The Education of T.C. Mits by Lillian R. Lieber

T.C Mits stands for The Celebrated Man In The Street, so this book applies to people with minimal knowlage of math. This book is writen in freeverse poetry and is written in two parts. The first part talks about the old way of math: algebra,geometry, calculus, and trig, so if you haven't studied these branches of math yet, you might not get the book. The second part talks about integrating math into the real world. The second portion of the book explains how math can fit into politics and other subjects of that nature.

I was confused most of the entire way. I do not believe that the boook was writen for young adults because, unless you have taken Calculus before, you are lost on page one. One positive thing about the book was the fact that there was a math problem at almost every chapter, so it kept you interested and wanting to find out the answers. Unfortunatly for the readers, the book was written a long time ago, so there might be some issues currently with the computation of the math. This book does go into detail about math and how math applies to politics, so I would not recomend this book for anyone who dislikes math OR has never taken any kind of math besides Algebra 2.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 3

Reviewer Age: 14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Pottstown, PA United States

Betwixt by Tara Bray Smith

There are three seventeen-year-olds that are not so normal. A mystery has always been with them while sleeping and when awake. Paintings with butterflies always seem to be alive under Ondine Mason's gaze. Another problem is her violet colored eyes. Morgan D'Amici is a beautiful girl who wakes up in her trailerpark home with blood and dirt under her fingernails. Runaway Nix Saint-Michael sees halos of light around people that are about to die. The brighter the ring, the closer it is to their death. Lastly, they seem to never get sick. When they go to a summer party, they learn all about their origins and their linked destinies.

Betwixt was a great book for young adults. It showed a little bit of fantasy that was enough to make me happy. I really only had one trouble while reading this book. That was that in the beginning when Tara Smith was introducing all of the characters, there were too many brought in at once so I quicky forgot who was who and what they were all about. If you read slowly and twice over those parts then you can understand a little bit better. Something I loved was how there were three main characters who were extemely unique and had their own personalities. Overall, the book was a wonderful debut novel for her.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America

Big Slick by Eric Luper

Big Slick begins with Andrew Lang stealing money from his dad’s dry cleaning company. After he loses that money in a Texas Hold’em game, Andrew steals more in the hopes of winning it back in another poker game. Andrew digs himself in deeper when he finds some “crack” and tries to sell it on the street. This causes Andrew even more trouble and he ends up selling it back to the drug dealer. With his new stash of cash, Andrew takes off to another casino to try to make enough to payback his dad. Andrew wins at the tables and returns home only to find out he’s too late. His Dad already discovered the missing money and punishes Andrew.

Big Slick started slow with details of each poker hand he played. The book gets going then has a few unexpected twists and turns. The book has some questionable content. There are drugs, drinking, gambling, and bad choices. Besides the bad content, the author provides an interesting storyline.

Content: Between drugs and questonable choies this book is for mature readers.

Rating (0 - 10 scale):

Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hamilton, OH USA

Drama Club: The Big Production by Peter Lerangis

Drama Club is getting ready for another big production Grease! Everyone is frantic, auditions are going crazy, things are going wrong with the props, and Brianna, Drama Club co president is feeling the pressure. What with auditions swamped, actors going crazy, will Brianna finally burst, and will the show go on despite all this madness?

Drama Club was definitely interesting. I kind of missed out due to it being a series and not reading the previous books but I caught on quick. I enjoyed the drama Drama Club had to go through, ironically enough. I caught myself being caught up in the emotions of everyone. I had lots of fun reading about friendship, hardship, and drama.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Minooka, IL

Foundling by D. M. Cornish

This book is about an intelligent boy who is (unfornunately)named Rosamund. Teased by his fellow orphans at Madam Opera's Estimable Marine Society for Foundling Boys and Girls Rosamund is an outcast who dreams of leaving the Society for good. He gets his chance when a mysterious man named Mister Sebastipole offers him a job as a lamplighter (a person who goes out and lights the lamp that connect the highways). But Rosamund's world is fraught with danger and before long he finds himself in situations he could have never imagined with people that possess powers most of us can only dream of.

This book was excellent. Containing strange places and fantastic creatures this book is worth reading. The characters are a perfect blend of the extraordinary and human. It is exciting and fast paced with lot of interesting plot twists. It was exceptional and the illastrations are amazing. I would reccomend it of fans of fantasy.

Content: There is mild violence.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA

Real Princesses by Valerie Wilding

“What is a princess? It’s a favorite dream of many girls to be a beautiful princess, to live in a fairy-tale palace, to wear diamond tiaras, and to dress in fabulous clothes.”

Not quite. Princesses have lots of rules, requirements and expectations burdened on them. They are constantly being watched and judged by the public and they usually don’t get exactly what they want. Most people think princesses are girls who don’t have a care in the world, but that’s not true, they have their problems and things to deal with just like you and I. But, there are also fun aspects of being a “princess”. They usually have opportunities to pursue their interests, sometimes even professionally because they usually have unlimited resources. Some examples in the book include modeling, acting, professional horseback riding, bee keeping, and even the military.

This bright pink and purple non-fiction princess guide was a blast to read! I learned lots about the lifestyles of princesses all around the world. It’s amazing how different African princesses are compared to British princesses. Please don’t let the terms “princess” or “pink” scare you away, once you read this book you’ll realize that they have to deal with a lot and aren’t just frilly pink cover girls. Well, maybe one or two are…

Content:0Rating (0 - 10 scale): 5

Reviewer Age: 15
Reviewer City, State and Country: , North Carolina USA

Choices by Deborah Lynn Jacobs

Kathleen has lost her older brother Nick in a car accident. He was on his way to pick her up from a party that her best friend convinced her to go to. The guilty person in the accident is named Mark, and he walks away with no injuries. At Nick’s funeral, Kathleen meets a mysterious boy named Luke. As Kathleen tries to cope with the loss of her brother, Luke tries to comfort her and also warns her of a so called “shift of universes.” Nick knows of these shifts because he is a fellow shifter, and has been for years. As Kathleen “shifts” through four different universes, usually changing during the night, she is trying to find her real self, and her brother. Through all this, she runs into many obstacles that change her life drastically. Kathleen also has many questions, with answers that no one can give her; she has to find them on her own. Perhaps the biggest questions are: Who is Luke? Whatever happened to Mark? And will the “shifts” help Kathleen find Nick?


I loved Kathleen. She is a perfect example of someone who has fallen on her behind only to get back up again. I tried to put myself in her position of losing one of my siblings, and could not even imagine it. This book helps me appreciate each one of my siblings so much more. Kathleen is a very strong character and I admire her so much. And then there is Luke. I really like Luke, too. He started off a friendship with a lie, but only to protect the other person. He knew how to take control of his problems, and always tried his best to fix them. I did not like Kathleen’s friend Jen—she was rude, very judgmental, and did not give Kathleen’s other friends a chance—however, she was an essential part in understanding Kathleen’s “shifts.” All in all, the book is very good. The author’s choice of writing style may make it difficult for some to keep track of all the characters, but for advanced readers, it is definitely well worth reading.

Stdent reviewer state: Ohio

The Hand That Bears the Sword by George Bryan Polivka

Packer and Panna Throme are interrupted in the middle of their "honey month" by the king's urgent order that Packer must set sail on the Trophy Chase. Three lone ships that are left of the navy fleet go out to sea in an attempt to delay the attack on Nearing Vast from the kingdom of Drammun. Meanwhile, Panna is left behind in the hands of the lustful Prince Mather, who plots to steal her love. As Packer helps to fight the ferocious Drammun Armada, his faith is tested to the limit. He is forced to make the difficult decision to glorify himself or the one who gave him that glory in the first place. Back in Nearing Vast, Panna learns to lay everything down and trust God to show her a way to escape from the evil prince. Through it all, Packer and Panna's examples show others that true power comes from humbling yourself and trusting God to the end.

The Hand That Bears the Sword is the second book in the Trophy Chase Trilogy. It is filled from the first page to the last with action, adventure, and a beautiful portrait of God's perfect love. Some parts are a little bit gory, but other than that it is probobly a most valuable read for teens 12 and up. The plot was laid out very well, using third person, but switching points of view almost every chapter. I enjoyed that because you were able to get to know each character personally. I would highly recommend this book to all fantasy lovers.

Content: faith-based

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA United States

Demon Envy by Erin Lynn

In this book, a girl named Kenzie accidentally spills some of her acne cream down her bathtub drain. She accidentally opens a demon portal, and a demon, Levi, shows up in her bathroom. He starts helping her to close the portal, and he slips right into an average teenage life. Meanwhile, Kenzie has to deal with him living at her house, and juggle her day to day life, without letting it slip that Levi is really a demon. At the end of the book, she figures out how to close the portal. The only way for her to do that, that she could see, was to drive her parents' mini-van into the kitchen wall. She gets grounded, and the portal is closed.

This book was TOTALLY AWSOME! I liked Levi, because he was always acting as though Kenzie was a little kid and protecting her. I loved the ending because Kenzie drove the car into kitchen wall. This book compared really well to other books I've read, but I don't think it'll be the Harry Potter. I didn't really learn anything from this book, but it was still an awsome read. The vocabulary was appropriate for the ages it was written for. This author's style is awsome, and she tied up all the loose ends and answered all my questions at the end of the book. I don't think this book could have been improved.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Highland, MI USA

Queen Ferris by S.C. Butler

Months after Reiffen was saved from the clutches of the three Wizards, he returns to them. But this time he does it of his own free will, so that he can try and outsmart the Wizards. However, as Reiffen learns more magic, he is forced to do terrible things. When evidence of his deeds emerge, Reiffen’s best friends, Avender and Ferris, begin to wonder if the Wizards have “turned” him. As the countries are destroyed by war with the Wizards, Avender is forced to choose his loyalty. And Ferris struggles between the part of her that still believes Reiffen is good, and the part of her that wants to leave him behind.

At first I couldn’t really get into the book because it was a sequel and I had never read the first one. However, once I started getting deeper into it, I thought the book was really good. I really liked how S.C. Butler switched from Ferris’ point of view, to Avender’s to Reiffen’s. It added to the suspense and kept the book moving. Overall I thought it was a great book, and it is perfect for anyone who enjoys fantasy and magic.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Erlanger, Kentucky United States