Sebastian Darke: Prince of Fools

Sebastian Darke: Prince of Fools is about a young half-elf
jester whose father has recently died. Sebastian embarks on
an adventure to the kingdom of Keladon to seek employment,
which his father never got to finish. Along the way,
Sebastian (and his pessimistic buffalope, Max) meet a
Golmirian warrior named Cornelius and a spoiled princess
named Kerin. Sebastian is shocked to learn that Kerin is the
niece of King Septimus of Keladon. After saving Princess
Kerin from the barbaric brigands and wolflike lupers, they
get to Keladon and are welcomed by Septimus. But little do
they know that the treacherous King Septimus is plotting
against them...

I loved Sebastian Darke: Prince of Fools! It was filled
with action, comedy, suspense, and even drama! It had an
entertaining, if unfortunately, slightly predictable plot.
However, if you can make it past the first two chapters, the
plot gets a bit more interesting with the addition of new
characters and different segments to the adventure. The
characters are colorful and even though there is so much
going on that is fantastical in nature, the author manages
to keep it grounded in a way that makes it believable. It
was interesting to see the way the characters change
subtlety over the course of the book, too. If you want a
good, entertaining book, Sebastian Darke: Prince of Fools is
the way to go.


Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Saugerties, NY USA

Speak Easy

Speak Easy is an informational book comprised of 52 ideas to
help you become a better public speaker. Along with the
main text of each chapter, small bits and ideas are scrolled
along the margins. Also, each chapter concludes with a
question and answer page. Idea topics ranging from the
events at which you choose to speak, to handling a
technological failure during your presentation are
discussed. The author offers stories, anecdotes, and
easy-to-remember statements in order to make you a better
public speaker.

I thought this was a very informative book. The author
really covered all aspects of public speaking in presenting
the 52 ideas. This book is one of a series that portrays
the theme of 52 ideas. I really liked how the author
incorporated smaller ideas into the main idea of each
chapter. It allows readers to choose which ideas they like
and wish to try. The flexibility of this book is its
strongest asset. At first, I didn't agree with some of the
points the author was making, and I was left wondering about
the consistency of the arguments. However, I realized the
author's purpose, and can now understand and appreciate the
basis of the book. This book would be great for all
speakers, but I highly recommend it for beginner and
intermediate level speakers.


Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age:17

Reviewer City, State and Country: Eden Prairie ,
Minnesota United States

The Case Against My Brother

Carl Matsuki and his brother Adam are living in Portland,
Oregon with their Uncle Pete ever since their mom died.
Adam has always been the one that Carl relied upon,
especially now, being Polish Catholics living in an
anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic area. However, Carl's world
is turned upside down when his brother is accused of
robbery. Carl sets out to clear his brother's name, but
uncovers a secret underworld on his journey. He takes
charge to help his brother, even if he must witness
blackmail and murder to do so.

This book was a thought-provoking novel. I learned a lot about the time period it was set in. However, the story seemed too short. There is very little actual action. Most of the novel just seems to describe the time period and the characters. It was still good, but could have used more of a plot and more action.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Royersford, PA United States

Spanking Shakespeare by Jake Wizner

Spanking Shakespeare is an amusing, and witty book. It is written in first person, as a boy who is trying to survive his senior year in high school. The boy writes memoirs, college essays, and obituaries for his classes. It seems like his life is just one big joke. (He hates his name, he was born on Hilter's birthday, he doesn't have a girlfriend, and he still can't figure out how to blow his nose!) I think Jake Wizner is a talented author, because he teaches us that it's okay to laugh at ourselves once in a while!

When I first started reading Spanking Shakespeare, I thought it was a funny and an interesting book. But as I read further some of the content was inappropriate for girls my age. The book got to a point where I did not feel comfortable reading it any more. I would suggest that the author cut out some of the offensive parts, and replace them with his hilarious jokes. Also I would change the age group to 14 years and older, and direct it to male readers.

Content: See my review.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Renton, WA USA

The Hollywood Sisters: Caught On Tape by Mary Wilcox

Jessica and Eva are back, doing what they do best. Jessica has to find out who is in charge of the tour buses that are wreaking havoc among the celebrity neighborhoods, and also, how to stop them! And Eva is under more pressure then ever, trying to make her televsion series Two Sisters gain ratings, otherwise (*gasp*) Two Sisters may have to stop the shows altogether. Of course, Eva still has time to find the perfect boyfriend for Jessica. But who will Mr. Right be? Jessica's celebrity crush or a made-up man named heathcliff.

The Hollywood sister:Caught on Tape is a funny, realistic story that makes you feel as if you were right next to each character as different disasters occur. Mary Wilcox makes you feel the humilation and joy that emits from the Ortiz sisters everyday. Well-written. The only thing I didn't like about the book was that, thanks to the title, you could figure out how the culprit works way before the main characters did. But other than that, it was one of the best books I have read recently, and I am sure hundreds of others will feel the same way!

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Casa Grande, Arizona Unites States of America

The Boys Next Door by Jennifer Echols

Which boy will she choose? Lori loves to swim, wakeboard, and hang out with her friends at her lakeside home. She and her neighbors, the Vader boys, are terrific friends and love to spend the hot, humid summer days together. Lori and Adam, the youngest Vader brother, are inseparable friends who do everything together; although she can’t deny her crush for Adam’s older brother, Sean. She’ll do anything to get his attention, even if it means “fake” dating Adam, which involves making out with the boy who she has always considered to almost be her brother. After realizing that getting Sean’s attention is going to take a lot more work than expected, she decides to crank things up a notch with her and Adam’s relationship. After taking things to the next level she realizes that maybe it’s not Sean that she wants after all. But even if it is, she has gone too far to turn back now--or has she?

I really enjoyed The Boys Next Door because it mixed the right amount of romance, suspense, and irony to get the perfect concoction. The author, Jennifer Echols, picked a wonderful theme for the plot of this amazing story. I loved this book so much that I couldn’t put it down, and I stayed up for hours into the night and lost a ton of sleep just to find out what would happen next. This is a great read year-round that will get your love life sizzlin’. I recommend The Boys Next Door to teenage girls who love reading novels that have a twist of a romantic conflict.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Upper Strasburg, PA United States

Queen Geeks In Love by Laura Preble

The Queen Geek Social Club, started last year by Shelby and her friend, Becca, seems to be getting bigger. With 2 other officers and a new plan to start a website, things seem to be going great. But when boys are factored in, everything seems to go downhill. Shelby is happy with her boyfriend, Fletcher, though she thinks they’re getting serious way too fast. The problem really lies with Jon, their comic book designer, who has two queen geeks fighting for him. As the summer comes to an end, the girls realize that they need to come up with a new and exciting project. That’s when they come up with Geekfest, a talent show to showcase all the best geeky talents their high school can offer. But as the year goes by, the girls realize that they should stay true to their geeky selves and not let anyone, especially guys, come between their friendship.

The next adventure in the Queen Geeks books was just as entertaining as the original. Laura Preble’s writing style is comical and the plot kept me interested until the very end. Shelby is a likeable character and I think many girls can relate to her. I would definitely recommend this to teens who are looking for a light, entertaining read. I hope the author will continue to write about the Queen Geeks.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 20

Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, PA USA

Beyond Cool

Beyond Cool is the second book about Floe Ryan, a thawed
"frozen zombie." That's her term for it, but really Floe was
preserved after her death (vitrified, or "frozen,") which
happened about this time, and then "thawed" a decade later.
Even though it's only ten years, things are a lot different.
For one thing, Floe's younger sister, Sunny, is now her
older sister! Also, people don't drive anymore--they
hoverdrive (something Floe's having a bit of a problem
with). Teachers and movie stars are computer-generated.
Luckily, Floe's got another frozen zombie to help her deal
with all of this--her boyfriend, Taz. Of course, when Taz
starts acting kind of distant, and Floe finds out that she
and her fellow frozen zombies are suffering from weak immune
systems that make them susceptible to major diseases, plus she's having trouble learning to hoverdrive, life as a
teenage popsicle is less than fabulous.

Beyond Cool is just as good as the first book in the series,
I Was A Teenage Popsicle (which I recommend you read first).
The characters are wonderful, and the premise of the book is
highly original. It's a quick read, and well-written. Beyond
Cool is a funny, interesting story. It's sci-fi, yeah, but
it's also a very human story, and one that I highly
recommend!

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10

Reviewer Age: 16

>Reviewer City, State and Country: Asheville, NC USA

Balancing Acts

A winter to remember. Or else a winter to forget. Harley,
Dove, and Melissa arrive from three different parts of the
country to begin their jobs at a ski resort in the Alps.
Each girl has a secret they want kept in the past, as
they begin a week full of work, fun, and romance.
Harley has a mission here--she knows what she wants and she
knows how to get it. For Dove, this week is just seven days
away from her wonderful vacation with her far-away
boyfriend. Melissa has other plans, she has taken this job
to forget the past and begin anew--but will the past creep
up on her? As tasty as the treats Melissa serves, as wild as
the parties Harley attends, and as mysterious as Dove
herself, Balancing Acts throws readers into a winter
wonderland of fun and romance.

Balancing Acts presents three different girls, each with their own story, and twists them all into one. Harley, the wild child, becomes a lovable
character without whom the story could not blend. Melissa
and Dove are both sweethearts maturing and understanding
more about themselves and past experiences as the winter
progresses.

Emily Franklin presents heartwarming characters as well as
an adventurous plot that becomes wild with romantic twists
and gives the reader a chance to imagine a life of hard work
and secrets blended into one. The beginning tale of Harley,
Dove, and Melissa is worth reading--just grab a mug of hot
chocolate and sit by the fire and you are set to go.

This is a book centered on three eighteen (or nineteen) year old
girls. A prominent theme in the plot is sensuality.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country:
Concord, MA, 01742 United States

The Cloud Chamber by Joyce Maynard

When Nate Chance arrived home from school, he new something was wrong. There were multiple police cars and an ambulance at his house. As he got off the bus, he saw his dad being supported by two police officers. Then he noticed the blood dripping down his fathers face. Nate soon discovers that his dad tried to commit suicide. Nate’s father is alive, but unfortunately has no recollection of the event. The police are blaming Nate’s mother, accusing her of attempted murder. No one in his family will talk about what happened, and they will not even allow Nate and his sister Junie to visit their father. Nate’s mother pretends like her husband never existed and acts like nothing has happened. Nate begins to grow frustrated and upset, so he tries to take matters into his own hands, even committing crimes.

The Cloud Chamber by Joyce Maynard is an emotional drama depicting a family’s tragedy, through a child’s eyes. It is a heart wrenching account of a boy who is struggling to understand his family’s reaction to his father’s attempt at suicide. This well written book will likely bring you to tears. I enjoyed reading The Cloud Chamber because it demonstrated many good life lessons regarding honesty and morality. In addition, it gave you a perspective of how children really feel in difficult situations, showing a child’s powerless position as well intentioned parents make horrible mistakes. Although this was an excellent book, I was extremely disappointed in the conclusion of the story.

Content: The father in the story shot himself, so the book is slightly graphic and very depressing.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lemoore, CA USA