From Mirrorstone Publishers comes an anthology for young adult readers entitled Magic In the Mirrorstone. A collection of authors including Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, and Gregory Frost shape this entrancing new book of modern fairy-tales. From unicorns and water-spirits, to enchanted frogs and goblins, this book will keep readers on the edge of their seats. In all it's magic, slight hilarity, and pure ingenuity, this blend of authors creates a fresh, new look at the old-fashioned bedtime story. With editing by Steve Berman, Magic in the Mirrorstone is a surefire hit!
I highly enjoy modern fairy-tales, and this book is one of the reasons why. My favorite story, 'Princess Bufo Marinus, also known as Amy' puts a spin on the tale of the frog prince, as do many of the stories. I found it a refreshing read, and would reccomend it to any and all teen readers.
Some of the stories in this book, especially 'Virgin' by Holly Black, are for mature readers.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Boothwyn, PA USA
Rating: 10
Content Rating: 3
Thursday, February 28, 2008
The Finnish Line by Linda Gerber
Maureen Clark, otherwise known as Mo, stepped foot in
Finland with two thoughts in mind: making a name for
herself instead of living in her family's shadow, and
jumping in the world-famous Lahti Ski Games. Between
studying for her classes and her ski practices, Mo realizes
that she isn't going to have as much free time to explore
Finland as she thought. After jumping during practice and
landing short of all of the others' distances, Maureen
decides that she needs extra practice. So therefore, when
her hot tough-guy teammate asks if she wants his help in
return for some recognition by the press, Maureen can't
decline his help. While at the ski trip to Kemi, Mo and
Leevi really hit it off, but how can she possibly date him
when he's her competitive teammate and an untrustworthy
Gypsy? What if she isn't ready in time for the televised
Lahti Ski Games and she can't live up to her family's
famous name? And if she doesn't, will she have to continue
living her life forevermore being called Mr. Clark's
daughter?
I really enjoyed how The Finnish Line was full
of adventure and had just the right amount of romance.
This is a fantastic, action-packed novel with very
interesting scenes and characters. My favorite character
is Leevi because he had the best personality and he was
very unique from the rest of the people in this book. There
were a lot of surprises that kept me guessing until the
very end. I think that this would be a terrific story to
make a sequel to since there were still quite a few
questions about their futures left unanswered when the
story came to an end. This is just one of the many
fabulous novels in the S.A.S.S. Series written by various
authors. Each one is a young adult romance and I hope to
be able to collect them all.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country:
Upper Strasburg, PA United States
Finland with two thoughts in mind: making a name for
herself instead of living in her family's shadow, and
jumping in the world-famous Lahti Ski Games. Between
studying for her classes and her ski practices, Mo realizes
that she isn't going to have as much free time to explore
Finland as she thought. After jumping during practice and
landing short of all of the others' distances, Maureen
decides that she needs extra practice. So therefore, when
her hot tough-guy teammate asks if she wants his help in
return for some recognition by the press, Maureen can't
decline his help. While at the ski trip to Kemi, Mo and
Leevi really hit it off, but how can she possibly date him
when he's her competitive teammate and an untrustworthy
Gypsy? What if she isn't ready in time for the televised
Lahti Ski Games and she can't live up to her family's
famous name? And if she doesn't, will she have to continue
living her life forevermore being called Mr. Clark's
daughter?
I really enjoyed how The Finnish Line was full
of adventure and had just the right amount of romance.
This is a fantastic, action-packed novel with very
interesting scenes and characters. My favorite character
is Leevi because he had the best personality and he was
very unique from the rest of the people in this book. There
were a lot of surprises that kept me guessing until the
very end. I think that this would be a terrific story to
make a sequel to since there were still quite a few
questions about their futures left unanswered when the
story came to an end. This is just one of the many
fabulous novels in the S.A.S.S. Series written by various
authors. Each one is a young adult romance and I hope to
be able to collect them all.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country:
Upper Strasburg, PA United States
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Yozakura Quartet
Hime, the mayor of Sakurashin, is a superheroine. Kotocha can conjure up anything with the right word(s). Ao is able to read minds. They fight evil in the town to make it a better place. However, this is not done without Akina. He is just a regular guy that lives with the three supergirls. Together, they face a dangerous shooter, a demon dog, and other threats as well. Read Yozakura Quartet to find out how each individual helps keep the town safe.
I loved this book! To start off, it is a Japanese manga. However, it is translated into English. I loved how it was authentic to the way a traditional manga would be written; it is read from right to left. Also, the pictures are absolutely wonderfully drawn. This particular volume had five different sections, and each section contained a different evil they fought against. I really liked how the different characters were worked into the story. Although I was confused about the characters in the beginning I learned who each one was pretty quickly. The storyline is very unique, and it was a pleasure to read. I recommend this book to anyone seeking humor and action.
There is mild swearing and violence.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America
I loved this book! To start off, it is a Japanese manga. However, it is translated into English. I loved how it was authentic to the way a traditional manga would be written; it is read from right to left. Also, the pictures are absolutely wonderfully drawn. This particular volume had five different sections, and each section contained a different evil they fought against. I really liked how the different characters were worked into the story. Although I was confused about the characters in the beginning I learned who each one was pretty quickly. The storyline is very unique, and it was a pleasure to read. I recommend this book to anyone seeking humor and action.
There is mild swearing and violence.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America
Keeper by Mal Peet
Paul Faustino was to get an exclusive interview with the top goalie in the world, but instead of a soccer story he got a ghost story. El Gato recants more than just his childhood, he tells about an apparition that trains him to be one of the most wanted players in the game of soccer.
It is a spooky story that has real human emotions and actions. I did find it intriguing, even though at times it was a bit slow, and I wanted to read to the end to see how the mystery would unfold. It was easy to visualize the small logging town that he grew up in and his travels to the bigger cities. I liked the book, not because of the sports angle, but because of the ghost mystery.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Baldwin, Maryland USA
It is a spooky story that has real human emotions and actions. I did find it intriguing, even though at times it was a bit slow, and I wanted to read to the end to see how the mystery would unfold. It was easy to visualize the small logging town that he grew up in and his travels to the bigger cities. I liked the book, not because of the sports angle, but because of the ghost mystery.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Baldwin, Maryland USA
Quo Vadis Israel? by H. Peter Nennhaus
Peter Nennhaus addresses a controversial subject when he talks about moving Israel to a different, possibly better, place in Europe. It would be a permanent place for Jews to settle, and where they would be able to live in peace. While such a radical move seems unrealistic, when you hear the arguments in its favor you will be forced to consider them and admit they are not as far-fetched as they seemed at the beginning. And if Israel were to move, would we finally have the peace in the Middle East that we have been wanting for so long?
Sorry Mr. Nennhaus, but to me your book was a total and complete YAWN! It was confusing and half the time I didn't know what you were talking about. Granted I am a thirteen-year-old girl, so it is possible if an adult read it they would enjoy it. But if you are under the age of eighteen, this book is sooooo not the book for you. And though I had trouble not sleeping while I read this book, you did have some good points and presented them really well. But seriously. If you are not an adult, stay away. This is NOT the book for you.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Casa Grande, Arizona United States
Sorry Mr. Nennhaus, but to me your book was a total and complete YAWN! It was confusing and half the time I didn't know what you were talking about. Granted I am a thirteen-year-old girl, so it is possible if an adult read it they would enjoy it. But if you are under the age of eighteen, this book is sooooo not the book for you. And though I had trouble not sleeping while I read this book, you did have some good points and presented them really well. But seriously. If you are not an adult, stay away. This is NOT the book for you.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Casa Grande, Arizona United States
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Henry VIII's Last Victim
Henry Howard was born in 1517 to a noble, wealthy
family. He had a very privileged, yet difficult childhood.
At a young age he inherited the title of the Earl of
Surrey and soon became accustomed to the life of someone
of his stature. When he joined the King's court, he
developed a good reputation with his peers and was dubbed
Knight of the Order of the Garter. However, Surrey was a
very reckless, overconfident individual and through one
mistake after another, slowly lost his favor with the
King. After much plotting of his enemies, Surrey became
Henry VIII's very last victim.
I found this biography by Jessie Childs very hard to
read for someone my age. With all the Old English and
academic language it was, at times, difficult to
understand. However, it was incredibly researched down to
every last detail of Henry Howard's life. The author was
obviously very dedicated and well educated. I would
recommend this biography to young adults and up who really
enjoy history.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg,
Pennsylvania United States
Rating: 8
family. He had a very privileged, yet difficult childhood.
At a young age he inherited the title of the Earl of
Surrey and soon became accustomed to the life of someone
of his stature. When he joined the King's court, he
developed a good reputation with his peers and was dubbed
Knight of the Order of the Garter. However, Surrey was a
very reckless, overconfident individual and through one
mistake after another, slowly lost his favor with the
King. After much plotting of his enemies, Surrey became
Henry VIII's very last victim.
I found this biography by Jessie Childs very hard to
read for someone my age. With all the Old English and
academic language it was, at times, difficult to
understand. However, it was incredibly researched down to
every last detail of Henry Howard's life. The author was
obviously very dedicated and well educated. I would
recommend this biography to young adults and up who really
enjoy history.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg,
Pennsylvania United States
Rating: 8
Friday, February 22, 2008
Posh by Lucy Jackson
"Posh" centers around a high school girl named Julianne and her circle of friends, and their families. Julianne falls in love with Michael, who has his own struggles with his family and with bipolar disorder. The teens all attend an elite Manhattan private school where money equals status. The students need to decide what or who really matters to them. They all are figuring out how much they will take in the name of love.
This book has a lot of character development. You really feel like you are experiencing the characters joys and hardships and like you could be one of the gang. You get to know them like friends. "Posh" teaches the reader about bipolar disorder, and also how hard it would be to love someone who has it. This book has a fair share of sex, infidelity and violence and might be better suited for older teens.
Content:
Sexual Content, Drugs, Violence, Adultery, and Language
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Renton, Washington US
This book has a lot of character development. You really feel like you are experiencing the characters joys and hardships and like you could be one of the gang. You get to know them like friends. "Posh" teaches the reader about bipolar disorder, and also how hard it would be to love someone who has it. This book has a fair share of sex, infidelity and violence and might be better suited for older teens.
Content:
Sexual Content, Drugs, Violence, Adultery, and Language
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Renton, Washington US
You Know Where to Find Me
Miles always felt second best to her cousin, Laura.
Laura's the skinny, pretty one, the popular girl with a
doting father and more wealth than she can ask for, while
Miles is the failure, overweight and underachieving. The
two may not be as close as they were in their childhood,
but Miles thought that she knew Laura, at least well enough
to predict and prevent her cousin's suicide. Now, with her
best friend gone, Miles is left alone, stranded on earth to
deal with the consequences of Laura's death. As her life
spirals out of control, Miles has to come to terms with the
fact that she isn't the only one who lost Laura, and that
life will go on regardless of who has left it.
Laura's the skinny, pretty one, the popular girl with a
doting father and more wealth than she can ask for, while
Miles is the failure, overweight and underachieving. The
two may not be as close as they were in their childhood,
but Miles thought that she knew Laura, at least well enough
to predict and prevent her cousin's suicide. Now, with her
best friend gone, Miles is left alone, stranded on earth to
deal with the consequences of Laura's death. As her life
spirals out of control, Miles has to come to terms with the
fact that she isn't the only one who lost Laura, and that
life will go on regardless of who has left it.
Rachel Cohn strikes again with the beautiful prose and
risque topics that her readers know so well. Miles is the
perfect protagonist for this story, because she is well
aware of her problems. Thus, sympathizing with her is
incredibly easy. The entire novel is a masterpiece, a
perfect mix of different writing styles that keep the
reader intrigued and in awe. Cohn deals with an array of
difficult topics, but does so powerfully and clearly shows
the consequences of every action without being morally
superior. None of the characters are perfect, but they
aren't cliches, either. They're entirely believable and
wonderfully flawed. Overall, "You Know Where To Find Me" is
an incredibly moving book, worth devouring from beginning
to end.
This book contains mature topics such as
suicide, prescription drug abuse, and depression, as well
as mild sexual content.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer
State and Country: Maryland United States
Thursday, February 21, 2008
The Silver Donkey
The Silver Donkey is a young adult fiction book written by Sonya Hartnett, and it takes place during World War I. The story starts one day when two sisters, Marcelle and Coco, find a runaway solider in the woods. The solider, Lieutenant Shepard, is blind and is trying to get back home to his dying brother. Marcelle, the oldest sister, realizes they can't get the solider home without help, so they tell their older brother, Pascal. Pascal creates a plan to help get the solider home. In return, the solider tells the children four stories about his good luck charm, a silver donkey.
The Silver Donkey is a great book. It is interesting and enjoyable. This book has a lot of strengths, but there is one that stands out the most. That strength is the fact that the author's writing draws the reader farther into the book, making it impossible to put down. The ending was okay, but I thought it left a lot of questions unanswered. The author could have put more detail into the ending of the story. Overall, The Silver Donkey is the best children's book I have read in a long time, and I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read.
Rating:9
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sandy, Oregon United States
The Silver Donkey is a great book. It is interesting and enjoyable. This book has a lot of strengths, but there is one that stands out the most. That strength is the fact that the author's writing draws the reader farther into the book, making it impossible to put down. The ending was okay, but I thought it left a lot of questions unanswered. The author could have put more detail into the ending of the story. Overall, The Silver Donkey is the best children's book I have read in a long time, and I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read.
Rating:9
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sandy, Oregon United States
Friday, February 15, 2008
The Dragons of Babel
The Dragons of Babel is about Will, a young boy with responsibilities thrust upon him. Adopted by his Aunt as a young child, Will never knew his true identity. He was disowned by his village for events beyond his control, and thrown out into a world in which war is raging. Along the way, he encounters Esme, a girl with knowledge beyond her years, and Nat, a trickster who knows more about Will than Will does himself. Taken to Babel as a refugee from the war, Will will discover more and more about himself, fighting imaginary wars and dealing with bureaucrats, while the city's people await a new king to fill the throne. Will deals with staying alive and free, but all the while events are being put into motion behind his back. Falling in love with bureaucrats and making enemies with others, will Will be able to save himself from his fate? Will he find his true identity, and if he does, will he accept it? Read The Dragons of Babel to find out.
The Dragons of Babel is a fascinating story of adventure and romance. With dynamic characters and unique (if not strange) beings, it is a great read cover to cover. From the hardened soldiers down to sweet Esme, and from the trickster Nat to the bureaucrats of Babel, each character is unique. I would recommend this book to any fan of fantasy or adventure stories. The Dragons of Babel receives a nine out of ten from me.
Some sexual references, language
Rating: 9
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA USA
The Dragons of Babel is a fascinating story of adventure and romance. With dynamic characters and unique (if not strange) beings, it is a great read cover to cover. From the hardened soldiers down to sweet Esme, and from the trickster Nat to the bureaucrats of Babel, each character is unique. I would recommend this book to any fan of fantasy or adventure stories. The Dragons of Babel receives a nine out of ten from me.
Some sexual references, language
Rating: 9
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA USA
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)