he just appeared randomly. Another character I thought was poorly developed was Sara. I don't think I could even tell you what she looked like, it was mentioned so little. I personally think that there was nothing special about here that makes her different from other book characters of the same likeness to her. As I said earlier, I thought the storyline was good, but you can't have a good story without good characters and that's what this novel was lacking.

A new student review of The Secrets of the Greaser Hotel by Jonathon Scott Fuqua

nictaf posted a new student review of The Secrets of the Greaser Hotel by Jonathon Scott Fuqua. See the full review.

The Secrets of the Greaser Hotel was an awesome book to read!  This book is a mildly violent book tinged with hopefulness. Overall, I liked this book.  The author used great descriptions.  For example,  the author described one man with "hands the size of pasta bowls".  Another description I liked was when "Allie toppled forward like a chair with two legs missing".  I was enthralled by this book.  The story was great fun, and I especially liked it when Allie snuck grit and hairballs in the Friendly family's food.  I would recommend this book to ages 12 and up.  I can't wait for the next book J. Scott Fuqua writes!

 

 

A new student review of Season of the Witch by Mariah Fredericks

tlang posted a new student review of Season of the Witch by Mariah Fredericks. See the full review.

I loved this book and all the characters in it. The drama in the story was realistic to how teenagers act in high school. The storyline and the characters' conversations were funny to read. I was entertained throughout the whole book; I laughed out loud a few times because of Cassandra's tough personality. I highly recommend this book to teenagers and young adults. 

A new student review of Devin Rhodes Is Dead by Jennifer Kam

Lucy posted a new student review of Devin Rhodes Is Dead by Jennifer Kam. See the full review.

I thought the beginning of the book started out slow. However, once I got into the middle of the book where they started researching Devin's death and the events of the night she died, it became more interesting for me. I found the book quite touching; I felt the ending was amazing. I would recommend this book for anyone who likes mysteries and creepy books. I think it's an outstanding book other than the beginning. 

A new student review of The Living

Hunt1023 posted a new student review of The Living . See the full review.

What I liked about this book was the word choice. It gave you new words to put in your vocabulary.  I also liked the theme- it was thrilling scary and romantic. The suspense was very good; it made you wait along time to find out, which makes you want to keep reading.  What I didn’t like was the very end, because I didn't feel like it ended the best it could have. But overall it was a GREAT book!

A new student review of Breathe Into Me by Sara Fawkes

btulips posted a new student review of Breathe Into Me by Sara Fawkes. See the full review.

I liked the book! There was very good character development. I loved the characters. There was some unnecessary drama that could have been left out, but in all the book was great. I liked how their love outweighed their dark pasts.  

A new student review of Summer of Elves by Joanne Vruno

jotaf posted a new student review of Summer of Elves by Joanne Vruno. See the full review.

In my opinion, Summer of Elves was a really great book.  I liked that the author, Joanne Vruno, made the characters easy to connect with; the descriptions and characteristics Joanne gave the characters were captivating.  One of my favorite parts in the book was when Aly was learning to use her various powers.  I also felt that her take on elves was really interesting because I usually picture them at around six feet tall or so, but in this book they are very tiny.  This book has a hint of Fablehaven and Spiderwick Chronicles combined. The only problem I had with this book was that it wouldn't let me go to sleep; I wanted to keep reading the whole night!   I would recommend this book to anyone who likes magic, mystery, and adventure.  I would definitely read the sequel!

A new student review of An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund

Star360 posted a new student review of An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund. See the full review.

I’ve been warned not to judge a book by its cover, but An Uncertain Choice really defies the popular saying. Its cover shows an attractive royal twirling her long blond curls as she stares uncertainly at the viewer. Frankly, that’s all that you need to know about the book. Lady Rosemarie is a sweet girl, to be sure, and her opposition to torture is honorable. Unfortunately, she’s also indecisive and naive.  The supporting characters are given a regrettably superficial treatment. For instance, when the knights are introduced, more time is spent discussing their manly frames, muscular bodies, and strong shoulders than their personalities. Rosemarie is expected to marry one of them; shouldn’t she get to know them a little better? My major issue with An Uncertain Choice was its emphasis of Rosemarie’s potential grooms. Rosemarie is very young, and she has a lot to learn. I understand that the setting is the medieval times, but as an author, Hedlund could have altered the plot so that she’d spend more time enjoying her youth. Look at Disney’s Brave and Frozen. Its princesses set a wonderful example for girls in showing that a woman’s happiness does not have to depend on a man. I’ve got nothing against marriage or love, but in a society where women have fought so hard to receive equal education and career opportunities, I’m appalled that underage marriage is written about as a good thing. As for the Christian message, it is pretty light. There are themes of morality and a few prayers, but nothing that would make a non-Christian uncomfortable. Overall, the plot idea was interesting (if somewhat predictably executed) and, for me, very thought-provoking. I give this YA novel two and a half stars not because of a low quality of writing, but because I believe that some of its themes are not aligned with what a modern girl should aspire to do.

A new student review of Lies in the Dust by Jakob Crane

Gwendolyn posted a new student review of Lies in the Dust by Jakob Crane. See the full review.

Ann's morbid narration is accompanied by stark and hair-raising drawings that depict gruesome yet simple silhouettes, reminiscent of Edward Gorey's art in The Insect God in the sense that they are both minimally expressive and vaguely unsettling styles. The cover of this graphic novel uses a beautiful color scheme of black, white, and red. Although it's the novel's only use of color, I feel that it seems to express the story's tone in one illustration and gives its darker sense without seeming heavy or overbearing.

 

Through flashbacks and ghostly visions, this graphic novel unearths the greedy influence of Ann's parents during the trials, as they took advantage of their daughter in hopes of gaining land belonging to the accused.

 

As someone who has a deep fascination for the Salem Witch Trials and the history of the Puritan society in general, I was pleasantly surprised to see this graphic novel available to review. I find the Salem Witch Trials to be a horrific yet intriguing time in our history to study. Although Lies in the Dust is hardly a substitute for a historical narrative, it does its job of conveying one particular girl's guilt for her actions in an extremely artistic and fairly enjoyable way, through stunning artwork and lyrical writing.

 

This read went extremely fast. It has a written afterword to give additional clear cut information and a conclusion to the graphic novel. As I said before, the presentation of Lies in the Dust definitely fits the mood of its subject matter. At times I found myself somewhat bored by the black and white format of the graphics, yet I found them fitting for the overall tone of the book. 

 

Lies in the Dust provides an informative and thought-provoking view into the mind of Ann Putnam Jr. Although she and the other girls responsible for false accusations in the trials weren't ever subject to lawful punishment, this tale of remorse displays the mental torture Ann felt as an adult regarding her actions as a child. It also describes how the town shunned her and treated her as an outcast. I find it ironic that in a sense she later became the type of person who was most commonly accused of witchcraft in the actual trials. This book is thought-provoking because it helped me to feel an empathy for Ann Putnam Jr., painting a perspective that I hadn't thought of when regarding the Salem Witch Trials before. The sad aspect about this story is how her parents seemed to use her to cause the death of others for their personal gain. In conclusion I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, as well as information or theories regarding the Salem Witch Trials.

 

A new student review of Intangible by C A Gray

McTower posted a new student review of Intangible by C A Gray. See the full review.

I'm going to start off by saying, I didn't really like Intangible in the beginning. Unfortunately, it was one of those books that starts off slow for the first few chapters. However, after about the first 4-5 chapters, I felt Intangible was absolutely flawless. When I closed my eyes, the setting and events where illustrated perfectly. The way Gray put the book together was just beautiful. The vocabulary was wonderful for young adult readers. In my opinion, the only flaw was the first chapters were slow. In conclusion, I would recommend this book to all readers.

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

cow_shower28 posted a new student review of 77 Things You Absolutely Have to Do Before You Finish College by Halley Bondy. See the full review.

Some of the pros are that there defined in sections, topics are detailed and specific, very creative illistrations, and great tips. Personally I felt the book was a little above my age level and meant for people graduating high school. There were a few mature topics with which I was not comfortable. I personally thought the book at times dragged on and on with the choppy chapters and how there were so many chapters.

A new student review of The Castle Park Kids by Laura Smith

sschu5 posted a new student review of The Castle Park Kids by Laura Smith. See the full review.

My favorite part of this book is the friendship. They have true friendship because they overcome obstacles to have fun and be friends. I also like how the plot how foreshadows the climax. The dragging out of the story in the beginning shows something big is going to happen. I really, really like this book and I think it would be great for anybody.

 

A new student review of Spaceheadz (Be SPHDZ Save The World) by Jon Scieszka

Pikachu posted a new student review of Spaceheadz (Be SPHDZ Save The World) by Jon Scieszka. See the full review.

This book is part of a series and I have not read the other books. I was a little confused in the beginning, but then everything fell into place. I suggest you read the first book in the series before reading this one, but this is still a great book on it's own.

My favorite part was the beginning because when I read it, I felt like I was part of the story. My favorite character is Agent Umber, because he has a pickle phone and I think that's funny.  Electromagnetic sources sound spooky...

A new student review of Phoenix (Phoenix Elite #1) by Melissa Starr

E_Hunter posted a new student review of Phoenix (Phoenix Elite #1) by Melissa Starr. See the full review.

I wanted to love this story, as it had a great synopsis and sounded like something I would be interested in but I couldn’t invest and it took me awhile to read all the way through.

That being said, the pacing of the story was fast. It jumped from days to months and it was confusing to figure out the time frame of everything that happened. The fast pace didn’t need to happen at all, as there was a lot of things that weren’t explained.

Our main character, Elora, finds out she is a Phoenix on her 16^th birthday. Besides a letter from her dead mother and a-rather quick-oath she has to swear by, there is nothing added. No history, why it’s happening. She didn’t even freak out. Who wouldn’t have a mini freak out if wings sprouted from their backs?

I became rather annoyed when I learned what Phoenixes are really called. This book had nothing to do with it and yet the name appears everywhere. As I’m trying not to give away spoilers, I’ll just say it makes no sense.

I found a few grammatical and spelling errors in this book and it really became hard for me to continue reading. The tone of the story felt off too, as in not consistent from the beginning, middle and end.

Overall, the book itself is just odd. I couldn’t find anything I liked about it unfortunately. The writing could use more edits and have the pace slow down a lot more. There isn’t really a climax either, which is disappointing. I can’t honestly recommend this series.  

A new student review of Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir by Liz Prince

darkash375 posted a new student review of Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir by Liz Prince. See the full review.

Overall I really enjoyed this graphic novel, the story just drags to you into it. I love the character Liz, she's a character that everyone can relate to. This book was really entertaining and shows us all "Tomboys" out in the world (myself included) that we aren't all alone. It shows us that gender norms are very overrated and how we shouldn't waste time on them. I recommend this book to every 7th grade and up girl out there. 

A new student review of The Field by Tracy Richardson

jotaf posted a new student review of The Field by Tracy Richardson. See the full review.

I thought The Field was an imaginative book full of action and mystery.  I liked that the author, Tracy Richardson, blended a believable story about a regular high school boy with just enough sci-fi to make it enjoyable.  I also thought the characters were realistic.  I think my favorite part was in the ending, but since it gives away a lot of the book, I can’t say what it is.  You’ll just have to read it yourself to find out.  The book was sometimes slightly confusing to follow.  Also, on the editor’s part, I saw a bunch of grammatical errors and flipped words, like “a in” instead of “in a."  Unfortunately, a lot of the book dealt with soccer, which started to get a little boring for me.  But if you are a soccer fan who also likes a little bit of sci-fi, this book might be for you.

A new student review of The Actual & Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher by Jessica Lawson

moseso posted a new student review of The Actual & Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher by Jessica Lawson. See the full review.

This book is intriguing and attention-gripping. With surprises around every corner, the author does a wonderful job of making it seem you’re right there next to Becky and Amy every step of the way. Becky Thatcher, the main character, is extremely clever, and always on the lookout for an adventure. Her best friend, Amy Lawrence, is more ladylike, but just as adventurous. The author, Jessica Lawson, does an impeccable job of making all the characters in the book seem real. It is a cliffhanger, but that leaves room for imagination. Geared towards girls of ages 10-12, this book will definitely end up on your list of favorites, and will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end. 

A new student review of Briony Hatch by x x Penelope and Ginny Skinner

Sweetfable posted a new student review of Briony Hatch by x x Penelope and Ginny Skinner. See the full review.

This book was decent with its story, and the visuals were pretty good for a graphic novel. However, I do have an issue with most of the characters. Briony herself is pretty likable, and I do see some aspects of me in her. However, I have a hard time believing her claims of her being the only girl in her whole class that has not been in a relationship or has not done any drugs. Also, I do not know why she hangs out with Julia anymore, especially because she is a really bad influence. The other thing is her attraction to this goth boy, which is totally strange because it makes no sense why she would like him other than a belief that they may both like the same book series. Overall there are some things that are correct about how teenagers act, but there are others that I know are not true. I did like the ending, which was pretty open and left things off on a happy note.

A new student review of The Severed Tower by J. Barton Mitchell

MezokaCapturer65 posted a new student review of The Severed Tower by J. Barton Mitchell. See the full review.

This is a post-apocalyptic book with a great deal of action and intensity. The switching points of view made each character feel more dynamic to me, and the ending really did tug at my heartstrings. Speaking of that, the ending was, I think, wonderfully set up for the next book in the series. Only some of the information about where the characters’ next adventure would take place was given, enough to make readers interested. I really like the idea of Zoey becoming more independent and smarter and deciding what she feels would be best. It’s always very interesting to me when stories put children in important decision-making positions, and this is no exception.

I had not read the previous book in this series, and I felt that I might not be able to connect to it very well with my lack of background, but it actually did a decent job. By the end I really cared about what was happening to these people. One complaint I do have was with the pacing; I feel that going a bit slower with the story would have made it better. It seemed that everything happened very quickly, the characters making choices within very short amounts of time. The timing of flashbacks and previous character stories worked wonderfully, however. It probably is a better experience to read this book after reading the first in the series, with more background and story to work with. Overall, a pretty good action series that I will definitely be looking into for future reads. I would recommend it to preteen or teen fans of action movies with sci-fi elements.

A new student review of Little White Lies

thudson36 posted a new student review of Little White Lies . See the full review.

I thought Little White Lies was a good, suspenseful novel. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat and I found myself wanting to keep reading after every chapter. I liked the major plot twist near the end of this book, but I did find some parts confusing. I think it takes the first couple of chapters to grab your attention, but once it does, it holds your interest. The characters are very well developed, although I think they can sometimes be unrealistic. You can tell the storyline took a lot of thought and planning because the book has many twists and turns. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a thriller.

A new student review of Keepers of Runes and the Tower of Shadows by Andrew Cratsley

Anjel posted a new student review of Keepers of Runes and the Tower of Shadows by Andrew Cratsley. See the full review.

I really liked this book. It was pretty good. My favorite part is when Rieka walks out of the tower into the mass of dead not using any emotion as if she were cold hearted. At some points I felt fairly confused, having to reread a paragraph two or three times. My favorite character was Corinth because of his attitude. I also liked that this was PG so when I was babysitting and the girl asked what I was reading I could read it out loud and she loved it. This is the first book in a series. I would recommend this book to 10+, for people who absolutely LOVE fantasy (like me) and who have read and liked “Fable Haven” By Brandon Mull (especially book five) and “Lark Rising” by Sandra Waugh.

A new student review of Kalona's Fall by P. C. Cast Kristin Cast

ReesaOnFire posted a new student review of Kalona's Fall by P. C. Cast Kristin Cast. See the full review.

Creating a tragic hero, the authors bring unceasing sympathy for a series-long villain in the novel, Kalona’s Fall.

Too often, I feel like stories become flat because they lack a good enough development for the villain. Stories are defined by the struggles of the characters. Usually, villains provide the struggle as the speed bump in the middle of road for the hero of the story, but the very best stories contain the most heart wrenching, understandable  villains. These villains have a logical backstory, an immense appeal to pathos and a chance at redemption.  They create the best stories.

Unfortunately, Kalona did not earn a place on my ‘top villains’ list.

Kalona’s Fall had many interesting and whimsical properties to it. Casts’ artful creation story held romance, and magical creatures brought different thrilling textures to the plot. The plot itself was not extraordinary but held a catching air.  However, Casts’ overall  characters’ development left much to be desired.  Kalona, the main character,  is the only exception, as he has a clear character development from something innocent to something dark and selfish.  Casts’ other characters (with their lack of development) dragged my esteem for this book down.

 The other characters simply did not make the story believable.  Either the characters were too predictable or were too nonsensical. Erebus, for example, fought hard for Nyx’s love in the beginning of the tale but then ups and forfeits the competition  after a good portion of the book with no explanation as to why, except that he sees the passion between Nyx and Kalona. It was not logical for his character in my opinion and thus killed the book, as it eliminated an obstacle for Kaona in perhaps the laziest way possible for the authors to have chosen.  Nyx brought little logic but a lot of emotion to the book. While her emotion held my attention, it felt often either dragged out or cut short. Her interactions in the tale lacked a balance and it felt like Nyx either overacted or underacted her part. Together with other characters, Kalona’s Fall was shortchanged and I was tempted to not finish the book.

But I finished it anyway.

It wasn't a waste of  time, as new obstacles popped up for Kalona which were intriguing and set up the plot for the rest of the series (I am assuming this as I have not read the House of Night Novella series). Kalona did win my sympathy, but not my heart. The story held a lot potential and brought a great explanation as to why a hero became a villain, but I found that the simplicity of the solutions given to certain problems presented throughout the book thoroughly disappointed me

A story which holds charm for avid fans of House of Night Novella series, Kalona’s fall will add a depth for the villain and thus the entire series plot; but for the browsing reader, it may not be so appealing or hold their attention.