A Time To Tell by Maria Savva

We all complain about our family.The noisy aunt and half-deaf grandfather. The games you are forced to play with your cousins and football blaring on the living room T.V. Family. They can be a hassel, but we still love them. But in the A Time To Tell family, everyone is caught in a web of secrets and lies that threaten to do serious damage if not taken care of. Abusive husbands are just the start of the family drama, and since Cara now is elderly, all she can do is sit, watch, and turn up the volume on the T.V. when the yelling gets too loud. There is so much she wishes she could go back and change, but one thing A Time To Tell says is that the past is definite. You can't change what you've already done, no matter how much you want to believe otherwise.

It was challenging for me to review A Time To Tell because while it is captivating and very well-written, it also has a complicated plot that maded it hard to give a full summary of the book. But I loved reading it and hope I gave the story justice. It was just a joy to read, and I got in trouble a lot in class because I couldn't put it down. I think a lot of people will like this book, but if you have a short attention span maybe you should choose a different book, because it may leave you lost. But for those who are looking for a good, exciting book to read, this is the one for you.

Content: abusive relationships

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Casa Grande, Arizona USA

Storm: The Infinity Code

Will Knight is your average child prodigy - a genius. He creates gadgets that even the marines haven't come up with yet. A girl in his class, Gaia, sees him testing one of his inventions and asks him to join a secret organization called STORM, or Science and Technology to Over-Rule Misery. This organization was set up by a boy computer genius, and millionaire, named Andrew. At first, Will doesn't believe that STORM, a group of four kids, could do anything to help the world. He is proven wrong when STORM teams up to stop an evil plot, created by a madman, to take out a space hotel.

This book is one of the best spy/kid genius books I have read. Young took the story above and beyond the norm. She described her characters very well and makes sure they all had their place in the story. The plot is thick and filled with humor, suspense, mystery, and intrigue. There is never a dull moment. The thought behind the inventions and the solutions in this book are amazing. I can't figure out how Young came up with everything in this book. This is definitely competition for Artemis Fowl and Alex Rider. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a new and exciting read.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Shippensburg, Pennsylvania USA

The Girl Who Could Fly

Piper McLoud is a natural flyer. But when others see her amazing skill at a baseball game, her life is in danger. So, when a mysterious lady comes to take Piper to a special institute for kids with 'special' skills, she has no choice but to accept. However, at I.N.S.A.N.E., Piper soon learns that things are not at all what they seem to be. In the end, it all comes down to this: Will Piper sacrifice what she treasures most of all or will she break the rules to save her new found friends?

The Girl Who Could Fly is an excellent book. The vocabulary is age appropriate and easy to read. I found this book very moving, because of a certain song sung, quite literally, to the end. From reading this book, I learned that everyone has one unique talent at which they excel and should never sacrifice that skill to be normal or accepted. I would recommend this book to others because it was a very moving and an enjoyable read.

Underlying themes of abandonment, family death, and insanity.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Colleyville, TX USA

Misfit McCabe

When trouble maker Katie McCabe gets caught committing arson, her beloved father, the local sheriff, whisks her off to her Uncle Charlie's. Sarah, Katie's cousin, intends to set her straight. On Katie's second day at the farm, she meets Harvey Junior, her soon-to-be archenemy. Despite Katie's efforts to get along, she ends up hitting Harvey! Later on, she starts to make friends like Tom Pike and his buddies. Tom is the number one football player at school. Katie doesn't realize that life at Uncle Charlie's isn't going to be simple. Her new life contains rattlesnakes, nasty revenge, more archenemies, tears, and mud - lots and lots of mud!

I loved Misfit McCabe! The descriptions were amazing. I was glued to Misfit McCabe like a fly stuck to fly tape. I completely underestimated this book because I figured it would be boring. It turned out to be a very, very exciting book. Don’t underestimate the book's cover. Misfit McCabe is a difficult book to read, so I don't think it should be for 9-12 year olds, it should be labeled for young adults. This is a great book. Gardner-Griffie has outdone herself.

There are a few situations with underage drinking and smoking: also some frightening situations, and language.

Reviewer Age: 11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Osseo, Wisconsin United States
Rating: 9
Content: 3

Side by Side edited by Jan Greenberg

Mythical and real interweave
fantastical figures
spirited unicorns, delicate deer,
flying fleeing flocks, fierce falcons
Nature unbound
an overflowing vista
to hold close.

-Excerpt from The Vision, by Nimah

Ismail Nawwab


So begins one of the dreamy, meandering, thought-provoking poems in this excellent compilation of poems inspired by artwork. Side by Side contains poems from such different countries as Bhutan, Syria, Norway, and Guyana, and the collection shows a well-rounded glimpse of culture from around the world. Each poem is translated into English, but the authentic feel of the poems is kept by also including a copy of the poem written in its original language. The piece of art that each poem is based off is also included, riveting any reader's eyes to, if not the fantastic poems, the colorful and often startling artwork. The poetry offers a surprisingly frank look at life, art, and how the two can so easily become intertwined without meaning to be.

Jan Greenberg, as the editor, did a wonderful job of selecting poems for this collection. I loved flipping the book open to a random page and delving into the poem I found, savoring all the different styles of poetry I could find. From humorous to serious to sad, this book had them all. The book provides biographies of all the authors and translators, as well as a map to locate them all. I recommend this book to anyone who likes art, poetry, world cultures, or simply wants to try something new-it was my first book of poems, and I loved it. It offers a unique look at what art is and can be, and I liked simply gazing at the pages, seeing the poems and paintings as though they were one, which is what this book set out to do and accomplished splendidly.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Richmond, Virginia U.S.A.

The Compound by S.A. Bodeen

America's worst fear has come true, we are at nuclear war. The fallout from this crisis is the setting for The Compound. Eli, our protagonist, has lived six years in the compound, a multi-billion dollar fallout shelter built by his father, one of the most powerful businessmen in the world. One might think Eli would be the happiest nuclear refugee ever, but his father's wealth is not an escape from his grief over his lost twin brother and his life above the ground. As tensions rise underground and Eli's father's plan begins to crumble, Eli must question everything he believes in to save the family from which he has become so detached. Full of suspense and drama, The Compound is a great book for all thrill-seekers.

Besides the many twists and turns by the plot, I really enjoyed the development of Eli, our far-from-perfect protagonist. Readers are able to examine the real person behind Eli's long hair that often covers his face. Eli's twin brother, Eddy, was an interesting addition to Eli's character. I saw Eddy as an example of everything that Eli is not. Eddy is someone that Eli can become, but he is not capable without the opportunity. The end of the story marks Eli's escape from his own personal Compound as he attempts to save his family from his father's physical compound. I recommend The Compound not only for its suspense, but for the rich transformation of a most-unlikely hero.

Reviewer Age:18

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

Violet By Design by Melissa Walker

Violet Greenfield was a skinny and awkward wallflower through high school, up until the point where she was thrusted into the modeling industry; changing her life and even her attitude towards life. She took a trip to New York in "Violet on the Runway" and now she's back to leading a quiet life by the pool, with her best friends Roger and Julie, in "Violet by Design". She loved her break from the modeling industry but she spoke too soon. Her agent, Angela, had soon booked her a show in Brazil where she met a young and quite romantic designer named Paulo. True colors of the modeling world had come into vision, some colors not so pretty. Compared to the Tryst girls in competition with Violet, Paulo had more influence on her than she thought. Living wealthy was something Violet could get used to, but the soon to come heartbreak was a change most unwelcome. Soon Myspace blogs, paparazzi, and dangerous habits overwhelm and threaten her career and even her relationship with friends. A downward spiral of young and beautiful, Carolina raised, Violet Greenfield could make or break her international modeling career forever.

I thought this book was one of the best books I have ever read! I lead a very busy life and often I was tempted away from reading, but this book somehow made it so I just couldn't resist! The modeling industry is something I have always dreamt about and the real life references in this book made it oh so believable and surreal at the same time! So many parallels in this book were made between the life a model leads and the effect that it has on modern day children growing up; as well as the effect society and the way our expectations effect not only models. The element of surprise was FANTASTIC in this book. Not only did it present a problem but it presented five more! Where ever Violet traveled, she encountered something new and each and every time it resulted in either another problem, or an unexpected solution, each time stunning myself. I applaud Melissa Walker in her attempt and absolute success to write a MASTERPIECE!

Profanity was a large part of this book's dialogue in addition to eating disorders, sexual behavior, drinking, and other adult content.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: , PA USA

Oh. My. God.

Phoebe is a cross-country star. If she can just keep her grades up and keep up her awesome winning streak, she has a guaranteed scholarship to USC. In fact, her two best friends, Nola and Cesca, are planning on going there, too. Everything is great for Phoebe until her mom returns from a family reunion with a fiance, Damian. Phoebe can't believe that, after four years of mourning the death of her father, her mom is engaged to a man she has known for less than a week. Phoebe doesn't think her life could get any worse, but then her mother announces that they're moving to Greece because of Damian's job. Much to her discontent, Phoebe packs a meager three boxes and heads halfway across the world to a new life.

This new life includes a new school, located on a secret island, where the students are anything but normal - they're descendants of the Greek gods! Phoebe seems to be in over her head, but with the aid of some new friends and a gorgeous model-worthy guy, Phoebe learns that she can fit in just about anywhere - even if her new step-sister is a descendant of Hades.

First, I must say that I love Greek mythology and had really high expectations for this book. Wow! This book surpassed all expectations and was just great. The story line was completely original and I loved all of the references to the Greek gods. It was really neat how the author made all the characters have the traits of the gods and goddesses, but also be your everyday teenager. Phoebe's character was also great. She was funny, sweet and very likeable. Many times throughout the story I found myself cheering her on against all the obstacles that she encountered. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. It has every element you might be looking for in a book, romance, suspense, and an amazing storyline. All in all, this was a great book that took high school life and mixed it with a little bit of mythology. I very much look forward to what Tera Lynn Childs has in store for us next!

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Currituck, NC U.S.A.

The Celebutantes: In The Club by Antonio Pagliarulo

The school year’s almost over, and Madison, Park and Lexington Hamilton are ready for the summer. Cleopatra, one of Hamilton Holding’s latest business ventures, is opening and everyone is talking about it. They do not know that it will be the last they see of one of their friends and a fellow classmate. Before the end of the night, the body of Damien Kittle is found with a bloody wound on the top of the head and a murder weapon that takes the case for a turn. The girls do everything they can to solve this dangerous mystery, falling into dangerous traps themselves. Read to find out who the real killer is and the drama that comes along with it!!

The Celebutantes: In the Club was a page-turner book and I could hardly put it down. The main characters are Madison, Park, and Lexington, who go undercover to solve the mysterious death of their friend Damien Kittle. The mystery keeps you pulled into the book and very interested. I love the ending of the book because it was not what I expected. It surprised me! Throughout the whole book I thought the murderer was someone else, but in the end, it wasn’t what I expected. I recommend this book to people who enjoy mystery books!!!

Rating:8

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Cumming, Georgia United States

Stealing Bradford

Stealing Bradford is about a group of girls that have
almost nothing in common. The one thing they do share is
that together they form the Carter House Girls. Living in
an old Victorian boarding house with a "stuck in the past"
grandmother as their guardian, drama erupts when Bradford,
boyfriend of Rhiannon, dumps her for spunky Taylor. As
the school year starts, tensions heat up when the Carter
House Girls start taking sides. Did Taylor try to steal
Bradford from Rhiannon? When mysterious pictures of Taylor
appear on MySpace the Carter House is turned upside down.
By the end of the day the Carter House girls learn a
valuable lesson about family and friendship.

The minute I finished Melody Carlson's second book in The
Carter House Girls series, I raced downstairs to the
computer to look up when her third book would be out.
This book had a lot of surprise twists. It kept me
reading for hours and glued my eyes to the pages. This
book sent an important message of family and friendship to
its readers. I greatly recommend this book.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Potomac, Maryland United
States of America
Rating: 0
Content: 1